Lake Powell 2011

All year we look forward to Lake Powell.  It's a family tradition that we'll keep up forever.  I plan on wheeling my parents onto the houseboat when they're grey and decrepit.  And my grandkids better do that for me too!  There's just nothing better than Lake Powell.

 Roy and I took over 1,000 pictures on the trip with our new camera.

Figured no one would have the patience to look through all of them {about half are of the guys wakeboarding behind the speed boat}.  But here are some of our  favorites:

These are our great friends, Skyler and Sydney Smedley.  Syd and I met while traveling abroad and have since been roommates, bridesmaids, confidants, and BFFs.  Love this girl.  And Sky is such a blast.  We love hanging out with them and were stoked to have the opportunity, since we now live so far away from each other.

Mom is the organizer of the trip.  She plans out who is in charge of meals, cleaning the bathrooms, doing the dishes.  She keeps us all well fed.

And Dad is the captain.

Good team right here.  They pull it off every summer.

This year we had a lot of extended Collett family with us.  Together {plus some friends} we filled up two houseboats. 

Lots of wakeboarding!

 

 

We only had one major injury from wakeboarding this year.

Luckily for Seth we had a doctor on board.  No trip to the ER necessary.

 So after seeing that... now more than ever I've given up the whole trying to catch some air.  I love watching Cory land back flips, Mason pull off 360s, etc. but that's where it ends for me.  I'll pop around and have some fun and then I'm done and back to watching.

 Until the boat breaks...

Luckily these guys are good at quick fixes.

 Flagging.  I think we broke two flags on this trip.

Zac's happy face.

 The Nielson's brought paddle boards.  They're so fun, I love them.  Miranda and I took them out every day.  They made for killer pictures, too.

 I've talked about this before, but Roy has crazy hair.  I mean cray-zhee!  It grows up and out, and if we let it get out of control, it makes Roy's head look twice the size it really is.

So I was looking forward to the Powell  tradition of giving all the guys mohawks. 

I think Roy should rock the hawk for a few more months!

Studs!

I loved the job!

 Oh, and I think I found Roy's first grey hair!!!!  {You can see the hair really well on my computer}

Here's Zac and Mason's finished hawks:

Those who didn't get mohawks got... something else...

 The only way this trip could have been any better is if Roy hadn't had strep throat the first few days.  I found myself stumbling around the pitch black kitchen in the middle of the night looking for Ibuprofen while my poor husband sweat out a fever in our little cabin.


Again, thank goodness for having a doctor on board.  Roy was good as new after three days. 
But when he wasn't feeling up to baking in the sun all day, he busted out the camera.  He's pretty good, too!  Between Alexa and us, we really started figuring out how to work this thing.

Everyone helped in the kitchen.

Everyone got together for dinner every night.  

Everyone lathered up with soap and jumped in the lake for their "baths".

 But not everyone loves fish.  Is that safe to assume?  Uncle Guy just loves fishing. 

Even when the lake consists entirely of small, brown slimy things.  Eck.

 There were a few afternoons where we had brief storms roll in.  It was perfect!  It cooled off the hot sand and rock, and gave us a chance to relax too.

That is, as long as the storm wasn't blowing the houseboat all over the place!  There was one storm that appeared out of nowhere, and in seconds the side of the boat was being slammed into the shore!

The guys scrambled outside...

While the girls watched...

Meanwhile, a rope got tied around one of the props.  Not good!

It was up to James to rescue us.  His job was to use this knife:

to cut the rope away from the prop.  I took this picture of his hands just in case it was the last one.  You never know with those propeller blades ;-)

 He survived.

The Powell Party always ends with a night of comedy.  It's another tradition: the Talentless Show.  This year there was an unintentional theme of game shows.  It was pretty hilarious.  We started out with the Newlyweds Game Show. 

The other game shows/skits were great.  I don't think anyone will be able to forget Alexa's depiction of a boy going through puberty.  Awesome!

The duct tape dress made by Miranda and Zinnia. 

We loved hanging out with the cousins, aunts and uncles, friends, and the whole Neilson family.  But more than anything it was cool to finally be able to chill with the Mom, Dad, Mason, Alexa, and Zac.  All of us together again for more than 24 hours!

 Looking forward to next summer.  Teehee!

One Year

Whaaaat?

One year ago today I was in a wedding dress with that enormous smile practically splitting my face.  I couldn't help it!  It was seriously the best day of my whole life!  Pretty sure both of us had those smiles on for a couple weeks, non-stop.

My face is still sore!  Everything is still so fresh, and yet it's been a year?

I can't believe it.

Maybe I should change the name of this blog.  The Oldyweds?  Hmm, I'll keep brainstorming.

In our first year of marriage, I've learned a few things about Roy and about being married that I never expected:

- Roy, with his big heart, loves giving things away to people who may want or need anything of his.  This has been somewhat of an adjustment for me since we now share everything...

- Being married means always having someone on your team, every second of every day.

- There is hope with the kitchen and I.

- Roy stays in one position all night long, sleeping like a log.  I roll all over the place, steal the blankets, and try to prod him out of the bed with my butt.

- I've ended up being an even bigger penny-pincher than Roy!

- Having a ring on doesn't mean everyone will assume you're a married woman.

- Getting your name changed is a pain.

- Sometimes I'm wrong, but Roy lets me "win" anyway.

- I love Roy more today than I did one year ago.  Never before would I have thought that even possible.  But the love is still growin'!

Happy One Year Anniversary Roy!

Although we'd agreed that Disneyworld was our anniversary gift to each other, Roy just couldn't resist.  He got me a sweet Nikon camera!!!!  I've been talking about it forever, but I didn't expect to get one for a few years!

Little stinker!  At least I made him a card....  and it's a pop-up!

 

But in all seriousness, I did get him a professional-looking bag for school.  He said the camera also counts as my big birthday present too.  (Can you believe a Christmas baby would do that to someone?  Hehe, just kidding!)

I can't wait to put up more pics taken with this fantastic camera!  I'll start this week with Lake Powell.  We leave tomorrow and I'm sure there will be plenty to document.

Last Days in Utah

My 23-year-old sister-in-law has braces, and it's all my fault.  For the full story, click here. 

Short story is: last summer we were tubing on the lake and her mouth met the back of head and bent back three of her teeth.

The girl has since landed herself a man and gotten hitched.  Pretty good for a brace face, huh?  ;-)  My evil in-law plans of making her a lonely snaggle-toothed old crone were dashed.

Anyway, she's had her braces on and off and needed to come to Utah from Oregon for an appointment.  So the week of our move we got to see them one last time.  And the mom-in-law came too!

They were great.  We spent part of one day at Lagoon together.  Roy and I had already been there the week before for his work party.  It was a way sweet work party!  Everyone in the group wore these bright green shirts.  The park was just dotted with green all day. 

It was a good time.

Roy didn't come back with me, Laura, Leah, Jamie, and Jamie's childhood friend.  He had to work.  Plus, I think he'd had plenty of fun the first time around.  He loves roller coasters and has never had a problem with them, but after riding three of the parks craziest coasters back to back... he wasn't feeling too great. 

The second time I went was fun, but the best part of the day was the skycoaster.

 
If you like the sensation of dropping, of plummeting to the ground, this is the ride for you! 

Ah- I loved it!  They were pulling us up higher and higher and then suddenly started counting down, which meant it was time for me to pull the chord that would make us drop.  Apparently the guys didn't think I'd have the guts.  But I did, which I'm so glad for!



What could I do, anyway?  "Excuse me... I changed my mind!  Could you please lower me down real slow?"

Oh it was fun!  Laura didn't brave that one, but she did go on Wicked right in the front row.  Her scream-laugh was so funny I could barely breathe. 

 

So that was one of our last events in Utah.  We also made a trip up to Rexburg to say goodbye to all of our friends up there.  Wow, that campus is growing!  

We took Alexa and her boyfriend to go out on the lake with us and Roy's Uncle Mark.  Roy is getting the hang of the air chair and wants to rent one for Lake Powell this summer.  I definitely want to try it next time.

I was trying to see absolutely everyone before we left Utah.  I had a get together with some of my buddies from the Scotland trip.  So depressing to say goodbye!  We ate Hobb Nobbs and reminisced together.

We also went to the Springville Arts Fair with Sarah and Matt.  We wanted a picture.  There was a lady who had nothing better to do than wait for her kids to get off a ride.  We asked if she would take the picture for us but...

She seemed a little impatient.

We asked her to please take just one more.

We had breakfast with my Aunt Randy and Uncle Jay, we ate at Costa Vida one last time, we finally went to the art museum down the street... we tried to fit it all in!

I guess it's not like we'll never be up to Utah/Idaho ever again, but I look back with nostalgia knowing that this chapter in our life together is now closed.

We Found the Ring!!!

Before I move on to our life in Arizona... I thought I'd tell one last Utah story...

Roy and I thought we lost his wedding band last winter on a day at the slopes.  I was certain it was buried beneath the frozen snow in the parking lot, and so I waited for spring to thaw it out.

Well... spring came late.  My hope having been snuffed out by June, I went ahead and bought Roy a new wedding band in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.  $16.  Shrug.  It's kind of funny that it's from a Mexican jewel vendor, and at least if we lost it again it wouldn't be so devastating.

So moving day... Taylor Broughton, Josh Flint {Alexa's boyfriend}, and Carson were helping us move the big stuff.  Once our bed was hefted out of the bedroom, Taylor said something about a ring that was on the floor.

THE RING!!!!!!

The thing never even left our apartment!!!!  It was just warm and snug under our bed the whole time!

I was so happy I wanted to cry.  Not that there's really anything wrong with the $16 Mexican ring... but the sentimental value behind it just doesn't compare.

Thank you Taylor for finding Roy's wedding band!!!!

Roy is not quite as happy about it as I am.  He's glad it's found, but he still wants to wear the cheap ring.  "See, feel how heavy this one is," he said later that day.  He made me hold one in each hand and compare.  It's true, the nice tungsten ring is heavier.  For a reason. 

Hmmm, maybe we should put our original ring away under lock and key so that we won't lose it ever again.  Then Roy can enjoy the cheapness of the other ring... that is until it turns his finger green.

Half Birthday Surprise Party

Roy was born on Christmas day.  His parents brought him home in a stocking.  I know, so cute!

Roy's never complained to me about having to share his day with the most widely celebrated birthday in the world.  But still, since we started dating I've always celebrated his half birthday.  Good excuse for more fun.

This year I had awesome help from Carson and Shellena getting everything put together to throw a surprise half birthday party-- complete with half party hats and half a birthday cake!

We sang him half of the happy birthday song before he blew out 13 candles.

Half of a birthday hat fit Story perfectly.

The presents were stuffed into birthday gift bags that were cut in half.  It looked amazing, but I didn't capture a good enough picture for you.  Sorry.  The half birthday boy got half eaten candy bars and other treats.  Then we played pin the tail on the donkey..

And if the other half of the poster had been there I wouldn't have been so far off.

Roy was actually surprised!  When he first walked in on the half streamers and posters, he thought everyone must be celebrating my birthday early!  Haha!

That night happened to be one of our very last in Utah.  It already seems so distant.  We loved spending that time with our friends.  We miss them all already.

15 Hours Alone in a Car

The result:

{Anyone know why my videos won't convert onto YouTube from iMovie?  Oh well, it's probably best that it's not working.  Trust me, the result of me alone in a car for 15 hours isn't a pretty sight.}

Moving

We picked the perfect time to move to Arizona.  Sweltering 115 degrees is just the weather we like to be moving things on and off trucks.  :-)

This move has me ready to pull all my hair out.  I can't find anything.  Everything--everything--is boxed up.

Currently the boxes are baking in a storage unit across town.  With some luck, our stack of wedding pictures won't be all slimy and stuck together by the time we move everything out again.  Who knows when that will be.

We're crashing at my parent's place until we find somewhere to live.  Thanks, little sis, for letting us stay in your bedroom.  Oh, and for letting me wear whatever clothes you've left in your closet- because all of mine are in boxes.  Ugh- boxes!!!

Little miscommunication...  I thought we were keeping all of our junk in my parent's garage.  I thought it would be easy to access things like my clothes, laptop charger, shoes.  There's nothing easy about it, unless you consider a 45 minute drive, followed by picking through cardboard boxes in a steamy storage unit easy.

The plan for our next move (hopefully years from now) is to be a nazi with organization.  List on the boxes every single item inside.  "Living room junk" doesn't help me much.  And then I plan to pack pack ourselves suitcases to last us for a few weeks.

Maybe if I write it all here, I'll remember to do this stuff.  :-)

Packing in Utah was great, though.  We had some awesome help.  Alexa and her boyfriend came down from Idaho for the weekend.  That girl can pack fast!  I don't know what we would have done without her.

And I don't know what we would have done without these guys... hard workers.

But seriously, we had friends and family make us meals, move our furniture, and help us clean.  It made it so much easier and more fun.

Our last two nights in the apartment we were sleeping on air mattresses in the living room.  It was weird to have the place so bare.  Kind of sad.  We'll never forget our first place together.

But so far I haven't been missing the trains.

I have been missing our friends, the cooler weather, the grass, our ward, the university, my job, etc.  But I'm sure there are better things to come.  I think once we are settled in our own place and those boxes are finally opened... that's when things will start looking up.

When we finally find Roy's cell phone charger.
When I finally find that book I was in the middle of.
When I can have everything in it's place and organized.

Much more to catch up on later.

Dad's Day

When I was born, Tracy Collett became a dad.

No turning back.

The following is a mix of what I've been told and what I imagine.  But you'd be surprised at what is actually true.

When I was making my debut at a ridiculous hour in the morning, Dad was in the waiting room.  Guess he didn't have a back stage pass.

I think Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" was playing quietly.  Dad has always said that song makes him think of when I was born.  So if it wasn't playing in the waiting room it must have at least been playing in his head. 

Knowing him, he had his perfectly placid face on, like nothing could ever bother him.  But secretly, deep down inside--way deep--he was feeling a little anxious.  Not sure how he does that.  The "Don't Worry, Be Happy Song" must help him keep calm.  It's a developing theory.

When a nurse finally came to tell him to come in, he missed a beat.  Dropped the song all together.  Walked calmly down the hall with that dead serious face.  He wondered: is it a boy or a girl?  Mom had insisted on leaving the gender as a surprise.  The suspense!

He wanted a girl.  Why?  Because oldest boys tend to get themselves into the worst kind of trouble, but girls are better behaved.

So Dad, how did that work out for you?  ;-)

Back to the hospital—there I was.  Adorable, healthy, pink bundle of joy all swaddled in one of those thin hospital blankets.  Mom was teary eyed and eager for the new dad to catch a good glimpse, tell her how beautiful I was.  He took me in his arms, his first baby, peered down at my bald head and said:

"Aren't her ears a little low?"

Happy 23rd father's day, Dad.  We've had our rough patches, but the truth is no one could replace you.  You're an amazing father! 
Thanks for everything, I love you.

PS.  Roy may be getting overly eager to be included in father's day.  He's taken to stealing adorable children.

Sunny with a Chance of Injury

Let's talk about the weather!

It took Utah Valley a while to warm up, but it finally has.  The rivers are near to bursting with all the runoff from the mountains.  I've loved going running along these rivers iPodless and listening to the water while letting my winter white legs soak up some sun.

But in a few weeks I'll be in a place where running is only plausible if you hit the trails by six am.  In the summer it's just not safe to be running past 9 am.  There's no rivers- heck there's no water anywhere- and the sun will flat out blister winter white legs.

Therefore, I'd really like to enjoy this kind of running weather every moment I can.  Unfortunately, that's not happening.

I've often read about runner's cross-training days "to prevent injury."

Psssh!  I'm young and spry, I'm not gonna get injured!  Not me!  I'll just run every single day and wear down my joints until I cripple myself.  Brilliant.

My left knee isn't liking running, especially since I tried to just push through the pain the other day.  Oh yeah, I'm filled with great ideas.

After analyzing my run, I think I figured out what might be causing it.  Check out how I lean in slightly with my left foot when I hit the pavement.

Better shoes?  Better inserts?  Better let the good weather go and give myself time to heal.  

The sunny side: Now I have plenty of cross-training days.