Pull-over Picnics and Idaho

This weekend we were in Idaho searching out vacation property. Whether or not we found our dream vacation home is yet to be determined, but we did find Henry's Lake State Park campground a lovely place to pitch a tent and "enjoy" the great outdoors. I have to admit, I used to think RVs were for the weak, but after spending a few nights sleeping on the ground, I found myself wishing I was in the cushy quarters of an RV. Save the tent for backpacking. Give me an RV for camping. I'll even settle for a pop-up trailer.
Flashback to the early 1980s, family trip to Nowhere, U.S.A. We pull off the road onto a little, if ever used, dirt road and park ourselves under a tree. Mom hauls out the cooler full of wonder bread, peanut butter and honey, a bag of potato chips and Kool-Aide and we have ourselves a picnic. As a kid, for some reason, these pull-over picnics always made me uncomfortable. Why couldn't we just find a picnic table or better yet, a McDonald's? I would think to myself, "Let's just keep on driving to spare ourselves the humiliation of looking like such curmudgeons on the side of the road." I swore when it was my choice I would never subject myself to another lame pull-over picnic.

Well, give a kid 25 years and she'll discover that pull-over picnics aren't so bad. In fact, that turkey sandwich I made under this tree was quite delightful. And I might have said right out loud, "I think when we have kids, we should have pull-over picnics. It'll be good for them."

A do Run Run Run a do Run Run

On July 24th, Pioneer Day, Mr. G, Kati and I decided to run the Deseret News 10k.

Here I come and away I go. So glad to see the finish line up ahead, its all I can do to smile for the camera and just keep on running. I've decided 6.2 miles in one day is a long way to run. Good luck marathoners, I think I'll stick to 5 and 10ks.

Mr. G was not initially going to run the 10k this year, but I think his boss called him a wussy or something,because at the last minute, though not officially registered, he decided to run with me. And that he did. In any given race, Mr. G is several minutes in front of me (not because I'm slow! Because he's a foot taller than I am and all legs!), but this time he ran with me the entire race. True love.

Kate did an awesome job. She is a fast runner and so totally focused. Although, a closer look at this picture would leave one to wonder if she is on the verge of death...

Many thanks to Rachel for crawling out of bed at the a-crack of dawn to catch some pics of us at the finish line. Thanks sissy!

Over the River and Through the Woods...

Or as my song goes, "Over ol' Rusty and pile of wood, to Grandma's house we go!" Sunday dinner on the patio is always a bucket of fun at Grandma Nee and Grandpa Walrus' house. Clara, Noelle and Eli had fun climbing around Grandma's rock garden, looking for weird bugs, scaling the rocks or throwing berries in the pond..."Clara, you better stop that before I come over there and whop your butt!"Clara was so excited to find the shell of a dragonfly larva in Grandma's pond. It was actually pretty gross, and apparently there were plenty to scrape out of the moss, but Clara couldn't be more proud of her find. She carried the once-occupied larva shell around for the better part of the evening, showing it to the unexpecting-Auntie or cousin. Eli played along.

And what fun is playing in a pile of scrap wood without Grandpa's supply of old UDOT helmets and mugs. Carson really gets the feel for government work with his 20 gallon barrell of Diet Coke in one hand and Mountain Dew in the other. Eli and Clara are the foremen over the wood pile project, ensuring they take out any pieces Carson has neatly put in the wheel barrow and throwing it back on the pile. Sometimes they might try to knock Carson over the head with a 2X4, but luckily they were wearing protective head gear, so no injuries were reported.

Oh look, everyone's helping Grandma Nee look for creepy crawlies in the pond. Dan inspects Grandma's bugs, Rachel scoops pine needles while Ben makes sure Rach doesn't fall in.

This was Rach and Noelle's last picnic at Grandma and Grandpa Hunter's house before they returned to Boston after a long three week vacation in the old home town. We were so happy to have them visiting, but I am sure they were so happy to go home.

Something tells me its all happening at the Zoo

Happy Birthday to Grandma! And to celebrate, how about if we take all of the grandkids to the Zoo! Oh what fun! Well, actually, it was more fun than I expected. Despite the 100+ degree temperatures, losing Clara in the snakes and spiders and schlepping Eli and a 200 lb bag of water, pbjs and cheese in a "modern day" radio flyer that was a challenge for Grandpa to steer, we had a blast. We had John, Josh, Jasmine, Koree, Clara, Eli, Noelle, Rachel, Grandma Nee and Grandpa Walrus and Auntie (me :) ).
I especially loved the company of my niece, Noelle, who could really care less about the bears and the penguins, but is more interested in just walking around playing with the other kids.

Weekend at The Lake

What a great weekend! I had the pleasure of joining my Dad and step- mother along with other siblings and friends, at Bob and Judy's cabin in Bear Lake.

We had Dad, Kathy, Ben, Amy and Koree, me, Rachel and Noelle, Kati and her boyfriend Ben, Emily and Riley and his friend Ethan.

Grandpa Ted and Noelle, going for a stroll.

While in Bear Lake, we all went to the Pickleville Playhouse to see Pickleville's version of Pirates of the Caribbean. Better be careful, if you're the first to find the treasure you will be cursed with the heebee-geebees for the rest of your life!

What would time spent at the cabin be without a "it-will-only-be-a-one-hour-game" of Settlers of Catan? Three hours later...

Saturday we spent the day at the beach with David and BoDawn and their kids, Megan and her boyfriend Mike, Stephanie, Nathan and Matthew. Everybody was pretty sunburned by the end of the day, except for me, who slathered on the sunblock and looked like a ghost next to all the lobsters. Overall it was a fun day for everyone - Ben and Koree building sandcastles, Emily sunbathing in the lake

Riley and Ethan frolicing on the beach and Koree taking a joyride on the boat.

What happens at Bear Lake, stays at Bear Lake, NOT:

1. They're downstairs making mouth babies
2. Is she wearing two pairs of glasses?
3. Kati's an original Cindy Crawford, I mean, Betty Crocker
4. Anybody want anything for wood?
5. You drive way faster than my Dad!
6. Riley, there's a spider on your head!
7. LaBeau's Too - burn their own almonds and get their bananas right from the monkeys

Keepin' Cool on the 4th of July

On July 4th, the family got together for a barbeque at Grandma's house. Since it was 100+ degrees outside that day, Noelle, visiting from Boston, decided she needed to take a dip to cool down. So we filled up the tub with water and she jumped in. It wasn't long before more than just the tub was full... Fun for everyone!

Final Thoughts on Euro Traveling...

1. Jet lag kills
2. It is really hard to find Mountain Dew in Budapest
3. A taxi driver in Budapest had a sign in his taxi saying "New York City Taxi Cab."
4. Don't play too long in the market or the natives will cast their spells
5. Always pack your favorite shoes, regardless of style or fashion. Stacy and Clinton, this is the one time comfort matters!
6. If you are a white girl going to the beach, get a mist-on tan! Anyone looks good in a bikini with a tan.
7. Don't forget the bikini wax
8. Go commando when its 100+ degrees and 300% humidity. Nothing worse than sticky unders!
9. Yes, Eastern Europe is riddled with apartment block housing of "stupefying ugliness." Deal with it.
10. At what age do the Europeans put a bathing suit on their children? 10? 12? Oh, wait, never. There's plenty of topless to go around!

Amsterdam, Netherlands

The final stop on our trip is in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Not exactly the same feeling as Eastern Europe and a little off the beaten path for this trip, but I figured since we were on the continent we should stop by, hang out with some family and show Mr. G around the place.

The biggest difference of this place from where had been was how COLD it was in Holland. We had gone from 100+ degrees and sunshine to 50 degrees with rain and wind. I'm talking hypothermia. I was not prepared. I only packed a light rain jacket and long pants, but nothing terribly warm. It was hard to stay focused during the day. All I wanted to do is take cover in a cafe or bakery somewhere. Or better yet, just stay on the canal bus all day. But we didn't. We made our way to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and saw some amazing art from the best Dutch artists, Rembrandt in particular. My favorite painting though, was the Kitchen Maid by Jan Vermeer. The colors in this painting are so vibrant.

Let's not forget our stroll through the Red Light District. Yes, its as hoochy as as it sounds. There really are women standing in windows selling sex to whoever wants it. I know you hear about it all the time, but to see it and to think these ladies do this all day everyday...nasty! The ladies were not too pleased when Mr. G pulled out the camera. She's givin' him the bird here.

We had a great time visiting with some distance cousins. we took a train to Utrecht where Gert and Hanny picked us up and took us to Bas and Germaine's house. We went from there to the Happy Garden, a Chinese restaurant down the street from Bas and Germaine's home. Bas' kids and Germaine's mother, Louise, and father, "Big Bob," joined us for dinner. We night-capped at Bas and Germaine's house with drinks, good conversation and a little"makin' bacon." It was a lovely evening.

Varna, Bulgaria

Our next adventure was to Varna, Bulgaria to bask in the golden sands of the Black Sea. We had been to Zlatni Pyasatsi (Golden Sands) when we were in Bulgaria a couple of years ago, however we only spent one day at the Sea and I really wanted to return when we could stay longer and when the weather was warmer. Be careful what you wish for. We stayed for four days and it was HOT, maybe not as hot as Croatia, but steamy enough!

Check out this rental car we got from Avis. This is what you get in Bulgaria if you are a Preferred Gold member. Quality. Nothing fancy about his car. Doesn't even have power locks or hub caps and had only been smoked in about 100 thousand times.

We spent a good portion of our time in Golden Sands laying under cabanas on the beach beside the Black Sea. It was so hot, we would take a swim in the sea, then run across the hot sand to our lounge chairs and lay in the sun to dry out. We pretty much did this all day for two full days. It was true vacation AND we didn't get any sunburns! Wow, who's that white boy swimming out there?

Mr. G made a new special friend on the beach, Pluto the Bulgarian. How that guy didn't die of heat stroke in that furry costume is beyond me. He claimed the suit was air conditioned.

We did take a break from the beach and went in to the town of Varna where we strolled around the market looking for great deals on junk. I really wanted to get some Bulgarian dishes, which they say are all handmade. Each plate is unique with interesting painted designs. I'm excited to get these works of art hung on my kitchen wall.

Mr. G was making friends everywhere he turned. Sascho here owned the booth next to the dish lady. He said, "Bulgaria is a great country, just nobody has any money." He also noted that all he needs to be happy is "a two bedroom apartment, a salad, a little brandy and a t.v." He was quite comical. He had all the ladies laughing around us.

While in Bulgaria, all Mr. G wanted to eat was banitsa, a Bulgarian breakfast pastry made of filo and cheese (like feta). It was impossible to find in Golden Sands, but once we got to Varna, this hound sniffed out the closest bakery and bought himself the delightful snack. I prefer the roll filled with marmalade myself.

Another treat Mr. G was after was a type of sausage or hot dog. I call it the Sketchy Dog because the meat is kind of mysterious and looks like it can do nothing but stop your heartbeat, or at least send you straight to the bathroom.

While in Bulgaria, we made a short trip up the Black Sea coast to a town called Balchik, where we stopped by the Summer Palace Queen Marie & Botanical Gardens.

Here's Queen Marie's 'small and romantic' palace. Interesting place, with a great view of the sea and the lush gardens.

Pimp My Lada
The Lada. Russian car made during communism. Generally you see Sascho and the fellas stacked in these things with a crate of tomatoes on top. This particular Lada is 18 years old and one of the finer Lada's I've seen. Usually they are rust buckets and wobbly wheels. I want to get one and bring it to America and pimp it out. I'll trade in the Acura for a Lada any day.