Guest

I've become a grown-up in the blogosphere today with my very first guest blog post!

I've been reading Pear Shaped Thoughts for about a year and a half now and was excited when Kasey asked me if I would be interested in guest posting.

Of course!
Just click here to see my post.

Be sure to head over to Pear Shaped Thoughts today to check my post out and read through their other posts as well!

Enjoy!

Summa Dreamin

Sometimes I walk out my front door and see my huge wasatch range mountains and just have to smile to myself. I live here. Those mountains mean home. They are so beautiful and are all colorful as Fall is just starting. I feel so blessed to walk right out my door and get a view like this:

Being surrounded by mountains makes for gorgeous scenery at the local lake. My family goes boating non-stop every summer and this year, we added big bubba to the mix. Big bubba is our new tube and well, we used him twice before we popped the beaut. Too much fun I tell you, too much fun! Luckily tube refunds make life even more fun but that is beside the point. Point is, Utah is beautiful. Utah Lake is a gem. Sure its green sometimes with algae. Just means its helpin out the ole eco-system. We don't mind. It's 10 minutes away and meets our boating needs. 

I brought our camera out on our last lake adventure this summer. I didn't edit the photos at all. Nope-no editing needed folks.

I'm missing summer as I type this very blog..

Here's a small vid of big bubba in action...even after he had a split seam. So when it wasn't going flat, imagine the best tubing experience and multiply it by 10. That was our big bubba!

And then we left the lake behind for yet another year with this in the background.

 Amazing...already counting down til next summer.

Elba, Idaho

Part of our journey to Burley included seeing Cole's old stomping grounds just around the bend in Elba.

When we pulled up to the Nelson homestead Phil said, "Oh, when did we pass Elba?"

That's the beauty of it folks. Elba is so small and quaint. We loved spending time there.

We got a private tour from Paula Nelson herself and she told us all about the history of the place.

I love homes with a story!

It was big, open and beautifully serene. We truly felt like we had stepped back in time.

We also got to tour the old mine that Cole's uncle has so beautifully restored. 

To learn more about the labor of love visit here.

I could have stayed there for hours and listened to all the stories about the place. So much fun and so much history. I would love to jump back in time to see places like this in their hay day.

I conveniently forgot my camera that day but it probably was better so we could just enjoy our time exploring. Luckily, cell phones can take a few pics for memory's sake.

A little bit about the builder of the house: Peer Mc-Intire built it for his wife after he fell in love with the area. When Peer brought his wife, Tess, to their new home, she didn't hold the same fascination for the place as her husband did and left shortly thereafter.

The home was advanced for its time. It had electricity and running water through an easement from Albion in 1920. The city of Elba didn't have electricity until 1940! After spending $1 million on the mine, Mc-Intire closed it in 1920. The mansion was left with the china in the closet and bedding on the beds as if someone was still living there.

Here's just half of the huge front porch.

The mansion has a living area of 5,400 square feet, three levels each with 1,800 square feet. The original owner, Peer McIntire, hired an artist who handpainted the living room walls with a floral design. Jones traced the pattern and colors from the original walls. Each room's handpainted designs were meticulously restored.

I'm glad we got a picture of this beautiful stove...I love it though!

 

And a view of the place from the side. It is massive!

Told you - pictures are less than satisfying but it was amazing. It was certainly a fun part of our getaway.

Thanks again Jamie and Cole!

Burley Idaho

Life brings a lot of firsts...first steps, first solid food, first day of school, first love etc.

All so memorable and touching. 

But folks, none as memorable as the first time your foreign hubs sees a real life cowboy.

Run down:

Phil's glance around turns into wide eyes.

Wide eyes turns into a wide-eyed stare.

Mouth drops open.

"Kaylee, they actually live and dress like this. In REAL life."

And then you walk into the county fair's photography display and a pleased with this masterpiece...

Yesir. That most certainly is a bride and a gun and a truck.

and the only response I can muster is, "Phil, it's Burley, Idaho!"

Yes folks, that's about all we could say many-a-time throughout our weekend.

You see, it was the only explanation we could give.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Here's the real reason we came to Burley. These two beauts...

Jamie and Cole. Jamie is one of the best people you'll ever meet. 

We bonded our freshman year with help from mutual friends Pocahontas and Clark Kent. thanks guys!

So naturally we had to go to Burley, Idaho to see them. Luck would have it that our visit was during the Cassia Country fair.

Well, not luck, more like elegant planning on mine and Jamie's part. We knew Phil needed to experience this and by golly was it an experience!

Jamie and Cole gave us the grand tour. We were at the fair every day taking it all in. Remember old time county fairs? Burley has kept it real.

Judging of pies? Check.

Judging of home grown flowers? Check.

Judging of fruits and veggies? Check.

Complete with ribbons and all.

We feel like we the whole experience because one night we meandered into Idaho Falls for a ritzy wedding reception. Sure we had to drive on a 90 degree slope to get there and peek in the door to make sure we were in the right place but we made it and it was gorgeous.

It was down in the canyon and had a beautiful view and the food consisted of salmon, prime rib and endless desserts.

We couldn't get over how posh we felt, even in Idaho. Who would've thought?

And then it was straight back to Burley for night one of the rodeo.

Gee whiz was it a ro-dee-O!

We were laughing, ooing, gawking, laughing, eating, learning, yearning, churning, burning....

ok minus the last few but we were educated by Cole as to what gets points and what a "broken barrier" is.

Speaking of broken barriers, definitely was included in the pre-rodeo prayer along with the beautiful pastures in heaven above with knee high grass and horses.

Can I have an AMEN?

Anyway, we had so much fun and seriously were in love with the wild cow chase and the rodeo queens/princesses. Phil just kept shaking his head in unbelief. Oh my foreigner. :)

I'll let the video Phil made do the rest of the talking. Just realize that the way the contestants are dressed is really how everyone was dressed there. We were certainly the odd ones out in our shorts and t-shirts.
Plus we didn't have a cowboy hat or belt buckle.
ps. a belt buckle was the reward for the wild cow chase. You tell me if you think it's worth it after watching the vid...

And that's one side of Burley...to be continued!

Vegas II

Blogging exists? Whaaaaat?

I'm not going to make any excuses other than this:

School.

Summer school is not my forte but its okay cuz this is the last summer I will ever endure.

After turning in my last french essay ever I'm happy to sit here and not feel guilty when I jump on the ole f-book or blogspot.

Et voila-je suis ici pour vous donner une poste.

Looking back at our Vegas trip, we didn't take as many photos as I remember. It seems so long ago...but it was really only two months back.

Anyway I made a video to make up for our lack of photos.

We loved Vegas.

Its such a different place from hotel to hotel and day to night. It was a much needed break after finishing winter semester. Good sun therapy too. With lots of $1 slurpees :).

We saw Phantom of the Opera which was better than I even remembered.

We had unlimited rides on the stratosphere (big shot, claw and roller coaster on top of a 1,148 foot tall building...350 meters tall :) 

We walked through all the hotels and loved the details and themes for each one.

Plus we swam, shopped and relaxed. Vacation complete.

Enjoy the vid...

Bless America {2} Maceys

Macey's is our local grocery store. 

It's nice and its really close to our house but sometimes I find myself missing Woolworths. 

Today I walked into Macey's and found this on shelves:

Then I bought all of this for $2:

I no longer miss Woolworths. 

Bless America!

Bless America {1}

A post by Phil:

You may remember Kaylee had a "Thankyou Australia" series going on our Australian blog to point out little bits and pieces of Australia she appreciated. Those around me know that I also frequently find occasion to exclaim "bless America" for my own little favourite parts of living here in the US. It is in that spirit that I wish to enact this Bless America series to share with our friends and family in Australia and the US some of the best perks of living in the US. 

Coupon Combinations

Kaylee and I have a little neighbourhood Sonic we like to visit. For those unfamiliar, Sonic is America's favourite drive-in. Or so they claim. But it is certainly ours. You pull up in your car into one of the bays, order through the speaker and then watch while a girl in roller skates brings out your food. It's a fun place to eat. 

But even more satisfying then this little 50's flashback? The prices. Especially when you come loaded with coupons like we did yesterday. After a fun morning at the waterpark with Kaylee's little sisters we took to Sonic to feed the clan lunch. Our order consisted of the following.

2 Sonic burgers

2 gourmet hotdogs

2 servings of mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce.

2 medium slushies

1 Route 44 real-fruit strawberry lime slush - thats a 44oz (1.3L) drink for those not yet blessed with this experience.

And how much did we pay for all of this you ask.

$9. Nine, yes nine dollars. Because Sonic, like most of the stores here I've encountered in the US lets you combine discounts and use multiple coupons in one go. Even if the actual coupon says otherwise. 

And so today for coupon combinations and frugal fast food I say, Bless America!