Graduation, Canada, and Houston

Okay, guys.  Brace yourselves.  This might be a lengthy post.  So I'm apologizing now.  A lot has happened in the last few months and I feel like all the pictures I took are going to waste.  So just bare with me here. 

First off, I graduated from colleege.  Wait.. what?  That doesn't sound right.  

I couldn't have asked for a better college experience.  Love USU with all my heart. 

(first one to point out whats wrong with this picture gets 10 points) 

Second, Clark, JB, and I took a little rendezvous up to Canada.  We had a great trip full of great company, great sites and great music.. until Julie and I realized we forgot our passports.. oops.  Other than that little mishap (sorry dad) I loved it!

Red Fish Lake, Ideeho

Glacier National Park, Montana

Pictures do not do these mountains justice. 

don't fall

Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

Prince of Wales Hotel

Clark Powell :)

Cardston Temple, Alberta

Loooonnnnng drive to Calgary

Downtown Calgary

Calgary Temple

Banff National Park

The Fairmount Banff Springs Hotel
(prettiest hotel i've ever seen)

Lake Louise

Lake Moraine

(so ticked this isn't centered but I loved this sign)

Sorry for the novel of pictures but there were just too many I wanted to share with y'all.  Thirdly, after Canada I came on out here to Texas and have been kickin it with the Burton clan.  Houston has been great but I'll admit I can't wait for some dry Utah weather!  And fall.  And, of course, it has been a blast 

getting to spend time with Erin, Matt, and the kids.  And Gunth.  I'm seriously going to have a hard time not waking up to their sweet faces every morning and watching a film or playing a game of scrabble with Erin and Matt at night. (sniff)  Here are some gems from the visit. 

And sorry this post sounds like an essay.  (post fchd grad probs)

More of Junie's tricks.  Love this sweet baby.  (ignore our voices and just watch the kid)

Indiana sure loves to dance.

And Gunther.

The mosquitoes in Houston are no joke.  And for some reason they live for Foxy's blood.  Poor kid.

Classic Clark nap. (sorry dad, I couldn't resist)

Crawled into the hamper to take a little nap and managed to get himself stuck.  He would.  I love this dog.  

Getaway to Tuacahn

Blake's family takes a yearly trip to St. George to go to a play at the Tuacahn Amphitheater.  So Jenna and I are lucky enough to get to go now.

Ready for the show

This year we saw Mary Poppins!  Jenna loved it.  (She loves all plays though)

Last year we saw Aladdin.  We loved it as well.  Hopefully next year we can get Grandma Julie to go with us.  They're playing Little Mermaid and The Wizard of Oz.  Maybe we'll see both!

It was a great little getaway weekend.  We also had a great time relaxing in the pool. :)

And everyone should be proud of me...this is my first blogpost, ever.  It's amazing I figured it out.  

(so if this looks like an amateur composed it, they did)

Beautiful downtown Almo

Remember the Almo!

Went exploring on the cycle one day in early August.  Ended up in Almo--not to be confused with The Alamo (the place in Texas where all the proud Texicans worship themselves).

Almo is southwest of Malta and east of the City of Rocks in south-central Idaho.  In other words, it's in the middle of nowhere.  (Hint, look for the smallest discernible dot on the map below.)

Almo was originally an important stop on the California Trail.  There travelers could water and fatten livestock (thanks to the Raft River, several creeks and the Curlew grasslands) and obtain provisions for the long and lonely sojourn through northern Nevada (i.e., next stop: Elko-Erin's place.  Yeehaw!).

What makes Almo so cool?  Well, other than being home to the one of oldest continuing commercial establishments in Idaho (a general store since 1894), it has an excellent steak house and motel/cabins (all owned by Elder Wynn R. Dewsnup, a former Utah Ogden Mission President and current Area Authority in northern Utah).  (Elder Dewsnup was also one of the two authorities who reorganized our stake last October--hey, I know this guy!)  Almo also has a natural hot spring (http://www.durfeehotsprings.com/) and a wonderful old Bed & Breakfast (http://www.oldhomestead-almo-id.blogspot.com/) where I spent the night (had the whole darn house to myself!) and became fast friends with the owners--Bud and Marion Ward, stalwart members of the Church and very nice people.

Enjoy these pics from a pleasant discovery in the middle of nowhere:


The Outpost Steak House... (http://www.almocreek.com/outpost/)...

Two pics of the hotel and cabins (some rooms will accommodate a party of eight and are bi-level).  (Hey, our next family get-together and/or Shelby's wedding breakfast could be in Almo!  Bet mom can't wait.)...

The Old Homestead--owned by Bud and Marion Ward, who are now good friends and are also the aunt/uncle of Joan Heap (yes, the former Mrs. Heap in the English Dept at North Ogden Junior High)....

The quaint little Tracy Store (see http://www.almocreek.com/tracy/)...

And a few pics from the City of Rocks (which appear to be an assortment of strewn rock-toys left by Zeus and his friends one day in a fit of boredom)...

¯And the skies are not cloudy all day...¯

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