Kidnapped

For Alvin's 30th birthday, we headed south to Kolob Canyon and Tuacahn Theater in St. George. I felt rather devious planning the whole trip because Alvin didn't know a thing about it. Saturday morning, October 18th, I snuck up behind him, blindfolded him with my pink bandana, and announced, "You're being kidnapped."

I escorted him to the car (already packed with clothes and food for the weekend) and said he could take off the blindfold when he guessed where we were going . . . or when we got there. With some time to contemplate while we drove on the freeway and some hints, Alvin finally pinpointed our destination. His surprise was my best reward for all that careful planning. "Whoah. That's big," he said. Then for the finishing touch: "What about Primary on Sunday?" he asked. "I got you a sub," I told him, as nonchalant as I could manage. (In the past Alvin has taken days to decide who to call and make the phone call to get a substitute for his Valiant 10 class).

We stopped in Kolob Canyon, which is actually the northern section of Zion National Park, to hike up a slot canyon. The yellow-green fall leaves were a striking contrast to the glowing red-rock walls towering above us. And the canyon was deliciously cool.

Next on the itinerary: Les Miserables at Tuacahn, the outdoor ampitheater near St. George. The story of Jean Valjean is laced with themes of forgiveness, frustrated hopes, sacrifice, and redemption. The music and story were so emotional and moving. Great set, too, because they incorporated the rocky outdoor landscape into the battle scenes. If that wasn't enough, you could glance upward and feast your eyes on the magnificent Milky Way. Alvin enjoyed feasting on our licorice: Red Vines and Twizzlers. When I gawked at him chomping on 5 pieces at once, he said that was routine.

The only glitch in our trip was the campground. We got there at 11 pm after the musical ended, only to find that the campground gate closed at 10 pm. Ehh. We hopped the gate with our tents and sleeping bags and found our spot in the dark.

Sunday we went to church in what was probably a characteristically "St. George" ward: a lot of seniors who were very tan. Before starting the 5 hour drive home, we took a stroll in Snow Canyon and saw a baby owl! On the way home we stopped in Provo for dinner with my parents. Thanks, Mom, for the taco soup.

What a fun weekend. Short, but a great mid-autumn getaway. Thanks for being born in October, Alvin.

Hungry Man

Alvin's back from Tulsa! Maybe I should pack him a bigger lunch to hold him over until he gets home from work.

Whenever Alvin hugs me and our bellies hit first, I think,
"Whoa! Alvin's getting a pot!" Then I correct myself, "Oh yeah, that's me." And this squirmy little boy inside me! Only 4 more months to his birthday.

By the way, I don't think Alvin could lose his six-pack if he tried.

Savasana

I went to yoga this morning, and I have to admit that my favorite part is the very end: every yoga session ends with savasana, or corpse pose. I think it feels best after a good yoga workout, but I'm going to tell you how to do it so you can all try.

First, you lay on the mat on your back, arms at your side, palms up, heels together, toes flopped out. Then you close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing: slow and even. Earthy yoga music helps, but it's definitely optional.

Today during savasana, we imagined the sun slowly rising over our toes, then up our shins, and on to the rest of our bodies. While laying there, you try to release any lingering tension in your body. Even relax your eyebrows and let your tongue fall away from the roof of your mouth.

Lay on the mat until you're ready to get up - yoga is all about being in tune with your body. Enjoy!

Flying Solo

Alvin left this morning for a week-long job training in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Assuming he made it past airport security in his steel-toed boots, he's scheduled for daily classes in job safety. I looked at his schedule, and I think they'll be watching a lot of movies - maybe about past industrial accidents in his company.

What am I going to do without Alvin? His last business trip was only 3 or 4 days, and that was a year ago. This is an entire week! At least I have Amber and Ranger to keep me company. If I get too bored and lonely, I might do something drastic, like get a short haircut. Alvin's pretty lucky that I've put up with long hair since we got married.

Yesterday we drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon and Guardsman Pass to see the fall leaves. The colors are spectacular! Autumn in Utah is fabulous.

Happy Birthday Laura!

5 reasons I'm glad that Laura was born.
1. Laura is an Angel.

The world is surely a better place with her around.
She is the most thoughtful and considerate person that I know. She is genuine, kind, and loving and has improved the lives of those with whom she has come in contact. I can't tell you how many notes of gratitude, encouragment, and love that she has written to others (it is definitely a lot).

2. She makes me laugh and she is so fun to be around! Sometimes we get laughing so hard we can hardly stop.

3. She puts up with me.
4. Sweet mountain biking fashion. Need I say more?

5. She's talented, adventurous, and beautiful. I can't believe how lucky I am to be able to wake up next to her each day.

Happy Birthday Laura!

Can you guess what we're having?

The ultrasound this morning was so cool-there's actually a distinct person inside me. What a cute profile. Look at those strong, Scottish legs.
Have you figured it out yet......?


It's a boy! We are so excited to have a boy, except we'll have to repaint the pink baby room. I really have no idea what to do with a boy, because I grew up with only sisters. At least Alvin's teaching me how to throw a frisbee. That's going to take a LOT of practice. Another milestone today: I started feeling the baby move and kick . . . or was that just digestion?

Ranger

My sister Amber got a puppy, and since we all live in the same house, he's practically ours, too. Except we're not obligated to feed him or clean the carpet when he forgets that he's being house-trained. Ranger, a.k.a. Pooch, Puppy, Goober, or Dog, is an 11-week-old beagle. My aunt warned us that a dog would chew up all the furniture (which he does), but since Amber claims Alvin does that anyway (which he might), we had nothing to lose. Plus, a puppy guaranteed immediate cuddling, which a year and a half of attendance at the singles ward has failed to produce.