Working the System in Maine

June 18th Norm (a buddy from school) and I headed up to Main. Earlier in the year we had received an email that advertised for the Maine Dental Association's annual convention. It also said that the first 20 students to apply would get a $200 stipend for attending. (Maine has a shortage of Dentists and so are trying to attract new blood to the area.) The idea of a free trip to Maine sounded great to Norm and I, so we applied and were probably the first two students to be accepted.
While there we camped at a local state park, cooked stuff over the fire, went sea kayaking, hiking, sailing, ate lobster, took long walks on the beach, oh, and attended the convention. A Maine news channel did a story on the students being invited to the convention and Norm is now a celebrity in Maine. They have a thing against short people, so I was only in the news clip for a few seconds. Here is a link: http://www.necn.com/Boston/Health/Sweetening-the-deal-for-dentists-in-Maine/1214011698.html







The camping was fun, it rained most of the time but it was still nice to be in a forest. The hiking was fun too and, although it was too foggy to see the ocean, we were able to push over some trees. The sea kayaking was a good time, or at least it was at first. I started getting sea sick towards the end. The best part about the whole trip was sailing for a while with Dr. Sawyer. He is one of the past presidents of the Maine Dental Association and offered to take us for a spin on his sail boat. It is a 30' yaught and was way fun. The wind was good and so we went for a lap around Rock-Port bay for an hour or two. Once we were moored, instead of riding back on the dingy I swam back to dock and was reminded how bad of a swimmer I am.

Another highlight of the trip was the people! There were so nice and sincere. The doctors gave a lot of good advice and I would say I could totally see myself working in Maine.

The best part of the hole trip is that Norm and I both spent under $200 for all our expenses. Paid vacations are the best.

Our Six Day Trip to Upstate New York

We suddenly found ourselves with some time off at the same time so we left town...in a red convertible!!! (That was not in our plans, a cheap, gas efficient, economy car was but as it turns out the red convertible was our only choice...well, that or a mini van so naturally we took the convertible. And yes, we got it for the entire week and paid the price for the economy car plus a little extra on gas but I would say it was WELL WORTH IT!) The car made the trip that much more memorable for us.

Boy, it sure was nice to leave the city and enter the lush foresty Upstate area. We camped four nights, the first two at a rather ridiculous "KOA Kamp Ground" in Palmyra, NY and the second two at the beautiful Buttermilk Falls campground only to discover we were a half a mile from the city of Ithaca, NY. Not really our idea of camping but it was still fun...all except the really cheap practically worthless camping pads and the pouring rain one night, but even that was kind of fun.


Our first two days were spent strengthening our convictions at church history sites including The Sacred Grove where the restoration of all truth began in the beautiful forest behind the boyhood home of the prophet of that restoration, Joseph Smith-1820
Then we went to the printing press where the first 5,000 copies of the Book Of Mormon were printed and walked on the original floors and saw how this book of scripture is now being printed in many languages and the truth it contains being spread throughout the earth. Next we visited the Hill Cumorah where the prophet Moroni in A.D. 421 deposited this sacred record to be uncovered 1,406 years later and translated by Joseph Smith.
The next day we went to the Peter Whitmer Home where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint was organized on 6 April 1830, the first meeting of the restored gospel held, and the remaining Book of Mormon translated. It was a peaceful spot. We took advantage of the quiet openness and surrounding beauty and significance before going to the Palmyra Temple.
One day at work a man mentioned something about a book with a yellow cover entitled "God is Dead." To him I wish I would have mentioned something about a book with a blue cover entitled "Book of Mormon" through which I have learned God is not dead but indeed He lives and loves us!





From there we cruised to Buttermilk Falls where we enjoyed the beauty of the falls and all the things we love: being outdoors, camping, hiking, swimming, slack lining, and cooking and eating around a campfire.






After that we cruised to Buffalo, NY to see our friends Creed and Tiffany. We went to see the spectacular Niagara Falls four ways: the Canadian panoramic view, from up close and personal in the famous boat ride "Maid of the Mist", from up above in the new Skywheel ride, and the drop off view on the American side.



They took us to Duff's for famous Buffalo wings and shared their home with us; thanks Creed and Tiff!

What a great way to end a great trip!

I got to go to Utah and see my family recently. I left Matt home alone to study for finals...poor Matt. My brother graduated high school and my sister Angie and brother-in-law Brad blessed their second baby boy Rowan. My sister Cyrie, brother-in-law Owen, brother Jordi and I went to the San Rafael Swell desert near our home in Price, Utah and did Crack Canyon and Little Wild Horse Canyon. That desert has some amazing slots and breathtaking desert scenery. I have tried to capture some of that in these photos. Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed taking them...actually, that is not possible. We were planning to kayak Chute of Muddy Creek but unfortunantly it wasn't flowing like we needed to be able to do it. It was good for my soul to be home, in the fresh, open, quiet desert air doing what I love with those that I love. I must say that the best part of the trip was my awesome nephews!

Table Tennis

Now that I am the assistant scout master for the 11 year old scouts I should be getting a key for out church. In anticipation for that I ordered a $17 set of ping ping paddles. Out church has two table-tennis tables on the fifth floor. The set came with four paddles, 8 balls, and net. I got all excited when it arrived and started day dreaming out future all out battles with Julee. Up to this point Julee has beat every time we have played with the exception of when she let me win so that I would keep playing with her. After we opened it all up I started thinking to my-self, "why would they include a net in the set? What a waste." Julee on the other hand had a bright idea and suggested we hook it up onto our table and play in the apartment. It makes for a small table but twice the fun because we can play in our own house! We play two games and Julee won both, 21-8 and 21-11. The last game was interrupted by the people below us pounding on the ceiling. I was loosing that one to and so I suggested we better stop.

With a little practice I know I will be able to beat her... I just have to find a way of practicing without Julee practicing.

Vacation!

School was humane enough to actually give a spring break. School got out on Friday, May 28 and a few hour later Julee and I were on a Flight heading to SLC. We spent the vacation visiting almost everyone we were related to and and then some. We hit up Salt Lake, Price, Moab, Ogden, Provo, Rexburg, Victor, and even Mud Lake. The highlights included:






Hiking the pass with Steve (the magical Jewboy). (The previouse pictures that did not show up were viddeos of some sweet turns in steep powder. I can't get any videos to work, must be a Vista thing.)

Hiking up the Mt. Olympus trail for a little while with my Mom, Dad, and Molly

Visiting Arches National Park with Julee's Mom, nine month pregnant sister Angie, nephew Harper, and 80 year old Grandpa

Snow boarding at Park City with Julee's brother Jordi and friend Bo. Thanks Bo for the fee lift tickets!

It was awesome to get to see everyone. Julee and I both really miss being around family. It was also nice to escape from the city and be able to get into some wide open spaces.

What Does a Red Neck Look Like in NY?

I have decided that I would make a really good Red neck and to prove it have grown one bad mustache. Actually at school we are having a "Mustache March" mustache growing competition. I happen to believe that I look really good. I usually look pretty tough but now I am at least 55% tougher, facial hair works miracles. Julee on the other hand thinks that I have hit rock bottom as far as looks go and am, "extremely unattractive". I would have thought Julee, being from Price, Utah of all places, would of found it quite attractive.

This other picture is from a few years ago when I was living in the south (North Carolina). The atmosphere got the best of me and the beast escaped.