The Ranch, including Happy Birthday Kedra, and Hercules Hike

Just after Steven scaled this cliff - like Hercules might, were he present.

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After being kindly asked (a few times) to contribute to the family blog, I, Steven M. Foote, have consented.
Last weekend we took a fun trip to the ranch. The report follows.

We drove down with Jeremy and Kedra on a lovely Friday evening. The rain poured down, but our spirits were light as we (Jeremy and I) talked of quantum physics, and server-side and client-side scripts. Our wives rolled their eyes continually. Time really flew. It was late when we arrived; we had time to do little more than play nertz for a few hours before we went to bed.

The rain was gone by Saturday, we mounted our all-terrain vehicles for an adventure of Herculean proportions (see photo and caption above). After ascending the giant precipice, we discovered a canyon almost untouched by large animals (we were an exception, as was this thing).

Eventually we reached the end of this unusually verdant canyon. We must assume its relative lushness is at least partially attributable to its absolute inaccessibility to grazing animals.

On the way out of the canyon, I took a cool picture of the sky (due to Jason's example, direction, and inspiration). It might have been this picture:

On Sunday we enjoyed cake to celebrate Kedra's birthday. We enjoyed other things, too, like each other's company.
On Monday we hiked down a rather steep canyon, even passing the leathery remains of a most unfortunate bull who wandered to close to the edge. We also played in the river for a while, and Paige skipped a rock really well. I mean, like 10 skips or more. Then, we went home.

Pictures and Costumes

This last week for young womens, we combined with the Mia Maids and spent the evening dressing up in crazy costumes, chatting, and taking pictures. It was a fun activity for the girls, and fun for the leaders as well. Being in young womens is a blast and makes me feel like a kid again. Ok... so it has only been 5 years since I WAS a young woman, but I'm still the "old leader" to the girls. Steven and I are especially having fun now that he has been called into Young Mens over the deacons. I find it hilarious because at our wedding his family made up a song about us and joked that "He looks like a deacon and she a beehive." I guess they weren't too far off....

Mr. Employee of the Month

Well, I know that Steven will be mortified and unhappy with me when he finds out I have posted this, but that is why I am doing it while he is at work! So yesterday, I managed to pry out of him that he was made employee of the month for all BYU law library employees. Now, that may not be that exciting, but it was the first month that they started the contest, and so he was picked first....and I am just so proud of how well he is doing at his job. He started out taking over his cousin's job right when he got home from his mission just working in the circulation department of the library. Within a year of working there, he was promoted to work in the Systems department of the law library as a systems analyst, received 3 raises, and is now about as high as you can get as a student employee. He writes programs, makes websites, and works really hard to add value to the law library. So... congratulations Steven! I'm proud of you~

Viva Las Vegas

Steven and I were able to go visit his family in Las Vegas this weekend and we had a great time. Steven's younger brother, Jason, recently received his mission call to the El Salvador San Salvador East mission. He went through the temple on Friday night and we were able to be there for him. On Saturday, we started the day off by going to the lake. The weather was hot! The water was a little choppy, but Steven still managed to do great water skiing, and jumping in the cool water to swim was a welcome relief from the heat.



After the lake, we went on a bike ride with Steven's dad and brother's who all have road bikes too. Even though the 3:00 PM ride was around the hottest time of the day (100 degrees), I still enjoyed it and found it easier than riding in Utah. Living in Utah near the mountains is beautiful and great when we want to go biking, but it is impossible to go on a bike ride without climbing lots of hills (and hills hurt my legs!).

We went out for dinner to Carrabbas and since we didn't have time to wait for a table, we sat at this counter that faced the kitchen where we watched the cooks and the cooks even brought us samples. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. However, I found out afterward that Steven found a cockroach in his napkin and rather than make me and his mom and sister freak out, he just got another napkin. I was a little disgusted because growing up in Canada, I honestly don't think I have ever seen a live cockroach. I'm not discouraging eating at Carrabbas because it was good, but that was a little bit of an unpleasant surprise!

We were also able to visit the Bellagio fountains and a couple of art gallery displays down on the strip. Steven and I try to visit the fountains whenever we go to Las Vegas because we started doing that when we first met before his mission and we have great memories there together. Normally, the songs are Celine Dion's "My Heart Will go on" or Faith Hill's "This Kiss" or something similar to that. This time, they played a hymn "Tis a Joy to be Simple" and I really enjoyed that. All in all, a relaxing weekend and now we are back to work and studying and all that fun stuff...

A Sunny Afternoon

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.”

I like that quote and I consider myself so lucky to have many great friends (definitely including my wonderful husband and family.) This afternoon, I spent some time with one of my oldest girlfriends and we got to catch up, chat, go for a walk, and spend time with her new baby.

Fallon and I have known each other since we were six years old and through elementary, junior high, high school, and university, we have always lived in the same city. Now, even though we have both graduated, we are still in Provo until our husbands finish school and still live within walking distance.

Fallon recently had a cute new little baby, Claire, and so I had a great time holding and getting to know her new little personality. Thanks for the fun afternoon Fal!

Rain at Antelope Island

Today was Steven's first road bike race of the season. The race was held about an hour and a half from Provo on Antelope Island. Steven and Ed, a friend from our ward, entered the 40 mile race together and the weather did not co-operate! We left Provo at about 5:30 this morning and at that time, there was a slight drizzle. By the time the race started at 8:30 that drizzle had turned into steady rain. By the middle of the race, that rain had turned into a downpour with a crazy wind that made me grateful I was just the wife standing in the rain taking the pictures and not on the bike. The course started out on a long stretch of road, and then led to three laps around part of the island that was full of lots of hills to climb. I was surprised and impressed with how intense most of the bikers were. Very few beginners here! Steven and Ed both admitted that most of the race was more miserable than fun, but they finished and did a great job. It was a great experience and Steven is excited to do some more races this summer. I had a good time and learned that the weather here in Utah is often just as cold and unpredictable as back home in Canada! Good job Steven :)

Ed in the peloton.

Standing in the freezing cold rain waiting to take some pictures

Steven (on the right) mid-race

Steven before the race (that's why he's still smiling)