Mushroom Hunting

This spring has been very dry and warmer than average which is not good if you want to find those delicious morels. We didn't find mushrooms of ANY variety so we knew our odds of finding morels would be slim to none. However, with the ground being dry as a bone, the trail conditions were prime for hiking!

First float of the season!

The beautiful Teton Valley summer is off to a gloriously early start! Usually, it continues to snow the entire Month of May. We are not used to having temperatures into the 70's with very few rain showers this early but we are taking full advantage of it! Summers are astounding here in Idaho but they are always so short. It's nice to get an entire extra month of summer added onto the season. With summer starting as early as it is this year let's just hope winter doesn't start early either. 

First Hike of the season!

Off season fun

This was our 4th year going to the Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

We had a wonderful crew of amazing fun people and we are already in the beginning stages of planning for Coachella 2014. It gets better every year.

Happy 100th Birthday Grandma!

My sweeter than sugar, frail, precious little Grandma turned 100 years old last Saturday. She's the only person I've ever known to turn 100 and I'm fairly certain the key to longevity is consuming pastries, Italian deserts, fried food, coffee and soft drinks. And don't forget keeping the brain sharp by doing crossword puzzles and watching shows on T.V. like Entertainment Tonight, Wheel Of Fortune & Jeopardy. This woman is such an inspiration to me. She's always been so sweet and so laid back. She's so content in her life and never complains about any of life's curveballs that are thrown in her direction. I've never seen her mad or upset. I've never heard her raise her voice or argue. Although she does't know it, she has taught be so much about life. To live and to do what makes you happy. Example: If eating those dozen mini eclairs makes me happy-- then I should certainly eat them!

Beautiful way to start the morning!

Backcountry Snowboarding

Yesterday was my first time ever on a snowmobile and first time snowboarding in the backcountry. Needless to say my entire body took a beating from riding on the sled as well as snowboarding untouched deeeeeeep powder. (Poor Julie, right?) I was a nervous wreck for most of the morning. All I could think about were the risks of getting caught in an avalanche. Just last week a 44 year old man lost his life in an avalanche while skiing in the backcountry. A risk I don't want to take all for the thrill and enjoyment of riding perfect powder. I have't taken any avalanche classes and neither have most of the people we were with. I checked the avalanche forecast for the day before we left the house. The avy forecast for the day was a #2 "moderate,"(out of 5, 5 being the highest/dangerous) which was the same forecast when the avalanche killed that skier last week. He was also skiing in extreme terrain that is prone to slides. The terrain we rode is much more mellow and not extreme at all. So when I dropped into my first run my adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I had butterflies and anxiety but after a few smooth turns I was able to truly enjoy the ride. I'm looking forward to doing more of this and learning more about potential risks and educating myself to stay safe and be responsible in the backcountry.

Another crappy sunset

Sunsets out West can be so dramatic and beautiful. I can never leave the house without a camera!

Snorkel Trip in the Dominican Republic

We took a day trip to go snorkeling where we got the opportunity to swim with sharks and stings rays. It was beyond exhilarating!

Republica Dominica

We spent a week in the Dominican Republic at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. It was my first, "all inclusive" experience and boy, it was decadent. I feel like it was my first "grown up" vacation with the all you can eat buffets, 8 different restaurants to choose from, 24 hour room service, full liquor and beer stocked fridge, casinos (we don't gamble) 8 pools, ocean/beach front access and plenty of nightly entertainment. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the price of the trip but in the end it was worth every penny. The experience and memories are those that will last a lifetime. It makes it easy to start saving again for another trip wherever it may be. We don't make much money but we also don't have debt and don't spend much on materialistic things therefore making a splurge like this completely doable. I' hoping to fill my passport with a lot more stamps within the next few years. There is so much to do, see and experience in our lifetime. We just have to make it happen.