Alpine Slide

I finally got to take Reece on the alpine slide up at park city. It was his first time and he LOVED it. Our family used to go all the time and it sort of became a family tradition. It was probably one of the last times to go as it was pretty late in the fall, which made for an amazingly colorful scenery but icy cold temperatures. (Note to self: bring gloves)

We also got to ride the coaster, a wonderful addition to park city's summer activities. One of the advantages of going places with Kitchen is that she knows boys wherever you go and they most always all have huge crushes on her. The coaster's operator just so happened to be one of those boys so we got to ride the coaster 6 times (or until we were just too cold to keep going) all for FREE. Yeah. It was awesome, I always got to buddy-up with some one and that ride is totally better if you go with someone else in your car, you go so fast and unlike the alpine slide, there is no fear of sliding off. 

Another part of the family tradition is, after riding the slides we go get carmel apples at the chocolate factory. Yum.

We were introduced to the best way to eat a carmel apple. The most efficient way to get as many slices as you can without the dealing with the core.

On the way home the light was just to beautiful on the autumn landscape that I had to make everyone stop to take some pictures.

First Day of Fall

On September 22 my baby sis and I got together for our weekly lunch date and were surprised silly to find ourselves wearing similar outfits. All during lunch we kept commenting on how cute we looked together. Since neither of is had anything to get to right away we thought that we would be spontaneous and take a drive up the canyon and take a lift ride up at Sundance. As a photographer I felt naked without a camera in which to document the event, so we picked up a disposable camera at a gas station on the way up. 

The air was cool and the leaves were pretty rich colors for being so early in the season. Our jackets matched the trees perfectly. It was so relaxing to take our time with having no immediate deadlines. We goofed around tons just like we always do and totally laughed our heads off. I love Kitchen's laugh. Up at Sundance the clouds were low and over the tops of the mountains and the effect brought us back to our days in Zermatt. We saw plenty of wildlife preparing for the winter... chattery squirls picking and throwing down pine cones, and wild turkeys fattening up in the fields. Kate had to love my wild turkey call, you can probably imagine how amazing it sounds.

     What a wonderful way to fall into fall. The calmness, fun, coolness, relaxed spontaneity of it all will definitely be a lasting warm memory for me.

You know its fall when...

You know its fall...... when you can go buy amazing jackets and snuggle up in them everyday on the way to work. As many of you know.... I LOVE JACKETS!!!! Every year I can t wait till I can dress in fall and winter clothes, they are just more flattering.... more loose and then the layering. During the Summer I cant help but feel that all my body's flaws are out for all the world to see and its too hot to hide them with one of my many jackets.

   I got this yellow jacket just as soon as the air showed a hint of cooling down, and just thinking about it makes me happy. It even matches a pair of yellow loafers that I have. 

(Its is kinda late for the following posts but better late than never....Ive just been up to so much seasonal stuff lately, dont want to miss anything this year)

Conference Weekend

I always look forward to conference weekends both April and October. I always watch conference at my parents house (as we dont have TV channels at our house) and the weekend is full of amazing family time, scrumptious food, creative projects, and the voices of incredible speakers. Every member of the family brings projects that they want to work on while watching and listening to the sessions to keep our minds alert. My sister Jenny and I brought our crocheting projects, Kate brought adorable fabric to sew into aprons, my mom brought pictures for scrap booking, and my dad spent the whole time cooking yummy treats in his exercise outfit. Between the sessions it was sweet to step back and see how we all worked hard on helping and teaching each other skills. Jenny helped me double check the calculations on a couple quilts that I have been designing, I helped my mom organize the layout of a wedding album she was finally ordering from my wedding,  Jenny was also helping Kate cut the patterns for her aprons that she was working on, Mike was able to help everyone with their computer problems,  and my dad taught us all how to bake bread and make pies. But above all other fun, Im the most grateful for the messages that were given and the guidance I was able to take away from the amazing men that lead our church.

Yummy fresh peach pie!

My sister's little girls were so fun to play and spend time with. So many smiles and laughs.

Tis The Season

Tis the season to have an amazing photo shoot with my extremely photogenic cat Dubie. Believe it or not I just set up the pumpkin and leaves and then Dubie walked in and did this pose for me all by himself. Totally Mr. Mistoffelees. Dubie you are incredible, a total photographers dream cat!

CATS!

So we finally got to see CATS the broadway spectacular. I was so worried that I would never get to see this show.... ever. The longest running Broadway show was taken off broadway the spring before the summer I lived in NY. Talk about major disappointment. But when I got word that t was coming to UT I got online and got tickets for all my family that could go. It was totally fantastic.  I have to admit that I went into the show expecting a plot and the whole first half I was leaning over to my sister Kitchen constantly asking "what is going on?" But then I read during intermission that all the lyrics in the songs were poems written by T.S. Elliot in his Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.

 The whole musical is basically a character study. After I got that, everything was just perfect. It was fun as my family and I know, and have known, so many different cats with different personalities that we totally got a kick out of the personalities portrayed in the play. 

I felt that Mr. Mistoffelees was the most like my amazing cat Dubie, both in looks and in his amount of awesomeness. Totally magical and does the most unexpected yet intriguing things.

Mitsy is totally the female version of Bustopher Jones. They look Identical in coloring and in size....Bustopher is a ritzy cat that hangs out at lounges and eats all their food. Hes a 25 pounder...Mitsy isnt that big but she is quite substantial. Her fluff may add a few pounds to her too. She also can have that "too-good" attitude that is found in many ritzy personalities, it drives me crazy. 

And sweet old casey would have to be Old Deuteronomy. Wis, old, good natured and also loved and revered by all. Casey I will miss you dearly. 

Camping in Cedar & Bryce

I have been so excited to post these pictures. We went camping over labor day weekend and had a blast. We set up camp for two days at the cedar brakes campground. It was such a beautiful area... fields of wildflowers, cool crisp temperatures, and stunning views of red rock and forests. We were amazed to have been able to see the area in so many different lights and weather conditions over the small time that we were there, talk about a photographers dream. The weather was bright and sunny with billowy white clouds the day that we got there. The next day was cool and overcast and perfect for hiking, but then after the hike we literally watched the fog roll in which cut out the sunset's sweet-light but we still got some beautifully lit photos. We got to photograph the red rock and forests densely layered with the ethereal fog. That second night was a little creepy with the lighting and wind (no rain, although everywhere else got pounded with rain) and we awoke to a cool foggy morning but we then got to watch the rolling fog process reverse it's self as the sun quickly burned it off. We then got to strike camp and cook a yummy breakfast in the warmth of the sunny rays.

This viewpoint was just walking distance from our campsite. 

We hiked to the slot canyon in Kanarraville. It was a fun hike but lots of wading through the river which ended in a beautiful waterfall.

After the hike we past a pasture with the most beautiful white dappled horses. The animal lover in me made Reece pull over so I could photograph them and play with them. They had the best personalities very sweet and friendly. One was obsessed with my camera and always nuzzled it when I was trying to take pictures.

We had the most yummy meals. Teriyaki beef kabobs, corn, toasted garlic bread, tinfoil dinners, and of coarse s'mores.

Our first night our mattress deflated by midnight so we went and got a new one first thing in the morning. I rested and relished the coziness of the tent the next day to make up for the lack of sleep the night before. It was so calming to feel the cool breeze, hear the birds, and look out at the wildflowers growing out the front door of the tent.

Yummy chocolate peanut butter surprise!

It was nice to see the sun again.

We then drove to Bryce National Park it was fun driving through red canyon to get there.

At one of the stops there was this team of tame crows, they would come to your car windows and beg for food. Poor tweedle dee and tweedle dum, they are just steps away from being domesticated. Luckly we watched them hunt a little creature so we knew they could feed themselves not only live off charity.

What beautiful wildlife! wild turkeys and deer!

Look, a town named after my heritage. Im a proud Witdsoe descendent.

We took the longer but more scenic route 12 home.