All This Time: Summer is Heavenly

I LOVE SUMMER.

I think Ryan and I are those kind of people that are emotionally/physically/spiritually charged by the sun. We tend to have better days after going on a run or post-dinner walk. After a year of the dungeon (our dark, tiny, icky basement) we now have windows, my new favorite part of any home. We go on walks and pass by many homes, and I tend to say, "Oh Ryan those windows are just beautiful" when most normal people would probably comment on the size/color/style, I am all about light and openness.

We have been itching to go on a little camping trip, and thanks to our get-it-done-kinda-gal friend Kelsey, we planned one! Two days before! And it worked out fabulously! Friday we loaded up our things into the Yeck's very useful truck, and made our way up the canyon to Rock Port State Park. After sorting out our belongings and setting up camp, we realized that we forgot our tent...(my bad, I totally thought I snagged it) but those Yeck's come prepared! Their 8-man tent did the trick and saved our buns - it turned out to be a pretty chilly evening.

We spent the majority of the evening eating our delicious tinfoil dinners, roasting triple decker s'mores and talking about anything and everything. Fires are enchanting. They seem to be a kind of sedative for me, because I feel so calm and content, staring into the flames for hours. And they seem to trigger the best conversations. The stars. Eternity. Children. Parenting. Embarrassing moments. First dates. Our happiest moments. Learning moments. It was so fun to get to know the Yeck's on an even deeper level. They are wonderful people and we truly enjoy their company and friendship.

The next morning, after a rough night of chilly, windy, hard-ground sleep, Ryan and I realized the Yeck's were already alive and kickin', scurrying around the campsite! We were reluctant to go outside since we were finally warm, but we heard Kelsey say, "Ooooo the fire is real warm out here!" We jumped up and exited the tent, only to find there was no fire. Kelsey saw our disappointed faces and said, "Oh sorry! I just wanted you guys to come out of the tent and be with us!" She's a sneaky one, but it made us laugh.

We packed up, skipped a few more rocks across the river, and made our way to Park City. It was surreal! I felt like I was walking around a movie set. It was a quiet day, sunny day and it was so delightful just walking up and down the streets of downtown. We were blown away when we realized the lift goes right into town. We learned that during the winter there are ski racks that line the streets, since most people ski literally into town, eat some lunch, then make their way back up the mountain! We mostly window shopped, ate at a yummy pizza cafe, and watched Ryan and Mike try some hot hot hot sauces at a local tasting bar. Those boys were hurting!

All in all....it was a wonderful adventure. We feel so lucky to have the time to experience the beauty of Utah, and are grateful to have found some "Oregon" here. I was a little snobbish my first few years in this state, thinking nothing could ever compare to an Oregon summer. But, I have learned that if you look hard enough (and really, not that hard in Utah), there is always something wonderful anywhere you are. I am so happy to have learned that lesson before Ryan and I end up who knows where for Medical school in the next few years. We have learned to be open and seek out the good and beauty of new places.

To wrap up this run-on of thoughts, summer truly has been dreamy this year. Warm days, sunkissed skin, growing gardens, homemade jam, friends around the fire...we are going to milk this summer for all it's worth. :)