Rainy morning at Island Park

So we decided to drive up to Island Park Saturday morning. It had been raining all week, and was still raining. We didn't mind it though, it is looking so green everywhere, we love it! We went for a few reasons. 1. Scenic drive. 2. Scope out potential camping areas. 3. Scope it out for my family reunion in July. We didn't take as many pictures as we wanted. We were on a pretty tight schedule, so we couldn't stop as much and walk around. Here is what we did get though. 

This is Island Park Reservoir. This was really pretty. I don't think it costs for day use either (at least I didn't see anywhere to pay). 

Mal and I at the Reservoir. 

Sweet dock.

This is on the way to the cabin that my family reserved for when they come in July. There is a little brook about a half a mile away from the cabin, lots of aspens and firs. Only about 15-20 mins from West Yellowstone. 

Same area as above. 

Memorial Day

We had a very nice memorial day on Monday. We slept in a bit (that translates to 7:30 am for us), and had some french toast from the homemade bread that Mal made on Saturday. It was really good. We cleaned some things up a bit, and then headed down to the BIG city...Idaho Falls. To those of you who aren't familiar with the city, it's not very big at all. It just happens to have all the stores. We went down and had a picnic in the Green Belt, which is a very beautiful area right along the snake river near the temple (a General Authority made mention of this place in a talk a few years back and how it used to be a landfill). We walked around afterwards, and checked out some antique shops. Those are some of our favorite shops to walk through, you just never know what you will find in there. We then saw the Titanic exhibit at the museum, which was really cool. 

After lunch.

We threw some Chex Mix at the ducks, but I don't think they liked it too much. 

There is a good picture of the Green Belt area along the river, or at least it's trees with the temple in the background. 

Mal sporting the Polo rider's cap. Smashing dauling...smashing.

Myself in the beautiful sombrero. I tried to give my best ranchero face. 

Movie Review

I don't know if any of you have had a chance to see this movie or read the book, but it was amazing! Personally, I thought that this movie was better than Da Vinci Code. I haven't read the books yet, so I can't make a call on that one. I would really like to read them, just to compare and get more to the story. According to recent press releases, Dan Brown is coming out with a new book called The Lost Symbol, which will feature the Freemasons. There are rumors that pieces from LDS church history will be intertwined into the story. While some LDS members may be bracing themselves for the ramifications of this new novel, I think it will be great publicity. Watching Angels and Demons made me so interested to learn about Catholic History/culture, I think that it would do the same for the church.  

There was a recent HBO showing that featured sacred temple ordinances, and I thought it was interesting to see the church's response. They kind of tossed the whole situation to the side, and didn't make a big deal of it at all. I think it's when we make a big deal that we are targeted and attacked by the media as we witnessed with Proposition 8. I say, let's embrace this new novel. I think it will be interesting. 

A great day for a hike

Today we decided to go and visit Mesa Falls up near Island Park, ID. This is a very beautiful area just outside of Yellowstone and the Tetons. There was still patches of snow in some spots, which was okay because it was about 70 degrees! I don't think we could have asked for a better day to go hike around up there. 

This is the Upper Falls. It's huge! There is a wood-plank deck that lets you walk right around the falls and lets you get really close. 

This is the mist from the falls floating towards the trees above the falls. There is actually a microclimate there that is something very unusual due to the constant mist considering it's in a tundra-like area. 

We went with some friends from our ward, the Stevenson family. 

Here is Mal's belly shot for the week. This was actually taken at the Lower Falls, which are a bit more unique because you can hike down to a spot where you find yourself right next to the heart of the falls. 

Mal and I at Lower Falls. 

This is where the Lower falls begin. 

Again, where the Lower falls begin. 

Mal, always lookin' good! I couldn't really get a picture to do the Lower falls justice since we were so close. So I uploaded a video below that should give you an idea of what we were looking at. There was so much mist!

My First Mother's Day

I can honestly say I wasn't expecting anything bought and paid for on Mother's Day - except the chocolates I knew were coming from the ward. We're trying to save some money this summer, and as long as I didn't have to do dishes, I was happy.

Then, on Friday (which is Mike's day off from work), he and I went into IF to run some errands and have some dinner as our date. He asked me if I wanted his gift now or on Sunday. I was totally surprised! He pulled a card from the side of his seat and gave it to me, and when we got out at one of our stops, he opened the trunk and there lay a beautiful, bright green coat!

It was hot enough today that I really didn't need it for Church, but I usually take a sweater or something anyway - to ward off the FREEZING temperatures common in LDS churches - so I wore it anyway. I love it!

And now we have a shot of the baby! She's getting big! I should probably weigh myself the next time I'm at the gym. Although I'll probably have an appointment before that. Whichever. She's kicking lots and lots!

Finally, Mike and I both want to wish our mothers and our grandmothers, etc. a happy Mother's Day! Thank you so much for (a) having us/our parents (b) raising us (which, according to Mike's family, really didn't take a whole lot of work since apparently he was a perfect child - or at least he seemed so after Tyler) and (c) preparing us for each other and our little Madeleine!

Mike's New No-Do

The time has come! Friday night, Mike came out of the bathroom, climbed into bed, and said,

"I think it's time to shave my head."

He's been talking about doing this for a while - since we met really. Not that he wanted to do it right then, but in that this-is-inevitable kind of way. I had no problem with it. My dad has been either balding or bald since I can remember, and there were times when just shaving it off probably crossed his mind. I know it did mine. (Dad, I love you, but the peninsula/island look doesn't work for any man.) And ever since Dad lost pretty much the rest of his hair, he's looked pretty good, so shaving the head and skipping the awkward years sounded like a good plan to both Mike and me.

He's got a ridge that runs along the top of his head. We thought this might be really noticeable when he took off the hair that helped cover it. Luckily though, you can't see it at all unless you're maybe 6' 3" or more and the light hits it just right. I guess it's one of those things that feels a lot bigger when you touch it than it actually is.

We're being pretty careful with the sun right now. He wore a hat when we went to work on the garden on Saturday morning (an hour or two after he shaved it). He didn't wear one when we rode our bikes to the gym, but it's only about a five minute ride so we weren't too worried. So we've made it one day! We'll see how things go from here!

Winter Quarters, and a few mentionables

Ah, finally. The last group of pictures from our journey. These are actually on our way out to Iowa. We were really impressed with the hills and trees that Omaha had, and most parts of Iowa. Driving through Iowa consisted of endless rolling hills that gradually took us up and down over miles and miles of land. Anyways, here are the pictures!

This is in front of the Winter Quarters visitors center. I never realized the temple, visitors center, and Mormon Pioneer Cemetery were all right next to each other. 

Myself at the entrance of the cemetery. 

Mal along the pathway to the memorial section of the cemetery. The Winter Quarters Temple is in the background. It was so small, but very cool. 

There is the historical background on the Winter Quarters area significance. 

The interesting thing about this statue is the symbolism. If you look closely you can see their infant that they just buried, and they are stepping over the grave and walking toward the temple to continue their journey. I think you can connect the dots. 

One thing I love about road trips is the variety of cars you will encounter on the highway. This truck, for example, had this trailer attached to it by these rope-ties...yep, JUST the rope! The camper was so heavy that it was jerking back against the ties, creating a lot of scare amongst all of the surrounding cars. Quite entertaining when you find yourself driving in the middle of nowhere. 

Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, meet the Lincoln Monument near Cheyenne, WY. Did anyone know that this monument existed?

This is at a gas station outside of Denver, CO. I guess spring hadn't 'officially' hit yet, so we'll give them a break on the sign not meaning anything (where's the grass??). 

Do I need to say anything? This was the middle of Wyoming.