Utah!

Oh wait.  Those mashed potatoes aren't from Utah!  I just wanted to show off that I grew my own herbs (and they didn't even die, which surprised everyone), and that I put them in a dish!  I didn't really think about which herbs to grow, which was my fault--I'm not familiar with too many recipes for parsley or rosemary--but now I know I can do it and I'll grow things I actually use.  I have lots of basil springing up and I'm excited to use that.

Before I left I got to hang out with my cousin Renny who was visiting her grandma in Sacramento!  Our timing was a bit off so I got to spend part of a gorgeous afternoon in Union Square Park.  I love it when the weather is gorgeous enough for everyone to be sprawled out on the grass or hustling and bustling downtown.

Last time I left Mike alone in SF he ate cereal for a week.  So I headed to Trader Joe's to make sure he had lots of snacks/(SIMPLE) meals to make while I was gone.  On the way home I saw this bamboo in the middle of Pacific Heights.  So random!

I also saw these beauties. 

I love this installation in the San Francisco International Airport.  I'm not sure if it has air making it wave around slightly, or if it simply reacts to the wind outside.  The walls surrounding the escalators going to and from BART are covered in thousands of tiny mirrors that sparkle and shimmer. 

Riding the air train to my terminal.  I love airports.  They are so clean, minimalistic, and full of gorgeous and simple shapes.  I have been thinking I might do some watercolor studies of them.

I had the greatest layover of all time in Phoenix.  I bought my ticket really late and ended up doing a way out of the way stop.  Oh well!

My friend Julia picked me up at the airport.  Krista and Robyn happened to be in town as well.  It was fate!  All four of us studied abroad (and caused lots of trouble) in Italy in 2007.  It was so fun to see these girls!  It has been years since we all got together.  It's amazing to see how much our lives have changed.  Three of us are married, one of us is almost done with grad work, one has served a mission, one is pregnant!  We could not stop talking.  It was so much fun that I almost missed my connecting flight!

 Flying over the Grand Canyon.  It looks small from the air!

Right when I got home, I was happy to see mom's peonies in full bloom!  They only stay happy on the bush for a short amount of time, so I was happy I got to see them.  They are without a doubt one of my favorite flowers.  I love how gorgeous the gardens at my home always are.  My mom has a serious green thumb.

The night I arrived we obviously got Cafe Rio.  We all ate at Dave and Kristin's new house.  The whole Time I was walking through that thing I kept thinking about how big it was compared to our tiny San Francisco apartment.  I also laughed because I honestly have no clue when Mike and I will have a house.    So far, our life has seemed to be constantly up in the air.  I'm glad that we have each other and the gospel to keep ourselves anchored.  It helps us make the most of this crazy time of life!

The next morning I went running around SLC.  When I drove from the airport with my mom the night before I kept asking what was different about Salt Lake.  I couldn't figure it out!  Well, on my run I realized that the city was amazingly green!  I don't remember seeing it like that before!  The trees, flowers, grass, and birds were all singing.  It was breathtaking.  

After my run we all clogged our arteries together at the cabin!  I know it sounds disgusting, but it's true.  Our "cabin breakfast" is a tradition that started before people were heart and health-conscious.  I've noticed that it keeps getting smaller and a little more healthy (does a little fresh fruit count as healthy?), but we still have our staples: bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, and juice.  As everyone has learned a little bit more about how healthy this breakfast is, I've noticed that our portions have gotten significantly smaller.  But we still eat it.  And I don't think we'll ever stop.

I have never seen the water as high as it was this year!  The stream was bubbling and singing so loud that we could hardly hear each other talk!  We made sure to keep a close eye on the little boys--they love throwing rocks in the stream and watching the water dance down the mountain.

I played ping pong with Kimball.  I was so glad I got to go to the cabin.  It is literally one of my favorite places on earth.  

 After the cabin, we made a run to Whole Foods.  I wanted to check out the new one in Trolley Square/stock up on some GF snacks since St. George doesn't have a lot of health food stores.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Harmons in St. George has a great selection of GF goods, even though it is a smaller store.  There is also a health food store I need to check out.  I took a picture of this mushroom growing out of the box because Ty, Becca, Nat and I thought it was pretty hilarious.

There was a petting zoo in Scipio.  Are you kidding?  Nat was there a few months ago and said that there was a zebra.  Unfortunately the zebra was gone, but there were llamas, rabbits, and goats to look at.

 Too funny.

Aaaaaah, St. George.  We got there late Wednesday night, did a little visit to the pool in the morning, and saw a movie Thursday afternoon.  We dined at The Pizza Factory as per tradition,  which I was pleasantly surprised to find now offers GF crust!  It was the best gluten-free pizza I have had in a restaurant!

Friday morning my dad, Ty, Dave, Nat, and I started out to hike the West Rim in Zion.  It is a gorgeous backcountry hike that ends at Scout Overlook near Angel's Landing.  We got a bit of a late start and decided not to do Angel's, but we had enough energy to have done it if we wanted to!

West Rim starts looking kind of drab and boring, as do many hikes in Zion. 

Natalie thought she was pretty cool with her new haircut, neon clothes, and doing her first major hike with her brothers!  It was actually neat because this was the first time all four siblings have hiked with my dad.  He claims he didn't make it a goal when he was younger, but that he felt really happy realizing we were all able to hike together!

Zion, just like SLC, was incredibly green.  It was amazing to see some of the rocks that are normally dry as sandpaper spotted with bushes and trees.

The wildflowers were in full bloom all over the place.  I have done a lot of hikes over the years, and I have only seen a Sego Lily once or twice.  We saw full bouquets growing ten inches in the air.  They spread out in blankets on either side of the trail!  It was absolutely gorgeous.

 Cactus flowers.

 The beautiful tree thing.

 We stopped for lunch a little over halfway and found a bench waiting for us!

 This looked like a (wild)flower arrangement.  So beautiful.

One of my favorite things about Zion is that you walk for miles looking at very average mountain scenery, come around a bend, and look out over something like this:

 The Great White Throne.

 Ty snapping a photo on Walter's Wiggles.

"Walter's Wiggles" is the name of the switchbacks coming down from Scout Overlook and Angel's Landing.  My dad may or not be a Utah history, geography, and everything else nerd, so we have learned quite a bit of random information over the years.

 Natalie and I ran ahead of the group on the way down...

 My arm looks strangely muscular in this picture.

There was a very strong and cool wind on the last leg of the hike.  It was so refreshing after having the hot sun beat down on us all day!  I can't complain about the weather though.  I think it was in the 90's all day, which is so much better than 100+.  

We took a shuttle to the visitors center to pick up our car.  Great story:

(My dad sits down)

Middle Aged Guy: You look like you could use some water.

Dad: Yeah, probably.

Me: It's been a long day.

MAG: Really?  What hike did you do?

Dad: West Rim.

MAG: Haven't heard of it.  How far is that?

Dad: It's a little over 14 miles.

(MAG's eyes get really big)

MAG: I'm sorry, but do you mind if I ask how old you are?

Dad: I'm 55.

MAG: What?  Oh man!  (Bla, bla, bla, do you use steroids, etc)

As we left, MAG told my dad that he better still be hiking when he's 80.  Needless to say, my dad felt pretty cool, and any knee pain felt during the hike became totally worth it.  He also made sure I told everyone that story.  He is adorable.  And a trooper of a 55 year old who has had reconstructive knee surgery!  He carried a pack most of the way and didn't complain once!  He doesn't want us to compliment him on this, but he deserves it.  He said that his knees got their best use in a year. 

Ty is a cute little sleeper. 

We had to go pick up the car after the hike (after getting some cold drinks, of course).  Ty, Nat and I got attacked by mosquitos while we waited for Dad and Dave.

The night of the hike I had a sleepover with Patten.  I guess his idea of a sleepover is having someone in the room with him while he falls asleep.  Oh, how I love him.

Saturday consisted of basking, which is what I do best.  I also met up with my mother and father-in-law for lunch.  They were so nice to drive down to St. George to see me!  It's always great to see them.

I fed Kimball strawberries nonstop because he looks so adorable eating them.  Sunday we went to church and headed home.  I love St. George!

Sunday night I went to see Grandma LeNila.  Unfortunately she had no idea who I was, but it still makes me feel good to walk around the nursing home with her on my arm, listening to her talk about nothing in particular.  She was such a poised, proper, and classy woman before she got sick.  I can't help but laugh when I see her dressed up in silly costumes for the events at the nursing home.  Ten years ago she would have rather died than wear a clown suit.

I also got to see a bunch of friends that night.  It was so good to see Katie, Caitlin, and the Kane family.  I love them all so much!

 As I mentioned before, the peonies don't last long.

Monday morning I went to breakfast with Nat and my parents before heading to the airport.

Then I left on a plane back to San Francisco.  I was so happy to see my Mike.  He made sure the apartment was spotless when I got home.  He takes such great care of me!  Now it's raining outside, and Mike is at work.  I feel like I never left.