Camping Again

Since we have all this camping gear and we have been bitten by the camping bug we set out for one last camping trip before it was too cold. We went up behind Timp and found this cool little spot amongst the aspen trees. We brought our guns, skeets and targets for a little morning shot out.





We went up Provo Canyon and ended up out at Spanish Fork Canyon which was beautiful to drive. The road has lots to be desired but we made it eventually. Utah has soo many beautiful areas and I have discovered I haven't seen all that many of them. I think I will have to get out some more.

Camping In Moab

Jesse and I went camping with our friends over the summer in Moab to do a little off-roading and relaxation. Since Jesse and I have only been camping once since we have been married we needed to get our own camping supplies. We got a two room tent and some stakes.



The weather was of course HOT but it made playing in the river that much better. We did a little, okay a lot, of rock crawling and dune racing with our rented Razors.

We found this waterfall and dammed up area that was prefect to float around in the afternoons when it was too hot to do anything else!!


We had a crazed chipmunk chew through our lovely new tent to chew through the lid of a hot cocoa container. Then he didn't know how to get back out and pooped all around our tent in a panic, yeah super happy with that one!!

On our way home we stopped at Goblin Valley to see all the cool rock formations. It was too hot to spend as much time as we wanted but fun what time we did spend there.

Neices

It is seriously the best thing in the world to be an Aunt. You get to spoil your little neices and nephews and play with them and rile them up then send them off to their parents when they get cranky and tired. I was checking on my online album and saw some cute pictures of my wonderful neices
Cute Miranda slurping up the spaghetti!!



Ames chowing down on her BG (Baby Goat)

Charlie's Hair Cut

Natalie comes over and helps me clip Charlie every few months but this time it has been a bit longer. So he was quite hairy for Charlie!! Natalie suggested we give him the "Lion" cut that is typical of a Water Dog which I have never done on Charlie because I think it makes them look silly but I was feeling adventurous so we printed off a picture and had at it!!



He is soo little looking when he has no hair so now he looks even tinier!! He seems pretty happy about it though but I am sure the other dogs are snickering behind his back~~ I know I was the whole time we were clipping him!!

Baby Blessing Whirlwind

The past two months have been filled with baby blessings. I think my mother-in-law is sure I am making up the amount that I have been attending since every sunday she asks if we can come to dinner but I have to decline due to another baby blessing!! I think we have been to six in the last two months. I do love going to baby blessings becuase you get to be present for such a sweet time for a new member of the family where their dad is able to bless them and give them a name. The spirit is always soo strong and each are very unique and special to that little baby.

The last one we were able to attend was my cousin's baby boy from Boston who is quite the chunker!! He is huge next to my little neice and it was really funny to see how small she really looks. She is just shy of 4 months and he is 2 months



Of course getting to see family and freinds is always great about baby blessings as well!!

My cousin Nadia and I

Round Table Pizza From Home

Growing up in California we had Round Table pizza that we loved!! They have a Garlic Chicken pizza that is fantastic and my friend had told me she found a recipe for it that actually tasted like the real thing. Here is my interpretation of the pizza, next time I will use fresh pizza dough instead of canned becuase it was too thin for how melted I wanted the cheese.


Jesse gave it a thumbs up and at 1/2 of it and I liked it so I will give it a go again. I just got some dough from the Lehi Bakery so I may use that tonight.

Update:

Here is the recipe that I used:

Put Ranch Dressing for sauce
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
Shredded Mozzarella cheese (lots)
Shredded Chicken Breasts (I cooked mine with Garlic, Salt & Pepper)
Diced Green Onions
Chopped Mushrooms
Diced Tomatoes
Bacon (if you like)
Sprinkle top with Parmesean Cheese

Follow baking directions for the dough used. I think mine was 350 for 20 minutes.


This was the yummy banana bread that my SIL made for the event that I chowed down the rest.

Surprise Package Arrived

All day Thursday I called and texted Jesse wanting to know if the package arrived of course he had to do "errands" and wasn't home impatiently waiting for it like I was. He just doesn't get as excited about packages as I do. So when I got home I ran out to the porch and picked the box up and it ended up being our sump housings for our water filters!! Yeah the lady told me it would be at least another 3 weeks before it was even shipped I guess harassment moved me up on the wait list!! Now it will only cost about $30 when we need a filter change instead of $250 for the company to come and do it!! I love saving money and having a handy husband!

Mystery Package

The other day I received a shipping notification about a package that will be arriving for me from FedEx. I love getting packages, the only thing is I haven't bought anything so I have no clue why I am getting this package. It says that the package will arrive on Thursday so hopefully it is something good that I have forgotten about and not some dumb unsolicited book that I didn't order!! I still haven't sent back a cookbook that was sent to me, I rediscovered in my cleaning of the office. I guess that is what they get for sending me a book I didn't want or order in the first place!

Charlie In The Mornings

This is how Charlie looks when I am getting ready in the morning




This is how Charlie looks when Jesse is getting ready in the morning


I think one of us gets a bit distracted getting ready for the day!!

Oh Maria...

If you have hit up Maria Bonita's you will know the glories of the monster dishes that they serve!! Here is Jesse's Fajita Salad, yeah and then Jesse had a taco as well!! This is why Jesse loves this place so very much is because it is cheap enough that I will agree to go out to eat there and he comes home full and sometimes with left overs!! Well, left overs are for me but still exciting!! See how happy he is!!

UUGGGHHH Snowing Again!!

Being in the warm weather for 3 weeks makes coming back to the cold miserable!! I am always cold and all i want to do is go to sleep and wait for warm weather. This is what happens also when I don't go skiing because that is the one thing that makes me enjoy all the snow!! I know it will be a few more months of this but come on, lets have a short winter!!

Panama Temple

Saturday my mom and I decided to hit up the temple for a session and were a bit nervous about how it all worked with translators and such. The temple in Panama is beautiful and is up on a hill overlooking the canal. We got there and I think a stake was visiting because the parking lot was full of taxi's and Red Devils (the bus mafi). We had a nice American lady that helped us get our clothes and point us in the right direction. Even the Temple runs on Panama time, which is ssslllooowww!! The session started 45 min to an hour late, what Temple do you know that doesn't start sessions on time?! It was great to just relax and feel the peace that is there and enjoy watching the young men that were taking their endowments out. It brought back lots of fond memories and was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

A Sloth!!

My mom and I were driving back to our apartment which is at the very top of the island and we saw this orange furry thing in the road so of course we stopped. It was a Sloth!! We thought it was run over but he was looking around and moving a little bit and didn't look like he was run over or in pain just like he was chillin' in the middle of the road!! So of course after a little Google search I learned sloths don't move very fast even if in danger and that their only defense are their long claws. They usually only come out of the trees 1 x a week to go to the bathroom or find a mate to breed. He was either out to use the facilities or to find a little action, not sure which!!

Happy Valentine's Day

While out to dinner this monster ball drove by strapped to a little car. Kinda stalkerish message but creative!!



Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day with your loved ones!!

Spread The Word Get Your Taxes Done For A Cause

Kerry, a wonderful friend of mine is in the process of an international adoption. She is a tax preparer and is offering to do your taxes for a donation towards their adoption fund. You can read more about their journey here. They also have a donation link on their blog if you would like to donate to their wonderful cause. If you haven't had your taxes done yet you can call or email her to set up an appointment. She is wonderful to work with and is excellent with taxes. Call Kerry at 801-471-9682 to set up an appointment.

Attacked by a Semi

Today I just got into my second ever car accident! The first was in my dually crew cab Ford truck hauling two horses in the middle of the City which was stressful but this was worse!! In Panama there is craziness everywhere in the city and the roads are not sufficient for the amount of cars that are on the road. My mom and I had just ventured over to the fish market and bought some delicious ceviche and pineapple juice and were on our merry way to have the "Better Soup In The World" as we were informed by a Panamanian when our little happy world was uprooted!!



JUST LOOK HOW HAPPY I AM EATING FRESH CEVICHE

There is a large interchange where three different three lane roads converge into one 3 lane road. I am edging my way into traffic and there is a Semi Truck that has stopped so I pulled in front of him into the lane. Traffic started to move but then stopped again, apparently the truck did not see me, I will admit I was in a tiny Yaris so I can understand the visual impairment the driver had. He proceeded to hit the back of us and push us into a truck in front of us and then pushed both of us a few feet until he figured out there was us between him and the truck I was know attached to it's bumper!




SEMI IN MY FENDER



THIS IS HOW BIG THE SEMI WAS, VIEW FROM BEHIND



THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A SEMI PUSHES YOU

The best parts of the accident was we were in bumper to bumper traffic and now we were causing a huge back up and people were laying on their horns left and right, then it was incredibly hot at the moment, then it took about 2 hours for the police to process the accident, then the torrential downpour as I am driving my newly smooshed car back to the rental office. Needless to say our day a just a bit ruined!!

Amador Causeway

With a little wheeling and dealing I was able to get a great apartment for the rest of our trip for a great price!! We are on the top of a hill on the second island of Amador. We have two bedrooms and two bathrooms and we each have a balcony with beautiful views of the ocean and Panama City.

Pedicure Jesse Style

My mom and I hit up one of the malls to pass some time and decided that a pedicure would be a nice relaxing way to spend our time. Ha! We picked a professional looking nail salon and the lady said they did clinical pedicures, we figured that meant they were clean and thorough? They walked us into our own little rooms with a chair facing the wall and we waited for our pedicurists to come. They offered us a drink and so I thought this will be lovely. That was until she whipped out the blade, cuticle clipper and stick thing-a-ma-jig and proceeded to terrorize my toes!! She also removed part of my big toe nail that apparently was ingrown, I wanted to kick her in the head with my free foot and sprint out of there! Instead I tried to politely and in Spanish tell her to lay off the toes and move on!! The best part that made me laugh though is she whips out a dremmell tool to smooth out my feet and nails!! I know I have ugly feet that are fairly caulousy but I have never had anyone attack them with such vigor and perfection! I thought if Jesse were a pedicurist that is exactly how he would do it, with power tools!! Maybe I will have him start dremmelling my feet when I get back, they are awfully smooth now.

Bocas

My mom and I were able to stay in Bocas for 5 blissful days. We stayed in these cute bungalow/treehouses that were in the middle of a jungle. We didn't see or hear anyone and there was plenty of wildlife to keep us on our toes!! The last night the howler monkeys came by and boy are they creepy to listen to!! I had images of them attacking us all night long! The weather was amazing and the water was just beautiful!

So our taxi driver that we used most of the time was William and he sported most days a Hustler shirt of some variety! On the back it said, "Relax it's just sex". Soo funny we were dying of laughter about him, he seriously thought he was a hustler!!

We are now staying on the top of an island near Panama City in a lovely 2 bedroom apartment overlooking the ocean and City. More pictures to come!