Bear Lake 2010

We went to Bear Lake again this year with Brighton's family and had a blast. We didn't have the chance to stay there very long but I loved every minute of it. I didn't get very many pictures, none of the whole group or of any adults, and I am not sure why but I do have a few.

My nephews on the boat.

My niece on the boat.

The same niece tuckered out after a fun day at the lake.

My nephew drapped in a bear cape!

Maybe I have so many pictures of my nieces and nephews because I just love them! They are so darn cute!

My Best Friend

On Brighton's birthday my best friend got married. Sniff Sniff. Now I know how she feels when I got married. She found out I was engaged on her mission and she cried! I pretty much cried her whole wedding day though so we are even. Man, we are weird. But I am way excited for her and I love the guy she married! The following pictures are in random order but it is too late at night for me to really care.

Jen and I!
Randy and Jen!

Us at the temple.

Right as she came out of the temple.

*Warning the following pictures were taken when we were roommates at college and most were taken late at night. They are on my 'x-files' cd for a reason but man they make me laugh and they depict Jen and I perfectly.*

Hanging out/in of Jen's Closet.

I knew I was supposed to marry Brighton as soon as I found out that his birthday fell on the same day as my dad's. Just kidding. But it has always been fun to celebrate my dad's B-day with Brighton's. And hey, I never forget either of the birthdays! Since their birthdays fall on or around fathers day my family always celebrate Father's Day and their birthdays at the same time.

Since Brighton passed his cake decorating class we had him make his own birthday cake. (Obviously they did not ask me to do it.) This picture does not do the cake justice. As a matter of fact it kind of looks like we picked this cake up off the ground but we didn't. It was a 5 layer German Chocolate Cake. Delicious!

The two birthday boys! They are two peas in a pod. Once the jokes start rolling with these two they never stop. Here is to the best two guys I know (who have the same birthday)!!

Tour de Cure

On June 11Th Brighton and I did the Tour de Cure for Diabetes. It was our first biking experience and what an experience it was. I did however enjoy it enough to do it again next year. I was not quite sure was I was planning on because I had never done a bike ride before but it went pretty much like all firsts go... Nothing like you plan.

We got up that morning and it was freezing. There were dark clouds every where and we were just hoping that it wasn't going to rain. On the drive down to Brigham city somewhere around the Lagoon area it was raining so hard we could not see the cars next to us. We both decided that if it was raining like that is Brigham city, we were going to pick up our shirts and go home. However, when we got there it was freezing but not raining so we stayed.

We got all of our gear together put on our raining jackets and went to get our numbers. We had left our water in our car so after we got our numbers, went to the bathroom, ate some breakfast, we went back to the car. While we were at the car the race started. Oops. Good thing we didn't have timing chips. The bikers were riding right by our car so we waited until all of the fast bikers pasted us and joined the group. We were only a block from the start so we didn't feel to sad that we missed the start and nobody really cared. It was just another first to add to my list. Jumping in a 'race' once it had started.

The bike ride was really pretty. We saw lots of fields, cow, horses, and my favorite, the mountains. It was away from the city. I actually thought it would be a great place to run. It was very windy though. Once riding we did warm up and took off our jackets but when biking (note for next time) wind is a killer!

We got to the half way point, ate some good food, and went back to the beginning. If I had thought the wind was bad on the way to the half way point it was AWFUL on the way back. I am pretty sure I could have run faster then I was biking. And that is saying a lot considering I run like a snail. At one point the wind was blowing so bad on the side of us that we were riding parallel to the ground. Okay not that bad but it sure did feel like it. It probably did not help that we were biking in mountain bikes. Some guy who was riding next to us and letting us draft off him was telling us that he did his first bike race on a mountain bike and they are like 3 times heavier then a rode bike. He said they are like night and day difference. So next time we do a ride will be on rode bikes. Oh wait... those are like thousands of dollars. So next time we will be on the same mountain bikes. :)

It took us twice as long to get back to the start as it did to get to the half way point. But once we got back we got our free lunch, jerseys, and made it back to our car right as it started raining. Perfect timing. We got a lot of wind but no rain.

Now that I think back at it, I am glad that I did my first bike race for the Tour de Cure. It made me feel kind of proud being out there and biking with Type I diabetes. All of the diabetics there got to ride with Red Jerseys and so when ever I would see a red jersey it made me tear up. Okay not literally the wind was drying my eyes out but I do like seeing other diabetics. I have never let diabetes stop me nor has it ever bothered me to have it but sometimes it is nice to know I am not alone. Just knowing that other people deal with what I deal with everyday is kind of relieving. So THANK YOU to all who donated to help Brighton and I ride to find a cure for diabetes! If they don't find a cure this year hopefully they will be one step closer!! It is something I will always remember and for sure be doing it next year!!

Brighton and I at the half way point! I am pretty sure our faces were slightly frozen at this point.

Standing in line to get our free lunches! I survived! Also, I have noticed that in a lot of my race photos I give a thumbs up. I need to do something different. I need some kind of 'I finished sign'. Any ideas?

Brighton and I in our matching jerseys! We joined the SelectHealth Group and these were our group jerseys. We kind of look like serious riders.

Me in my red jersey! I ride with diabetes!!

The back of my jersey!

Here's to hoping they find a cure some day and getting exercise at the same time!!

Fair Trade

The other day I came down into our basement and found Brighton sitting on our couch just like this.

He has been growing out his red beard until all of our summer adventures are over. I told him I think he looks like a homeless man when he is wearing all of his sweats and eating all hunched over. I also told him that if he didn't have to shave his face I didn't have to shave my legs. I think it is a fair trade. :)

Good Genes

It was my Uncle Norman's 90Th birthday. He is my Grandpa's brother, but we have always called him Uncle Norman. I am pretty sure good genes run in my grandpas side of the family because my grandpa is 94 now his brother is 90 and his other brothers seem to be following in his footsteps.

My Uncle Norman is the man in the top right of this picture.

This is my Uncle Norman with all six of his children.

And to make sure we all got the same genes as the Yates side of the family, they had chili dogs for lunch. Lets just say, they are messy and my sister and I had a fun time trying to see who could be the messiest while eating these. Unfortunately we only got a picture of me. :)

Happy Birthday Uncle Norm!!!

Cake Decorating

Last October we wanted to make a cake for my sister's birthday. We decided to try out fondant. We stayed up till two in the morning trying to make a cake and it turned out TERRIBLE! I was so embarrassed of it that I didn't even take a picture. My sister took it well but it looked like a pile of brown and pink poo. So after we got over our terrible attempt at making a fondant cake Brighton and I decided to take a cake decorating class. I unfortunately don't have to many fun pictures of the cakes we made but I do have some pictures. The one picture I took of a cake was Brighton's cake. My cakes were awful. We made a total of three each. Maybe I am just not cut out for cake decorating.
The course we started out with is the basics of cake making and decorating. It was all done with regular icing and then after we passed that course we could take decorating with fondant. Hopefully I will do better in that class. Only time can tell.

Brighton preparing the 1st cake layer for the homemade mousse feeling he made. (Homemade?!?! Show off.)

The mousse feeling. However, in the picture it does look like peanut butter. Look how concentrated he is. Maybe that is why his cake looks better. I am taking the pictures and he is actually doing the work!

This cake so far is going much better then my sister's birthday cake! The layers are even!

Icing. I learned that there is an art to icing a cake. Who knew?

Our cakes in the fridge, waiting to go to class. :) Brighton's is obviously on the top and mine is on the bottom. This is the ONLY picture you will see of my cake attempts. And after you see it, you will understand why.

Brighton decorating his cake.

TaDa! All done! I would like to take credit for this cake, but nope. It was Brighton's. Who knew he would be so good at decorating cakes!

Our certificates proving WE passed!

We actually did learn a lot from this course and we can't wait to take course number two! I will hopefully take more fun pictures that time around. And hopefully my cakes will look better too!