skiing

This year we got season passes to Targhee and we have been having so much fun. Keith and I don't get a lot of runs in without the boys but we have lots of fun seeing them improve each time we go. Here are some clips of the kids that we got Saturday morning. Happy Skiing!

House For Sale

I haven't been a very consistent blogger lately because getting a house ready to sell is quite an undertaking. However, the house is officially PERFECT. Well, maybe not officially. We are having an inspector come through in the next week to make sure that we haven't missed anything.
So we are ready for our next adventure, something different. We're not really sure why. Heather suggested that life was just too perfect so we're bored. Could that be? Well, whatever the reason we are excited to see where we go.

October Safari

We had such a fun Halloween. Drew was an elephant, Neil a lion, and I was a safari hunter. Keith went riding at the dunes so he met up with us and shuttled our little lion on our early trick-or-treating. Later Keith dressed up and we all went to visit friends who live farther away. The boys thought Halloween was great fun. Thanks to all our friends for spoiling our boys!

burrito hole

Burrito is always a fun and friendly place to play on a fall morning. It is the wave that welcomes in boating season and then helps bid farewell to wonderful summer kayaking on the Snake. For those of you who are unfamiliar with our gear- Keith is the yellow boat and I am the orange. Happy boating!

Nasty Dan

Do you like this as much as I do?

running the tetons

Yesterday Jolene, Rachel, and I had an amazing run across the Tetons. The mountains were beautiful and we had such a great time. Below are some pictures of where we were. However, they really don't do our experience justice. I have never been in a more majestic place on a more perfect day. All the training was worth it!

20 miles

I never thought I would be able to or want to run 20 miles. And I always thought that people who did had some special powers, body types, natural talent etc. . . but I have learned that all it takes is dedication to training. Everyone I know who runs marathons or great distances started out small and then just decided to try to go a little further. And that's how I got to my 20 mile run yesterday. Jolene and I had a great run, felt good, and were completely exhausted for the rest of the day. 20 miles is a long way!

hurricane pass

Today I ran 16.4 miles. I am not training for a marathon. Well not one that you pin a number on anyway. I am training to run across the Tetons with 4 of my friends. We will start up Teton Canyon, summit on Hurricane Pass, and end when we come around Jenny Lake. It is a total of 26 glorious miles. I am very excited and can't believe that I am doing so well running so far. Here are some pictures of where I will be. Wish me luck!

yummy

Tonight I made chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate raspberry buttercream frosting. I have never tasted better frosting. Maybe it's because Keith picked fresh raspberries 10 minutes before I needed them. Maybe it's because I used whipping cream instead of milk in the recipe. Whatever the reason it was sensational!

zucchini relish

I love zucchini relish. Especially on summer nights when we are roasting Brats at our fire pit. If you want to try some stop by and I'll share a jar with you. Or if you want to make some of your own here is the recipe.

12 cups zucchini, grated
3 cups green peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups sweet red peppers, chopped
9 cups onions, chopped
9 cups celery, chopped
3/4 cup salt
7 1/2 cups sugar
6 cups white vinegar
3 TBSP celery seed
3 TBSP mustard seed

Grate and finely chop all vegetables. Add salt and cover with water. Let vegetables stand in the salt water for 4 hours.
Drain and press out liquid.
In another pan combine sugar, vinegar, celery seed, mustard seed. Boil until sugar dissolves and then add the vegetables.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Put in jars. (I like to use pints)
Process for 10 minutes in a water bath.

This yielded 14 pints for me.

I just kept running and running

Yesterday I ran a long way.
12.3 miles to be exact (I clocked it today in my car). I wish I would have gone down the street a little and back to make it a 1/2 marathon but I didn't know I was that far.
This is an amazing accomplishment for me. I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to accomplish something physically that is a little out of the ordinary.

beets

We picked beets from the garden yesterday. We bottled half for dinners and half we pickled for salads. Drew and Neil loved pulling the plants out of the garden and clipping off the greens.

Pickled Beets

Pick (leave 2 inches of green and tap root), wash, and separate beets into groups of small, medium, and large beets. Place washed beets in pressure cooker (not canner) with 2 inch tops and tap root still on. Pressure large for 12 minutes, medium for 10 minutes, and small for 5 minutes. Cool cooker immediately after time is up, remove beets, cut of green and root, and slip off skins. Slice beets or leave whole and place in jar.

Boil:

6 cups sugar

1 quart water

1 quart apple cider vinegar

(yields liquid for about 10 pints)

Pour brine over beets leaving 1 inch head space.

Process for 10 minutes in a water bath.

Thanks Melissa for the recipe- I can't wait to pop a jar and try them!

summer time

We spent the weekend of July 4th with Keith's family in Montana on the Clark Fork. There was a fun campground near the river and we kayaked both Thursday and Friday. My nephew Jaxs got on my boat for the last quarter mile for a fun ride. Neil and Drew had great time playing pine cone hockey, riding bikes, and camping with cousins.
We got home late Friday afternoon and did a few loads of laundry, repacked, and met the Hansens for Lake Powell at 6:30 the next morning. What a great 10 days we had! I'm afraid I always have so much fun I never take time to take many pictures but here are a few from both trips and one from Kirsten- thanks :).

Happy 4th of July

Have a great celebration! We are going to kayak the Clark Fork in Montana and then turning around for a week at Lake Powell. What a great country, what a great life!

HQ 1.4

One of the best things about Keith is that he always wants everyone around him to enjoy all of the fun things he enjoys. So the other day when Drew wanted to fly a kite Keith built him one. Drew thought the project was great but Keith really wanted to get him one that when he got good at flying it we could strap a board to his feet and let him have some fun on the water or snow. So Keith ordered a little trainer kite (for kiteboarding) and Drew waited for the mail lady every day for 4 days. Finally she came right before nap time on Friday. Drew slept with the kite and almost cried when he woke up to a rain storm. Luckily it cleared up after dinner and he got to fly the HQ 1.4 trainer kite. Probably only you kiteboarders out there will be able to fully appreciate his natural talent for flying kites in the video below :).

Pioneer Park

We had a great time at "This is the Place" Monument in Salt Lake with my sister April and her kids. They are a volunteer pioneer family there once a week and love it. We had fun riding the trains, petting the animals, and visiting the different restored homes in the park. Thanks April for the great day!