Us

Baby Update

2012-02-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

This picture is one of my favorite pics. Craig and I agree that her goodness radiates in this particular photo.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I have always hoped to have a little baby with blue eyes. I didn't think that we would really end up with a light eyed baby but this pictures shows off those gorgeous eyes of hers!

Time flies when a baby is growing up. Grace is going to be six months in a couple of weeks.
She has become so strong and is ultra flexible (see below). She enjoys rolling over from her back to her tummy but hasn't quite mastered how to roll back on to her back. She seems to enjoy being in the center of all things social. She communicates by grunting, smiling, giggling and making all sorts of sweet baby sounds; although she has recently learned to do a high pitch scream when she's grumpy or just wants attention b/c she's not content (um... she's spoiled...eeek).
These last couple of weeks we have introduced her to new foods such as an orange and a lemon... both of which she loved after she processed the new flavors. Yesterday, I spotted aunty Alex giving her a lick of lime chips... which was naughty?!?!
She also sleeps at least 7 hours every night! We are trying to train her to hit the sack by 8:30PM rather than staying up until 10:00PM and it's going really well. Most nights, she will sleep about 10 hours! I can typically expect to have her wake up around 7:30AM every morning. Can I just say how much I love sleeping through the whole night once again! It's a beautiful blessing I tell you!
This last week was the first time I have seen her lean toward someone (my mom) with reaching arms! It was darling and my mom melted, of coarse. I secretly was jealous that she had never done that to me!
Craig and I feel so grateful to have her in our life. It is an incredible how much love we have for her. I often hold her face to face and just hold her and kiss her to death. Craig and I joke that we must kiss her at least a hundred times a day. Unfortunately, she often feels smothered and has even begun to push away from us in annoyance!! So sad! But, it's ok. At least she knows she's is adored!

Borrowing Dad's Hat

2012-02-04T21:19:00.000-08:00

Grace wearing her daddy's hat... we were shocked how much she resembled a little boy... well, that is if you ignore the pink tutu and leggings! ;)

My Joy

2012-01-31T20:47:00.000-08:00

Cute

2012-01-16T11:02:00.000-08:00

I typically try to give two choices to choose from when playing with her toys. This poor duck has yet to be picked.

Grace can't actually stand on her own yet... but I propped her up for a few seconds for a very quick pic!

The joke here is that Grace doesn't like her daddy to hold her bottle... she wants to do it on her own ;)

Grace just is having her little high maintence tantrum here... too typical, too funny...

Oops... barfed on daddy.

Learning to roll!

2012-01-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

Right before Christmas, my dad came out to visit and meet Grace for the first time.

He had undergone a couple surgeries which had longer than expected recovery times which didn't allow him to come out any earlier.

It was great to see Grace and my dad bond together. By the end of the visit, I think they started to even resemble one another ;)

So glad you came out dad!

Candid Cell Phone Pics

2012-01-14T12:21:00.001-08:00

Playing w/ one of her favorite toys... the blue octopus (not a squid sister)

This is her naughty and most common behavior these days.

We have a hand sucker. Great.

Notice she wouldn't make eye contact with me...

she knows she's naughty.

Grace loves the "baby backpack". Finally.

First time seeing fire.

Acting a bit aggressive by ripping Shamu off play matt suspension bar thingy.

Hiding behind toy moose ear b/c her outfit doesn't match. ;)

(PS- this is Craig's favorite toy)

Watching TV with grandpa after I specifically said she couldn't watch TV!

Having a good time with grandma at the doc's office, not knowing two big fat ouchy

shots were right around the corner... :(

This was the first time I was told by the doc that I could let Grace "cry it out" during the night. I felt so guilty at the thought of her feeling neglected that I cried instantly lol!

Oui Oui

Buddah meets zebra print

First time in big girl bath tub

Disney Celebrity Look-a-like

2011-12-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

Lights, camera, action!?

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

For the first time, we decided to attend the "opening night" of the lights at temple square. We expected a sudden whala of bright lights surrounding us. Apparently, the manger scene area is NOT the place to be when they turn on, right at dusk. We kept standing there wondering when the lights would turn on lol. Eventually, we realized from the distance that at some point they had turned on, so we left the manger area and strolled the gorgeous grounds.

Grace had been crying as we were walking around (she's developed a hatred for her car seat). When I placed her under this richly colored tree to see the how she would react, she instantly stopped crying and starred in amazement. It was awesome. It was mine and Craig's favorite tree!

The grounds truly have a wonderful spirit that made the evening a very pleasant night. We all left feeling more light hearted and feeling the spirit of Christmas.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

Grace finally met Santa at my work Christmas party. She didn't shriek in terror and actually seemed quite happy in his arms. When I went to take her from him, Santa didn't want to give her back to me! I asked him if he wanted to keep her for an elf and he held her tight and happily said he would love to keep her!

Who is he kidding?!?!?

She, is, ours... muhahahaha!!

Precious: Of great value

2011-12-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

Grace Perez Wardle's Baby Blessing

2011-11-26T22:20:00.000-08:00

I was completely overwhelmed with excitement for Grace's baby blessing day. Since my mom converted to the church after I was born, I missed out on having a baby blessing. As a result, this day was extra meaningful and very dear to my heart.

My mom bought the little gown, Craig's sister Lee made the hair clip, I sewed the headband, and I also registered for the baby blessing shoes months before Grace was actually born and was given them by Craig's aunt Coleen. Grace has very long feet so I wasn't surprised to see that her shoes were a wee bit too tight already... but they still looked so darn cute on her!

I also went out on a limb and made my first two tier cake for little Gracie. I purposely created an all white cake to symbolize the purity of our sweet baby. While I made it, I had Grace strapped in the "baby backpack" and I was happy to see that she was content to watch me make the cake... maybe she will follow in my family's footsteps and love to cook as well!

I love this above picture. It almost brings tears to my eyes. Mama, Grace's great grandmother, is dressing her for her big day.

Priceless picture- 4 Generations.

Even though Craig was nervous, he did a great job interpreting the spirit and blessing Grace with qualities such as a kind and gentle disposition and a zeal for the gospel.

After the blessing, we went to Wardle's house where we enjoyed a soup, salad and dessert bar and enjoyed one another's company. It was a perfect day for a perfect little girl.

Grace's Favorites

2011-11-22T14:03:00.000-08:00

After visiting a friends house and placing Grace on her son's play matt, I realized we had to buy her one for visual stimulation and to help improve her hand eye coordination. I was a bit surprised to see the darn thing cost $60 but it has been well worth it. Grace loves her "under the sea" themed play matt. The blue octopus suspended in the air is her favorite toy.

Craig's sister, Erin, let us borrow the above bouncy chair. Grace loves to sleep in this chair! Rather than placing her in her crib for the night, we place her in this chair and she contently sleeps for hours and hours so long as she has her straight jacket on (velcro swaddlers are the best!). I made her the giraffe print blanket above and it's only used to prop her on her left side as she favors her right and has a bit of a flatter head on that side now :(.

She loves to fall asleep while eating... look how cute she is!!!

Reading time is also one of her favorites things. She is only three months but loves to have us read to her. She finds the pictures very interesting.

Girls Day Out

2011-11-22T13:49:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy getting out of the house on the days I stay home with Grace (assuming I had a good nights rest). When I found out I was pregnant, I remember feeling excited to be able to get together with other mom's during the day to have a little bit of fun. I am happy that I have the opportunity to do so now.

Craig's family often gets together for these type of fun activities and this time we went to Trafalga in Lehi. Grace really enjoyed the baby carrier as she was able to look around and observe all the commotion.

ZALEX Wedding

2011-11-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

Alex and Zach finally got hitched last week! We are very excited to have Zach part of the family now!

We really enjoyed the wedding. Alex's dress and Zach's tux were among my favorites I have seen, the ceremony sealer in the temple brought great insight and a strong spirit, the weather was sunny and bright, and the reception fun with super tasty finger foods! PLUS, little Grace was a very good sport and looked extra cute!

Grandpa Wardle and the little sweetheart.

Everyone loved the unique wedding cake... even Grace found it visually stimulating!

Cousin Ava hugging the little stinker who wasn't cooperating for a good picture! This was the best one we were able to take.

I love how Grace looks at her Grandma in this picture! I think Eileen has a special gift with children. She is able to calm them and peacefully interact with them with her endless love.

I think Grace finds uncle Gavin quite comfy! :)

Snow White

2011-11-08T21:09:00.000-08:00

One day my dad called Grace Snow White due to her light skin, dark hair and blue eyes. I liked the fairy-tale princess idea so I found the cutest Snow White costume that fit her perfectly! She is bit small so finding clothing that fits her well is sometimes difficult. I was glad that my Internet purchase was an ideal fit.

She made a lovely little Snow White!

I went to my mom's work where she proudly paraded her around the office. I can't explain how much I loved watching it all!

While we were there, an evil witch snatched her up!

After, we headed to Grandpa Dave's work where he too proudly displayed his little gal. I love the picture below... they both fondly look at one another while little Ms. Naughty sucks on her hands. This little bad habit is a new found interest of hers she's suddenly developed these last couple of weeks.

A couple days later we celebrated Halloween with the Wardle's at Grandpa Coy's annual weenie roast. The above pic is of Grace and her cousins, Ava (cow), Emma (princess), Graham (prince) and Kate (princess).
Grace didn't exactly love the weenie roast. To keep her happy and entertained, Craig, Grandma Wardle and I had to take turns pushing her around in her stroller for the majority of the time.
This picture is pretty cool b/c not only is Grace with all of her first cousins but all of her second cousins too! Note how cousin cow (Ava) is pointing her stolen sword at poor little innocent wailing Grace lol! Hysterical!

Oooohhh, how I love this sweet, sweet girl.

Breast Cancer Awareness Grizzlies Hockey Game

2011-11-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

Utah versus Alaska- the players traded in their regular jerseys for pink and white jerseys and even the mascot wore one too! Utah won, which meant a few extremely loud celebratory sirens went off. This explains why we are covering Grace's ears in some the of pics. We were impressed how interested she was in watching the actual game and how good she was the entire time! We kid that she either wants to play hockey when she grows up or perhaps will end up with a hockey player honey bunny ;).

Silver Lake

2011-11-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

Lounging around, we hadn't gone out the entire day and decided a nice walk around Silver Lake would be a good way to spend the remaining part of the day. Just a short way up one of the local canyons, it was nice to get out and be around nature even though it was very chilly. Snow had already fallen (this was a few weeks ago) and part of the streams leading into the lake had begun to freeze. The air was crisp and clean and the sunset beautiful.

Random Pics

2011-10-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

Multi tasking- reading to and feeding the babe.

Daddy doing dishes while testing out the baby carrier... Grace doesn't know it yet, but she is going to love this thing whether she wants to or not... ;)

Grandpa Dave telling Grace a story- Little Red Riding Hood with a slight political twist... lol...

Grace's First Zoo Visit

2011-10-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

2011-10-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday night, Craig and I went out on our first date since Grace had been born, without the little one attached to our side. Grandma & Grandpa Wardle babysat for us as we headed to the Craig (BYU) versus Stephanie (USU) game down at BYU.

We tried to take a picture of the exciting date night, but clearly, we had issues. We tried a half dozen times and then called it quits...

While we were at the game, our little gal slowly began to run a fever at the Wardle's. By the time we picked her up and brought her home, she was burning hot. Craig loves to check Grace's temperature with our state of the art thermometer so for the next three days, we were constantly monitoring her temperature and giving her fever reducer every four or so hours. When the temperature reached a 102 or higher, we would place cool wet cloths on her forehead to quickly help lower the temperature. Poor little gal was very lethargic and clearly uncomfortable.

The following Tuesday, was my first day back at work. That morning before heading out, I was concerned as Grace's temperature peaked at 104.2! Again, I was able to lower the number using the wet cloths and the fever reducer. I dropped her off at the Wardle's (I felt so guilty!), and headed down to Provo for work. I texted Grandma Wardle during lunch to find out how little sick Gracey was doing. She suggested I call the doctor again, which I had done over the weekend, and did again after she mentioned it. Long story short, I left work early, ran her to the doctor's and then to the ER.

I don't remember when was the last time I cried as hard as I did,as when I witnessed Grace have blood drawn, a catheter inserted and finally a spinal tap performed. At one point I was invited to step outside of the ER room by the doctor and when I walked out, I quickly called my mother. Iexplained how painful it was for me to watch my little baby endure so many frightening and painful procedures and that I was in the hall while the spinal tap procedure was in progress. She firmly told me to be strong for Grace and that she needed me in the room with her to touch her and speak to her while the intrusive procedures continued.

I did just that. I asked to be let back into the room, where I did my best to let her know that I was there and to comfort her as much as possible. Sadly, I will never forget the image of a small infant sitting on her bottom with her back tightly curled by the nurse, fists shaking in pain while her crying mouth drooled on her left hand. It instantly took me back to when I was in labor and felt a horrid contraction that caused me to sit in a similar position, while my own fists painfully shook as well. The doctor explained that Grace's spinal fluid dripped slowly which meant the process was taking a bit longer than it normally would.

Eventually, when all the physical tests were completed, I was free to bundle her in my arms and hold her while we awaited what would turn into a two night stay at Primary Children's hospital. When Craig and my mom came to the hospital, I felt relieved by the support I was in desperate need of and also felt grateful when our home teacher also came, to assist Craig in giving Grace a blessing. I stayed both nights in the same room with Grace, sleeping in a pull out bed designed for one person, while Craig would head back to our home for the night to sleep in our bed. He took the next two days off work and we stayed by her bedside, day and night, making sure she was alright.

A few different times, a couple different nurses made humorous references to the fact that Grace was a "princess" who was "spoiled" as she always had to be held and was clearly not accustom to being put down very much. Before one nurse met Craig, she asked me if Grace's father was fair skinned since she didn't look like me lol...

Once the cultures were tested, we were informed that she had Ecoli in her urinary tract. After the lab was able to find an antibiotic to kill the infection, we were given a prescription and were allowed to go back to our home.

AND wow- what a difference it made! Our little girl was a completely different person once the medication kicked in! The next couple days after we came home from the hospital, she began to smile and coo even more than ever before! Oh how we love to interact with her at this stage in her life!

I know it may sound cliche, but I truly feel grateful to have access to modern medicine, to have great affordable health insurance and the gift of priesthood blessings.

2011-10-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

Our little Grace...

Tomorrow, She is 8 weeks old.

This last week, she has smiled more than ever and even began to "coo" with Craig and I. She even interacted by what I can best describe as an attempted laugh a couple of times.

This is what makes parenthood rewarding.

Red Butte Gardens

2011-09-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

The U of U sponsored a health fair at the Red Butte Gardens for the U's employees which meant we were able to visit the gardens free of charge. We always had wanted to visit the attraction but for whatever reason, never had. We were lucky, the weather was perfect and their was just the right amount of sunshine (normally I am not a fan of the bright hot sun). Staying home these last few weeks after having the baby have left me itching to get out of our place more often and this was the perfect remedy.

I have no idea what type of plant this is but LOVE it!

These next two pics make me smile. Craig was having a good time making car noises while four wheeling with the stroller, well in this case, three wheeling. We are not sure Grace liked the ride- a bit too bumpy for a three weeker!

Grace is clearly hungry :)

We found an ideal cove type area where we were able to comfortably feed her in the shade while still enjoying the beautiful artistic scenery.

After the gardens, we decided to grab Cafe Rio for dinner and call it a night. We had such a nice time together, as a little family. It was the first time the three of us had gone out on a family outing and it was surprising satisfying. I wasn't sure how Grace would deal with it but she did great. Just a little fussing here and there but other than that- she was a joy to have with us. We just love her to pieces and her presence made the time together that much more enriching.

Nuclear Yellow Poop

2011-09-06T03:39:00.000-07:00

Well, Craig and I experienced our first public diaper blowout this labor day weekend.

A physical, mental and emotional laboring experience indeed.

Setting- a higher end green house, in the serene bonsai section. The area is lined with everything from the numerous young and delicate bonsai trees to the very aged and perfectly groomed giant bonsai trees which sell for thousands of dollars.

Grace begins to express her lack of interest to continue sitting in her car seat. After some encouragement, Craig, who was hoping to purchase another bonsai (ahhhh! NOT another plant!) begins to wrap things up and heads over to pick up the car seat. As he lifts it up from the decorative stone bench where I had placed it, I suddenly notice a small nuclear yellow liquid spot highlighting the bench, directly on the area where she had been placed.

Steph: What in the world is THAT? I know the bench was clean when I originally placed her here?!

Craig: Wait.... Look under the carseat when I hold it up...

S: *panicking at the thought that our baby might have been the culprit of such a disgusting mess*- OH, NO. She just had a blowout and it continues to drop out of the crevices of the bottom of the seat! Sick!

C & S: Oh my gosh- what do we do?!

We scurry to a corner of the retail store and frantically begin what turned out to be a 45 minute cleaning session. Fellow shoppers could not help but stare at our messy misfortune. After exhausting out baby wipe supply, I sheepishly ask an employee if I may borrow a roll of paper towels to continue our mortifing quest of erasing any evidence that our sweetheart "marked her territory" with her nuclear yellow, liquid fecal matter. Don't worry- I exhausted their entire roll as well. I also used my water bottle to pressure splash away the drops of yellow poop that lead from the bench to our hiding spot in the corner of the store. Unfortunately, there were still tiny chunks remaining here and there, along the otherwise immaculate cement sidewalks. I couldn't help but picture some unsuspecting shopper, casually walking right into it, squishing it into the sole of their shoes, then tracking it back into their car only to end up smashed into the carpets of their home.... SAD!?!?

Long story short- we survived. BUT wow- what an experience that left us embarrassed, stressed and out of wipes and with yet another soiled article of baby clothing to be washed. But as I have mentioned so many times before, it's a good thing we love this little girl!

PS- I decided to skip out on attaching an image for this posting :)

Oooohhh Honey

2011-09-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

Apparently, honey does not do the trick AND makes for a sticky baby.

I put her down for her nap and when I checked on her, I found this adorable little girl with honey on her hands, lips, and smudged on her scalp. *sigh*

Next attempt will involve Karo syrup and a tighter swaddle ;).

Two weeks old

2011-08-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

Craig and I love this picture of Grace's grumpy pants face. She is a gal of many facial expressions that keep us laughing!

Grace is two weeks old today. I find it fascinating how much her look has changed already; she actually looks a bit older.

Fun facts:

Sleeps anywhere from 45 minutes to 5 hours during the night.
Has begun to smile! If I am lucky, she smiles when I softly kiss her chunky cheeks.
She enjoys car rides, instantly falling asleep when I begin driving.
Hates baths and diaper changes... brrrr! They are chilly!

A not so fun story:

The first week we brought her home, we ran into feeding snags. I was not producing enough milk and didn't have a bottle or even a pacifier to help sooth her. Those couple nights were very sad and stressful as I could tell she was very hungry but the milk production was not where it needed to be. Eventually, I had a breakdown, called my mom, my grandmother and my mother in law for help. The following five days (I believe that's how many days it was), I had around the clock help which was an incredible blessing. These good women cooked, cleaned, and helped with feedings during all hours of the day and night. I don't know how I could have managed without them.

When we were able to get our hands on a bottle (thanks Erin!) we were able to supplement her feedings with formula which made for a much happier little girl. Eventually, the pediatrician prescribed a little pill which increases my ability to produce milk in the hopes that we can stop using the formula altogether. Hopefully it works sooner than later. Nursing and bottle feeding formula for every feeding is a good amount of work!

Grace Perez Wardle

2011-08-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

The day before Grace was born, Craig mentioned he wanted to have a few pics of my side profile before it was too late. So we took a few pics before and after church... good thing- I went into labor the next morning, two and half weeks early.

Nervous and free from pain.

Pitocin changed that...
Dilated to and 8 without feeling much and suddenly-BAM. Requested an epidural after two contractions. The epidural was a dear dear friend of mine.

9 hours later (pushed for only 50 minutes).. Grace Perez Wardle was born
on August 15th
at 4:49PM
6 pounds 1 ounce.

Does this picture really need a caption?

Know your father named you after studying the scriptural meaning of grace:

Grace is the help or strength given through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the grace of God, everyone who has lived will be resurrected—our spirits will be reunited with our bodies, never again to be separated. Through His grace, the Lord also enables those who live His gospel to repent and be forgiven.

And know I instantly loved his suggestion as my grandmother, whom I loved dearly and who adored me, who passed away some 15 years ago, was also named Grace in Spanish(Graciela Perez).

Welcome to our lives. We are privileged to call you ours.

Showered by Showers!

2011-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, Craig's mother's sister, Carol, was super sweet and threw me such a pleasant baby shower. Unfortunately, I was running behind to it (was stuck wasting my time at the hospital having diabetes tests administered when I was absolutely certain that I didn't have diabetes)so I didn't even think to swipe my camera on the way out the door since I was in a huge hurry and hence do not have a single picture of the event to share...

Everyone was incredibly patient and when I finally arrived, I felt completely at ease and relieved of the worry that I could have offended, annoyed and inconvenienced others as everyone greeted me so warmly. The food was delicious; avocado salad, fresh fruit plates, turkey tortilla wraps and even homemade fudge. We played baby shower games which I honestly love (I know most people will pass playing them but I love them lol) and laughed together as parenting stories were shared. The gifts were generous and it was a great time. I just wish I would have remembered the camera...

Last Friday, my co-workers also threw me a shower. Monica and Mary were the party planners and to no surprise of mine, did a fantastic job organizing and preparing a perfect get together during our lunch/snack break. This time, I had my camera.

Mary had remembered a casual conversation (we had months ago)where I mentioned that I love salad themed showers... so that's what we had! Yummy salads and mini "baby" desserts! The desserts were so awesome- they included "baby" sized strawberry shortcake and root beer floats! Monica made a copy cat Mango Berry Salad to mimic my favorite salad from the restaurant Zuppas along with oven fresh croissants. Mary made her famous chocolate trifle using homemade brownies which turned out to be her best one yet! She also made one of my favorite drinks, Brazilian Lemonade!

Mary (party planner)

Monica (party planner)

The party decor was cheetah print. The napkins, plates, wrapping paper and even some of the darling clothes I received all had the cutest cheetah prints on them!

Honestly, I felt teary eyed after both showers. I felt overwhelmed by people's kindness and support. It's difficult to express how grateful I have felt after each one of the showers that others so generously provided for me. Each person's presence and contribution at each shower created a feeling of pure bliss!

New York 2011

2011-08-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

My sister is currently nannying in New York and we promised we would come visit her before her return in a few months. Lucky for us, her employer was out of town which meant we were able to stay in their home along with my mom and my grandma.

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM
Craig admires Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural talent so he was super excited for the chance to be able to visit the modern design of the Guggenheim museum. The interior of the entire building is a circle- including the tiny bathrooms. The building itself was great but I must admit I have less respect for Mr. Wright after visiting the circular shaped restrooms. Who approved his bathroom layout? I do dare say an airplane has just about the same amount of "toilet space" as did these ridiculous restrooms.

YANKEE'S NIGHT GAME
New York was experiencing unusually high and humid temperatures during our visit. The night we went to the Yankee's game, the temperature blazed a 107 degrees! By the end of the game, it had only lowered down to 101 degrees. I honestly thought I was going to pass out from the extreme discomfort of being pregnant in such miserable weather. The task of breathing alone was difficult. The four of us sat perfectly still as large beads of sweat rolled down every inch of our bodies- the entire game. My sister eventually paid an absurd amount of money to KINDLY buy me a huge glass of ice which ended up being a life saver as I chomped on it for the last hour of the game while I placed the freezing cup against my face and legs. I love her so much for being so thoughtful of me! Later Craig also purchased pints of lemon/cherry icees which also helped cool us down.

ST.PATRICKS CATHEDRAL
The Gothic cathedral's website explains it best, "Each year, more than 5.5 million people visit New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral. The story of New York’s great cathedral mirrors the story of the city itself. Created to affirm the ascendance of religious freedom and tolerance, St. Patrick’s Cathedral was built in the democratic spirit, paid for not only by the contributions of thousands of poor immigrants but also by the largesse of 103 prominent citizens who pledged $1,000 each. St. Patrick’s Cathedral proves the maxim that no generation builds a cathedral. It is rather, a kind of ongoing conversation linking generations past, present and future."

As Brendan Gill wrote in his introduction to St. Patrick’s Cathedral: A Centennial History, “In the Old World, for well over a thousand years the center of a city was thought to be wherever its Cathedral stood…. We are a city that, even within its comparatively narrow confines, has always tended to spin apart. To speak only of Manhattan (the original New York City of Hughes’ day), we have Wall Street and Greenwich Village and Chinatown and Chelsea and Times Square and the Upper East Side and Riverside Drive and Harlem and Washington Heights and scores of other districts and neighborhoods; yet we have few places that convey an authentic sense of being at the very heart of things. St. Patrick’s is such a place. Aided by the graceful presence of its neighbor, Rockefeller Center, …the Cathedral dominates Fifth Avenue as easily today as it has ever done…. Thanks to the program of preservation, …the building has never looked more beautiful. There it stands for our delight and, if necessary, for our consolation. Its front steps are a parvis, if not a Paradise, and young and old take the sun upon their faces there as a sort of benediction, while the scattered benedictions of a thousand rosy candles wink and twinkle within.”

TIMES SQUARE
Wow- the non-stop display of lights, the bombardment of advertisements and the swarms of tourists were still in full force by the time we made it to Times Square late into the evening on a weekday night. I noticed on one corner of the street where a massive screen displayed random ads, a "I am a Mormon" ad posted, encouraging others to check out the church's website. I found it an appropriate effort to encourage the world to find religion amidst the hustle and bustle of the life. I felt moved as I internalized the potential such an ad could have on someone who just happened to catch sight of the ad.

STATUE OF LIBERTY

LONG ISLAND
Sunday turned out to be a much needed restful day. My body was quite beat from all the walking. We went to my sister's small single's branch and later headed to the beach for what I like to call, our "super model photo session" (hehehe). We took endless photos on the beach front in our church clothes and just enjoyed each other's company.

Serious.

Not so serious.

CENTRAL PARK
We splurged a bit and decided to take a carriage ride through Central Park rather than walking through it. The park is massive, making up 9% of the city so this was defeintely the way to tour it.

GROUND ZERO
On the day of the 9/11 attacks, Mayor Giuliani proclaimed, "We will rebuild. We're going to come out of this stronger than before, politically stronger, economically stronger. The skyline will be made whole again."

The two buildings below are in the construction phase currently, One World Trade Center and 150 Greenwich Street (known as Four World Trade Center). From what we understand, the buildings will be taller than the original twin towers!

TOP OF THE ROCK
On our last day, Craig, Kristen and I visted the top floor of the Rockefeller Center. The stunning views of the entire city were fantastic!

PS- The Ben & Jerry's icecream shop on the lower level had one of the best shakes I have ever had- coconut seven layer bar flavor. When we returned to Utah, I tried to hunt down this icecream flavor in order to make the shakes at home. Apparently, this flavor is unique only to that location. So sad.

MOMA (MUSEUM OF MODERN ART)
It is true- we had to bribe Kristen with food to join us to visit MOMA! Both Craig and I really enjoyed the opportunity to visually lay eyes upon renowned paintings such as Van Gough's Starry Night (Craig's favorite painting), Monet's Water lilly paintings, various Picaso's and much more. I couldn't believe how many famous creations could be found all under one roof!

This room was coverd in one dollar bills equalling $100,000. Someone wasn't supposed to take a photo but apparently couldn't resist. His initials are CW. ;)

I love this painting! I wish we had it hung over our diningroom table.

Well that was our last horra before the little baby gal comes our way in a few weeks! Thank you sister for letting us spend time with you and for coming out to all the tourist attractions even though you had been to them before! We love you and are excited for you to come home!

POSITIVES:
1- Discovered Bumpers cereal. A healthy version of Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs cereal which I found and purchased at our local Target!
2- Ate out at awesome ethnic restaurants around the city. We had Thai, Cuban, Greek, Middle Eastern and of course had our fair share of street cart food too!

NEGATIVES:
1- I came out of a public bathroom with the entire back of my skirt tucked into my really cute undies and walked around for a mintue before my sister noticed and yanked it back into place for me.
2- While at the Top of the Rock, Craig sat in who knows what and walked around with a brown stain on the back of his bum in a not so convenient spot for who knows how long.

Cinco

2011-08-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary to us! Five years this month!

PS- If you haven't tried Tuscany in SLC, you're missing out! Craig surprised me with reservations at this high end Italian restaurant where the service was close to perfect and the food was equally impressive. The ambiance is charming with Tuscan style dining rooms and multiple outdoor patios.

We ordered the calamari as appetizer which also includes fried lemon slices and fresh red peppers (AMAZING). I hadn't had veal picatta in a long time so I figured this would be the type of place that would surely make it well and it was absolutely delicious! Craig had a double center cut pork chop (which had to be about 5 pounds)and later, our server surprised us with a chocolate bundt cake topped with ice cream drizzled in caramel, decorated with thin tall candles and a light and airy contemporary cookie, on the house, as a "happy anniversary" token. The whole evening was just wonderful. Thanks spouse! I LOVED it!

Eating for two.. or three... or four....

2011-07-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

Not sure how I feel about this picture, but it makes me laugh.

Double click on the picture to magnify details for a full appreciation of what I am about to say...

Summer work party stuffing my little chunky face with the following:

3 egg rolls w/ loads of dipping sauce

a serving of fried rice

a serving of chow mien

a serving of broccoli and beef

a serving of orange chicken

watermelon

pineapple

2 strawberry lemonades

and a few fortune cookies

And I wonder why my face looks like it's entered into a wind tunnel with all of it's "cute" little rolls?

4th of July

2011-07-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Craig and I loved this 4th of July.

The Indo's invited us over for their celebratory party where we enjoyed fresh burgers off the hot grill, pickled flavored chips and fresh fruit. I brought a peach and nectarine cobbler to share and chatted with their inviting neighbors. Craig had a great time playing with the Indo's toddler (Craig's a kid at heart); they ran around up and down the block, Noah in his stroller while Craig pushed it, jumping sidewalk curbs while making race car noises. The weather was ideal, zero sun and beautifully overcast (my favorite weather). Warm enough for Craig to wear shorts and for me to wear a skirt.

When the sun began to set, the Indo's began their firework show- I would have to say the most impressive noncommercialized show we had ever seen! As the show continued, we were pleasantly surprised to see at least three other firework displays in the background, against the stunning background of the dark snow capped mountains. Just beautiful. I felt patriotic and especially grateful for the inspired perspective and proactive and unpopular actions of those who laid the foundation for our country's existence. I caught myself singing a few lines from the Star Spangled Banner in my head and at that moment felt so comfortably satisfied with my life.

A few raindrops made their way through the evening sky but luckily the Indo's lent us their over sized umbrella and a plush corduroy blanket which kept us warm and dry. Eventually the festivities came to a close and we headed home. Couldn't have been better... well, except for one little detail. Distracted by the continual display of fireworks throughout the valley, we accidentally ran over a baby raccoon. I have such a difficult time dealing with other's suffering and pain but Craig assured me that the little guy died instantly and that we didn't need to turn around to run him over again to seal the deal.

As we entered I15 and began to head north from Lehi, we noticed Thanksgiving Point's fireworks were still going strong and decided to pull over on the side of the road to watch the last half hour from the inside of our car. This proved to be a good idea since we didn't end up getting caught in any of the multiple traffic jams that surrounded us. We were able to resume our drive home without the aggravating parking lot holiday traffic. Again, as we drove on I15, we caught glimpses of the multiple firework displays throughout the valley which made the commute more enjoyable than it normally is.

The night ended well by finding a close parking spot near the entrance to our apartment building (they can be hard to come by late into the night) and headed straight to our cozy bed.

It really is the simple things...

Wardle Baby Shower

2011-07-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love showers! I love getting together with a bunch of girls to give/receive gifts, snack on light finger foods, chat for hours and just enjoy one another's company. It felt great to feel everyone's support and to be the recipatent of so many people's generosity.

Thanks to Craig's aunt Terry for hosting the shower at her home!

And thanks to Craig's aunt Desi for planning the shower!

Craig's family & Provo friend Emily

Provo Friends Megan, Diana & Mandy

Amelia (my step brother's girlfriend), my mom & mama

Craig's cousin Abbey & Craig's sister Lee

High school friends Jennae, Manda & Kasia

Pregnancy and Predictions

2011-06-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

Last night was the worst night of sleep, lack of sleep actually, I have experienced while pregnant. Couldn't find comfort to save my life.

I am predicting that little Ms. Baby Wardle will be a night time acrobat performer. As of the last few weeks, she has grown much stronger and much more active. She is most active at night, starting around 10:00PM and always hangs out on the right side of my belly. Either she's a creature of habit or I have a seriously tilted uterus. I have yet to feel her on the left hand side! She doesn't like when anyone pushes on my tummy, especially when it's the doctor checking for her heart beat as she will instantly "swim" away!

Two weeks ago, I stayed up quite late with my mother, baking a cheesecake; we're talking 1:00AM which is WAY past my typical bed time. When I finally called it a night, I decided to bounce onto the bed which apparently, woke up the baby and caused quite the unexpected reaction from her- I assume she had been sleeping since there hadn't been any movement in a while but she suddenly went into a panicked frenzy of a movement for a minute or so, then fell right back asleep lol. I interpret this to mean that she will be super grumpy when woken up, like both of her parents, but be able to instantly fall asleep like me.

Also, I am pulling the following prediction out of thin air, but I assume she will resemble Craig more than me, perhaps the lighter skin and longer nose, be more reserved when out of her comfort zone and loyal to those she loves most. I will say that she will be more affectionate and critical in nature like me... time will tell!

Fort Meyers Beach 2011

2011-06-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

Months ago, at work, I came across a company incentive trip reward offer to Fort Meyers Beach. I asked my boss who typically cashed in on these types of rewards (they often come around) since no one from our office had done so in the past. Long story short, the elite small group of people who typically were allowed to take advantage of the benefit were not going to to cash in on this particular trip and allowed us to go!

There were a few days were we neglected to take the camera with us so we didn't capture very many images of the island where we stayed nor all the tropical beauty which encircled us. The island was pretty small- only about two blocks wide which meant we saw ocean or mangroves from every window of our tenth story hotel room! We went out to eat at so many colorful restaurants which were unique to the tropical settings that had fresh seafood and incredibly delicious pina coladas- all of which had the option of mangrove or beach front seating. Eventually we grew tired of paying so much for the pina coladas (even though they are my favorite) and Craig mentioned figuring out how to make them- then it dawned on me, my dad had taught me how to make them years ago and I had just completely spaced it! So- we headed to the local overpriced grocery store and bought the ingredients to make them ourselves, for a whole lot less then $6 bucks a glass and they were every bit as good if not better!

Neither of us could remember the last time we were out in the sun and able to tan so it was a bit of a wake up call how fair we were amongst so many super tan locals! And I loved going without makeup the whole time too! Sounds silly but it was liberating to walk out the door without having to do my hair and my makeup and completely fit in all the other low maintence tourists and locals on the island.

We also took a few videos that I had issues trying to post. We had a couple videos of each of us holding an ultra mellow 40 inch alligator. Also had a sad video of me trying to film a manatee in the far distance while we kayaked (more on that later- too funny...) as well as a nutty video of our tour guide feeding a wild alligator marshmallows and even stroking the animals head!

Craig opted for the zippy Mustang rental car rather than the economic Prius. He loves cars and loves pushing them to their capacity and specifically accelerating from a dead stop. He would get such a thrill from drifting and doing doughnuts with the traction control feature off! I tried to get him to lay on the hood for a fun picture (as a joke! I am not a perv!) but he was worried someone would catch him so the conservative pose had to do.

View of the Gulf of Mexico from our balcony. I absolutely loved looking out onto the ocean. It is so beautiful to me! We even saw a dolphin swimming close to shore from this viewing area!

This little guy kept running into our hotel door when we would head out for the day. Craig eventually caught him and we "relocated" him down to the main level of the hotel. We hope he's happy and that he didn't end up a snack for a bird.

EVERGLADES WONDER GARDENS

Six months pregnant side profile pic. :)

AUDUBON CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY

This viewing area had a mother alligator and her babies nestled in the swampy background. Their camouflage makes it almost impossible to see in the above picture but she's in there! We even heard the babies chirp multiple times!

One of the drawbacks of this attraction were the crazed bite hungry horse flies that would immediately start attacking me if I stood still for more than a minute. At one point I sat down on a bench to look around and wait for Craig to catch up with me. I suddenly was caught off guard when about ten feet away from me, a barred owl kept watching me as I kept swatting and angrily mumbling to myself. I wondered what he thought of me... he watched me for quite a while and then flew away (it may have had something to do with the fact that I was yelling for Craig to come see it lol). I had never seen an owl in the wild before so that was cool.

During the late 1900's, popular women's fashion included ornate feathered hats. Due to demand, the above Egret's feathers eventually became worth more than gold!

BEACH WALKS

This beach was loaded with sea creatures! We saw multiple dolphins, numerous stingray (which Craig almost stepped on one time), fish, and even a jelly fish floating right next to us!

One of our favorite activities every day was to walk up and down the private beach searching for any type of wild life we could find. Our hotel came equipped with a net which we would take along to assist in our catching. Craig caught a crab, hermit crabs, fighting conchs, an urchin and other strange squishy creatures that we had never seen before. One evening we caught ten fighting conchs and raced them on the beach! Their names fit them well as they were aggressive from the moment we would pick them up! We really wanted to catch a stingray but never had any luck.

FLORIDA EVERGLADES DAY SAFARI

This tortoise's name was "Tank". Incredibly appropriate considering he had escaped a previous owner's home by plowing through a chain linked fence! Craig was told to stand on his shell and our group looked at the employee with great concern as we were unsure how this would turn out. After some hesitation, Craig did so, and the employee set a fresh leaf of lettuce steps away from the tortoise and to our surprise, Tank was able to walk over to his treat with Craig still on his back!

The mangrove trees are some of the only trees known to be able to grow in salty water. The tree filters the salt out of the water through multiple sacrificial yellow leaves. The yellow leaf collects the salt from the salt water and then sends the newly unsalted water to the rest of the tree. The yellow leaf is then released from the tree to allow another yellow leaf to take it's place and repeat the cycle once again. How amazing?!?!

I seriously hate the way I look in this picture! My tummy looks HUGE and my face and hair look ridiculous but it was the only picture of the fan boat which cruised us through the mangroves so I

figured I would sacrifice my self image to post it (lol).

PARADISE ADVENTURES

We planned this activity purely around the hopes of seeing manatee while kayaking through mangroves where the locals often spotted them. Using a map, we navigated through the maze of the waterways and were feeling bummed that we hadn't seen one yet. Craig had the idea of visiting one particular area twice since he was told that area was where we had the best chance of seeing them. The second time we were finally able to see about three manatee! Trying to capture a good picture of them was virtually impossible though...

The huge light colored shape underwater is one of the manatees!

I have to admit, I had a very long "moment" of pure panic and fear when we first began to notice air bubbles surfacing followed by unclear images under the murky water. I had began to feel sick with worry that the animals under water were not the docile vegetarian sea cows we were hoping to see but rather man eating, flesh tearing vicious preditors that wanted us as their snack. I had a hard time breathing and my body uncontrobaly trembled. Craig handed me the camara and asked me to take pictures but I felt so sick that I couldn't! Then he had me pass the camara back to him so that I could steer the kayak toward the animals and I protested explaining, "No!!!! What if they knock us over and something happens to us?!?!? Noooooo!" Well, long story short, we had a little exchange of words as I fought to turn back and Craig insisted that I had nothing to worry about and that I needed to let go of a wood pier that I gripped onto to save my dear life and prevent Craig from steering us any closer to the unknown monsters below us. Suddenly, a manatee surfaced right NEXT to me and I could see his entire body which confirmed he was in fact a manatee and not a blood thirsty leopard seal or fifteen foot crocodile ready to break us in half. It was only then, that I finally chilled out and was able to enjoy the experience! Looking back now- it was hysterical and we absolutely loved it!

2011-06-04T16:28:00.000-07:00

I am not sure why I haven't taken any belly bump pics but this is the first side profile picture we have taken. I believe it was when I was five and half months pregnant (I am almost seven now).

This side profile pic wasn't intended to be a baby bump pic but this image was when I was about four and half months that was taken on my b-day. My co-workers decorated my cube for my birthday in baby theme since I found out the baby's gender (little girl!) the day before.

AND they made me delicious caramelized banana crepes for one of my "snacks" since I eat about three or four times a day while working to help w/ my morning sickness and b/c I am CONSTANTLY hungry.

So many woman have told me pregnancy makes food taste ever so delicious. Probably the only pregnancy perk that I can think of (besides wearing awesome full panel stretchy pregnancy pants) and I can't even enjoy it! Food just isn't the same for me- I can't fully enjoy flavors and tastes like I did before I was pregnant. Craig made mention that I probably dislike the flavor of food about 90 percent of the time! But the above crepes were very tasty so it made it even more exciting for me!

I hope this indifference toward food isn't a sign of the baby's future relationship with food- she HAS to have a full appreciation for one of God's greatest gifts known to man!!! My family would wonder if she was even really related to all of us if she didn't! Time will tell...

When all else fails- flip a coin.

2011-06-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

You know there's some serious perks about being married to a man who is artistic, fashionable and creative. I don't know that I have ever confidently asked anyone for more color combination advice, clothing option advice, decoration advice (the list goes on and on) than my spouse. BUT who would have foreseen the disadvantages of what typically is a very cool trait, especially for a guy.

WELL LET ME TELL YOU. We are in the process of organizing what will be the baby's room. Specifically shopping for furniture and bedding. We agree on the modern style for the crib but picking out the crib's two tone colors has been quite the ordeal as we both have decided to stick to our color choices... no, compromising.

Craig's color combo choice:

NOTE: I love Craig's choice but have found it a pain in the neck to find bedding to compliment the bold color combo so I felt it a safer pick to go w/ my color combo.

Steph's color combo choice:

Weeks went by and the crib became that conversational subject that I wanted to avoid since neither of us would give in to the other.

One day, Craig enthusiastically suggests, "let's flip a coin for the crib colors. Heads, I win, tails, you win". I agreed, insisting that he could toss the coin if he closed his eyes and didn't look at the coin until I had first looked at it. He laughed and prudently made reference to the possibility that I would flip the coin to my benefit, taking advantage of his closed eyes?!?!? Who does that!?! Not me! After reassuring I would not do such a thing, the coin was tossed into the air and landed on the carpet about a foot in front of us.

Steph: NO!!!!!! You won!

Craig: *doing a little victory dance* I won!!!

Steph: *Laughing* Stop gloating! You are such a gloater!

Craig: *hugging me while grinning ear to ear* I won!!
-----------------------------------------------------------
*satisfied sigh* And so it is- the crib will be Chili Pepper accented w/ Espresso!

Moral of the story, when color compromise has deliberately been thrown out the window and all else fails, flip a coin. :)

Farewell Provo

2011-05-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

You know, it's funny what can make a person happy. It's all about perspective. Especially when circumstances take you down a different path than you had expected and planned for lol. Choosing to find happiness is "no cup of tea" but there's something to say about perspective developed during such moments in life.

Who would have thought we would have ended up living in Provo for so long? I certainly never pictured myself ever choosing to live there. In fact, when Craig told me BYU was the only university he applied to and wanted to get in to, I wanted to cry and ring his neck at the same time. BUT, I will say the place was VERY good to us and we loved the experience. Honestly. Go ahead. Judge us... ;)

Provo provided Craig w/ a quality education (which was mostly free due to scholarship), provided us w/ upstanding good friends, various spiritual experiences in our church callings (including the calling of Provo temple workers) and so many more personal experiences which have molded us in unique ways- we may expand later...

Well- three years and about eight months later, we finally have moved to Salt Lake this last weekend.

Our new apartment is right across the street from Trax and super close to I15. Craig is thrilled to now walk to the Trax station, never setting foot in his car, and cut down his commute to work by more than half. I will now commute (against traffic) down to my job in Provo. I love my job and don't want to find one in Salt Lake county. Once we have the baby, I will continue to work a couple days a week and commuting a couple days a week doesn't bother me one bit. A few other random perks about the move are that we also finally bought a new plush mattress (good bye 200 year old mattress!) and a new modern all leather couch (those suckers are harder to find than you think...). Also, we are now closer to our family which makes the frequent visits more enjoyable as we don't have to worry about the long and inconvenient ride there and back.

AND just a word on moving and helping others when they move- yea, sure it sucks and it's one of the least desirable ways to spend your free time and your valuable strength and energy. But Craig and I feel so grateful toward those who offered to help us and feel an inexplicable love for the family who came to help for hours and hours. Neither of us expected to feel so full of emotion toward all of them and while we weren't crying all over the place, we really felt moved by their act of service for our benefit. Long drives, forgone soccer games and sacrificed leisure time won us over and made us happy. Especially since I am pregnant and un-laboring which placed an even heavier load on Craig to carry. People who help other people move have a special place in heaven (I do dare say the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom) set a side for them and I will for sure be there to testify of their good deeds!

Anyway, the Provo chapter of our life has ended and now we are on to the Salt Lake chapter...

Yes...

2011-04-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

We are having a little offspring!

Expected debut: end of August/early September

San Fran 2011

2011-04-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago, we promised Craig's sister Erin that we would come visit while they were living in San Fran before they moved back to Utah. Weeks before they are set to move back, we finally kept our word and made a quick stop to visit the Mayfields in sunny California.

OAKLAND TEMPLE

Right when the Mayfields picked us up from the airport, we headed toward the Oakland temple. The grounds were covered in beautiful flowers, unique trees and perfectly trimmed shrubbery. I wondered for a split moment, if it would be wrong to take a trophy flower but decided against it when I consulted everyone's opinions lol (don't think less of me!!).

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

Standing in front of the California Academy of Science, w/ the Deyoung Art Museum and an olive tree garden in the background. Craig loved the modern design of the olive trees.

The above pics makes me giggle. I felt a bit mommish asking Craig to pose w/ the snake so I could take a picture lol. The picture below shows gorgeous clams which were endangered due to over harvesting for human consumption in Asian countries. Their color combinations were visually impressive! These type of museums bring back awesome memories from when I was little. This museum boasted coral reef aquariums, a multilevel rain forest simulation decorated w/ live giant spiders and we even witnessed a baby chick hatch from it's egg!

MUIR WOODS

Recently, Craig and I watched a few DVDs on the roots of national parks. In our videos, we learned quite a bit about John Muir, "a naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States". As a result, being in Muir Woods was more meaningful. The aged giant Redwood trees, the incredible smell of moist dirt and plant life and the history behind the area made this stop super enjoyable.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Let me explain. This is what happens when a mom asks her older brother and hubby to "watch" the baby while she showers lol. No worries- the fun loving baby really got a kick from the "bouncing baby on an air mattress act" (don't hate us Erin!)!

ALCATRAZ

When Craig and I were later discussing the highlights of the vacation, we decided Alcatraz Penitentiary was our favorite. Seconds later Craig retracted his statement and explained how Ava was actually the true main trip attraction, followed by Alacatraz.

Wikipedia explains, "Often referred to as The Rock, the small island early-on served as a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a Federal Bureau of Prisons federal prison until 1963." The prison housed notable inmates such as Robert "Birdman" Stroud, Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Alvin "Creepy Karpis" Karpowicz.

This is the recreation yard where inmates were allowed to spend some free time outside of their cells by playing baseball and table games like backgammon. The tour explained that if an inmate were involved in these activities, it kept them from thinking about escaping. Also, the higher you sat on the concrete stairs, apparently the more power you had in the inmate society.

I couldn't believe how small the cells were! Do you see how close the toilet is to the edge of the bed?!?! Not even a foot! SICK! To have my toilet that close to my bed alone would be prison punishment enough for me!

This is "cell D block" where problematic prisoners were sent for solitary confinement (which only allowed for one shower a week!).

FISHERMAN'S WHARF

Dainty little pirate!

DEYOUNG ART MUSEUM

The view from the top floor observatory was GORGEOUS. Everyone has unrealistic dreams, right? Well, mine would be to live on this floor and have full views in every direction of the San Fran area. Craig and I were so impressed w/ the view and Craig especially appreciated the area's archtictecual congruent color theme among all the homes and stuctures.

This was our favorite piece at the museum. The entire church is made from guns, bullets, bone and a couple other random things. Read the above for the full explanation which adds to the intrigue and uniqueness.

NOTE: Since I hadn't done my hair this day, I was not happy about Craig wanting me to be in any pics, hence my happy demeanor in this particular shot.

NATURE OF ENTANGLEMENT

Completely made from twigs and branches, this interactive art display was so clever! We want one...

JOHN'S ARTISTIC ABILITY

John had been sitting on the couch with us and randomly started taking creative pics of us on his phone. We really like this picture (thanks for emailing it to Craig)!

OF VITAL IMPORTANCE AND OF GREAT WORTH

It needs to be known that Erin prepared numerous snacks for us/me while we were cruising all over town which was a life saver for me in my lovely sick situation. Gingerale, raspberry preserves and peanut butter sandwiches, baby carrots, grapes and crackers were among our constant companions, 24/7. Thanks for preventing possible barf mishaps- you have no idea how happy (and relieved) it made me to see lunch totes packed w/ loads of food every morning before we headed out the door every day! THANK YOU!

AND speaking of barf mishaps (I won't give the details), THANKS A TON John for being the one to drive all of us, every day, all over the place from morning until night. We appreicate your willingness to accomodate to us!

Change

2011-03-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

Before....

After...

A while ago, I decided to keep letting my hair grow so that eventually, I could donate it to a wig company which would make wigs for cancer patients. After researching some of the companies out there I was disappointed to find out that if you had colored/bleached your hair that it disqualified your hair from being donated. Long story short, my hair dresser said her salon worked with a company that did take color/bleached hair so I was super excited! I walked into my salon expecting to just have the usual trim and all over color but came out having shoulder length hair (cut 10 inches off!) and I felt so fulfilled to have been able to donate it!

Once I (Craig) figure out how to transfer the pics from my new cell to the computer, I will post a couple pics. :)

Gold's Gym Bandwagon and Personal Comparisons

2011-02-25T12:14:00.000-08:00

That's right. Months ago, we jumped on the "we need to work out so let's join a gym" bandwagon.

I have mixed emotions about this cause of ours. I prefer to never sweat and really don't like the uncomfortable sensation that comes from physically challenging my below average weak muscles. In addition, it already takes me an hour and half to shower then dry and straighten my hair so the thought of having to do this monotonously boring routine twice in one day is just not the source of any remote happiness for me (this is just another reason why baby wipes come in ultra handy even if you don't have kids. "Baby wipe shower" is better than no shower). My gym pass is free (a work perk) UNLESS I do not go the gym at least 8 times a month, at which point my paycheck is deducted for each time I fail to prove myself a healthy employee.

On the flip side of things, if I do go the gym 8 times a month, I am doing my body a favor and some time later in life, I assume I will look back and thank myself for the sacrifice. AND I can eat more knowing I will burn the extra calories. That may be in fact my favorite benefit. Plus a group of us at work play racquetball once a week (since we all have the same health quota to meet) which makes the time fly by on that particular workout day (I am dreadful at sports of any kind but oh well- I try.). Craig will also have a renewed surge of energy after a gym visit which is valuable in the following ways:

1- He becomes extra chatty, which I always appreciate. I truly believe I must say 500 words for every 50 words he says lol.
2- He will do dishes late into the evening, when it might be a temptation to let them sit overnight b/c he's exhausted from waking up at 5:45AM, commuting for and hour and half, then working for over 8 hours, then commuting back home another hour and half.
3- He laughs more. And who doesn't love being around someone who laughs more?!?

The above are just a few of the benefits...

Anyway, on a slightly different note, I want to address a little something about how we see ourselves and how we see others, or in other words- personal comparisons.

One day when I was in high school, I recall having a pitty party for myself and explaining to my mom that there was a guy I liked, who might like another girl, who was prettier than I was. I will never forget her response and I catch myself repeating it to my friends and family even now, some almost 15 years later.

"There will always be someone who is prettier than you are AND there will always be someone who you are prettier than. It is just the way that it is honey."

Not what I wanted to hear at that time but it's completely valid and a good point. Why be caught up in what others have that you do not have? Just because someone has something that you do not, doesn't devalue you IN ANY WAY! Why not have the self security and selflessness to say, "good for them" for having a flatter stomach and bulging muscles the size of Texas (Gold's Gym setting), for having a better job, for having more money, for being more talented, for having better "luck", for having more fashionable hair or clothing, for whatever the case may be?

AND if you are feeling sassy, why not take it to another level and boost the self esteem and morale of that other person who may 'make' you feel threatened, simply b/c you are a good person? "You look so pretty today! Cute hair and I love your outfit..." or "You got the promotion and raise? That's awesome and I am happy for you!"... or blah blah blah...

We all have a story, we have a path we are traveling, we all will experience our set backs and our successes. Why spend any more time comparing ourselves with others when they too have their own stories, paths and experiences with set backs and successes. No two people have a carbon copy story so where is the justice in comparing?

Random Act of Kindness

2011-02-08T15:34:00.000-08:00

Yes- you know who you are. But I don't know who you are!

Thanks for the note left on my door recently. I read it many, many, many times. It came at a perfect time. Made me want to be a better person, live up to the nice things that were said.

Thanks to who ever you are!

2011-01-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

New year's eve this year was the best one yet.

Weeks ago, Craig and I had briefly suggested the idea of heading out to Bryce Canyon for the holiday for something different than the usual. It wasn't until the day before New year's eve that Craig decided we were for sure heading southbound. I say Craig decided b/c I had kicked back into my poor little attitude of wishing I could disappear for those couple of days and didn't want to even plan our little get away.

The following morning, Craig woke up early, drove up to South Jordan and picked up a couple of snow shoes and headed right back home to our place. We packed our things and were out the door by 12:30.

When we arrived to Ruby's Inn in Bryce Canyon, we were quickly checked-in and headed right into the snow covered canyon for some sightseeing. WOW. IT WAS FRIGID.

We found out at the visitor's center that later that New year's eve night, the "dark rangers" were providing an astronomy presentation.

We loved it! Quality presentation by well educated rangers who were passionate about astronomy!

We first saw a film which addressed light pollution as well as showing incredible pictures of space from the Hubble telescope. They provided hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and then we headed out into the negative 10 degree night air (THAT IS 42 DEGREES BELOW FREEZING PEOPLE) to check out the star canopy for ourselves. I laughed when I noticed the white telescope was named "Moby Dick". Creative.

We saw Sirius which is 10 light years away, yet the brightest star to us at that particular moment. The white giant resembled the brightest of sparkling diamonds!

We observed Jupiter and it's multiple moons. We saw remnants of the Crab Nebula and even a shooting star! The night sky was so clear that we were able to see a portion of the milky way. I don't know that I had ever seen it before. The ranger explained that half our children might not ever have the opportunity to see it the way our light pollution is headed. SAD. Our favorite was the Orion stellar nursery, where stars are born. A blue cloud surrounded the nursery of dotted new born stars. Incredible. Truth be told, I felt an appreciation for the beauty of our skies unlike ever before and felt gratitude toward our maker that I hadn't experienced before.

The star nursery above resembled the one we loved most.

When my fingertips and toes began to go numb, we decided to call it a night. We thanked our new friends and headed to the small town's party at Ebeneezers. We had some snacks, took a few pics and headed back to our hotel for the remainder of the night. Loved it. Thanks Craig.

And no. We didn't change out of our snow clothes the entire time were there. It was simply not worth being in style just to freeze to death.

The next day we spent snow shoeing off trails in Fairyland canyon. Beautiful! The powder was a couple feet deep and made for a serious workout.

Headed off trail... and... not too gracefully.

The picture above cracks me up! At one point, Craig wanted to snow shoe up to a certain section which required more energy than I wanted to put forth. So I waited below while he hiked up. I thought I was completely alone (meaning not being watched) so I literally let myself face plant onto the powder. I pretty much stayed there for a good little while. I needed to rest?!?! Apparently, Craig had been watching and taking pictures of me doing so lol.

The picture below is a close up of the one above. Too funny!

Craig is jumping in this picture but not sure if you can really tell. He had found the perfect tree branch to place the camera to capture the leap!

How does this little tree survive on this rock cliff?!?

Great times. Thank you spouse.

"Oh, you haven't seen The Nutcracker?!?!"

2011-01-06T20:09:00.000-08:00

Conversation between Craig and I:

C- I know The Nutcracker isn't your favorite ballet, but I would still like to see it some time.

S- Oh, you haven't see The Nutcracker?!?!

C- No. I have told you this every year and every year you say the same thing, "oh, you haven't seen The Nutcracker?!?!".

*I walk into the other room, pop open the laptop, and purchase perfect balcony seats for The Nutcracker the Monday after Christmas. Three minutes later.......

S- Surprise! I bought tickets to The Nutcracker!

C- You did?!?!

And truthfully, I don't remember the rest of the conversation but all that matters is that I, WILL, NEVER, AGAIN, ASK, "Oh, you haven't seen The Nutcracker?!?!".

Done. Problem resolved.

Christmas DAY 2010

2011-01-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas DAY was spent w/ the Wardle's.

In the morning, the whole family gathered around in the living room while Craig's brother, serving in Brazil spoke to us via Skpe. It was much cooler to see one another rather than just having him on the speaker phone.

After the phone call, we headed over to a local church to meet up w/ the Barbens (Craig's mom's side). We all just mingle, chat and snack. Amongst the conversations, I found out that Craig's aunt and uncle, Carol and Randy recently returned home from the Chicago mission and had met some of my old friends from my old ward from when I was a little girl. They even met my old primary teacher who I was surprised to hear was still alive and doing well! Small world when you are LDS...

Later in the evening we went to grandpa Wardle's. He gives each one of his kids and their spouses, his grandkids and their spouses, and his great grandkids a bit of money and we in turn purchase our gifts from him. We wrap the gifts, then unwrap each gift in front of him so he can see what he has purchased for us. This has been tradition for years and years! Quite the efficient and generous grandpa!

Later that night, we headed back to Craig's parents where Craig's siblings and significant others did the traditional gift exchange. I LOVED my necklace and blouse from Zach, and Craig always appreciates BYU fan-wear from Lee!

Needless to explain, we were quite busy this day so we didn't snap enough pics but here are a few.

PS: Gavin- I mostly remembered to take some toward the end of the night so that you could enjoy them!

It has become a Warlde tradition to make gingerbread homes. Each one of Craig's sisters is standing behind her creation.

What the Wardle's do best- enjoy one another's company!

Christmas EVE 2010

2011-01-02T15:46:00.001-08:00

This year, Christmas EVE was celebrated at my mom's and Dave's.

My mom's into nativity sets and I dare say she owns over a dozen. This one sits in the dining room, all on it's own. My eyes were fixed upon it. I wondered what it must have been like to have been there. I slightly rearranged the pieces so that all characters were closer to one another. I figured that's probably how the original setting would have been.

Hard to explain why, but it really made me happy to see Craig and my little brother hunched over like old men, with serious expressions while wearing their warm fleeces over a game of chess.

Ahhhh, Leo's cone of shame. We all had a good time at the poor dog's expense. How we love all 119 pounds of him!!!

Sisters acting really mature.

This year the siblings drew names for gift giving. My sister gave Craig a styling new shirt and my brother surprised me with velour top that I have had my eye on for months! He had no idea that I wanted it and I was just super excited and thankful!

Dinner was designed to replicate a meal the Savior would have had. The meal my mom prepared consisted of smoked fish, baked lamb, olives, unleavened bread w/ hummus, grapes, dill rice and a simple salad. While not the traditional Christmas meal, I loved how my mom centered the meal around Christ.

Good times.

The New Year's Blasted Bug

2010-12-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I dislike the new year's holiday. For as long as I can remember, I always have. I guess it's a type of internal struggle. When the holiday starts to come around the corner, I catch myself wishing and regretting, feeling disappointed and a few other negative emotions. Late last night, I caught that "new year's bug". This morning, I woke up and the blasted bug was still festering in my soul. My concerns were heavy. So, I took a dosage of the best remedy on the market-

a dosage of, "pray your guts out".

Later today, I read some thought provoking quotes that helped put things into perspective.

Here they are:

"The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem."
- Theodore Rubin

"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it."
- Winston Churchill

"You must be the change you want to see in the world."
- Mahatma Gandhi

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus when the limo breaks down."
- Oprah Winfrey

"The test we must set for ourselves is not to march alone but to march in such a way that others wish to join us."
- Hubert Humphrey

"You have to 'Be' before you can 'Do' and 'Do' before you can 'Have'.
- Zig Ziglar

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
- Stephen Covey

"Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things."
- Peter Drucker

"Our greatest glory is never in failure, but in rising every time we fall."
- Confucious

"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them- a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."
- Muhammad Ali

"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting"
- Elizabeth Bibesco

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we took so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened up for us"
- Helen Keller

"Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better. Don't wish for fewer problems, wish for more skills. Don't wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom."
- Earl Shoaf

Christmas Shopping.

2010-12-17T09:32:00.000-08:00

One down (as of last night).

A dozen more to go.

And only seven days until Christmas.

*sigh*

Tree Tradition

2010-12-12T14:38:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas trees. I purposely leave ours up for months.

The first and second Mondays following Thanksgiving, we put up our Christmas tree for family home evening. Our tree has a bazillion ornaments and takes a good amount of time to put up as does all the rearranging of things to make room for it. We listen to festive Christmas music and typically have a simple dinner, so we can allow more time for the decorating. This time we grabbed philly steak sandwiches and oreo shakes from the hole in the wall joint next door.

There's something about turning off the apartment lights and turning on the Christmas tree, that just makes me so comfortably happy. Every night, I look forward to nestling into the luv sac to watch a good movie, open and organize the mail, surf the Internet, or just snooze next to it. *sigh*- :)

2010-12-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

I literally laughed out loud when I opened up my work email this morning and saw this.

And this too. Makes me think of something my mom would say!

Ummmmm- is this really an animal?

Public Bathroom Natzi

2010-11-16T10:02:00.001-08:00

If there was such a thing as a public bathroom Nazi, what would she look like and what would she do?

WELL, WELL. She would be a receptionist, about 5'5", w/ long blonde wavy hair and dress quite cute. Overall a pretty person. BUT- she would always bully you when you used the public bathroom on "her" floor of our 3 story office building. She would give you dirty looks, ask why you use that bathroom instead of the one on "your" floor, and on rare and awkward occasions, even follow you into the bathroom?!?! Perhaps hoping to catch me playing in the toilet bowl, violently splashing urine-water around or perhaps catch me throwing fecal matter onto the wall.

She would complain to management that employees from other floors (meaning me and a handful of my co-workers) didn't have the right to use "her" bathroom, which is located outside of the office where she works. She would leave post it notes demanding we turn off the lights, even though the lights are on a timed sensor. She would keep track of how much paper product we used and express to management that we used too much (I don't even want to know how she is able to keep track). She would also complain that people would use their cell phone while in the stall. Personally, I do not engage in such icky activity, in public bathrooms, for obvious reasons (nosies that might be transmitted to the person on the other line, germs on the phone, etc.) BUT I am not going to waste my time complaining to management about others who do what they will with their phone.

Anyway-

Oh public bathroom Nazi, why must you have so much free time on your hands AND have such a bizarre idiosyncrasy ???

Ummmmm

2010-11-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

I just want to throw a few things out there.

1- I LOVE when people call before they come over.
2- I used to hate them but now I now LOVE the words to this song: Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are (thanks to a particular awesome situation).
3- Even though I am not a big "treat" person, I really, really, really want some kind soul to make me a whole batch of Oreo truffles b/c I LOVE them (and I don't want to think about the fact that each truffle is about 100 calories, which I don't LOVE while I am scarfing them down).

4- I LOVE people who are not judgemental, especially b/c they don't know the whole story.
5- I LOVE Twilight Woods and wish the scent lasted longer than a half hour.

6- I LOVE that starting this year, Craig and I will no longer be rushing from one family's house to the next, on the same day, during Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother's Day and Father's Day.
7- I LOVE that my sister is learning to cook, finally! It makes happy that she values my opinion enough to call me for help.

8- I LOVE drawing names for Christmas gifts and LOVE when people not only know you well enough but are generous enough to surprise you with something you LOVE.
9- I LOVE the way I feel when I do family history work. Really.

That's it.

2010-10-26T09:43:00.001-07:00

Our friend Amy Clark has an awesome photography business. She asked if we would be willing to help her out w/ a shoot for portfolio purposes. Truth be told, I was really excited since I think she does quality work and love browsing (stalking) her blogs that show-off her talent. I love her sense of style and I just love that girl anyway, so it made the evening together fun.

Check out the new photography blog here!

Check out her personal blog which also has tons of great photo shoots here!

Hands down-one of the best speeches. Enjoy.

2010-10-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

I know some people might criticize my doing this but I am ok with that. When I read this, it hit home with me in inexplicable way. I hope that someone else can benefit from it being posted here. It is patience redefined in a very personal and applicable way. Talk about seeing things in a new, brighter light. Yea, sure, it's long, but be patient while reading in it's entirety.

Patience

NEAL A. MAXWELL

Neal A. Maxwell was a President of the First Quorum of the Seventy
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional
address was given at Brigham Young University on 27 November 1979.

© Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Complete volumes of Speeches are available wherever LDS books are sold.

For further information contact:
Speeches, 218 University Press Building, Provo, Utah 84602.
(801) 422-2299 / E-mail: speeches@byu.edu / Speeches Home Page

Thank you very much, Bob. I appreciate this great privilege each time that it is mine, my brothers and sisters. I am grateful to the choral group today for that last number, the lyrics of which I hope will linger with you somewhat, because I will turn to them as I close my speech.

I have chosen to speak today about a very pedestrian principle: patience, I hope that I do not empty the Marriott Center by that selection. Perhaps the topic was selfishly selected because of my clear and continuing need to develop further this very important attribute. But my interest in patience is not solely personal; for the necessity of having this intriguing attribute is cited several times in the scriptures, including once by King Benjamin who, when clustering the attributes of sainthood, named patience as a charter member of that cluster (Mosiah 3:19; see also Alma 7:23).

Patience is not indifference. Actually, it means caring very much but being willing, nevertheless, to submit to the Lord and to what the scriptures call the "process of time."

Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient we are suggesting that we know what is best--better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His. Either way we are questioning the reality of God's omniscience as if, as some seem to believe, God were on some sort of postdoctoral fellowship and were not quite in charge of everything.

Saint Teresa of Avila said that unless we come to know the reality of God, including his omniscience, our mortal existence "will be no more than a night in a second-class hotel" (quoted by Malcolm Muggerridge in "The Great Liberal Death Wish," Imprimis [Hillsdale College, Michigan], May 1979.) Our second estate can be a first-class experience only if you and I develop a patient faith in God and in his unfolding purposes.

We read in Mosiah about how the Lord simultaneously tries the patience of His people even as He tries their faith (Mosiah 23:21). One is not only to endure, but to endure well and gracefully those things which the Lord "seeth fit to inflict upon [us]" (Mosiah 3:19), just as did a group of ancient American saints who were bearing unusual burdens but who submitted "cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (Mosiah 24:15).

Paul, speaking to the Hebrews, brings us up short by writing that, even after faithful disciples had "done the will of God," they "[had] need of patience" (Hebrews 10:36). How many times have good individuals done the right thing only to break or wear away under subsequent stress, canceling out much of the value of what they had already so painstakingly done? Sometimes that which we are doing is correct enough but simply needs to be persisted in patiently, not for a minute or a moment but sometimes for years. Paul speaks of the marathon of life and of how we must "run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Paul did not select the hundred-meter dash for his analogy!

The Lord has twice said: "And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life" (D&C 101:38, emphasis added; see also Luke 21:19). Could it be, brothers and sisters, that only when our self-control becomes total do we come into the true possession of our souls?

Patience is not only a companion of faith but is also a friend to free agency. Inside our impatience there is sometimes an ugly reality: We are plainly irritated and inconvenienced by the need to make allowance for the free agency of others. In our impatience--which is not the same thing as divine discontent--we would override others, even though it is obvious that our individual differences and preferences are so irretrievably enmeshed with each other that the only resolution which preserves free agency is our patience and long suffering with each other.

The passage of time is not, by itself, an automatic cure for bad choices; but often individuals like the prodigal son can "in process of time" come to their senses. The touching reunion of Jacob and Esau in the desert, so many years after their youthful rivalry, is a classic example of how generosity can replace animosity when truth is mixed with time. When we are unduly impatient, we are, in effect, trying to hasten an outcome when this kind of acceleration would be to abuse agency. Enoch--brilliant, submissive, and spiritual--knew what it meant to see a whole city-culture advance in "process of time." He could tell us much about so many things, including patience. Patience makes possible a personal spiritual symmetry which arises only, brothers and sisters, from prolonged obedience within free agency.

There is also a dimension of patience which links it to a special reverence for life. Patience is a willingness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of God with a sense of wonder and awe, rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance. Put another way, too much anxious opening of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising. So it is with us. If we are always selfishly taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we will not be.

When we are impatient, we are neither reverential nor reflective because we are too self-centered. Whereas faith and patience are companions, so are selfishness and impatience. It is so easy to be confrontive without being informative; so easy to be indignant without being intelligent; so easy to be impulsive without being insightful. It is so easy to command others when we are not in control of ourselves.

I remember as a child going eagerly to the corner store for what we then called an "all-day sucker." It would not have lasted all day under the best usage, but it could last quite awhile. The trick was to resist the temptation to bite into it, to learn to savor rather than to crunch and chew. The same savoring was needed with a precious square of Hershey milk chocolate to make the treat last, especially in depression times.

In life, however, even patiently stretching out sweetness is sometimes not enough; in certain situations, enjoyment must actually be deferred. A patient willingness to defer dividends is a hallmark of individual maturity. It is, parenthetically, a hallmark of free nations that their citizens can discipline themselves today for a better tomorrow. Yet America is in trouble (as are other nations) precisely because a patient persistence in a wise course of public policy is so difficult to attain. Too many impatient politicians buy today's votes with tomorrow's inflation.

But back to the personal relevance of patience which, among many things, permits us to deal more effectively with the unevenness of life's experiences. I recorded the substance of this speech about three months ago while driving to a stake conference in Elko, Nevada, across that rather barren, but beautiful in its own way, stretch of desert. (Incidentally, as soon as most of this speech on patience was dictated my car threw two fan belts!) During that drive, it was brought forcibly to me that the seeming flat periods of life give us a blessed chance to reflect upon what is past as well as to be readied for some rather stirring climbs ahead. Instead of grumbling and murmuring, we should be consolidating and reflecting, which would not be possible if life were an uninterrupted sequence of fantastic scenery, confrontive events, and exhilarating conversation.

Patience helps us to use, rather than to protest, these seeming flat periods of life, becoming filled with quiet wonder over the past and with anticipation for that which may lie ahead, instead of demeaning the particular flatness through which we may be passing at the time. We should savor even the seemingly ordinary times, for life cannot be made up all of kettledrums and crashing cymbals. There must be some flutes and violins. Living cannot be all crescendo; there must be some dynamic contrast.

Clearly, without patience we will learn less in life. We will see less; we will feel less; we will hear less. Ironically, "rush" and "more" usually mean "less." The pressure of "now," time and time again, go against the grain of the gospel with its eternalism.

There is also in patience a greater opportunity for that discernment which sorts out the things that matter most from the things that matter least. The mealtime episode of the Savior in the home of Mary and Martha is an example. Anxious, impatient Martha focused on getting food on the table while Mary wisely chose "the good part"--companionship and conversation instead of calories--a good choice, the Savior said, which would not be taken from her.

In our approach to life, patience also helps us to realize that while we may be ready to move on, having had enough of a particular learning experience, our continued presence is often needed as a part of the learning environment of others. Patience is thus closely connected with two other central attributes of Christianity--love and humility. Paul said to the saints at Thessalonica, "Be patient toward all men"--clearly a part of keeping the second great commandment (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

The patient person assumes that what others have to say is worth listening to. A patient person is not so chronically eager to put forth his or her own ideas. In true humility, we do some waiting upon others. We value them for what they say and what they have to contribute. Patience and humility are special friends.

Since our competition in life, as Elder Boyd K. Packer has perceptively said, is solely with our old self, we ought to be free, you and I, as members of the Church, from the jealousies and anxieties of the world which go with interpersonal competition. Very importantly, it is patience, when combined with love, which permits us "in process of time" to detoxify our disappointments. Patience and love take the radioactivity out of our resentments. These are neither small nor occasional needs in most of our lives.

Further, the patient person can better understand how there are circumstances when, if our hearts are set too much upon the things of this world, they must be broken--but for our sakes, and not merely as a demonstration of divine power. But it takes real patience in such circumstances to wait for the later vindication of our trust in the Lord.

Therefore, if we use the process of time well, it can cradle us as we develop patient humility. Keats tenderly observed: "Time, that aged nurse, /Rock'd me to patience" (John Bartlett, Familiar Quotations, 14th ed. [Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1968], p. 580). Clearly, patience so cradles us when we are in the midst of suffering. Paul, who suffered much, observed in his epistle to the Hebrews: "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Hebrews 12:11).

Patience permits us to cling to our faith in the Lord when we are tossed about by suffering as if by surf. When the undertow grasps us, we will realize that even as we tumble we are somehow being carried forward; we are actually being helped even as we cry for help.

One of the functions of the tribulations of the righteous is that "tribulation worketh patience" (Romans 5:3). What a vital attribute patience is if tribulation is worth enduring to bring about its development! Patience in turn brings about the needed experience, as noted in the stunning insight the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph Smith: "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good" (D&C 122:7). Perhaps one can be forgiven if, in response to this sobering insight, his soul shivers just a bit. James also stressed the importance of patience when our faith is being tried, because those grueling experiences "[work] patience," and said, in what was almost a sigh of the soul, "Let patience have her perfect work . . ." (James 1:3-4).

To Joseph Smith, the Lord described patience as having a special finishing and concluding quality, for "These things remain to overcome through patience, that such may receive a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (D&C 63:66). A patient disciple, for instance, will not be surprised nor undone when the Church is misrepresented. Peter, being toughminded as well as tender, made the test of our patience even more precise and demanding when he said, "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God" (1 Peter 2:20). The dues of discipleship are high indeed, and how much we can take so often determines how much we can then give. I believe it was George MacDonald who observed that, in the process of life, we are not always the already-tempered and helpful hammer which is shaping and pounding another. Sometimes we are merely the anvil.

Thus, as already indicated, patience is a vital mortal virtue in relation to our faith, our free agency, our attitude toward life, our humility, and our suffering. Moreover, patience will not be an obsolete attribute in the next world.

My brothers and sisters, the longer I examine the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more I understand that the Lord's commitment to free agency is very deep--indeed, much deeper than is our own. The more I live, the more I also sense how exquisite is His perfect love of us. It is, in fact, the very interplay of God's everlasting commitment to free agency and His everlasting and perfect love for us which inevitably places a high premium upon the virtue of patience. There is simply no other way for true growth to occur.

God's attributes of omniscience and omnipotence no doubt made the plan of salvation feasible. But it was His perfect love which made the plan inevitable. And it is His perfect patience which makes it sustainable. Do we not, again and again, get breathtaking glimpses of God's perfect patience in the execution of the plan of salvation, concerning which He has said that his "course is one eternal round" (D&C 3:2)?

Thus it is that patience is to human nature what photosynthesis is to nature. Photosynthesis, the most important single chemical reaction we know, brings together water, light, chlorophyll, and carbon dioxide, processing annually the hundreds of trillions of tons of carbon dioxide and converting them to oxygen as part of the process of making food and fuel. The marvelous process of photosynthesis is crucial to life on this planet, and it is a very constant and patient process. So, too, is an individual's spiritual growth. Neither patience nor photosynthesis are conspicuous processes.

Patience is always involved in the spiritual chemistry of the soul, not only when we try to turn the trials and tribulations--the carbon dioxide, as it were--into joy and growth, but also when we use it to build upon the seemingly ordinary experiences to bring about happy and spiritual outcomes.

Patience is, therefore, clearly not fatalistic, shoulder-shrugging resignation. It is the acceptance of a divine rhythm to life; it is obedience prolonged. Patience stoutly resists pulling up the daisies to see how the roots are doing. Patience is never condescending or exclusive--it is never glad when others are left out. Patience never preens itself; it prefers keeping the window of the soul open.

I have struggled to find adequate words to express these concluding feelings and these thoughts about our need to be patient with ourselves and with our circumstances in this second estate.

Some of us have been momentarily wrenched by the sound of a train whistle spilling into the night air, and we have been inexplicably subdued by the mix of feelings that this evokes. Or perhaps we have been beckoned by a lighted cottage across a snow-covered meadow at dusk. Or we have heard the warm and drawing laughter of children at a nearby playground. Or we have been tugged at by the strains of congregational singing from a nearby church. Or we have encountered a particular fragrance which has awakened memories deep within us of things which once were. In such moments, we have felt a deep yearning, as if we were temporarily outside of something to which we actually belonged and of which we so much wanted again to be a part.

There are spiritual equivalents of these moments. Such seem to occur most often when time touches eternity. In these moments we feel a longing closeness--but we are still separate. The partition which produces this paradox is something we call the veil--a partition the presence of which requires our patience. We define the veil as the border between mortality and eternity; it is also a film of forgetting which covers the memories of earlier experiences. This forgetfulness will be lifted one day, and on that day we will see forever--rather than "through a glass, darkly" (1 Corinthians 13:12).

There are poignant and frequent reminders of the veil, adding to our sense of being close but still outside. In our deepest prayers, when the agency of man encounters the omniscience of God, we sometimes sense, if only momentarily, how very provincial our petitions are; we perceive that there are more good answers than we have good questions; and we realize that we have been taught more than we can tell, for the language used is not that which the tongue can transmit.

We experience this same close separateness when a baby is born, but also as we wait with those who are dying--for then we brush against the veil, as goodbyes and greetings are said almost within earshot of each other. In such moments, this resonance with realities on the other side of the veil is so obvious that it can be explained in only one way!

No wonder the Savior said that His doctrines would be recognized by His sheep, that we would know His voice, that we would follow Him (John 10:14). We do not, therefore, follow strangers. Deep within us, His doctrines do strike the promised chord of familiarity and underscore our true identity. Our sense of belonging grows in spite of our sense of separateness; for His teachings stir our souls, awakening feelings within us which have somehow survived underneath the encrusting experiences of mortality.

This inner serenity which the believer knows as he brushes against the veil is cousin to certitude. The peace it brings surpasses our understanding and certainly our capacity to explain. But it requires a patience which stands in stark contrast to the restlessness of the world in which, said Isaiah, the wicked are like the pounding and troubled sea which cannot rest (Isaiah 57:20).

But mercifully the veil is there. It is fixed by the wisdom of God for our good. It is no use being impatient with the Lord over that reality, for it is clearly a condition to which we agreed so long ago. Even when the veil is parted briefly, it will be on His terms, not ours. Without the veil, we would lose that precious insulation which would constantly interfere with our mortal probation and maturation. Without the veil, our brief mortal walk in a darkening world would lose its meaning--for one would scarcely carry the flashlight of faith at noonday and in the presence of the Light of the World. Without the veil, we could not experience the gospel of work and the sweat of our brow. If we had the security of having already entered into God's rest, certain things would be unneeded; Adam and Eve did not clutch social security cards in the Garden of Eden.

And how could we learn about obedience if we were shielded from the consequences of our disobedience? And how could we learn patience under pressure if we did not experience pressure and waiting? Nor could we choose for ourselves if we were already in His holy presence, for some alternatives do not there exist. Besides, God's Court is filled with those who have patiently overcome--whose company we do not yet deserve.

Fortunately, the veil keeps the first, second, and third estates separate--hence our sense of separateness. The veil avoids having things "compound in one" to our everlasting detriment (2 Nephi 2:11). We are cocooned, as it were, in order that we might truly choose. Once, long ago, we chose to come to this very setting where we could choose. It was an irrevocable choice. And the veil is the guarantor that our ancient choice will be honored.

When the veil which encloses us is no more, time will also be no more (D&C 84:100). Even now, time is clearly not our natural dimension. Thus it is that we are never really at home in time. Alternately, we find ourselves impatiently wishing to hasten the passage of time or to hold back the dawn. We can do neither, of course. Whereas the bird is at home in the air, we are clearly not at home in time--because we belong to eternity. Time, as much as any one thing, whispers to us that we are strangers here. If time were natural to us, why is it that we have so many clocks and wear wristwatches?

Thus the veil stands--not to shut us out forever, but to remind us of God's tutoring and patient love for us. Any brush against the veil produces a feeling of "not yet," but also faint whispers of anticipation of that moment when, in the words of today's choral hymn, "Come, Let Us Anew," those who have prevailed "by the patience and hope and the labor of love" will hear the glorious words," 'Well and faithfully done; / Enter into my joy and sit down on my throne' " (Hymns, number 17).

May each of us live for that special moment patiently and righteously, I pray in the name of Him who is so patient with me as I strive to be an "especial witness" for him in all the world, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

30 years of Craig :)

2010-10-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Well spouse, this is weeks late but I needed to gather pictures to make this work. Happy 30th birthday love! You were such a cutie growing up and still continue to be quite the handsome little devil! :)

Little baby Craig- I can't believe how dark he is, especially when compared to his siblings who are all blondies! It's no wonder an Asian women who shared the same hospital room w/ Craig's mom almost left the hospital w/ Craig believing he was her newborn baby! lol!

Seriously- I don't think little boys come any cuter. I hope our little boy(s) look like him!

Stylin w/ the argyle and penny loafers! Still to this day, Craig still loves this outfit! :)

Helping little sister Erin learn to walk.

Hands down my favorite picture. Craig's expression is hysterical!

I asked Craig what had happened here. He laughed and with a satisfied big grin said, "I tied myself to the rail!". Ooohhh... I should have known!

Craig says he remembers just absolutely loving to play baseball when he was little.

Slick stance and suit!

Can you find us in this high school dance pic?!? We were 17 years old!

Post high school

My favorite "grown up" pic of Craig. Currently hangs on the fridge!

Things haven't changed too much. He still enjoys guns but thankfully, he no longer displays a possessed expression when holding one.

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y ! ! ! ! ! !

"when such and such happens, then i'll finally have time to do such and such..."

2010-09-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

the following thought likes to tempt me almost on a daily basis:

"when such and such happens, then i'll finally have time to do such and such..."

can i just say the thought is nice, but i am starting to face the disheartening truth that it's simply a complete lie that i tell myself much too often. the idea of having more time available as i move forward with my life truthfully will never happen (assuming i am doing what i know i ought to be doing with my time, talents, resources, etc.).

the other night i was thinking about my life and the roles both craig and i fulfill. the breadwinner role, the active church member role (we each have three callings. YES. three.), the spouse role, the domestic responsibilities role, the what i call the "well-rounded fun role" which interprets to mean the hobbies we choose to develop that add depth to our life, the friend role, the daughter/son/sibling role, the good citizen role, the "just be a decent person" role. i lay in bed hearing the infant who lives below us angrily screaming for some unknown reason which reminded me of the role yet to come. parenthood. yikes.

weeks ago i momentarily felt comforted when i realized this very stage in our life had the least amount of responsibility (meaning we should have more free time) when compared to what lie in the future. a simple happiness lingered in my soul. almost as if i was the proud possessor of a priceless and rare item that i assume is equally coveted among the entire human race. the possession of time to use as we please. i know it sounds strange but that's really how i felt. then it sank in. sank in, nice and heavy. if this was the case- why is every single day and night of the week scheduled on the haunting calender hanging on the kitchen fridge? literally, glancing at the calendar, there is almost always something, written in red ink (getting tired of the red ink- need a change), on every box representing each day of the month?!? how is this possible? it's not like i am martha stewart or craig's the president of the united states?!? what the heck happened?

then the lie takes shape- "when such and such happens, then i'll finally have time to do such and such...". LOL. who am i kidding? if i truly want to do, to develop, to accomplish, to feel, to think, to become what i would like, why WOULDN'T i do it now? what do i gain by telling myself that little lie of when something happens then i will finally have time to do such and such? actually i take it back. i do gain something. it's called regret.

so what i am regretting? not taking on "hard things" with true perspective.

i avoided intense training to receive an additional certification at work for the last two years. i explained to my boss that when certain things happened, i would have more time. well the training which involves loads of studying and test taking over a course of two years, could have been part of my past by now. but nooooo. i have just begun. i could have been fulfilling the continual knowledge/education role rather than constantly worrying about it and hoping my boss wouldn't bring it up for the 40th time.

the healthy person role. i like to believe i eat pretty healthy. what i don't do is exercise on a regular basis. it's embarrassing that my mother, who is twice my age, is in better shape than i am. why do i sit at my desk at work and daydream about using the pleasant river trail during my lunch break that's literally right behind our building?!?!?! what makes me feel even worse is when i drive home and see business men in their suits riding their bikes home (sweating like pigs, eeew) and young mothers, briskly walking for their workout, pushing a child in their stroller while having another child strapped in infant carriers on their chests! what is my excuse??? we even have a treadmill. blasted thing.

there are some people out there that i just simply don't like. at all. i wish that i would have taken on the "hard" effort of forgiving them soon after they had committed their offense rather than thinking, "well, when they die, it will be easier to forgive them". i could have been years into the difficult process and i could have had more happiness, less resentment. the role of "just be a decent person" could maybe be adjusted to be "just be a charitable person". it makes me think of the concept between choosing good, better and best. it's good to be decent but it's way better to be charitable.

i recently blogged about our family hike to timp cave. while we were hiking, we were talking about quality good people in the world. i sadly said, i want to be like them. i liked both responses i heard. i also needed to hear both responses. first, my mother said, "then be that way". later, craig said, "you are that way". it was a good reminder. we don't have to wait until "such and such happens" to "finally have time to do such and such". in this case, my brain heard the logical "just do it" as well as the positive reinforcement that "i was already on the path".

side note. that same infant i referenced earlier who lives below us, is now happily squealing as his parents make funny sounds at him. :)

wrapping up my thoughts- no need to wait to be what you are already becoming.

anyway- it's time to call it a night.

What are weekends for?

2010-09-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

Lazy weekend? Yea right. Haven't seen one of those in I don't know how long. I used to dread summer and never understood why so many people craved those few short months of the blasted blistering year. But I have come to appreciate summer unlike ever before.

Hiked up to Timpanogos Cave w/ my family. Both Craig and I had visited the cave some 15 plus years ago. I don't know if we were too young to appreciate it then but we really enjoyed it this time around. Quality workout too ("a strenuous 1 1/2-mile-paved trail, which rises 1,065 ft to an elevation of 6,730 feet above sea level").

Next year, we are going to sign up for their INTRODUCTION TO CAVING TOUR which is going to be awesome! The Off trail hike/tour using special equipment really sounds like a blast to us both! We planned on checking out the BIRDS OF PREY EVENING SHOW but weren't able to make it so that's on next year's agenda as well. OH YEA- and I will also be bringing my own jacket! Thank goodness to Kristen's good ex-boyfriend's family, who happened to be hiking back down from the cave, who lent us the jackets off their backs!

Met a sweet autistic boy named Jeremy who stuck by my side the entire way up and helped me get out of my bad mood. (NO mom- we can't give him my phone number!?! LOL!).

The cave creations were more colorful than they appear in these pics. Craig was able to capture more color while manipulating the little light which was available in there to snap a few good pics.

The above picture is a flashlight lighting up a beautiful mint-green colored stalactite!

The cave's "heart", was a couple feet tall and perfectly shaped!

Many sections reminded us of an ocean's coral reef.

Not sure what my mom is doing here but it made us laugh. I rotated the last picture for fun; the new angle matches her facial expression.

This too made us laugh-

Have ever I mentioned that one of my favorite past times is to watch either one of my parents cook? Serious- I never grew up helping in the kitchen (not their thing) but I did sit close by soaking up all I could learn, observing as much as possible! And they would always have me taste test as they went along which I didn't mind in the least bit!

We also ran the Weber river. Thanks for trying new things sister! :)
(Remember me grasping on to that rock as our ducky began to float away?!? I believe I am a good inch taller from it stretching my body ;) lol!

*gasp* Is it really 12:41AM??? NOOOO! I am going to be dead for work tomorrow. :(

Quatro

2010-09-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

We, Craig Phillip Wardle and Stephanie Nickol Perez- Wardle annouce our fourth year of marital togetherness. :)

The celebratory festivities included incredible service and good food at Christopher's Seafood and Steak House downtown Salt Lake. The manager surprised us with a complimentary creme brulee as a "happy anniversary" token! Very very thoughtful! I couldn't believe the attention we received! We would highly recommend the restaurant for a special occasion!

After dinner we walked over to the Capitol Theater where we experienced The Lion King. Spectacular costumes, powerful voices and tribal music made the quality performance a hit!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utq8oft7btQ&feature=player_embedded#!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

(Random note- Craig and I made the necklace I am wearing in the above pictures! Months later I made the matching earrings to pair with it!)

Boys and Their Toys...

2010-09-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

The new toy entertains him for HOURS! :)

Enough said.

2010-08-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

Ok ok, I guess you can kill it...

2010-08-17T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were in Yellow Pine. Craig purchased a fishing license before we headed up for Wardle family tenting trip. One day, we went on a hike and found a fishing hole where Craig used to fish with his dad when he was just a little guy. He was quite excited as the location brought back good memories. The next morning, he and his dad went fishing right in that very same part of the river. He invited me to join him but I couldn't bear the thought of having to see a worm suffer through the hooking process nor the fish suffocate to death while enduring a painful hook wound. Instead, I headed off on a hike to check out Wolf Creek Dam (at least that's what I think it's named). I wasn't sure about Craig catching a fish since I had no idea how to cook one and had zero intention of gutting any living organism in my lifetime. BUT BUT BUT, I was happy for Craig when we met back up and he proudly carried with him an already gutted rainbow trout!

Later that night we set out to bake him. I googled recipes on line for "how to cook trout with the skin on" while Craig thouroughly cleaned him and prepared him to be spiced.

Here's the before:

AND the after:

Seriously- that fish was delicious! Butter, salt, pepper and broil (next time a little lemon will perfect the recipe). AMAZING. Fresh fish has a completely different flavor than store bought fish and we honestly believe that it didn't seem to have as strong of an odor as store bought fish, as it cooked.
I am glad Craig encouraged us to eat his prize even though I was weary. Everyone must experience a fresh caught fish cooked to a delightful perfection in their lifetime. It was very cool.

My Guts

2010-08-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

HEADS UP-----------------

WARNING: STOP READING/VIEWING IF YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE W/ PICS OF MY NAKED TUMMY AND SOME OF MY GUTS :)

Anyone who knows me very well knows that I have a horrid fear of physical pain, blood, guts, needles, etc. Still to this day, my mom makes fun of me when she recalls the many doctor visits where I was given a shot and my response was just pathetic. That's all I am going to say about that. Last week, I am proud to announce that I endured and lived through my first surgery! This is a HUGE mile stone for me b/c it is literally a ridiculously huge fear of mine!

I have had a tumor on my hip for about five years now. It was benign and slow in it's growth so it wasn't a threat, just uncomfortable since it sat right under the surface level of my skin and right on the corner of my hip bone. My pants would smash it and cause minor discomfort. Now that we have incredible health insurance through Craig's job, I figured now would be the time to have it removed since it keeps growing and would continually become more and more uncomfortable.

The night before, Craig gave me a blessing which promised no complications and minimal recovery. The blessing was exactly what I needed to hear.

Here are some pics of the event-

This is the prep stage where I explained to the doctor, PA and two nurses how horridly afraid I was and that I was sweating like crazy. The PA went above and beyond to calm my nerves. He connected his cell phone to some speakers that were in the room and played calming Jack Johnson music in order to break the uncomfortable silence and to help get my mind off things.

I have always had a low tolerance for pain and a high tolerance for drugs so this part was not so fun for me. The doctor gave me two shots to deaden the area. I knew this would not be enough since the past has taught me the typical dosage never is strong enough for me. Sure enough he started cutting and I could feel it. He ended up giving me two more shots and a third something else that eventually did the trick. It was such a strange sensation to not feel pain but feel serious pressure from the tugging and moving that was going on. I had a hard time dealing with it. I was sweating like mad. The nurse was sweet and sympathetically made mention that my fists were really tense. So I just placed them on the back of my head to avoid the clenching lol. I asked them if this was what it would feel like to give birth to which they responded that yes, the concept was the same. I don't know why I asked b/c now that makes me worry even more than I already do.

Here is the tip of the actual tumor.

When I feel afraid, I like to talk a lot. I was happy that the medical team was willing to indulge me during my endless chattiness, the entire surgery (lol). We talked about my family, then I asked them to takes pics, then I asked them to tell me about their favorite and least favorite surgeries. The PA enjoyed removing colons (he had his removed and understood the positive impact it made), the doctor preferred neck surgery while one of the nurses hated rectum surgery (can't blame her). At one point, the surgeon began to describe what he was doing. I had to ask him to not tell me a single thing b/c I would instantly become sick. When he eventually pulled the entire tumor out, he dangled it in front of me and I was shocked that I was ok with it. It was much bigger than I expected to be. It looked like an incredibly fat and plump worm or a really fat finger.

And that concludes the tale of facing one of my fears!

$2 buck Tuesdays

2010-08-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

I love Thanksgiving Point's $2 buck Tuesdays. Admission is $2 a person for numerous venue's during the month of August! That is an amazing price and we had to take advantage of the deal. Last week we visited the Museum of Ancient Life. In my opinion, it's the most impressive museum in Utah. According to their website, the museum features more than 120 skeletons and ranks as one of the world's largest permanent exhibitions of ancient life.

Apparently, Utah has an official state fossil?!

I have been to a few a dinosaur museums before and this was a first for me- fossilized fecal matter!

HUGE turtle! His flipper was about as long as we were tall!

Eva's first dino ride :).

We saw a bunch of little kids do this similar pose so we decided to copy them since our original picture was too boring.

I thought Craig had long legs ;)!

When I took this picture, I expected it to turn out quite differently. I was hoping to catch more of the dinosaur and didn't expect Craig to look like he was "pooped" out of his back end lol. Oh well.

2010-07-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

The post I just completed below has two errors that for some reason will not allow me to correct! RRRR!

The Kahuna video posted at the very end when it should have been toward the beginning of the entry and a moose pic posted twice when it should have only posted toward the end.

How annoying!

24th

2010-07-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to the Snake River for some more kayaking excitement. I couldn't believe how packed it was with rafters and kayakers! Craig mentioned it is the most ran river on the west side of the country.

The water was a deep shade of green and incredibly clear! I later found out it was absolutely, by far, the coldest water I had ever been in, in my entire life. We ran the river 3 times in about 18 hours. Prior to finding out how cold the water truly was, Craig had asked me to pretend to flip the boat so that I could get some practice in a potential mishap where I would be forced to swim through a rapid, while holding on to my not-so-cheap paddle and keeping my cool. Well, well. I didn't want to get myself too wet and certainly wanted to avoid getting my hair wet so I adamantly declined. So, during the last run, Craig asked me to sit in the back rather than in the front of our two man inflatable "ducky". He thought it would be a good idea for me to learn how to steer.

We should have known better. By this third run, I was really physically tired and didn't have the experience or energy that I had had during the first couple runs. During the first set of rapids we encountered, I completely flipped us over! We easily maneuvered out of our thigh straps, swam to the surface and that's when the shock of cold water just about killed me lol! I honestly felt like my chest cavity was caving in on itself as I was struggling to breath. I had never experienced that feeling before. It was awful :(. As I was trying to get a grip of myself, I suddenly hear Craig urgently declare, "get your paddle! it's floating down stream!" I had completely spaced hanging on to it and that was just one more "fun" thing to do and worry about while in the glacier cold frigid water that I felt was about to suffocate me! I eventually grabbed my paddle while Craig flipped the boat right side up, paddled over to me and I flopped myself back into the boat. As I laid on my face, I expressed how terrible I felt about lacking the energy and experience I wished I had. Craig, tring to boost my moral, explained the wave was angled in an awkward way causing us to flip easier and that perhaps our weight distribution was off also contributing to our little mishap. Thanks love, but I know I just sucked it up. Also, a HUGE thanks for paddling the rest of that run while I took it easy.

Next investment- dry (and very warm) suit.

But other than that, we had a great time. We will be returning!

Here is Big Kahuna. The waves were huge! I was drilled in the face multiple times as the waves crashed over my whole body! We took this video later that evening of a couple of kayakers who ran through the areas of least resistance so they didn't get the whole effect we experienced. Craig's request for the description for the video was, "This is weak sauce; they missed the entire wave train! It makes rapids look wussy- the rapids are huge if you hit the center peak of each wave which they totally missed!"

Can I just express my gratitude for the moose's interest in her food rather than an interest in charging me for getting too close!

We also stopped in Jackson Hole since it was so close the Snake River. It was quaint in a Park City way, expect a bit smaller. We found a couple shops with amazing artwork. Some of the artwork was created from authentic fossils and insects (sounds strange but was tastefully done). We just about died when we realized some of the pieces sold for $250,000!

Aaaaaanndd we stopped in Grand Teton National Park. Our goal was to spot a moose. :)

I look retarded in this picture but the background is gorgeous and the fluffy flower remnants drifting away adds a nice touch.

This picture makes me laugh. When we reached Jenny Lake in the park, I jumped out of the car and headed down the walk path to the scenic view point. I waited for a while and felt that Craig should have caught up to me by that point. Wondering where he was, I turned back around and found him in the car fixing his hair lol! I went to snap a quick shot of him through the window of the car and wasn't able to catch him but was able to snap a picture of his unhappy pants glare lol!

Like I mentioned, we really wanted to spot a moose. Craig spent a good amount of quality time searching for one. I really like moose for some reason. It might have some thing to do with their really cute rounded snout!

We searched for a couple of hours and finally were able to see one from about 15 feet away from our car!

Can I just express my gratitude for the moose's interest in her food rather than an interest in charging me for getting too close!

green grass and open books

2010-07-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

i have followed a stranger's crafting blog for a while now. she's not afraid to openly claim her faith which might not seem to have anything to do w/ crafting tutorials and cute pics of her toddler. i admire her for being an open book. i have been studying about different personality types and how to better communicate w/ different communication styles. craig and i have been watching marriage lectures which also cover communication. i think of our blog as a form of communication and just want to be an open book, with more than just pictures (not that there is anything wrong w/ pictures b/c i love them!).

so my thoughts for the day are as follows which by the way, are not intended to offend anyone:

sometimes we believe the grass is greener on the other side. that is any other side than the one we live day by day. i believe that sometimes, we are a bit color blind and can't mentally see that our pasture of green grass IS in fact greener than we give it credit for being.

this weekend craig and i went on what i deem as a poor man's vacation (camping) and we had a really good time (more details to come on a later post). sure, not a beach front hotel w/ pina colada stands every 100 feet with bob marley humming in the background, BUT years of giving camping a chance has allowed me to see the greener grass- both figuratively and literally. this weekend we didn't spend more than we have and we weren't trying to up the next person by having a bigger and better vacation. AND we had a thrilling fun time. we had good luck, rather, we felt blessed by the positive experiences we continued to bump into throughout the trip. all were small and simple really (ie- perfect camp site, spotted a moose, discovered a yummy fudge shop, etc.) but none the less, good things that added to our mix of greener grass.

we met a hitchhiker (completely typical) on the river who seemed to be incredibly humorous and outgoing. we hit it off and soon he was inviting us to his camp site where he and his buddies were going to drink and party the night away. craig was quick to respond to his invitation- we were LDS and didn't drink. our short ride eventually came to an end and our hitchhiker jumped out of the trunk of our x-terra. he was gone. craig candidly mentioned, "it's no wonder why that lifestyle can be so appealing. that guy was so much fun. the thing is, he might be having fun now but it won't last." another lesson to be learned about the grass being greener on the other side. so much costly temporary happiness to be found. living a life of religion offers so much more for so much less and will last a whole heck of a lot longer than a night of plastered fun.

both craig and i woke up early this morning and headed out to our jobs. craig commutes for about 3 hours a day and i about 30 minutes. neither of us bring home enough money to call ourselves rich by any means. as i walked out the front doors of my job at 6:10pm, i found myself strolling toward my car w/a grin. i don't necessary love what i do but love to be in the company of my co-workers. and at the end of the day, both craig and i feel a satisfaction that only comes from earning your own way through life, through an "honest living" while working together as a team.

i walked through the front door of our comfortable apartment and walked over the 10 foot deflated inflatable kayak lying in the middle of our living room floor (has to air dry somewhere?!). 5 years ago, i would have been incredibly annoyed by this minor detail. i looked at it, thought about what it represented (time w/ the hubbs) and went on my merry way, doing the typical day to day obligations, while stepping over and around the dang thing a hundred times. dinner to make (failed new recipe), laundry to do (only had time for 1 load), family home evening to participate in (movie night), couple scripture time and couple prayer time (craig was half asleep) and lights out for craig. i have the day off tomorrow and hence some freedom to stay up later than usual. with my stolen time, i found a quote in my "cooking junk drawer". it read: when you put god first, everything that comes second will be right.

i thought about that quote for some time and decided, the small everyday routines determines the majority of my happiness. perspective is responsible for the clarity of my vision and the capacity to see true shades of green while standing in life's valley of endless pastures. sure, some spots have been peed and pooped on but there's always greener grass to be found surrounding the not so appealing icky grass (this was getting serious so i felt that a little bathroom humor would be appropriate lol).

soooooo....... that sums up my thoughts on green grass and open books. :)

what you ask for and what you get

2010-07-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder who reads our blog. And sometimes I wonder who will read our blog 50 years down the road. Those two thoughts drive some of what I blog about. Craig and I have decided it's a type of family journal (I need and want to incorporate deeper thoughts). This posting is purely for our future children for the sake of a simple laugh. This situation is a typical "Steph asks Craig to run to the grocery store for one item" situation.

This is what I asked for.

This is what Craig came home with. Three crockpot liners (yes! yes! yes!) and three bags of candy.

Oh my sugar junkie. May our children not inherit the Wardle sugar gene and may you never develop diabetes.

XOXO

Important Side Note: I was frustrated looking for these liners for the last two days and didn't want to step foot into another oversized grocery store. I asked Craig if he would go and try to hunt down a box. I felt relieved when, without missing a beat, he agreed to do so. I was even more ecstatic when he bought three boxes! This is also typical of Craig. He doesn't like to run out of a product and not have another, in storage, to break open for the moment we need it. :) The end. (All children's' stories end with "the end").

Dunk Tank

2010-07-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

It's not everyday you have the privilege of trying to dunk your CEO or various managers in a dunk tank while enjoying a lovely BBQ.

Have I mentioned I must have been slumbering away somewhere in the heavens when athletic talent was being distributed??

But all that matters is that they all went down! Muahhahahaa!

4th

2010-07-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

Craig has filled his thrill seeking glass w/ kayaking for the last five years. This year, I decided I wanted in. Craig was shocked and excited (and VERY quick to purchase the required gear) while I secretly wondered if I had made a mistake! We invested in an inflatable two man kayak (yay for friends who work at an outdoor warehouse and give us a discount on the kayak and gear!)and took off to the Green River for a little holiday fun over the 4th of July.

Here's the first day of running the river. Have to admit, I was a bit sick to my stomach due to fear. Before launching, I asked Craig if I had some type of seat belt (which would have provided me some emotional security) and apparently, this was a funny question?!?! He laughed and laughed and finally said, "You have to put that in the blog! I can't believe you asked that! If the kayak had a seat belt, and it flipped upside down, you would die!". Craig's mom and dad also found what I considered to be a reasonable inquiry quite funny?!? I had heard so many nightmare stories from others having near death experiences. I am not exactly a tough girl (I know, I know, this comes as a complete shocker) so I wasn't sure what to expect and the unknown was painful. SO, asking if it had a seat belt seemed perfectly normal! I also had asked my sweet, sweet husband to teach me a few pointers on a calm river BEFORE venturing out into river wilderness but I should have known better. No training. It was off to learning by trial and error! Lucky for me (and REALLY lucky for Craig) we had an incredible time! A rush indeed!

Rapid difficulty runs on a scale from one to five. After we ran the river, Craig explained the rapids we ran ranged from one to two plus, possibly three minus.

Craig is in his yellow "trick" kayak while my father in law and I were in the red inflatable kayak. Never have seen my father in law have so much fun before! He wanted to head down the most difficult part of each set of rapids! Once I overcame my fear, I did as well so we were a good team. I felt a great sense of satisfaction when he asked me if we lifted weights. I laughed and said no, we don't exercise at all, which he then responded, "Wow, you are pretty strong. Some of your paddles over power mine!". Later, I proudly repeated the conversation to Craig, when our kayaks were side by side during a calm stretch of the river. When I finished, my father in law then quietly chuckled, "he probably doesn't believe it!" which gave me a good little chuckle too.

Minor note: A couple times, a few waves almost bounced me out of the kayak! Next investment- thigh straps to prevent possible "Steph-catapulting" mishaps.

The exiting of the final run. I felt lifeless from the workout and the pounding of the sun but it was completely worth it!

We also watched the Green River fireworks. The weather was perfect. Comfortingly warm with a soft breeze. I couldn't have been any more comfortable and at ease.

So close to Green River, and wanting to take advantage of our national park pass, we made a stop at Arches.

*singing* Baa Baa black sheep have you any wool?

Small scale of what Craig is doing below ;) Take that Leaning Tower of Pisa!
P.S.- Yes I am sweaty, dirty and extra shiny :(

Look familiar? It should. It's probably on your license plate if you live in Utah. Delicate Arch was a spectacular display of nature. Getting there was absolutely pure heck. That's all I am going to say about that.

These were awesome. Thousands of years ago, Ute Indians engraved these images of men, horses, big horn sheep and dog like animals near Delicate Arch. So we had Craig's dad, who graduated from the U, stand near his mascot's true creations!

Pros/Cons:

Pros-
1- Developed a new active hobbie!
2- Craig picked out quality gear for us to enjoy including my super comfy and safe helmet and my girl vest which has "booby" cut outs to fit women!
3- Craig also picked out (against his first choice) a not free camp site which had flushing toilets, showers and plenty of lushy green grass and tall cotton trees. The cotton trees "snowed" their cotton which was fairytale beautiful!
4- I was able to cook for our group the entire time we were there. Cooking for other people is a passion of mine! The menu included Mediterranean tilapia, grilled citrus asparagus, pesto pasta w/ rotisserie chicken and hardy breakfast burritos!
5- We replaced our old air mattress (the one we accidently burned a hole in w/ my space heater) w/ a new and improved, memory foam topped air mattress! Five out five stars!
6- Craig and I LOVE animals! We saw numerous humming birds by our camp site, a herd of big horn sheep cross the road, a fishing blue heron on the river and a partridge in a pear tree (just kidding about the partridge part).

Cons-
1- We each have about 20 mosquito bites.
2- Had crickets camped out right next to our tent that wouldn't shut their pie hole while we watched Alice in Wonderland on the laptop.
3- Never sunburned until DURING the drive back home! I was in my swimsuit and the sun pounded on my white thighs for a about two hours straight. Craig even mentioned that I should slather on additional sunscreen on my legs but noooooooo. I didn't. :(
4- Craig wanted to run the Colorado River as well, but Craig's dad and I were beat. We opted out of that run which meant Craig couldn't go at all since it's not safe to kayak alone.
5- Those hardy breakfast burritos I mentioned earlier left a crazy difficult residue of egg junk on our camp cookware. Craig and Eileen scrubbed for at least 20 minutes before it came clean! That's the last time we make anything w/ egg on a camping trip!

Round Up a Lobbyist

2010-06-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

Craig was shocked when I told him I had never been to a rodeo. So this last weekend, we bought tickets for the annual Lehi Round Up. We had great seats (out of the sun) and the weather was perfect. I expected a full fledged cowboy extravaganza but was surprised to see the young and old, the high maintenance and the very low maintenance, the punk rocker and the preppy, all joined together to enjoy one really dirty and entertaining event.

I like wild horses and crazy bulls and watching thrill seekers try to make a buck or two as they hang on the animals for their dear lives. While I am not a feminist, I also liked the fact that women had their place in the sport, in the barrel racing event. Made me want a horse- but only for like ten minutes. The wagon race (U of U vs BYU) was hysterical. The crowd was super involved in cheering and when wagon wheels started to fall off the wagons, I couldn't stop smiling. The half time show, jumping dirt bikes, kept me on edge as I couldn't stop visualizing one of their stunts taking a wrong turn, resulting in a broken back or a fatal disaster. I know, a little disturbing but it's what was running through my mind as we watched and cheered! The only event that Craig mentioned we might see, but didn't end up seeing was the mutton bustin' (little kids trying to stay on sheep!) and I imagine that would have been my favorite event. Next time ...

What I didn't like was the inhumane calf roping. I realize traditions are passed on from generation to generation and that's the simple fact behind what we often do. BUT, COME, ON. Riding after a baby cow and roping it around the neck, violently pulling back on it, jumping on it and tying it's legs while it desperately tries to limp away (while pulling who knows how many muscles in it's frantic panic) is bull crap (no pun intended). I only watched one and had to look away for the remaining contenders. Throughout this particular event, Craig explained that about three of the calves escaped and it made me quite happy. I felt like yelling "yay little baby cow! Run for your life!!!" but refrained as I thought it wouldn't be kosher. :(

So overall, I liked it. Just wish the mutton bustin' would permanently replace the calf roping. Where's a good lobbyist when you need one?!?