Roadtrip to San Francisco

Well it had been altogether toooo long since I had been on a roadtrip so Sarah, Gail and I got our heads together and cooked up a plan. Sarah had a friend from AK who is living in San Francisco and Gail and I were looking for adventure so away we went. Cody called us the week before we left to let us know he had bought a one way ticket to San Diego so we begged and pleaded and he finally agreed to meet us for the weekend. We left on Thursday night after work and loaded down with lettuce and carrots we made our way south. We stopped for our first tank of gas out of the city aways and here lies my complaint about having other people pump my gas....I always knew I had a reason. So the story goes I was nicely sitting in my car waiting for the guy to come take my card which he did. Then he starts talking about where we are from etc. I nicely get myself out of the conversation to go meet the girls in the store when we come out the guy casually mentions " Oh you might not want to step in the gas...your car didn't like me" okay now my car has its idiocycracies? but come on it does not purposely spill gas all over the ground. I understand that gas prices are coming down and all but my car was barely under a 1/4 tank and the guy filled it with 12.6 gallons that is a lot of wasted gas. Needless to say I was a pansy and didn't do anything to try and recoup my losses. So after many miles and lots of tunes with a sugarfree rockstar and a few mountain dews under our belts we arrived in the city. Somehow someway I was elected as the city driver that fact was scary in itself but add on top of that my leg was shaking so bad I could barely keep it on the pedal yeah could have been a candidate for a good halloween story but somehow we did survive and I didn't even hit very many pedestrians.

7:oo am early morning so we could get to meeting 3 hours North
Maybe only beth would understand but who can pass up -zesty nachos & carmel apple crisp

We had to drive all around the city of San Francisco to find nachos for me...Denny's did the trick

Gail and I being tree huggers in California

My roomate in her element...coffee, decortaing magazines etc.

In front of the Golden Gate Bridge

After our first experience staying in a hostel

Sea Lions Galore

Alcatraz Island

Rainy day activities...reading books in Barnes & Noble

Crazy hills and awesome peelouts 17% grades on a rainy night

After an all nighter

Roadtrip snacks...lettuce and carrots yum yum!!!

Denver Rendezvous

Over Halloween Weekend Carolyn and I were invited down to Denver for a "Worker Get-Together" and brunch. It was great to spend some time with many from the Colorado staff, and a bonus was a little time with Leland Broughton, or Don Percy, as I know him. He flew out of Denver headed for Chilean conventions, and then will be in Argentina.

This is the group of us after brunch on Halloween morning. Most of us just dressed up like ourselves.... click on the picture to enlarge...
Leland, Olan, Jim
Dominic, John H., John W., Ken
JoAnn, Carolyn, Ruthie, Cheri, me, Stephanie, Kathy, Kim, Suzie


We had a fun day touring around Denver with some who were able to stay, and then a nice dinner with some of the friends. On the way home the next morning Carolyn and I stopped to have lunch and a game of cards with Esther H. in Greeley. She's a ton of fun.... then back to Cheyenne and work! It was a fast fun-filled frolick across the border!

October in Cheyenne

So another month is over...this is wild... I can't believe that it's only two weeks 'til Special Meeting rounds. Here we are at the beginning of November, and I had to use the Air Conditioning in the car today... 76 degrees! I guess it's supposed to cool down this week, though. I might have to actually wear long sleeves. Here's some pics of life in Tropical Cheyenne...


Reading the Pop-Up Bedtime stories to Travis and Emily...Blissful innocence before the brutal war of Beth - 1, Emily's chin - 0.


I'd been wanting to do a puzzle for weeks... Carolyn got me one at the dollar store. Maybe it was to keep me out of her hair while she finished Sp. Mtg. plans??!!

Mom and Dad came for a visit! They arrived before our gospel meeting Thursday night, and then stayed until Monday morning. It was sooo much fun! Carolyn's parents were able to come too, and though it wasn't planned this way, they were all here at the same time. We made a trip to Vedauwoo...again... and enjoyed showing them around.


Mom and Dad at Lions Park in Cheyenne.


Us in front of Larsen's house in Cheyenne.

Pops is buff...he holds up the boulder with one finger.

So this is where I get "that face."

The Blurry Beaver Dam Pond technique in action.

Out hiking with the 'rents.

Pops and I adventure climb.

Caught: mom and pops canoodling in this rock cave!

Rendezvous Crew: Pops, mom, me, Jane, Everett, Carolyn.

Wow. A trip to the "World's Smallest Town." Buford, WY - only establishment is a Trading Post that specializes in tourist fleecing. The population used to be "2," hmmm... not sure if this is posted evidence of a domestic dispute, or if the dog died. Anyway - now it's lonely for Mr. Buford.

Hangin Out in and Around Portland

So the month of October has flown past. I am still working at Wells Fargo and having the time of my life let me tell you!! We have had a lot of company which has been awesome and I finally got a new camera so I have some pictures to post. I won't mention the three new coats and 2 pairs of new shoes but hey I need to get set up for city life. Shawn, DeAnne and their kids came down for a night with mom and dad. It was so fun to have all of them even though it was a short visit. Sarah Day is currently living with us so we had a rousing party this weekend with Carolyn, Leah, Mia and Mera. We have another fun weekend planned this weekend. We are taking off on Thursday night for San Francisco. We are hoping to see some sights and hopefully meet up with Cody and possibly Scott Smith. I will check in when I return.




The Girls Enjoying life in Portland.

Carebear, Mouse and I


Crazy girls

Mt. Hood..the only beautiful part of my drive

Gail and Brian at Sweet Tomatoes...dinner one Friday Night
The Amtrak station where I picked up Sarah.

Fountain in front of my work
My Excercise Routine

My Work

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Happy Birthday Auntie Jay/Mom!

Hope you had an awesome birthday on saturday. Sorry this post is a few days late. We miss you and love you lots!

Happy Birthday Lisa!

Hope you had an awesome day! We all love and miss you lots!

Happy 20th Birthday Brian!

Happy Birthday... we love you!

Another Week in Wyoming!

As the weather consistently becomes cooler, the colors around Southeast Wyoming are turning from green to yellow to brown. Thinking it would be our last chance for the year, Carolyn and I took a picnic up to Vedauwoo park one day last week. I think we had just missed the best and brightest of the fall leaves; the trees were getting pretty bare, but we had a nice walk and lunch anyway.

In the middle of one trail we were excited to find a mommy moose and her calf. We decided our lives were more important than our hike, so stopped and turned around. I climbed the rocks, giving them a wide berth, and snapped this pic from up above and beside them. The moose on the left, the mom, is staring straight ahead at Carolyn... who is about 30 yards in front of her on the trail.



Back to work for awhile, now. We had just a skiff of snow earlier this week, but it melted right away. Jack Frost, however, is getting lots of practice.

Looking forward to mom and dad's visit in a couple of days, and Carolyn's parents are coming too! It's the perfect time for a Great Alaskan Fish Fry!!!

Finding Fall Fourwheelin' Fun

Last week found us out in the country... a real blasty blast. It was starting to get pretty cold, but for the most part we had sunny, sunny sunshine. I took on the responsibility of making sure that the four wheelers and such ran smoothly. ;) They worked fine...

Under the pivot... all's well from here...
Getting the cows back in on the four wheeler...
Dave and Jane Bowman's farm...


This was a first... hand feeding a raccoon oreo cookies!
Charlie the parrot - he can unwrap and eat a starburst all by himself! Maybe I should check for cavities in his beak?!?! :) He also likes to sqwak "Raanntt! Yello!" when the phone rings!

Jane and I went for a dune buggy ride at dark. We were spotting for coyotes, but I think that we were laughing loud enough that we didn't need a gun to scare them away!!!
Then I was able to take Carolyn for a ride the next afternoon. She did very well, and only screeched when I admitted the wind was so cold I was driving with my eyes closed. We survived!
When we returned home from gospel meeting Thursday night the cows were everywhere! They had been corralled for the day, since the calves were weaned that morning. I guess in their extreme anxiety they chewed through the bale that was blocked the way out. Anyway.... I was more than happy to help get them back in.... on a fourwheeler in the dark! It's great... peel out!!!