Thanksgiving Break Pt. 2: St. George

After Houston we went to St. George, UT to have Thanksgiving with Ryan's "family."  The only other time I've spent time with them was right after we got engaged so this was so much fun to get to know them better.  They were so welcoming and willing to show me the town.  When another of the kid's, Kaylee, and her husband Ryan came into town they took me up to Dixie Rock which overlooks the town.  Ryan is a professional filmmaker/photographer so we got some great shots!  St. George was gorgeous this time of year with the yellow trees, blue sky, and red rocks.  

Kaylee and Rita (mom) decided that they should take us through the crack AKA the "birth canal."  They insisted Ryan could fit, but when even I was touching on the front and the back, he quickly gave up.  And I do not don't blame him one bit. 

We also went to Zion's National Park and hiked Angel's Landing.  Just when I thought we were at the top I saw that we had to hike that small ridge leading to the even bigger mountain!  It was again such a gorgeous day though, that I didn't care.  It's no wonder that people live in St. George.  There is so much to do and see outdoors!  Ryan might even be considering living there...

Of course I didn't take any pictures ON Thanksgiving.  But it was full of food, as required, and all our evenings were spent playing games, as also required by this family.  I lost every single time, which seems to be a trend with them as well.  But I loved the time I spent with Ryan's family.  I learned so much from them and I can't wait to go back!

Amazingly, this marks the end of Ryan and I's travels for the year.  After 5 weddings (maybe more?), a return missionary, weekends away during the summer and now Thanksgiving, we're here to stay.  I am so looking forward to the next month where Ryan and I get to spend our first Christmas together with just the two of us in our own little home.  And when I say the end of our travels, it really is.  We have zero plans of going anywhere until we leave for Alaska in July.  Pretty wild, huh.

Thanksgiving Break Pt. 1: Houston

The nice thing about being a temporary employee is that I'm not limited on the number of days I take off.  Granted, I don't get paid for the days I miss, but it's nice to have flexibility that will match Ryan's school schedule.  A few months ago we got a call that his friend Robert Krenkel or "Special K" as he is known (from the movie Can't Hardly Wait if you know it) was getting hitched.  Special K is more like a little brother to Ryan and they haven't stayed super close but somehow we ended up making it down there.  It also helps that an old mission companion, Theo (although his name is Jared), who IS very close to Ryan lives there and was our gracious chauffeur for the few days.

Houston is HUGE and spread out and I do not want to live there.  I think on Saturday between the wedding at the temple, lunch with my friend Mandy, back home and to the reception we were probably in the car for a total of four hours.  No. Freaking. Thank you.

Theo insisted that we went to Pappadeoux's for some traditional southern food which consisted of fried alligator (as pictured - very tasty), frog legs (I was not a fan) and some old fashioned banana pudding.  Overall there was too much food and too much grease but that is the south, right?  I was so glad I got to spend an hour or so with Mandy.  I realized that she is person I've been good friends with the longest (does that make sense)?  We were friends in middle school and remained in contact through different high schools, different colleges and continue to stay in touch.  Sorry, Bri.  I liked her before I liked you so she gets the "longest friend" title.  Due to emails and chats with her, I have a written record of the entire time Ryan and I were dating.  We used to send daily emails to each other when we worked boring summer jobs and I have emails starting from the day Ryan and I met.  Reading those initial emails, you'd have though Ryan and I never would have lasted!

On Saturday we headed off to the gun range because Ryan has never shot a handgun.  He's just not one of those hunting "manly man" kinda guys.  However, he's now considering getting a handgun for safety.  I didn't see that one coming!  But he insists he's serious.  Greeeeeeeat.

Not pictured:

We went to Kemah Boardwalk which is full of restaurants and rides and lots of tacky carnival type things.  But it also had a 60+ish white-headed man shakin' it with a little black woman to the live entertainment.  And by shakin' it, I mean they were practically grinding.  Eyes permanently scarred, for sure.

Ryan was craving wings the night we got in and unfortunately there was no B-Dubs around.  But, wait for it.... he claims the place we went is actually BETTER than BWW's!  It's almost a sin for him to say that because he loves BWW's.  But he still believes it to be true.  So if you're in Houston, hit up Bayou City Wings.  You won't be disappointed.  Just don't go to the one we went to in South Houston, it's a little sketchy and dangerous.

Did I mention that all 3 of us slept in the same room in two twin size beds? That's mission love, right there.

Next up - Thanksgiving Part 2: St. George!

A Saturday at Home? What?

Today is the first Saturday in a loooong time that we have had no definite plans. It has been spectacular (and it's only 1:00 p.m.).  I was super duper lame last night and made Ryan go to bed with me at 10:00 p.m. because I just couldn't function anymore.  I am exhausted ALL THE TIME now. Stupid full time job.  What happened to being 19 years old and living off of 5 hours of sleep a night? Ugh, I can't believe I'm almost 25!

Back to today... months ago I bought these prints from one of my favorite Etsy shops - Vol25.  But I spent forever deciding how I wanted them hung. Then I found these shelves that I love but became too lazy to actually hang them.  On our Saturday home we finally buckled down and did it.  I LOVE THEM! 

 The mobile homes are so perfect for Ryan and I because we've both always been a bit nomadic and we still don't know when we'll settle down.  The messages are great reminders for all of us:  

Remember happiness is a way of travel, not a destination.  

Wherever we are together, that is home.  

The journey not the arrival matters.

Due to Puppy's incredible patience with us all morning, I took him on a long, gorgeous walk through the forest and I couldn't resist bringing my camera.

 I think this sitting picture of Ryno might be my favorite of all time.  He has started going into a pointer pose (far right) when he sees a "threat."  This danger was 4 adults and a grown dog.  He's turning into a bit of a pansy lately, the silly thing!

Oh what a lovely day it has been and it's not even half over.  We still have the rest of the Huskers game to watch, the Duke Basketball game to attempt (we're going to try to walk up to the game), a cheap dinner (thank you, Groupon) and the Stanford vs. Oregon football game.  I definitely need more days like this.

  

Mountains, Cannons, and Stitches

We've had another eventful past few weeks as we try to cram things in before the weather gets cold.  Well, cold for North Carolina, of course.  Fall in NC is breathtaking.  Everyone talks about going to the mountains when the colors change and we couldn't resist!  We finally snagged Mitch and Maile for something other than a game night and drove part of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I decided to post most those pictures on Facebook, but here's one:

After last year's Trunk or Treat I thought it would be fun for Ryan and I to show up on his motorcycle as bikers.  Somehow, even with a year of planning I still ran out of time to pull the outfits together as I had envisioned in my head.  Then, it was cold and rainy so we didn't go to the Trunk or Treat... but we did have a Halloween party with some other couples in the ward.  Unfortunately, I only took a picture of us.  And yes, though blonde and difficult to see, Ryan has a fu-man-chu.

On Halloween night we took advantage of another area tradition and went to Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill.  It is right in the heart of UNC (like O Street in Lincoln).  In 2007 they had over 80,000 guests and have been toning it down to around 35,000.  BUT, it's still 35,000 people!!  The weather was still crap, but it was fun walking around and seeing clever costumes such as Scrabble, Bananagrams, and Lego-Man.

Because we live in the South, I've wanted to go to a Civil War reenactment. When I found one only two hours away rather than four hours, I jumped on the opportunity and brought along some new friends - Maegan and Landon.  It was at Fort Branch, NC and honestly I have no idea what actually happened here.  But I watched the North and South battle it out in a field!  The other attendees were just as much a sight to see.  We saw a lot of camouflage, Carhart jackets, and thick facial hair to go along with thick southern accents.  We also heard people talking about the Ku-Klux-Klan, real cowboys from Tennessee and Yankees.  What an adventure!!

Oh, and our poor boy got his manhood taken away on Monday.  Luckily he was right back to normal!  Unfortunately, he's not allowed to be normal.  We're not supposed to let him run or jump and play like a puppy normally does.  But honestly, there's no way to stop him.  We're also supposed to put a cone on him, but we can't bare to do it!  We tried last night, but when he was running into walls and the bed and everything else, he was so disoriented and frustrated that we just had to take it off.

I'm amazed at how quickly I got attached to this little guy and he really became a part of our family!  I was such a worrying mother as I held him while he got vaccines last week and when I dropped him off for his surgery.  We hate to leave him and get so excited to see him every time we come home.  With how excited he gets to see us, how can we ever be sad?

You learn a new thing everyday

On Sunday, in CHURCH, I learned that:

Groping = Grasping + Hoping

That's a misspeak (misspoke? misspeaking?) that Ryan and I will remember!

Aha! Moment

I don't like eating.

This isn't my confession that I'm anorexic or bulimic or anything, I have just recently realized that I am not at all a food person.  I eat because I have to, not because I enjoy it.  During meals I find myself getting bored of going through the motion of putting the food into my mouth.  Now you may be thinking that I'm just a bad cook, but I'm really not. Ryan loves my food.  And I enjoy it. For about five bites and then I'm just bored and I don't want to eat anymore.  It is also a money saver because I don't require Ryan to take me to all sorts of fancy restaurants.  I can't tell the difference between Applebee's and... See, I don't even know a fancy restaurant.

But if it is anything gummy, salt and vinegar potato chips or Tostito's with a hint of lime, I am ALL OVER IT.  Who needs to be healthy, right? I think I should just start eating only what I want when I want it! 

Meet Christine

This is Christine Sweeney - Ryan's mother.

I came across this picture in my email and I just felt like I should share a little bit about her.  Many of you know that this is not the woman who raised Ryan. I know she would have been such a wonderful Mom but she never got the opportunity.  Like most of Ryan's family, she worked for Union Pacific Railroad.  Unfortunately, her life was cut short when she was killed in an accident leaving 6-month-old Ryan, her 3-year-old Down's Syndrome daughter, Stacy; and a husband.  In my head, this is where her story ends.  It wasn't until I was collecting letters to Ryan for his 30th birthday did it really click that she was a real person. (Sounds silly, I know).  But Ryan hardly knew her so as much as it did, her death didn't really affect him that much.  I hope that makes sense instead of making me feel like a jerk!  It's interesting because he has been told how much he is like Christine - not just looks, but even mannerisms.

Back to the letters.  I contacted what little of Ryan's family I could to include them in his birthday surprise. I found an email address for his Aunt Dee.  Not quite remembering their actual relationship, I proceeded to ask her for a letter.  That was when I realized she was his REAL Aunt - Christine's sister. It finally hit me that Christine was a real person and she didn't leave just Ryan's little family behind.  She had siblings and parents and friends and more family.  Christine was only my age.  What a shock it must have been to everyone! 

Dee and I corresponded quite a bit and it was so wonderful to feel of the love she had for Christine and has for Ryan.  Here are some of the sweet things that she said in her letter and bring tears to my eyes almost every time I read them:

"I can recall vividly the happiness your birth brought to your mother – my sister – Chris, and our whole  family!  I can still picture in my mind looking at the little birth announcement that said “Ryan Scott Sweeney” -- that made you REAL! --  and the subsequent pictures and letters where Chris proudly described your latest accomplishment (i.e., rolling over, happily being in your walker/jumpy seat), always saying how much she loved you and Stacy.   I can still see you in her arms for that memorable family picture, joined by Stacy, Amy, Wendy and me.  How I wish we could go back to those days.  We all grow up, things change, and life goes on. 

 Though we got to see you only sporadically during your early years, what we did see was a happy, self-confident little guy who was given every opportunity in life that could possibly have been given by Joe and Dorothy.  I’m sure the circumstances of your upbringing made you the mature, compassionate, and understanding man you are today – though I credit some of that to genetics, as I can still picture a very young Chris walking around the neighborhood, stopping to talk to all the neighbors young and old, rubbing her dad’s shoulders when she sensed he needed it,  and in later years taking in and caring for any stray animal that came her way. 

I’ve felt honored that you chose, in more recent years, to include me in your life, and I always enjoyed getting the unexpected phone call as you’d let me know you were in town for a couple days, were leaving for the other side of the world, heading to Utah, taking off on your new motorcycle, or whatever was the case at that moment!  The best news was of your approaching marriage to Caitlin; we were so happy that you had found your life mate.  Again, we were honored to have had the opportunity to attend your reception and to meet your wonderful new wife.  I couldn’t help but wish that Chris could have been there with us on that, the happiest day of your life.  I know she’d have been beaming with happiness, wrapping her arms around you and Caitlin and welcoming her into the family."

Whew, yep.  Just got some tears.  I am so grateful to know that I will be able to someday meet Christine and the rest of Ryan's family that passed before I got the opportunity.  I am excited to meet the wonderful people that made him the very special man he is today.  What a moment that will be. :)