Honeymoon: leg one of our trip

For our honeymoon we were planning on going to Yellowstone. Unfortunately, planning a trip to Yellowstone is something that takes preparation, reservations, and time.... one thing that there has been a significant shortage of around the Andersen home for the last four months. As a result, we took an impromptu trip up the Northern coast instead. I couldn't be more pleased with this trip. We will still make it to Yellowstone some year, but will probably include our children on that endeavor. So.... the reason I call this an impromptu trip is not because we didn't plan the dates, rather because we had vague destinations and no time lines. Being the micro manager that I am, this should have bothered me. On the contrary, I loved being able to go wherever we wanted. If we saw something on the side of the road that looked interesting, we stopped. It was wonderful! The first leg of our trip was spent in Klamath Falls. The attraction that drew us there was Crater lake. We arrived, got a room, had dinner, and then decided to see a movie.... maybe not the most traditional of honeymoon activities, but what we wanted to do nevertheless. So, we went to the the theater just as the clouds were rolling in, sat down, watched the previews, and a lightening storm struck causing a power outage in the theater just as the film was to begin. We exited and ran to the car roughly two rows away and jumped in looking like this:
Fortunately, we stayed in Klamath Falls for 2 nights and were able to reuse the tickets the following night. So, we went for ice cream where the machines were broken and just barely (and after a significant wait) squeezed out two cones. Determined and unaffected by our strange luck, we went back to our hotel. The following morning we awoke and went to Crater lake where we were able to turn out on 9o% of the turn outs and view the exquisite beauty that is Crater lake. These pictures aren't quite chronological, but one turn out was the pinnacles. They are impressive. you can't tell from the photos, but they stand roughly 200 feet tall.
We drove around the lake, watched a movie about the history (in which we discovered that it was not a meteor as I previously thought that created this lake, but rather a volcano).
The water is a startling blue or as Brian refers to it "magnificent blue." He repeatedly stated that somebody must have dropped blue dye in the water to result in such an intense blue color. These pictures simply cannot do justice to the beauty of this lake.
Please notice Brian's leg hugging the ledge.... it was a frightening drop behind us.
Simply amazing!
There are no shortage of photographs from this part of our trip. It was a challenge to simply narrow down the selection and decide which pictures would appear in our book (my blog).
This is called the ghost ship because, well, it is an island that looks sort of like a ghost ship.
Brian's leap into this crystal clear water.
My leap into this crystal clear water. It is cold, but like Tahoe, crisp, clean, and magical. They don't allow boats, roads, or houses around or on this lake so it is the cleanest lake in the world and the second deepest in the American continents.
Here I go again. The feeling is just marvelous!
If it had been a bit sunnier we would have been able to capture the blue, but I love the way you can see the cloud's reflections in the glassy water.
When we first arrived it was really overcast so these pics are a bit dark, but I still love them. Behind us is Wizard Island. There are fish in this lake, but only two types and they are huge. Apparently there are not fishing restrictions on this lake. I guess because people are rarely successful. Also, there aren't a ton of people that actually go down to the water.
There is only one way to get down to the water and it's a steep trail. The sign read that it would take roughly 30 minutes down and 40 minutes up. It took us 25 min. down and 25 min. up. This because Brian was running up the trail, I swear. This hike illustrated how out of shape I've gotten since we got married and have been working on the house and not working on our figures. It didn't bother Brian much, but his job is quite physical. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I hadn't even considered including Crater lake in this trip. I had mentioned to Brian that it was a beautiful place, but I went there so many years ago that I had no inkling of its geographic location. Brian recommended that we go there and I am so grateful that he did as this ended up being the highlight of our trip. Its beauty is immeasurable. There is something utterly awe-inspiring and spiritual about swimming in a lake that has not changed a bit in 100 years.

Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity

Last semester I started having my students create a "final portfolio" which consists of revisions of final drafts of several of their papers. Then, on the last day of class in lieu of a final (which they are typically thrilled about) I have them present their revisions and their transformation as a writer through the course of the class. I have discovered this is my favorite day. As their professor, I can see the changes in their writing and, more importantly, their editing, but it is truly awe-inspiring to see them recognize their own transformations. This semester was a little intimidating for me as over half my class were professionals. I had more students ages 40-60 than any other demographic and they had come from 20-30 years in careers such as: engineers, paralegals, police officers, construction workers, architects, etc. Needless to say I felt a little overwhelmed. Yet, I just taught the same way I always teach. To my surprise, some of the activities that I do in the beginning of the semester that might seem a little amateur were some of the most well received lessons. Then, one student in particular who always seemed like he was bored, knew better than all of us, and was irritated that he had to be there said (in his presentation on the last day): "Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity." As I sat there stunned, he continued to explain how he had been rejecting mankind thinking that nobody had anything to offer him. He thought that he was the golden child and it was easier to just avoid people than to deal with their idiocy. Then, he said, he got his first paper back from me and it was a "humbling" experience. He relayed how through the course of the semester he, not only became a better writer, but he also discovered that the true person he was hiding from by being a hermit, was himself. He thanked his fellow classmates, and myself for helping him to spend time on self reflection and stop worrying so much about how he was better than everybody else, and start recognizing how much people, all people, have to offer. It was so awesome, and I was extremely proud! I know I say this all the time, but I can't think of any two greater jobs than teaching college and being a wife and mommy. I am blessed.

Ekco returns.... in better health!

Because Ekco had to leave early due to pneumonia, she got to return a few weeks later and the difference in her health was astronomical. It ended up working out nicely because one week is not long enough to get homesick, but is long enough to do a lot of fun things. This time around we didn't have to feel as guilty about taking her to places she loves the most... water! (though she had a nasty cough that never did go away completely). So, for family home evening we went to the river and swam up and down and up and down, just like true mermaids.
As usual... it was a blast. In the last few years the city has built these river parks that are beautiful, crowded, and safe.
You can touch the bottom almost the whole way across.
While Ekco and I swam, Brian fed Xiana cherries... one of her heart's delights.
Strike a pose-- this was one of many photos taken by Brian.... the rest are... well, nevermind.
Another day I took the girls to play group at the fountains.
Xiana was kind of a pill that day, but I can't expect her to ALWAYS be fun:)
Then we took two more trips to Lake Tahoe... my favorite place on earth.
The girls caught crawdads and seriously attempted to catch fish.... alas they could not prevail with a bucket and a shovel. Surprised?
One of the trips was play group in our new ward and Aunt Ali came with us. After a bit of a hike we finally found our group and then proceeded to hang out by ourselves for the remainder of the day. Oh well, it's the thought that counts and at least we got to say hello to some of my new ward members. I tend to enjoy swimming back and forth to the bouies the most. Not very many others aspire to that particular hobby.
Another great mermaid pose.
We also went to a concert in the park, ate dinners, went to friend's houses, and pretty much enjoyed ourselves to the best of our ability. It was really wonderful and something that we will always cherish. Next summer when it comes time for Ekco to stay again I hope she will be beside herself with excitement (and I think she will be!)

Pioneer Day!

Every year our stake (and probably most stakes around the country) has a 24th of July celebration. This is to commemorate the early saints arriving in Salt Lake City. As a child I looked forward to this celebration year round. I got to see all my friends in all the wards and we played at a park eating cotton candy and drinking home made root beer. In the last few years it has changed a bit in our stake and we now have a big breakfast. I attended last year and, like my youth, still love to see so many faces I cherish in one spot. My mom is the stake activities director so she was extremely busy. I, on the other hand, got to come enjoy the festivities. They put Brian to work moving tables, chairs, and filling water jugs. Also, they ran out of food so my parents dashed out to get some more. Mom was worried, but if you ask me, that was just a measurement of its success.
They had games, traditional and not so traditional, for the kids to play. They played music and had speakers and many dressed in pioneer clothing.
Xiana enjoyed herself and I hope that as she grows up here, she will also have fond memories of this event each year.
Got it!
Every four years our stake does a "trek" which is where they reenact the early settlers crossing the plains with handcarts. I didn't have the privilege of going this year, but Brian and I have already discussed how we want to participate in the next one. I said we could be ma and pa and he said we could be kids:) Though we weren't able to attend, for weeks we have heard multiple testimonies shared relating events that occurred, experiences, emotions, and confirmations of the spirit. For one thing, each of the some 400 people that went were real "characters." As in their lives were based on actual pioneers. They were grouped into families, given names and occupations and then, as the trek continued, they were informed of who lived and who died. Additionally, each of the 27 families carried and cared for a "baby." They were just dolls, but they had to provide for them, carry them, make room in their handcarts for their necessities. Sometimes their travels were delayed due to a baby being sick. All in all, they got a real appreciation for the lives of the saints they were living for a brief moment. I do not know what sadness was felt both in real life, and in the reenactment when they had a mass burial for a significant number of the babies. Nor do I know what it felt like to lose and bury your spouse, children, parents, or siblings. I heard one woman get choked up as she expressed her surprise when all her 5 girls and herself lived, but her strong husband died. True to their lives they also had the men leave to join troops. Thus, the woman had to pull the carts for a predetermined distance. So many woman in our congregation have spoken about how challenging that was, and how challenging it was for the men to be helpless, unable to help them through the rivers or up the hills. Yet, their knowledge that this would only be for a short time, I am sure, was comforting. To think of the courage and strength necessary for the true women crossing the plains, losing their husbands to war and their children to starvation is inconceivable. I think of their faith and it is humbling. Whenever I read journals, books, or messages from these saints I hear of their knowledge that: the work they did was crucial to the survival of God's church on this earth; and that their suffering was but only for a moment in the realm of things. I am grateful and overwhelmed by the sacrifices they made. Their innumerable sorrows, joys, and dedications make our sacrifices pale in comparison. I hope I will be brave like they were and have, even a morsel, of their faith.

Tristin's birthday

Xiana was privy to another pump it up birthday party. Just to prove that she is all grown up and "older" she ran right in, never looked back, climbed the slide and weeeeeeeee!
Last time we were here she still needed a little assistance on the climb. No more. She is big. In fact, ever day roughly ten times she stands up asking, "you wanna see how big I am? look!" She really is growing so very fast. It makes my head spin to think about what a different child she is this summer than last.... but also so very similar:) She is more independent, sassier, more talkative, more social (as if that were possible), more aware, tougher (thanks to Brian), more perceptive, and funnier. I enjoy her so.
"I can do this all by myself!" At the top of her lungs regularly.
Alicia gave out glow sticks for the kids and they turned out all the lights. Xiana didn't mind, but I kinda think black lights would have better suited an older crowd.
Still, this place is fun fun fun and Xiana isn't afraid of night driving!
The birthday girl is a little distracted... but she is on her throne! It was a lot of fun and wonderful to celebrate Tristin's 3rd birthday with her. She was born at 24 weeks and had many complications due to being such a preemie. You would never know now, what she went through then. She is a miracle and we love her!

Gardens and Grapes

When we bought our house, there was no shortage of projects and work that needed to be done. One of the things very low on our priority list was to take out the dead, drab brown vines that circled this make-shift gazebo. Thank goodness it was so far down on our list because.... ta daaaaa! We have grapes! Lots and lots of them! It is remarkable that those dead looking sticks could evolve into this. They are even larger now and offer a significant amount of shade and beauty!
And grapes galore! We might have to go in the wine business... totally joking!
Our (er, I mean Brian's) garden is amazing too. Despite being encroached upon by all walks of life and now, some kind of disease, Brian has still managed to produce some beautiful plants that are in turn producing some tasty meals. Today we ate a cucumber the size of a squash. It was delicious! I can't wait for the tomatoes to turn red because we will be in the canning business! It is just so exciting!
And finally, have you ever wondered what Xiana would look like with straight hair? Well, wonder no more. Here she is in all her glory. It was a little eerie because she looked like a different kid. I may as well get used to it because when she's a teenager she'll probably straighten her hair every day to my dismay. Fortunately, it only took a few hours of sweating for it to be CURLY again. She's darling no matter how you primp her!

B-Town (I'm getting down the lingo)

Over the course of the years, my blog will probably have a lot of pictures of Battle Mountain so I may as well start referring to it like the natives:) Again, this weekend was a welcomed experience to take time off and get a little break. I truly love how Brian's custody arrangement forces us to regularly spend time with one another and relax, especially now that we have a trillion house projects. This weekend Ali brought her boyfriend Malu down to meet the fam for the first time so we came too... mainly because we like him and wanted to show our support, but also because we wanted to have some fun! You already know what happened to my car en route, here is the rest of the story.... We went to the shooting range where Brian shot his muzzle loader to get ready for his hunt in September and the girls entertained themselves quite nicely.
Then we went to Miller pit. Prior to leaving everybody was telling us horror stories about cow poop, dead animals, cesspools, snapping turtles and any other frightening thing you might imagine in an old mining pit. Malu and I were starting to have second thoughts. When we arrived we were blissfully surprised....
The water was clean, perfect temperature, and the cliff was a great height.
Although it still took me a moment to muster up the courage to jump off, once I did, it was on! After my final jump I swam across to the other side where we could let the kids in. It was a good thing too because Xiana was complaining that she wanted to swim enough that we ran the risk of her jumping off this cliff as well. This is a great shot of the boys jumping off. The girl's jump is on Ali's camera... I was really nervous and then I realized that Dawnette and Ali were going too. It made it so much easier. Like life, strength in numbers always helps!
There's our splash and a blurry picture of my next jump.
Brian was hogging the baby as usual :)
Then the kids got to swim and LOVED it.
I think it's safe to say that everybody had a wonderful time. It was a great place with great company and great fun. I know I've said this a lot, but Ekco is such a fish and she LOVES mermaids so everywhere we go she points out the perfect spots for a mermaid. Then she swims and swims and swims. I think she might be part mermaid.
My mother-in-law had the right idea.
Though the kids couldn't jump off the big cliff, we did find a place manageable for their little limbs. Hunter jumped again and again.
And Xiana was ready to go. Brian was helping her balance and she kept jumping and jumping, fearlessly ready to be in the water. Then, as usual, she demanded that everybody watch as she "swim all by myself!"
Hunter is also fearless!
Great shot of Ali about to hit.
The girls rocking their boat. For the second time in its life this little boat tried to escape. I swam after it for a while, but the more I swam, the larger the gap between us. I finally gave up and swam back to shore and the boys walked around and got it. Then Eric dropped it over the edge and Xiana was concerned that he had lost it. he jumped in after it and swam back. When he reached the shore Xiana screamed to the top of her lungs, "Eric got my boat for me!" That boat was the best 2 dollars I ever spent.
Ali and Malu about to hit the water.
That evening Brian picked raspberries with the kids. I don't think any made it in the house, but they certainly enjoyed them. Earlier Hunter picked a bunch and brought them in for everybody to share. He is a very thoughtful and generous boy. He's eager to do things for others and always shares his things. I love visiting B-town and the relationships that our visits foster with our family. Xiana hit the cousin jackpot when I met Brian.

Why Be Good?

I ran into one of my old Sunday school teachers a while back and he told me that I had asked him a question that somewhat stumped him back when I was 12-years-old. He said that he tried to answer it but was curious what, as an adult, my answer to my own question would be. The question? Why be good? I find it interesting that he remembers that after all these years (that was after all 18 years ago) yet, I myself have been thinking about it since. My initial answer was probably something similar to his response years ago: "in order to be happy." But I find that the concept of the question resonates within me. I remember well my outlook and perceptions as a teenager. I was a mess and I couldn't understand why to chose the more challenging and seemingly less fun road over the exciting, but less rewarding one. In this age of instant gratification and bought salvation, it's any wonder that we can instill morals into any of our youth, let alone so many. I wonder if Xiana comes to me with a similar question will I have an answer that will speak to her the way none spoke to me when I questioned integrity? I know now that being good provides happiness, contentment, and, above all, clarity and confidence. I feel that when I am doing what's right, I understand.... everything. I feel peace and comfort, and I am confident in my choices because I know that the Lord is with me and I know that I have consulted with Him prior to making big (or small) choices. Still, at 12, the world was glamorous and being bad appealing. Even now I am sometimes envious of friends who simply don't know better and therefore don't have to adhere to a higher standard. It only takes a moment to recognize how much they are missing out on by not having an understanding of God's plan and not being able to feel His presence and guidance, and great comfort. I look around at my little family and know with every fiber of my being the blessings and happiness we achieve are dependent on being good. I also feel gratitude for my husband, his leadership, his Priesthood, his ability to lead, his willingness to be led by the Spirit. It increases my confidence in and support of all his choices as he guides our little family through promptings of the spirit. Also, it is a marvelous thing to be able to pray about all decisions and feel confirmation that those choices are right. As we pray and read the scriptures with Xiana, it is a feeling of indescribable joy when I see the light bulb click as she recognizes an old or understands a new concept. The other day she brought be a picture of the prophet and said, "I know who this boy is.... he's President Monson." Every time she sees a picture of Jesus she exclaims that's Jesus. She understands that we have great love for Him and one of the ways that we express that love is by obeying God's commandments and living righteously, as He would have us do. Still, why be good? I think the answer lies not in what it can do for us, but in that it's the right thing to do. As children we are often told to do things that we don't understand. Later in life we recognize these tender mercy's as things that saved us countless heart aches. Nevertheless, we obey because that's what we are asked to do. Some might call it blind obedience which is an interesting concept in and of itself because in my experience, nothing is quite so blind as making wrong choices, even when you know they're wrong. Still others call it integrity... doing what's right even when nobody is looking. Beyond that, being good creates self mastery, progression, knowledge, and empowerment. (I'm not gonna lie.... I hope Xiana never asks this question :)

A comedy of bad luck

So, last week my car got a new head gasket (among other things) and this week, full of excitement we drove it to Battle Mountain. I was feeling great about my vehicle and grateful that I found an honest mechanic and all was right in the world of Toyota Matrix. It is paid off and I anticipated 5 more years of use. Our plan was to get a bigger car when we needed more room for car seats and then convert my little Matrix into Brian's travel-back-and-forth-every-other-weekend-car. Alas, our plans have been thwarted... at least for the time being. For entertainment purposes only, here is a rundown of our weekend adventures: My car was running smoothly and I was confident it had been fixed and would live to see so many more adventures in my life. Then, I made the very grave mistake of jinxing us and my beloved vehicle. What blasphemy did I utter? You might ask. Well, I smartly commented to Brian, "This is a great time to try out this car to make sure it works. Ali is coming right behind us and this is a much shorter distance than our honeymoon we are going on next week." Roughly 20 miles later and about 30 minutes short of Battle Mountain, my oil light came on, a high pitched squeak came from the motor and a rattling/knocking sound that I simply cannot describe overcame my car like a ghost pouncing in the darkness. Panicked, I pulled over on the side of the freeway and Brian got out to see what might be wrong. Nothing. Yeah right. So, we pulled back on the freeway where we proceeded roughly .06 mile and then returned to the shoulder of the road and, conceding defeat, turned on the hazards. I called Ali and Brian called Eric. About 20 minutes later Ali picked Xiana and I up off the side of the road where we left Brian to wait for Eric and the trailer to pick up the car. I jokingly dramatized a desperate plea to "remember that I love you if this is the last time I see you" to Brian before we pulled away. The time was 4:45. A few minutes later we saw Eric with the trailer pass us. Phew, he will only be a few minutes behind us... or so we thought. About 20 minutes later I get a call from Brian asking where my owner's manual is. Well, I don't have an owner's manual. I never have. This is something of a problem because I made sure that I wasn't ever going to get stuck in the snow by buying an all wheel drive vehicle and it might be a problem to put my car on a Dolly with two wheels hanging off the back. "Let me get back to you on that." So, I called Toyota where the helpful serviceman instantly assured me that, "of course all four wheels must be off the ground. There is no other way." At which time, relenting, I called to be the bearer of bad news. Brian indicated that they would head back into town, pick up another trailer and go pick up the car. Well, unfortunately it was not quite so seamless as we might have anticipated and it was a bit of a struggle to find somebody who was available with a trailer. Fortunately, there was a friend of a friend who, not only had a trailer, but had it hooked up right that moment. Never mind that he also had his whole FAMILY in his rig. It was only going to take an hour right? Meanwhile, Kevin and Eric were exclaiming an additional jinx since they didn't find my original statement had done sufficient damage. Brian told them, "make sure you bring water." Their reply? " We don't need water. It's only going to take an hour." Well, this good Samaritan drove out, put the car on the trailer and then..... BAM... a few miles down the road got a flat tire. They pulled onto the side of the freeway again. This time car, truck, and trailer. So, Eric and Kevin came back into town again on a new hunt. This time they were in the spare tire business. They utilized ALL their resources, attempted to rig tires, borrow tires, create tires, but try as they might, they could not locate a spare for this rig. Hopeful that they might be able to pump the spare back up and seal it, they headed out to the stranded hopefuls again until.... a few miles out... BAM... they got a flat tire too. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it was 10:00 pm. The kids had not eaten. The grill was out of propane. And we were all anxiously biting our nails with concern for the boys. So, they left the trailer and car on the side of the freeway and came home. When Brian walked in I anticipated a frustrated and weary husband. Much to my surprise and pleasure, he was a trooper. He had been stuck on the side of the road for 6 hours but remained calm and in good spirits. My heart leapt when I saw him. I know I know. Stupid right? We were only apart for a few hours, but I am just so grateful that he handles problems and major inconveniences so well. At one point I said, "I feel like crying." And he replied, "Why? It's only a car." And he's right. It is only a car. And like my dad said, "There are many sorrows in this world. The least of these are financial." It's true. What's a car in the scheme of things? So, about 11 the good Samaritan called saying that he didn't feel comfortable leaving things on the side of the road. My sweet husband left again, helped him slowly drive the trailer to an exit with the flat spare, and returned home at 12:30 am. The following morning he met the man at the tire store, purchased his tire and then retrieved my car leaving it at Eric's. Next weekend he will have to go get it and bring it back to Reno where we will decide what to do with it. Nevertheless, we had a WONDERFUL weekend which I will post about later in this week after I finish grading papers for summer term. I am grateful for the help of his family, strangers, and mostly, for Brian himself. What could have been an extraordinarily tense and discouraging experience instead was unpleasant at worst, comedic at best.