Arches

Thanks for the pics, Mike! Since my pics won't post for some odd reason, I'll just tell you all to check out Mike's fun photos, and maybe I'll add some of my own later...
So last weekend, Mike, me, Shawn, Mar, and Jesse went down to Moab to meet Jeff and his sister Megan in Arches National Park - we camped there. It was a riot! I don't know what it is about being in the outdoors... maybe the fact that we're in nature, and it brings out our 'natural' side... but we just get downright silly. Is that what nature intends?

For us, it is!

We got to the campsite late Friday - around 10:00 pm. Jeff and Megan already had a tent set up and a fire going, so we chatted for an hour or so and then hit the hay... or, some of us did. Mar and I got in our sleeping bags and listened to Mike, Jesse, Jeff and Megan's antics... something about it being embarrassing to get caught with your shutter open? And then being over-exposed? When they did get in the tent, they giggled forever. It was entertaining to listen to them. I was too tired, otherwise I might have joined!
Saturday morning, we lounged around and ate, before we decided to get going. We ended up at Devil's Garden and hiked around in that park for several hours; it was so pretty, and the experience was topped off with Mike and Shawn humming funny songs. Then we walked back to camp and rested before heading into town. We were stopped about a mile outside of town, though by... a herd of cattle. We waited for half an hour before all the cattle were out of the way! Someone said it might have been a Dude thing... people probably paid to do a cattle drive. Oooookaaayy... whatever floats your boat. Anyhow, when we finally made it into town, we got something to eat, went to the grocery store, and then the others humored me by letting me go to the cemetery to find an ancestor's grave. We made it up the canyon to see Delicate Arch (from a distance) at sunset - VERY cool. When we got back to camp, we had the ultimate campfire experience! Jeff and Megan played on a guitar and we sang songs, Mike told scary stories out of a book (the best was when he freaked Mar out), and we roasted marshmallows - among other things (Mike roasted a Twinkie. I think I prefer them raw) - and Jesse grilled burgers for dinner. YUM. After another round of giggling (it got Shawn that night) we went to bed.
Sunday we got up, packed up camp, went into town for breakfast, and headed home. It was a successfully AWESOME trip - we all had a blast! Next time, Kate, Steve, Melissa, and Dan have got to come... I promise you won't be disappointed!

Photos from Arches by Mikie

Well it looks like Mel wrote up a post on the Arches excursion last weekend (I did one on my blog as well), but has yet to add pictures to it and publish it. In the interim, here are a bunch more of mine (the ones with people in them). Look out-- this is an insane post with TONS of pictures.

Whose Idea WAS This??

Okay, I want to know whose bright idea it was to bring the dogs to family picture time! Barking, drooling, barking, more drooling, more barking, Dan with Indy over his shoulders, more barking, drooling, and then...

The stream.

Oh well - at least they had fun!

Haunted Train Ride

Want to touch my Kitty?

hahaha, so this little incident happend on the well known "Haunted Train Ride" in Heber Canyon. This lady got on after the stop at the end of the ride before we headed back. She was walking by asking if we wanted to pet her kitty. Dan was really the only one hesitant, but she forced the kitty on him! After she passed, Dan felt he was verbally molsted by the "Crazy Ol' Cat Lady". For some odd reason, Dan happened to be the one the received the most attention from, what i have been calling, the "actors".

Oktoberfest

Ahhh... Oktoberfest! I love Oktoberfest. I love the ambiance, I love the fun kiosks, I love to watch the beer drinkers...

Mike loves Oktoberfest, too.

I love the food (especially the apple streudel), I love to watch Dan strangle Kate over the food...

The best was when Dan picked up the remainer of Mar's and my steudel with his bare hands to keep Kate from eating it, and the rest of the table laughed at us! Good times, good times...

Oktoberfest pt. 2

Here's my contribution to the madness:

I love this pic: Dan is known for being incredibly anal about his hair. Because of how curly it is he always used to cut it super short and it would be perfectly parted-- not a single hair out of place. Not long ago, as his hair was reaching it's normal "need a haircut" length, one of the brothers (can't remember if it was Shawn or Steve) told him he should fro it out. So he did. And now he likes having a curly, out of control fro, he's even worn it to the office a couple times now. Anyone who knows Dan knows how radical of a change this is, heh. In any case, I'm all about frowzy hair.






Good times were had by all. And cotton candy was had by a couple of us. Mmm.... fluffy sugar.

Good Morning, Sunshine!

So, this morning I was heading downstairs to the kitchen to grab a yogurt on my way out the door when I hear this sleepy voice say to me, 'Good morning, sunshine!' I stopped in my tracks when I realized it was Shawn! He doesn't usually get out of bed before noon! He was sitting in the living room with Steve, who was tossing leather shoes at his Nintendogs.

Me: What are you doing up so early?
Shawn: Um, I don't know, I was thinking of going to see a dollar movie.
Me: At 8:30 in the morning?
Shawn: Well, I think it starts closer to 9:00.
Me: IN THE MORNING?
Shawn (after giving me a sleepy, confused look): What AM I doing up this early?

I laughed all the way to work. Thanks for the awesome send-off, Shawn!

Pooch with a Poncho

From Kato:

I know its small, but can u guys see the cute little pooch w/the poncho?! It sure put a huge grin on my face! =)

Ah, good times when Kato sends out picture mail. Gotta love camera phones-- thanks Kato!

Moto-Kato

I don't know what the deal is, but no one can seem to get Kate to learn to drive a stick-shift. I've taken her in my car before - it's been a few years, though. I don't know if no one will just take the time, if Kate's just too busy, or if she just refuses to drive one because it's a pain to learn. All I know is that I was flabbergasted when she got on Vati's old beat-up motorcycle a week ago, asked Shawn how to ride it, and... took off! She won't learn a stick-shift, but she'll hop on the motorcycle and learn right then and there how to ride it? It was hysterical, though - to watch her ride down the street with this "aaaahhhhh... aaaahhhhh....aaaahhhh" coming from her mouth, fading in an out as she rode past us.
C'mon, Kate... let me teach you how to drive a stick-shift...

Hey thanks, Buttercup.

Mar mentioned "girls night out". I therefore must mention guys night out after priesthood session.

As it was Shawn's last time for a couple years, he requested that we go to Tony Roma's for endless slab (translation: all you can eat ribs). This included dad, Uncle John, Spencer, then me, Steve, Dan, and Shawn. So that we wouldn’t have to wait forever to get seated we split into 2 groups of 4 at adjacent booths. I was at a table with Steve, Shawn, and Jesse. The fun table (because we weren’t the ones who ended up finance and investments).

I always wonder what Jesse is thinking because we’re so off the wall (especially Shawn). At one point Steve (probably quoting or referencing a movie) called Shawn “buttercup”, right as the waiter stopped at our table.

Waiter: Wait... Did you just call me buttercup? I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but not that one... I’m sorry guys I don’t swing that way.

We laughed, and as he gave the boys their drink refills and began to walk away, Steve turned and said “thanks, Buttercup!” to which he just paused... And then kept walking, hehe. He was probably trying to come up with a comeback and couldn’t, because it wasn’t until his next visit that he ventured to call Steven “pudding”.

He was a weird one. He’d say stuff and then laugh this really forced laugh. Like “wow looks like you guys might need some more wet napkins... Hahahaha!” Of course as soon as he left we’d all mock the laugh and then start laughing ourselves.

Then there’s Shawn, doing his impression of Kevin James’ impression of a bear that’s been shot with a tranquilizer dart. Every time he did it it got funnier... Maybe because the more we ate the punchier and more tired we got.

Or Shawn’s bouncing up and down in his seat (those booth benches are bouncy) singing in falsetto “we are all on drugs” (Weezer song). Or Shawn bouncing his way out off the bench so he could go use the bathroom. Shawn, we will miss you while you’re out speaking Estonian.

The service really was mediocre. The waiter only redeemed himself by being so mockable. One time I asked for a refill. A good waiter would see who’s glasses were empty and just bring refills, or at least ask if we wanted them. Not this guy. I asked for a refill and it was plainly apparent that Shawn needed one too. He brought one refill and gave it to Shawn. GAH! Yeah they laughed at me when he left, hehe.

At one point near the end someone said “could we get refills?” to which he asked “two, three?” and we replied with “four” and he says “so four all around? Hahahaha.” and walks off, like it was some hilarious idea that everyone at the table needed/wanted a refill. Man, he was either really tired or just really weird. But hey, he was fun to mock and mess with.