CostcoWarrior

The Quietest Place in the World 25 October 2009

TW has some good friends in Idaho that he met while serving as an LDS missionary in Leipzig, Germany.  This well-seasoned couple have become somewhat more like another set of grandparents in the years since their time in Germany.  The last two summers we’ve gone to visit them at their farm.  It’s a small grain farm on Antelope Flats near Ririe, Idaho.  I’m sure that’s giving you a very clear geographical location, so let’s just state the obvious:  IT’S IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE.  This year we went to visit them over a long weekend in July.  It’s always so good to see them!   Wonderful food, a big huge loveable St. Bernard named Bernie, great laughs, lots of memories, and totally relaxing.

To me, the most striking thing about the farm is the quiet.  No Noise.  You sit on the porch looking out over the fields and there are NO noises.  You can’t hear the highway 2 miles away.  There aren’t even any buzzings from any bugs.  Nothing.  Just beautiful, sweet, comforting silence.  It’s the kind of quiet that the rest of the “normal” world has banished with beeps and clicks and Ozzy Ozbourne ringtones.

This time on our trip it rained one of the days.  Mid-morning I and my belly and went to lie down for a much needed rest.  I took the absolute best nap of my life.  The rain fell on the roof and trickled down the drainpipe running alongside the open window.  I’m telling you, you couldn’t BUY a more soothing and lulling sleep-inducing soundtrack!  It was glorious.

This trip was just the thing both TW and I needed.  We love the Moss’s and thank them for their generous hospitality!  Here are some pictures to make you all jealous:

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It’s vacation in 291 minutes… 12 August 2009

But who’s counting, right?

Me.

I am.

We’re flying to Seattle.  (Hooray! A trip home to the beautiful Northwest!) Then tomorrow we head here with my family to vacation on the Washington coast.  Tell me this is not the cutest beach house you’ve ever ever seen???

The weather might not cooperate with us, but if that’s the case, I’m honestly perfectly OKAY getting stuck inside this place with my family for a few days.  Just LOOK at it!  So cute!

Fun with Rocks 22 July 2009

Vacation picture #1, although it’s really a collage TW put together of him and his brother.  Boys just never outgrow their need to toss rocks into lakes, huh?  Anyone up for a simple game of catch in a freezing cold glacial lake with a 30 lb boulder?

Tips 4 September 2008

There is a million things to do in Cancun, but NOTHING is free. Everyone tells you NOT to drink the water, but we’re not sure if they are trying to keep us safe OR just try to sell overpriced bottle water. ($5 for 1 liter) and it seems like anytime you get help from anybody they turn around and say, “if yoo tfhink I did a good job let me know by giving me a tip. Just put it in my “happy jar”. We live off our tips, if you don’t tip us our families will starve. (how do you think I pay for the millions of text messages I’ve been sending all day long?)”. I can’t help but wonder where all the money goes when you give them $300 for something that should cost half that. If that’s not enough, the urinal cover brand name is “Tipps”. I couldn’t tell if it was a way for the tour company and hospitality industry to promote tipping or just a coincidence.

Our newly discovered Cancun activity is riding the public transportation. This is perhaps the cheapest thrill we’ve found. for only $6.50 Pesos you can ride the bus anywhere it goes. Right after you get on the driver hits the gas and goes flying down the road. It almost feels like a roller coaster the way it zips around the roads. Don’t plan on it stopping at every stop either. You have to watch carefully and make sure you stand and hit the button before he gets to your stop. As soon as the bus driver notices you want to get off he opens the bus doors, while still going full speed. You may think he’s going to pass your stop, but that is NOTHING he can’t solve by stepping harder on the brakes. Every time we get on the bus we know we are in for an adventure. We love the bus!

It all adds to the adventure and builds fun memories.

A snapshot of our trip to Cancun 3 September 2008

We thought you may want to see a sample of some of the things we are enjoying here in Cancun.  Here ya go: