A Year and a Day

One year and one day ago we were oh-so happy and in love.

Today nothing's changed.

- - -

We decided to take the spread-out approach to our anniversary celebrations:

Saturday was the Cache Valley Century bike tour (aka "Half-LOTOJA" after the fact that Cache Valley was also experiencing the Top of Utah Half Marathon that day) so Gregg spent the better part of the day pedaling around the valley.  As I waited in the shade for my dishy husband to arrive, I took a minute to photograph the local wildlife:

Saturday evening we took the Storm Trooper on it's maiden voyage over the mountain to Eden, where we dined at Carlos and Harley's - recreating our first meal as a married couple (to the penny, even!) - on a delicious fajita steak salad and an enchilada plate.

On Sunday, we went to church, did some home teaching, came home to find a flat tire on the Storm Trooper, changed said flat tire in the 146.2 degree heat (that's what our thermometer said, anyway), did a little more home teaching, unwrapped our cake top so carefully preserved by Aunt Joan and stored for a year by the Elwood fam . . .

. . . and dined on the deliciousness (it was only a tiny bit dry and definitely not freezer-burned!) while playing a mean game of Scrabble on the front porch. (Gregg won by two points!)

- - -

Here's to eternity more!

Favorite Books & Family Update

Being the extremely obedient child I am, and always have been, I am writing this post in response to my mother's request that we, quote, "Please share with the family your favorite children’s book - (and why)! And a quick one or two sentences on what each family is doing."

Gregg's Favorite Children's Book
The Whingdingdilly

It's probably no huge surprise that my favorite book is The Whingdingdilly by Bill Pete. Two reason's come to mind for this choice. First, Scamp, a true champion of a dog. Second, a great lesson about being content and happy with who you are and what you have.

Kim's Favorite Children's Book
Hop on Pop

Kim doesn't know what to say, she just loves this book. There really wasn't a story but it rhymed and happened to be the first book that Kim learned to read.

Family Update
First, Kim's research is coming right along. After some frustration with the cards they need to get DNA off of, they finally were able to get enough DNA they needed, a feat they are now replicating consistently which is great news. They can then compare this data against the key to see if their results are correct. If they are, that will be good news indeed.
Second, we love our new car. After not going to a carwash for approximately 4 years with the Falcon, we've already washed the Storm Trooper once after a quick camping trip that resulted in dusty bumpers. We also sold the Falcon in record time (less than 12 hours). It was a little emotional to watch Thomas (the new owner) drive away. Lots of memories in that vehicle.
Third, one week from today will be our first anniversary. As I stated on the Elwood/Thornley newsletter, we're in love we're in love and we don't care who knows it.
Fourth, we are really getting excited to move. Next week Gregg is riding the Cache Valley Century, but the week after that we'll road trip it out to Edwards for the visit. The week after that is LOTOJA, then two more weeks and we'll be ready to move! Woot! Can't wait.

Fireside Pizza with Friends

We got together with a few of my good friends from IWA (and beyond - we actually all went to high school together, too) and their families this weekend to make (and eat) some reflector oven pizza and s'mores.  It was fun to get together - I think the last time I saw most of these girls was at our wedding reception (almost a year ago, for those keeping track!).  Good times.

Katie's son James chowin' down on the pizza.

Christine and Deon - came up from Salt Lake
just for this (well, and to visit their parents,
too, I guess).

Shauna and Heather

Gregg was our pizza oven master.

Katie and Ben making s'mores.

Dennis (Katie's husband) and James enjoying the dirt.

What a weirdy.

Ben was a doll - we loved having him entertain us and give us
good-bye hugs when it was time for him to leave.

The perfect s'mores face if I've ever seen one.

After the pizza was gone and the fire died
down, the stars didn't disappoint.

Fortune Cookie Say

And if that last post wasn't enough to convince you:

(From our Panda fortune cookies, just tonight.)

Meant to Be

Sometimes things happen in a way that make you step back and say, "Wow." This is one of those times. I'll have to let Kim give her perspective another time, but for now, here's my take on the last year and a half:

June 2010 - On a night drive to Salt Lake I debate in my head what I want to do with my career. I decide that I want a job, and ski resort marketing is the direction I head.

June 24, 2010 - I write the first post for SlopeFillers.

October, 2010 - SlopeFillers grows faster than any site I've ever started even though I am spending less than an hour a day writing content and promoting it.

December, 2010 - SlopeFillers starts getting national attention. I'm asked to lead marketing call for POWDR Corp.

April 2011 - I start figuring out where I would want to work. The dream job? Marketing company that serves resorts (rather than resort), out of state, in web marketing centered role.

May 2011 - Invited to do blog coverage of NSAA National Convention in Carlsbad, CA. Leave directly from my last class of my masters and arrive just in time for start. At conference I meet the president of a fast growing resort marketing company.

Friday, June 24, 2011 - President of that same resort marketing company calls me and gives basic details about wanting me to move to Vail and work for him.

Thursday, June 30, 2011 - He writes up details in semi-formal offer to hire me as Communications Director allowing me to run SlopeFillers, their blog and social media, and work with 2-3 resort marketing clients. The dream job.

Monday, July 4, 2011 - We accept the offer. Lots of unknowns lie ahead. Still working full time, we have limited time to shop for a new car we'll need, sell our contract, finish our projects at work, and tie up other loose ends.

Thursday, July 7, 2011 - With a tentative date picked to move on Oct 1, a full-day retreat at my job (they don't know about my decision yet) results in choosing a target date for my main project to be completed by the end of September, allowing me to finish that project before I leave (my biggest concern).

Friday, July 8, 2011 - Formal offer includes higher salary than we hoped as well as an offer to buy SlopeFillers for double what I expected.

Friday, July 22, 2011 - We put our apartment up on KSL. Within hours we've scheduled four showings. The third buys our contract.

Friday, August 12, 2011 - After deciding to buy a new car, we buy one for $2,000 less than anywhere we had seen in Utah and in better condition with less miles. The owner lives less than a mile from our home.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - We post an ad to sell our Saturn at 9:45pm. Within a half hour three people have emailed and one has called. Exactly 12 hours after we posted it, the first person comes back from a test drive and buys it on the spot.

This list includes about half of what has happened. It's amazing, thing after thing after thing keeps falling into place better and faster than we ever could have expected or hoped for. Just at the NSAA Convention alone it was nuts. I decide to try taking some sample pictures of one of the sessions before it starts. I sit down, and within seconds the Marketing Director of Bristol Mountain (on the finger lakes) introduces herself. Unfortunately, I leave my lens cap on the chair after we talk. On my way back to get it after the session, I bump into the Marketing Director of Snowbasin who recognized me from a picture on the blog. And on and on.

Every time I think about it all I'm blown away. We still have a lot to figure out, but the way this is going, I think it's meant to be.

...The Beginning of Another.

As the Millennial Falcon's service comes to a close, another must inevitably take its place. Our choice, which was quite unanimous, was this white Subaru Outback. We're rather fond of it and hope it will serve us well for many years to come.

I've honestly never been a big car namer, the whole Millennial Falcon thing just kind of happened (speaking of which, it's actually Millennium Falcon, not Millennial which is part of the story) but since it's white and meant to navigate the snows of Colorado, we're throwing around Storm Trooper. Speaking of which, it's supposed to be spelled as one word, Stormtrooper, so it would keep that tradition as well.

The End of An Era...

It's true, after 7 years of loyal service, we are selling the Millennial Falcon. If you know of anyone looking for a reliable, affordable car that gets crazy good gas mileage (not to mention make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs), let us know.

Lightning Lullaby

A really fun lightning storm came through Logan last night. Like the photo-addicted folks we are, the natural reaction was to grab the camera.