Camping

YEAHHHHH I finished third year, which really doesn't mean anything except a two week break to get my residency application stuff together. But it also means that I got to go camping with my family this last weekend. We had a great time just being ourselves. It was so much fun sitting by the campfire listening to music and singing along at the top of our lungs. We floated down the snake below the dam on an interesting barge/raft combo. We actually hooked a pool floater thing to the real river raft. Kevin, my dad and brother were all on the raft paddling and fishing. My mom and sister and I simply floated and sunbathed on the raft. We got to play in my favorite waterfall. We then went to Jackson to check out some of the awesome nature photography. We spent one afternoon on the waverunners with pull tubes (so much fun). Anyway a fun fun weekend. The only downside no fireworks, hopefully we can fix that for the fourth. Oh and I forgot to mention that we had two moose walk through camp and then eat in the marsh next to camp.

Happy Birthday to me

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone, especially Jen, for such an awesome birthday. I went shopping all day (sweet) then we went to dinner with friends and saw Indianna Jones and the crystal skull. Now to be honest while dinner was fantastic, the movie was.. well it lived up to the reviews it received. Nonetheless it was a great birthday.

I love this girl

I just wanted to post a little blurb about Tori. She will probably be mad that I put up these photos but I thought they were fun. I am so lucky to have her as my wife and I love sharing our lives together. She is always so happy and full of energy. She is truely one of a kind.

Backpacking... kinda

Kevin, my dad, and brother bought new backpacking materials and were all excited to try them out. However, they didn't want the first time they used their water purifiers etc. to be on a week long backpacking trip so they planned a trial run this weekend. Friday afternoon we ( I happened to escape the hospital and tag along too) went up Willard Creek to a couple of fun waterfalls. It was a bit more of an adventure than we planned as the creek was flowing at a good rate. There were some exciting river crossings and plenty of hot chocolate.

All in all, it was lots of fun and my legs aren't nearly as sore today as I was secretly hoping they would be.

Aloha

I was trying to figure out a way of posting our vacation without bragging too extremely. Unfortunately I'm too excited about my first trip to Hawaii to minimize anything. So, while I realize that many of you have been to Hawaii many times before so you can just roll your eyes as I go on and on. Firstly Hawaii did not live up to all of my expectations. It did not smell like flowers the minute you get off the plane. Other than that it exceeded anything I could have hoped for. The first week we went to Oahu with Kevin's family. It was lots of fun and surprisingly easy to be with his whole family. For a bunch of grown ups they were tons of fun. It gave me hope that I may never have to grow up. Kevin's dad was even brave enough to attempt snorkeling AND boogey boarding. And nobody Hulas quite like my brother in laws. We stayed at the LUXURIOUS Turtle Bay resort, went to the Polynesian Cultural Center and basically all over the island. Here are a few million pictures of Oahu.



After Kevin's family went home we stayed on and went to Kauai. This was less luxury and more adventure. When I say adventure I mean adventure. Kevin was even propositioned one night after flicking his headlights a few too many times (the full story only Kevin can do justice). Our other adventures were significantly more wholesome and enjoyable. We backpacked along the NaPali Coast (and ran into a bunch of hippies living back there growing their own). We climed to a waterfall and on the way found wild growing orange trees/mango trees/ ginger root/ jack fruit etc etc. It was beautiful and lots of fun. Later in our trip we went to Wiamea canyon which is gorgeous. We went snorkeling at Lydgate State Park and off our Catamaran the day we went along the coast. Too much fun to explain all the adventures we had. Here are a few million more pictures, this time of Kauai.