As per the fact that we have had several demands by an adoring public (Ashley) for a blog update, I feel like now is a good time to relate our adventures in traveling to the lovely utopia of Baker City, OR. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this thriving metropolis, I'll share a few morsels of information. Eat up:

• Human population: 10,000 peeps
• Cattle population: 100,000 cows
• Home of the regal Baker Bulldogs, my alma mater
• Home of Barley Brown's. the BEST restaurant I have encountered in my young life
• Home of a bishop who likes to call strangers from the congregation to the podium in the middle of sacrament meeting to bare their testimony (poor little mikey)
• The prettiest little valley in Oregon
• Home of the dave and beth richards family (or as I like to call them, my favorite people on this earth)

Me and Michael set out on Thursday with high aspirations: leave at 9pm from Provo and arrive in Baker around 5am. After about a half hour of driving, I realized that this probably wasn't the smartest plan we had ever conceived. So we stopped at Michael's house and spent the night, recommencing our journey at 5:30am. After eating too much mcdonald's and drinking a lot of caffeine, we arrived at 11:30am.

Here are some of the great things that we did in order of appearance:

1. Watched Colten's baseball game (they won 30-2. ish.)

2. Went to Barley's. And in case you're curious, the jalapeño chicken pasta is just as good as I remembered

3. Played trivial pursuit for hours

4. Slept in (mmm… yes.)

5. Went to Sycamore Tree where we had a close encounter with a shrew

6. I watched Colten & Michael at the batting cages for about an hour while I read Peace Like a River (AMAZING BOOK! Thanks lynne, for the suggestion. This book is incredible).

7. Went hunting for a rock chuck (a massive squirrel) with Colten and Maddie and came home empty-handed

8. Came up with embarrassing stories about Kennan by request of his mission AP's (there are many. We finally settled on telling about how he dressed up like a girl when he was little and demanded to be called Katie for months at a time and the annual christmas up-chuck that he experienced because of excitement about Santa. And yes, this occurred through high school. Good times)

9. Made stromboli. Impressed my family. Put an end to the ridicule about cooking that I have been subject to since a failed meal years ago...

10. Went to visit dad in the hospital

11. Slept in (glorious)

12. Went to church

13. Played mooore trivial pursuit

14. Got up early again (5:30 Utah time) and left to go back to Happy Valley, just in time to wish colten happy coyote hunting. Turns out that kid is a redneck.

All in all I would say that the pilgrimage to baker was a smashing success. I loooved seeing my family and spending time with them.

My only regret is that Colten didn't shoot his rock chuck. Next time though…

Since coming back to Baker, I decided to become a gardener. An indoor gardener, as per the fact that we live in an apartment complex, but a gardener nonetheless. Therefore, I purchased a living basil plant, stuck it in a glass of water, which I diligently watered every hour on the hour, and then watched it slowly die. While Michael takes this as a sign that I am not meant to be a gardener, I have only become more determined to mother another basil plant to full health. And then I will harvest its leaves and eat them in my food.

Ps: Bentley. Wow. There are no words. Is anyone else a bit excited to see the showdown next week?

Pss: Is anyone else out there way too excited for Expedition Impossible? I have a countdown in my day planner to its premiere (9 days).

Psss: SYTYCD is baaaack!! Sigh.

Pssss: I clearly love summer tv a bit too much.

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Life lesson learned this week: Marry someone who will do the dishes for you after you've made a mess of the kitchen and had a bad day. I did, and I could not be happier with my decision. But I'm pretty sure I married the best fish in the metaphorical sea, so sorry for all you girls out there who have to settle for 2nd best. Sigh. He's so great.