Happy (early) Earth Day :)

I haven't been feeling super green lately (maybe it's the 100 mile roundtrip commute I make four times a week- at least my car is fuel efficient!), but reflecting on some of the beautiful places I've been in the last year sure helped my outlook and love for old Mother Earth! It's nice to remember how many beautiful places there are, and how much effect (good and bad) we can have on them. Enjoy!

evidence of man enjoying God's creations, Grand Teton, WY

Monsoon in Cataract Canyon, UT

Pines in Monashee, BC, Canada

Columbines near Silver Lake/Ajax Peak, Telluride, CO

Tanner Flats, Grand Canyon, AZ

Wildflowers, Liberty Bell Bowl, Telluride, CO

Heavenly cloud and the North Rim, Mile 160-ish, Grand Canyon, AZ

Frozen trees, Grand Targhee, WY

Confluence of Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon, AZ

Not-so-wild-flowers, Kirtland, OH

6 AM rainbow, Rapid 5, Cataract Canyon, UT

Niagara Falls, Canada

White Rim, UT

Mount McKenzie, Revelstoke, BC, Canada

Battle Creek Falls, Pleasant Grove, UT

KN, RN

Trading in powder days and white water for a retirement fund and health benefits...

Well folks, this girl is all grown up. I got me a real "adult" job, working the night shift on a cardiac floor at a big hospital here in Utah. It's crazy hard and quite a change from the pace I've been cruising at the last couple of years, but it feels good to get worked over every now and then, don't it? The learning curve is STEEP and I'm learning more than I ever thought possible; it's different and great at the same time. I took my nursing boards last week and passed (huge sigh of relief), so I guess I'm the real deal now. I know this doesn't signify the absolute end of adventuring, but it does drastically slow some things down for a bit (i.e. no guiding this summer). It'll be fun to see how the pieces fall and what this new life brings!

Thanks river

I just got home from church to find a whole slew of emails/attached photos in my inbox from various river passengers. I feel like I always tell my friends and family how great the river is (i.e. the scenery, the water, the FUN, the tan, etc.), but I may fail to convey how great some of the people are whom I'm privileged to meet. I feel extremely lucky to get to know some incredible people. I'm glad for the gorgeous medium in which these acquaintances begin, and for the sheer magic that the Canyon provides in order to facilitate our friendships.

Thanksgiving photo feast

Warning: there are a million pictures here of my family; you may not love them as much as me, and therefore don't care to look at all of them. I, however, think they are the greatest people in the world and had a fantastic Thanksgiving with them at Scott and Shellie's house in AZ. It was a bit tumultuous getting down there; it involved an epic 16+ hour car ride complete with a broken down minivan, driving through blizzards, and seven people in very close quarters. Even though the trip had the makings of a bad holiday movie starring some B-list actor, it turned out great and made me realize how grateful I am for all of these people (and many more people not pictured who weren't there :)

The frenzy; everyone trying to get their share of deliciousness.

The kids table

After dinner game extravaganza

B & V, making a business call

Cute girls

Hostess extraordinaire checking our rolls (I ate six)

Jacob, schooling everyone in the cup game

The two who got me there; Thanks Matt and Tristan for taking on a fifth child for the weekend!

Our day-after "digestion" hike to South Mtn.

I never tire of taking pretty lichen pictures

The marvelous hosts, thanks again guys!

Hear no, speak no, see no evil

70 degrees F is a far cry from the frigid temps we left in SLC!

And last but not least... here is a video from Emilie, I especially love the cameo appearance at the end. You never know what you're gonna get when you give your camera to a 8 year old for an hour:

beach babes

Welp, since I forgot Robin's birthday, I thought I'd make it up to her by posting some long-overdue pics from my trip home to CA two months ago! Plus, EmmaJane's b-day is next week, so let's just make this a double whammy birthday post (and a cute babies-at-the-beach picture frenzy).

Diligent mothers keeping a watchful eye on their elder children

Cute little Rose, perhaps that concerned look on your face is because you can foresee into your teen years when your mom won't let you wear a bikini to 42nd street... like mother, like daughter!

Sweet DaviJewell, if you're anything like your mother, in 6 or 7 years time, instead of eating that sand, you'll be using it to bury your best friend and turn her into a mermaid.

Oh Diego, my little future-shredding-sponger/surfer, little do you know that you'll probably be back at this spot strutting your stuff for hot chicks

And ElvisAnn, little do you know that in approximately 12 years you'll be back at this very same beach, scoping for lifeguards and surfers, just like your mom used to...

This is me pretending to be a hot mom, with my super hot mom friends.

EJ, thanks for letting me borrow EA.

Gals, here's to 20 + years of friendship, happy 27th to both of you! Thanks for a fun day at our old stomping grounds, and for allowing me to take copious photographs of your beautiful kiddos!

Weekend warriors

Had fun poking around Logan Canyon with these goons last weekend...

yeah, that's a blimp that reads "GUNS." Nuff said.

Pretty day in the backcountry!

rime & reason

Winter's here

Just last week I was running outside in shorts and a tank top; now everything is covered in snow and it's freezing! Here's some photos of the last warm weekend of the year (it looks cold b/c we're at 9,000 + feet, but it was actually in the 60's in the valley).

Happy to be done with a steep hike

Northwest view of Big Cottonwood Canyon

Oquirrh Mountains sunset

Greek god, jumping atop Mt. Olympus