June 2012

June has brought many exciting changes for us

1. Mary started a summer job as the Superhero Specialist for the JCC summer camp. She's created a counseling curriculum "Finding the Superhero in You"

2. Dixie Meeks came into our lives June 23rd. We are so excited to have another niece!

3. Our garden is growing and the other day we had our 1st Zuchinni!

4. And we think there may be 2 Professor Dennis' in this Dennis family

We also enjoyed the Arts Festival and 4th of July festivities. We reinstated the 4th of July breakfast up the canyon and Jefferson Wiffle ball afterwards and  there is nothing like laying on your back listening to the 1812 Overture and watching fireworks light up the sky.  We are loving summer in Utah!

May 2012

I can't believe it is the middle of June. The summer has flown. May 2012 was not the easiest month for us, we started some fertility treatments which did not go well and now we seem to be taking the summer to emotionally recover. Who would have known that this trial could be so hard? But we are trying to look forward with hope and enjoy the happiness God wants for us right now. So the Summer of 2012 starts with an open slate of wonder and trepidation in moving forward to possible career advancements, travel adventures, fitness challenges and enjoying life in a more carefree way than we have ever done. The song "I'll go where you want me to go dear lord" seems to be a recurring theme in our lives, and we have decided to address this trial with "and trusting my all with thy tender care, and knowing thou lovest me, I'll answer dear lord with my hand in thine I'll go where you want me to go...I'll do what you want me to do... I'll be who you want me to be."

 May started out with celebrating Brad's 32nd Birthday at Battle of the Bands. Go Adept Android!

 Brad was happy to find an Ibsen look alike

 We checked out the Rennaissance festival for the first time

 I had gypsy tell my fortune

 Brad loved the Sasparilla

 This is the first real jousting match I have seen- it was exciting

Later in May we celebrated ethnic cuisine at our annual lunch at the Living Traditions Festival

 We decided the Salvadorena cuisine was the best this year

 The Ethiopian samosa were delicious

 And the the Nepalese food was so- so

 We donated to build a school in Africa and got an ox one of the students made.

 And we say the best Hula dancing ever!

 May 27 we celebrated our anniversary in the mountains.

Nihon Matsuri

Spring means festival season is now upon us. This was our first time at Nihon Matsuri (Japan Festival) but it gave me a craving to go back to Portland to see those serene Japanese gardens. Japan itself would even more amazing but a lot more expensive. I love while we were eating Brad says "when I was in Japan..." and I don't even blink an eye because the boy has been everywhere. But this recollection was only a layover memory that Japanese people eat a lot of ramen in the airport. My favorites were the Bosai and the gardens- someday I want to have a serene garden like that and be able to do bonsai. Brad's favorite was the musician who played the wooden flute- it was soothing. The funniest thing was the guy handing out the Chork- chopsticks on one side and a fork on the other. Lots of people were dressed up as Japanese anime characters- I needed by aspergers students to identify who they were- or Angie and Ryan. I was very proud of myself for being able to recognize the Links- dressed up from the Legend of Zelda. I really only recognized them because Angie and Ryan's dog Link dressed up as "Link" for Halloween. How I got the dog costume associated with the people costume I don't know.

Florida

This year to celebrate my birthday I jumped on a plane and flew to England, found platform
3 & 3/4 and took the Hogwarts Express to Hogmeade. It was my most magical birthday yet!

First stop Hogwarts! What a castle, the pictures talked and moved. Harry, Hermione, and Ron all disappeared under the invisibility cloak and then just as easily reappeared. Dumbledore gave us advice and we went on the most amazing flight with Harry.

Then we explored all of the stores in Hogsmeade, just as I imagined them.

Even the Weasleys Joke shop- Zonkos

At the Owl Post we sent our jealous family and friends postcards with the postmark-Hogsmeade!

Lunch of course was at The Three Broomsticks

The Butterbeer was delicous

Of course what would a birthday be without Dr. Seuss- we share a birthday month.

Then we wandered through Jurassic Park

And found some looneytoons

Happy 29th Birthday to Me, Florida I love you!

My favorite Florida memories from 4 years ago, and the 4 years before that were mornings at the Farmers Market, Exploring new towns, shopping, beach days, spotting alligators, seafood, and of course gazing at the ocean. Thanks to the Jefferson Womens Getaway (thanks again dad) I was able to experience all of my favorite Florida memories with my mom and sisters, grandma, 4 aunts, and 15 cousins. Afterwards I decided I rather like vacationing with the girls, as opposed to Brad- Brad knows how to have a travel adventure but only girls know how to shop, lunch, and relax.

The Daytona Farmers Market

I got my favorite Kettle Corn and tested the different types of Oranges

Exploring St. Augustine, the oldest city in the US settled by the Spaniards

Lunch was at the Columbia

New coastal hobby= Lighthouse Spotting

St. Augustine

Daytona

Driving on the Beach in Aunt Tony's fancy ride

Hat buddies

R&R= Pedicures

D.J's for fresh Seafood

Titusville- My Favorite Cafe Chocolate

Alligator Spotting- HUGE and in the wild

Kennedy Space Center- "the 1st line of defense in case invaders- are the gators"

Cape Canaveral- my favorite beach

One last dance in the ocean