Reason #15

Why we haven't had a baby yet.

You can't take a baby to the top of Old Snowy Mountain.

Well, I guess you could, but there would be much more planning involved and lots of safety precautions and plus, the grandmothers might have something to say about it.   

We'll have kids some day, a whole bunch of 'em.  But for right now, it's fine with us that there is only room for two on top of a mountain.

The Goats Rock.

It all started about two months ago.  I have never been backpacking before (shocking, I know right?) so B and I set aside two sets of dates to go in October.  This past weekend was supposed to be my introductory trip-- an overnighter to climb South Sister in central Oregon.  Next week, we were going to take three days and head to the Goat Rocks Wilderness in Washington. Well, I checked the 10-day forecast on Sunday morning and it is supposed to rain all of next week.  I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy backpacking, but I'm completely sure I'll hate it in the rain.  So, we decided to do this weekend's intro trip to the Goat Rocks instead. 

 

We had the alpine meadows all to ourselves and the weather was perfect.  Not just perfect, but PERFECT.  Not a cloud in the sky, cool in the evening so we didn't even take the tent fly, and probably in the 70's with a breeze during the day.  We hiked in on Sunday afternoon, camped at about 6,000 feet and then climbed Old Snowy Mountain on Monday before hiking back out.  

I firmly believe it was the best decision we have made so far as a married couple.  Seriously.  I have the photos to prove it:

Ben + Jen = For. Like. Ever.

Last weekend was the great Jen + Ben wedding in St. Louis.  Those kids know how to throw a party.  We had such a good time hanging with their friends, chilling in St. Louis.  I was lucky enough to be a bridesmaid and B took the photos.  

It was a great weekend-- the wedding was beautiful with lots of unique touches-- Jen wore her running shoes under her dress, we stopped at Ben's high school track for photos, and in an ode to Jen's craftiness, a do-it-yourself guest book.  It was awesome.

B and me at the Arch.  Can't go to St. Louis and not make a visit.

On Thursday night, the girls went out to Robust, a wine bar near Jen's place.  The owner took us all outside and popped the cork on a bottle of bubbly with this sword.  Seems like something straight out of a movie, but it was really cool.

Whew!  Those girls have got some legs!  Alyson, Leah, Suzanne, Jen, me, Jessica and Jeanette.

The bride and some crazy bridesmaid shake it on the dance floor early in the reception.  The rest of the night, the dance floor was full.  J-Ro (as I'm now calling her) has some friends with some moves.
Jen and I.  Check B's website and blog in the coming weeks for more photos from the Rosarios.  
Congrats you two!  We're glad you finally ran into each other.  (Get it?  Ran into each other?  Ha!  I'm the funniest person I know today.)

Friday Night Lights

Monday is the new Sunday

Ah, September.  How I love thee.  Sunshine, warm days, cool nights.  The best part?  All the pesky kids are back in school and their parents have gone back to work so when you want to take a hike on a random Monday afternoon, to a swimming hole in the gorge, you can do it and no one will be there.

Well, except for the other 15 people who had the same idea you did.  Apparently, Monday is the new Sunday for a lot of other people too.

  

A Step-by-Step Guide, Volume 2

How to see a Tristan Prettyman/John Butler Trio/G.Love and his Special Sauce Concert

Step 1:  Buy your ticket.

Step 2:  Meet your friends at their house and grab a ride with your other friend to the show.

Step 3:  Make it to the show in record time-- not even 10 minutes.

Step 4:  Scope out a place on the lawn to sit and get comfortable.  You should look like this:

Step 5:  Make sure everyone has a beer and a burger.  This can be done before Step 4 or after. Use your own good judgement.

Step 6:  Be completely entertained by all three acts.  Be so relaxed that you start to make your friend's husband take lots of photos of you.  They should look a little like this:

Step 7:  Realize that while you wouldn't buy any of G.Love's albums, you would see him live again anytime.  He's part gansta, part homeboy, part grasser, but all FUNK.

Step 8: Go the parking lot and find your car AND leave in your car in about 8.2 minutes. Another record.

Step 9:  Always see shows at McMenamin's Edgefield.  Always.

The Bridges of Somewhere-near-Salem County

It all started on Friday at work.  Adam asked me what B and I were doing on Sunday.  I said, "Well, B has to shoot a wedding but I have no plans.  Why?  Did you have something in mind?" He says, "Actually, if you want ride in the covered bridges benefit ride, you could totally ride with us."  I responded with, "Yeah, that would be fun, but I haven't ridden any farther than the 8 miles one-way to work in about a year.  I'll think about it."  Well, then DJ showed up and turned up the heat.  The ride was a benefit for the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Assocation, organized by his wife in memory of one of her friends.  That dropped the hammer-- I just couldn't say no.

Sooooo, the benefit ride was today and it was a gorgeous ride through part of the Willamette Valley south of Salem, five covered bridges in all.  The day and scenery were beautiful and all, but the 41 miles?  My tush has a few words about that.  Let me just say, as I sit writing this, I'm contemplating getting a bag of ice to cool it off just a bit.  

Anywho, it was a great day, spent with great company, a nice little Sunday. 

The covered bridge riders:  me, Marcus, Jody, Christina, Alisa, & Tony.

Me, showing off my gun show at the last bridge.

Love me some In-laws!

I hope that you all are lucky enough to have a mother-in-law at least once in your life.  They really are fantastic people.  My mother-in-law Flora-- the reason for my  hubster's existence-- is the sweetest and LOOK WHAT SHE EMAILED ME!

B and I have some photos from his years growing up but I hadn't seen these yet.  This is B and his Aunt Linda at Christmas, circa. 19-look at B's hair!

B and his mom at the beach in Texas.

The Murphrees at the beach in Corpus Christi, Easter 1979.  She said this is where they found out Elvis was dead.  I love it when you can look at a photo and know exactly what was going on in the world or your life at that time.  Seeing the photos takes you right back to that day.

Two Years