Our Secret Project...

So our new apartment is practically done. Just organizing and sorting the last few boxes. In our new kitchen we have a nice huge window, but the downside is that it is a view to a ugly window well. We were throwing around ideas to make it enjoyable. Rock the metal lining. Throw some plants in it. And then one day we noticed we have little friends living in it. We saw two salamanders and a frog, and jokingly I told Logan we should make a terrarium for them. We started listing all these crazy ideas we could do in it. Build a waterfall, plants, line the metal with reeds. We told Logan's dad our idea. Challenge excepted!!! So if you combine Logan's secret childhood dream of having a giant terrarium, my crazy ideas, and Matt's engineering skills you get this.... The pictures do not do it justice. P.S. I made the curtains to finish off the window.

The pool for our friends. The plant in the corner is my favorite. It is spiral-ly.

We built the waterfall. It was quite a task. We lined the well with bamboo.

like I said the picture don't do it justice. You have to see it in person.

Super Busy!!!

Since moving back in March to Utah we have been non-stop busy. Logan and I have been remodeling the basement.... (looks amazing) And we helped remodel the upstairs kitchen as well. We have learned many new skills...

Along with working on getting our house livable and redecorated we were crunching to get the house presentable for Lance and Danielle's open house. Amazingly it all worked out and we are just putting our last few boxes away. (Pictures to come of our house)

NEW JOBS!!!!

Logan - is currently working with his dad down by the point of the mount doing engineering.

Anne- I got a job at the local elementary school teaching preschool. I am super excited to start in August. But I won't lie it is a nice break until then.

Crafting: I have had much more free time. So I have made a lot of cute stuff. I will have to gather it all now and take pics. And we are currently working on a awesome to secret project. I can't wait to share it with everyone.

Hearst Castle

This is a very late update... I have just been so busy with work.. And then I get home make dinner clean up the house a bit and I am just done for the night. But now that I am back to my regular schedule at work I can actually catch up on life. These are just a few pictures from our trip to Hearst Castle. I have so so so much more but I only posted a couple. The Hearst Castle is really interesting. It was built by George Hearst in the early 1900's. It has a little bit of everything in it but it is mostly Mediterranean style. Logan and I loved every minute of it and we hope to get back there again soon and take another tour so we can see more of "La Cuesta Encantada." (The enchanted hill)

Riding up in the bus to the castle... It is a ten minute drive up all the windy roads to the top. There use to be a lot of wild animals roaming around. It was his own personal zoo. You can still see the heard of zebra running about.

The outdoor pool.... The Neptune Pool.

This is just one of the hundred sixty-five bedrooms. It was just one of the couple in the guest house.

Logan loved this.... it is a ancient Egyptian artifact Mr. Hearst had bought. He had so many amazing old artifacts throughout his house.

The dining room.

I loved the renaissance and medieval artwork and tapestry's.

The theater room... They played a old film of him and all the many people that came to his house.

The indoor pool.... The Roman Pool. The bottom of the pool created this illusion so wherever you looked down into the pool it always seemed like the deepest point. And under water was the night sky and on the ceiling was shapes of mermaids and other sea life.

'

And Logan and I can now say we have walked on gold. Yes, those are gold plated tiles.

Garrapata Hike

On the 28th of Sept. we decided spontaneously to take a hike. Logan had been here before for PT. They ran the whole trail and past the point of trails. He also got poison oak. So we were more aware this time to STAY ON the trail and watch out for the just changing leaves of the poison oak. Garrapata is just south of Carmel and the Monterey penn. It's funny because once you get around the penn. the ocean becomes much clearer and I think swim-able. *note* the pictures are not edited yet but I just wanted to update my blog. We have been super busy... We had a weekend with Melia and then Joanna's wedding and then Logan's best friend Quinn's wedding. August was crazy busy and went by so fast.

View from the road and the base of the hike.

We found a baby lizard and tried to catch it. Logan had his hand down and suddenly the little guy jumped on logan's pant leg. So I guess he caught himself...

We were excited to see a lizard. We love lizards, frogs etc. And it hit the time of day where they all come out to warm up before night. So we saw A LOT!

After we came down and explored the rocky shore.

We found this awesome cove that appears at low tide. Logan and I were plotting where we would hide our treasure if we were pirates. We had a lot of fun! We just went to Hearst castle so more pics will be coming.

Forth of July Break

Logan had a nice 10 day break for the forth of july so we went home to Utah. First we went up to my parents cabin for the weekend. Then we headed down to Morgan for the rest of the vacation. We had many BBQ's to welcome us back home and just had a wonderful time being with our families again. Sadly though, I was so excited to be with my family I forgot to get a lot of pictures. So here are some pictures from the cabin.

While on a four wheeler ride we stopped to get some pictures, and Logan found purple pine cones. Crazy eh? They are actually really soft like flowers and then they go hard and brown.

We found a stream and got some really cool shots.

And we turn around for one second and we find Ian in a tree.

Make a wish......

Ha ha ha.... they didn't want there feet to get wet.

We had the best time... it was a much needed break. And thanks again to all the family for giving us the best forth of july break. Love you lots and miss you already.

Army Ball

The Army ball was so much fun! It was in a hotel in Monterey. When we first got to the ball it was cocktail hour.... So we were like do you have any sprite?... Root beer? It was funny though because you could tell who the mormons were. Just by looking at the wives. Because of the modest dresses. And then to confirm your accusation you just look at the husbands shoulder and check for the Utah National Guard badge. Yep... mormon.

My pictures aren't the best because the lighting was horrible and my battery was dying on the camera so it was all messed up. After I edit them it will be so much better.

Cutting the cake. With the oldest and youngest member of the battalion. Check out that sword!

Sitting at our table. We were lucky and towards the front and by the dance floor. We also received souvenir glass mugs etched with date and symbol of DLI. And a coin shaped like the rosetta stone with the symbol as well.

Ignore my vampire face... I don't know why I look so white. Like I said I need to edit the pics. But I was in such a hurry to post my blog I skipped editing them and just posted them as is. We also had some professional pictures taken at the ball so I hope those turn out good. Because I have wanted a picture of me and Logan in his uniform. (Look at Logan's bow tie! lol)

What's going on. . .

I looked at my blog and realized I haven't posted in a long time. So this is what we have been doing since then...

* We went to the Army Ball

* Working

* I went to Utah for a quick visit

* We went to Gilroy quite a bit to see Jarom & Steph, Debbie and the boys, BBQ's, Logan playing the violin in church

* Logan has nine months left at DLI

* Planning our trip to Utah for the 4th of July break

* Going to all the great new movies that just came out

* My Birthday and then Logan's Birthday

* Swimming in our complex pool

* But mostly just crashing after our full busy days at work and just spending time together. (That is my favorite)

Santa Cruz Trip

Over Spring break we went to the Santa Cruz boardwalk. Matt and Laura were out visiting over the break and so they took us out for a super fun day. We went to Gilroy and then headed up over mount madonna to santa cruz. We stopped on the mountain (hill) to walk around some of the many trails. The trees were so big. (and logan wants to show me super big trees so he is going to take me to sequoia national park). At the boardwalk we gathered up the courage to try a deep fried twinkie. Yum fried lard on a stick! We rode some of the rides. Don't ride the spinning centrifuge thingy after eating a giant mexican meal. (The ride where you stand and then it spins and spins and spins.) Your stomach will spin and spin and spin too. And it spins for too long.

After gorging ourselves with junk food we went to a movie and ate more. It was such a fun day. Thanks again Matt and Laura!!!

Logan is a pirate.... hmmm

The Henry Miller Summer House... what's left of it.

The Giant Banana slug.... *note* this one is a baby!

Lance found a date for the day... He felt out of place without a significant other

New Job!

So I was hired in December over Christmas break, and after much drama, I get to actually start my job. YAY!!! I start on the 15th of March. I am super excited but kinda nervous too. I am so grateful that I can start in helping bring in the income and take some of the stress of my Logan. He is the best to put up with me and all my crazy ideas. I love him so much and I couldn't have been blessed with a best husband in the whole world. I'll keep him...

Rag Time Quilt

The Quilt is super cute. I had picked up the fabric a while back and I finally finished it. You sew all the seams up and then cut it and they are all fringey and when you sew all the squares together you are done. They are super easy. The pictures are really dark... my flash was dead.