10 Reasons Why We Are Horrible Bloggers

10. Student teaching pretty much took up all of my time from September through December. Glad it's done and done.
9. Ty is ridiculously devoted to school and didn't get out much. He also monopolized the computer and I rarely had a chance to use it, other than to QUICKLY check my email. It really wasn't fair, now that I think about it.

8. We lost our camera. Posts without pictures just aren't as exciting. Face it, they're not.

7. The holidays. Chaotic, fun, crazy busy, and slightly relaxing. Not much time for blogging though.

6. Work, well not really since I'm only working 15 hours a week right now. I'm not sure what happens the rest of the week, but it seems to fly by.

5. A preoccupation with Criminal Minds. It's on for 3 hours straight every night and it has turned into an unhealthy addiction. In fact, it gives me nightmares and makes me scared to walk downstairs by myself.

4. I wish I could say it was because I was training for another half marathon, but that's definitely not it since I haven't been running for months. I was just feeling really guilty while looking at the previous post. Dang. I guess that's my New Year's resolution.

3. Nothing exciting has happened in our lives. Really. We are quite boring as of late. We did find a new apartment in Sandy, so that is fun I guess. Maybe that will be my next post...assuming we find our camera in the move.

2. We have been busy trying to make decisions, just in general. We can't make decisions. Unless they are planned out and made in advance. We suck at making last minute decisions. Like tonight we spent 4 hours trying to decide if we should fly to California in the morning. Don't ask. Just know that I wanted to poke my eyes out. And we didn't end up going. Sometimes I wonder if we should really be considered adults. We struggle sometimes, but at least we struggle together, right?

1. Pure laziness is what has really driven me to become a really crappy blogger. I can't believe you people who blog multiple times a week! I am simply too lazy. That's it. Lazy.

Anyways, happy late holidays to those of you that still take the time to check our rarely updated blog, and who take the time to read a boring post with no pictures. Sorry. Hopefully more to come sooner rather than later. :)

Annual Westwater Trip

Last weekend we enjoyed our annual fall Westwater trip. We had a great evening under the full moon followed by an excellent day of rapids. I stole these pictures from Paul and Tiff, thanks Tiff for the great shots.

This is my "slow" brother Creed, maybe he can explain.

Brian dropping into the hole in Last Chance

A couple of heads is all that can be seen of the paddle raft.

Hobble Creek Half Marathon

After weeks (or months) of training, the much-anticipated half marathon is now over. Since I'm not much of a runner, this was a big accomplishment for me. It was so fun to train with Kell and Miranda...we bonded. :)

All of the girls after running 13.1 miles. We're pretty much awesome.

My mom still thinks I'm number one, even though I was 843rd.

Summer Closure

Well, it's true. Summer has come to a screeching halt. School starts Wednesday and student teaching begins. Ty's semester starts in a couple of weeks which means we are heading for another lifestyle change. We are giving up our nights of lying around the house and our longer-than-a-weekend vacations and devoting our evenings to lesson planning and homework. This summer has been so crazy with so many things happening, but we have enjoyed every minute of it. I'm always excited for a nice, relaxing summer vacation and then the next thing I know school is about to start and I can't figure our where the time went. It seems like our summer lifestyle ends up being just as chaotic as the rest of the year. Here are a few highlights of our last few get-a-ways before we have to buckle down to a more routine schedule.

Ouray and Birth Control

A few weeks ago we drove to Moab and met up with Alina, Brian and the boys and went to Ouray, Colorado for the weekend. The boys were so fun to be with because everything was so exciting and new and they definitely spiced things up. By the end of the trip Ty was questioning whether or not he wanted kids of his own, but I reassured him that typically they only come one at a time. I don't know whether or not he was convinced by that, but I think that if we have twins we are doomed.

Taking a dip in Cowboy Jacuzzi before our trip to Colorado.

Ryder and Ridge on our way out of Moab. The boys took turns riding in our car and we separated them with boxes so they couldn't touch each other. See, we have this parenting thing down.

Cascade Falls in Ouray

Me and River getting ready to run for the trailhead after hearing thunder that was too close for comfort.Ty and the boys. You can't tell in this picture, but they just finished writing a rap song about a train, the rain, and some other words that end in "ain." It was pretty hilarious and I wish I had it on video. Next time.
Enjoying the campfire while telling our most embarrassing moments to the boys.

Weekend at Bear Lake

We spent a weekend in Bear Lake with some of my friends from high school. It's always fun to get everyone together and remember the good 'ol days of Springville High. While they went boating, me and Ty hiked Mount Naomi up Loga

n Canyon. It was beautiful and the wild flowers were amazing. Thanks Nick and Dy for inviting us to the cabin.

We couldn't really get a picture that captured the beauty of all the wildflowers. This will have to do I guess.

On the summit of Mt. Naomi

Our Future Plans

We are still a little clueless about where our lives our headed at this point. We are still living with Janine and Steve as our apartment searching has been unsuccessful and has slowly come to a halt. Right now we are thinking about staying there until I'm done student teaching and can get a job that actually brings in more than $400 a month. I guess my 10 hours a week can't support us while Ty finishes school. I will be graduating in December and Ty will finish up with his undergrad in Environmental Studies in 3 more semesters. For now Ty is still planning on Law School after that, but ask us tomorrow and the plans may have changed. Our lives our up in the air and they will probably be that way for months or years to come. I would feel bad about it, except we are taking advantage of our lack of responsibility by vacationing, spending time with family and friends, and doing things that we may not have the flexibility to do in the future. I can't complain yet.

So, if you have made it to the end of this post... congratulations! I now know who really cares about our lives and/or who is so bored that they have nothing better to do than to read a fairly long and boring blog post. Anyways, that's all I have to say for now.

And just one more...

I know everyone is probably sick of our Middle Fork pics, but I had to put this one on too because I love the faces that everyone is making. Ash and Mike look like twins and I love it. Thanks for the picture Nate.

Oh, and just for the record, I was not screaming like a mad woman when I caught that fish. I was just really excited. Anyone who knows Tyler knows he exaggerates a little, or a lot. 

More Pictures

Looking down into Impassable Canyon from Elk Bar, our last nights camp.

River with his frog.

Elk Bar

Our last night on the river Bre took my fly rod down the river and about ten minutes later I could hear her screaming like she was being attacked by a bear, I guess catching your first fish on a fly rod will make you scream. I am still not sure whether the scream was fear or excitement?

Middle Fork of The Salmon

We just returned home from a week on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. My family did this river in 2003 and have since had a six year drought on drawing permits until this year, apparently Ashli has been doing something right. The Idaho Fly Fishing guide book says "If God were to set out to design the perfect river for wilderness trips, he'd make sure there were series after series of exciting but negotiable rapids and falls, schools of trout waiting to take the first fly they see, and hot springs all along the route in which to soak at the end of a hard day. That describes the Middle Fork perfectly." I don't think there is any place on earth that I would rather be than floating, fishing, sitting in hot springs, eating and relaxing on the Middle Fork.

The Confluence of Loon Creek and the Middle Fork.

Throwing dry flies at some West Slope Cutthroats.

Sunflower Hot Springs pour over a rock ledge right next to the river providing a perfect shower.

Trail Flat hot spring provided a nice warm break on a cool first day.

Running Lake Creek Rapid, this newly formed

rapid shows how the river is constantly evolving.