Ireland, but not really

I've been trying to narrow down the pictures I should use in a single post about Ireland, but the task is just too hard. Rather than make you wait until December to hear about what is going on with us, I'm going to (gasp) just skip Ireland. Well, kinda. I will do a full write up on my travel blog: http://www.whereisqt.blogspot.com/. Until then, you will have to settle for this:

As a part-Christmas, part-Birthday, part-Anniversary present, I took Rod to Europe (for the first time!). We spent 11 whirlwind days making a counter-clockwise trip around Ireland.

The highlights were spending time with our friends--Kara, Colby, Flannery, and Finnegan--exploring Howth and Dublin.

spending a night on the wrong side (depending on who you ask) of town in Belfast,

the Coastline,

(Giant's Causeway)

randomly ending up in the front row of a David Gray concert in Galway,

riding our bikes around the Aran Islands,
the Coastline, (Cliffs of Moher)

Dingle Peninsula,

Spending my birthday in the most incredible bed and breakfast




the Castles.
And did I mention the Coastline?

Ireland was so beautiful, but cold. It is the only trip that I've ever come back from whiter than I left. :) Everything was so green--in shades that I've never seen. It fully lived up to its Emerald Isle reputation. July is supposed to be its warmest month, but it never got above 65 degrees.






The Guiness deserves its own paragraph. If you can believe it, it tastes even better in Ireland. It was silky smooth, great for cutting the grease from all the fish-and-chips and full Irish breakfasts, which include bacon and sausage, eggs, tomatoes, two types of bread, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and cereal.



All of this completely made up for the fact that they drive on the wrong side of a very narrow road, the overabundance of fried foods, and turning 29.

Mellie, Book Club, and other Random things before heading to Ireland

In the weeks leading up to Ireland, we did so much that it's hard to remember everything. There were a few book clubs--Book Club #3: Round 2 of "Animal Vegetable Miracle," which I still haven't read, and Book Club #2: "All the Pretty Horses," which I loved. We met the summer associates and Clay Parr (the Parr of Parr Brown) for dinner at Porcupine--our favorite pub.

One of my best friends from law school, Miss Mellie, celebrated her 30th Birthday. Nici, the hostess, threw a fabulous bash complete with pinatas, Carluccis, and We Take the Cake. The cake, flown in from Florida, was to die for. I can see why it's one of Oprah's favorite things. I actually (discretely) licked my plate.

Stacia and Dave were there with their adorable son. I have a weakness for redheads. I tried to sneak him home, but I didn't get very far before Stacia noticed. :)

One Year!

Wow--365 days of marital bliss. I can hardly believe that it has already been a year since our wedding! There have been so many days where I think about how lucky I am to have Rod and I just want to pinch myself.

Because we were both so busy trying to get out of the office (for our two week trip to Ireland), we celebrated our Anniversary in pieces over a series of days. We started on Friday with dinner at our favorite restaurant: Wahso. The food was (is always) unbelievable! I can't remember the exact menu now, but we started with some fancy app, had banana-wrapped halibut and duck for our entrees. Rather than eating our freezer-burned cake (we didn't even bother saving it), we had our bakery recreate our wedding cake for us. Our waiter was happy to serve it to us for dessert. After all the sake and good food, we wandered around the lively streets of Park City, found a Halloween costume for Rod, and got our picture taken with a moose.

We exchanged gifts that night too. I got a Kindle! Thanks honey! I. LOVE. IT. I got Rod a gift card for an iPhone (the 32 GB) and my promise to switch to AT&T. This may be the (second) biggest committment I have ever made. I have had my number for over a decade. In addition to the disposable electronics, we gave each other sentimental gifts. :) For our paper anniversary, I made him a photobook of our first year and he had one of our wedding invitations framed.

On Saturday, we took Rumba for a hike to Dog Lake. The weather was great; the sky was bluebird blue. All of us were a little sore afterwards. That trail is so much faster on a bike!

Then on Sunday, our actual anniversary, we both had to work during the day. But I surprised Rod with candlelight of his favorite burger place: Five Guys Burger and Fries.

It was a cozy way to end our weekend.

But the fun didn't stop there. The next night, Monday, we went to Utah's best concert venue (Red Butte Gardens) for one of my favorite recent bands: Death Cab for Cutie. It was one of the happiest nights I can remember. We cuddled. We danced. The weather was perfect. I almost started crying when they closed the encore with "Transatlanticism." I was overwhelmed with joy when Rod pulled me close and whispered "I want you so much closer . . . ." Does life get any better?

Independence Day

Call me weird, but the Fourth of July is my absolute favorite holiday. The Fourths of my childhood were filled with getting up early to get a good spot for the parade (and, later in life, competing in the parades); having all day barbeques with my family; heading to the Greenbelt, where you see everyone you know and meet others, all while watching "the best fireworks this side of the Mississippi"; and then heading out with friends to set off our own fireworks, play with sparklers (my favorite), and make s'mores. I love it!

Although it wasn't the Fourth of my childhood, our Fourth of July weekend was jam-packed. Friday night we went with some work friends to the Real Salt Lake v. San Jose Earthquakes game. It was quite tame compared to the last soccer game I watched. :) It is such a strange sport. One of the most important skills seems to be acting. It is also the only sport I know where tieing feels as good as winning. After our victorious tie (coming from behind to even the score during the make up time), we all snuck on the grass for the VIP show, which included David Osmond and other teen pop stars I had never heard of. I was much more impressed by the fireworks show.


On Saturday, the actual Fourth of July, we went to a BBQ at my BFF CarleyAnne's house. Her baby J. is so freakin' adorable and Carley is such a cute mom. I made a strawberry and blueberry trifle to be festive.

After dinner, we headed to Jeremy and Leslie's to watch the Sugarhouse fireworks. The most amusing part of the night was watching the little kids go crazy over sparklers and the little fire crackers in the street.

Happy 60th

Normally I would feel bad about not blogging for more than six weeks, but my computer died, then we were in Ireland, and, quite frankly, we have been having way too much fun to take the time to write. I know you are probably more interested in the present than the past, but so much has happended since my last post that I can't bear to skip it. Please bear with me (or just stop reading for the next week).



The last weekend in June, we celebrated my grandparents' 60th Wedding Anniversary. Because my grandmother has not been feeling well, we decided to make it a family affair. Below is the write-up I wrote for the Post Register:

Sixty-two years ago, Betty Lou Ludlow (Annis) and George Ruben Ellis (LaBelle) met while roller skating at Riverside Gardens in Rigby. After dating for two years, George asked Betty to marry him during a community dance in Ririe. They were married on June 19, 1949, at George’s family’s home. As with every marriage, the Ellises’ marriage had its trials, but their love for each other always pulled them through. And on August X, 1975, the couple made an eternal commitment to each other in the Idaho Falls Temple. During their marriage, the couple raised their five children--Dennis George, Ronnie Lynn, Wade Lewis, Sharilee (Shults), and Ryan Kirk--in a two-bedroom Idaho Falls home until their neighbor offered to trade homes with them. Now, fifty-three years later, the couple’s seventeen grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren still enjoy visiting their Grandma and Grandpa Ellis in the same home where the couple raised their children. On Saturday, June 27, 2009, the couple will celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary with their family at Ellis Supreme Arabians. George is the founder of Ellis Trucking, which is still operated by his son, and Betty is retired from her position as a bank teller for First Security Bank.

Rod grilled up burgers, and everyone else brought a side dish. After eating and taking family pictures, Larry sang a few songs for my grandparents, and they danced with my grandpa rolling my grandma around in her wheelchair. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.

I had such a wonderful weekend celebrating my Grandparents' 60th Wedding Anniversary with them and the rest of my family. I managed to squeeze in a (belated) father's day dinner with my dad and younger siblings and a visit with my Great Grandma Sauers too.

Mission 24 Challenge: Inspiration

After being in a bit of a photography slump, I felt INSPIRED. After a long day at work and an after work dinner party, I was laying on the lawn. When I looked over and saw how cute my cat, Ani, was with the setting sun backlighting her, I had to get my camera.
22mm, F4, 1/250 sec, 400 ISO (I forgot to reset it). Also, my computer crashed so I have no Photoshop. :(

Jayders!

I may have mentioned this once or twice before, but I have the cutest little sister ever. The third weekend in June she came to SLC to visit me. We kicked the weekend off with a Red Butte Gala with Smokey Robinson. Red Butte is one of my favorite things about SLC. It is such a fun, laid back concert venue, where the night is as much about chilling out with your friends as is it about enjoying the music. With our VIP Gala tickets, compliments of David Gee (one of my law partners that is on the Red Butte board), we got drinks, apps, dinner, and dessert before, during, and after the show and reserved seating.

The next day, we decided to get the best of the rainy weather, and spent the day getting massages, check out the farmers market, and go see the funniest movie I've seen in a very long time: The Hangover. I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt two days later.

On Sunday, before leaving, Jayders and I took a hike up Rattlesnake Gulch despite the rainy weather. Luckily the weather cleared just in time for the hike. It was beautiful. We had so much fun talking that we extended our hike through brunch at Fiddler's Elbow.

That afternoon, Rod and I celebrated Father's Day with our good friends, Dave, Inga, and the Gabester. Gabe is such a cute waterbaby.

Down and Dirty

Now you might find this hard to believe, but I have been terrible about bringing my camera with me and/or using it this month. Maybe I got burned out on photos during Puerto Rico. Probably not. I have just been so busy that I'm forgetful. Also, my computer crashed (again). So I am behind posting (again). Shocking! I know.

After my week lounging in Puerto Rico, I was in no shape to be on a bike. But Dirt Series (a mountain bike camp ran by Rocky Mountain Bikes) called. Saturday morning started with an intensive skills camp, where I worked on slow descending and ascending switchbacks, straight line riding, front wheel pops, and manuals. In the afternoon, despite the downpour, we were still planning on heading out for a ride . . . until lightening lit up the sky. Our ride got postponed for maintenance classes--gears and cassettes, brakes and shocks--and bike fit instead. We ended the day with a BBQ, beer, and prizes.

The next day we started with the ride. My group, which included my good friend Susan, went to Johns and Sweeneys on the Mid-Mountain trail. We did a shuttle, so it was almost all downhill. That is my kind of ride! We workshopped several switchbacks and some raised objects. Even though I didn't get everything, I definitely felt more confident and am riding much more aggressively. After the daily rain for the last week (seriously! I feel like I'm in Seattle), I was surprised that the trail wasn't muddier. The roots on the trail were slippery, though. I fell hard a couple of times. After beautiful morning weather, the last 30 seconds of the ride were a very painful hail storm. Then the rain started (again)! They ended moving the skills sessions to later into the afternoon, but I had to leave at four to make it to a wedding. I missed the climbing session. :( My legs were still purple two weeks later and I haven't been that muddy since I was a kid, but it was a lot of fun and I learned SO much.

Before, during, and after all the biking excitement, I got to catch with old friends. Friday night, I started the night in American Fork, visiting my friend (since 7th grade) LisaDawn, her family including new little Jackson, and Rachel Anne who was visiting from Ohio. The after party was at The Bayou, where Rod and I met up with Megan and Paul. They are some of our best friends from law school. Megan and Paul have been there since the beginning of our relationship--Paul was a reader at our wedding. They are in town for Brian and Katie's wedding. Paul showed off his new party hat.

Saturday night (after bike camp day 1) was a camp-themed goodbye party for Ari and Patty, who are heading to Philadelphia for dental school. I am so proud of Ari, but I miss them already. I fed my sadness with carmel s'mores (and maybe a few drinks).

Sunday night, after ducking out early on bike camp day 2, I went to the lovely wedding of Brian and Katie. The wedding was in one of our favorite locations, Millcreek Canyon. It was raining like crazy, which is supposed to be good luck. Their wedding was VERY lucky! Their favors were incredibly cute gumball machines. SO CUTE! Congratulations Brian and Katie!