You bet I saw The Hunger Games! Of course it wasn't playing at the good ol' Ritz (our local theater), so the gals and I packed up and drove to the next town over.
I totally loved it! I kinda want to see it again.
I think they did a fabulous job with the movie. I loved Effie, I loved seeing Stanley Tucci as Caesar (the master of ceremonies), I loved Cinna and Jennifer Lawrence was just what I was hoping for as Katniss Everdeen. And Rue....oh my goodness...bless her heart.
What are your thoughts? Did you love it? Hate it? Refuse to read or see it?
It was sunny,
we didn't have to go to work,
and we used the grill for the first time this year.
mmmmm, dinner fresh from the grill...nom, nom, nom.
There is just something about the sun shining down on me combined with that sweet BBQ smell and sizzling sounds from the grill that make me feel content with the world.
I was eighteen years old and in my first semester of college. I was driving to school when I heard an advertisement on the radio about U2 performing that night in Salt Lake City. The radio station was going to be giving away 2 free tickets before the show to the contestant who put together the best U2 poster. The concert was sold out...so these tickets were a hot commodity!
The requirements for the poster were as follows:
It had to have the band's name somewhere on the poster - U2
It had to have the name of the radio station (KISN 97 - pronounced Kissin' 97)
It had to say something about a rocket
Not sure why the rocket theme, but it probably had something to do with their tour. It was their Elevation tour, so I guess that makes sense.
I decided at that moment that I was going to make a poster and win those tickets.
All day during school I was contemplating just how I was going to go about winning those tickets. I had formulated in my mind the poster. I knew it had to be good if I were going to really win. In my mind I was picturing a giant rocket with the words U2 and KISN 97 on it. Perhaps U2 and the radio station could be riding on the rocket?? I was scheming. ALL. DAY. LONG.
After school I had to head to work. I told all of my co-workers about my plan. They laughed and thought I was just being silly.
"I'm serious," I told them. "I'm going to win those tickets!"
One co-worker stepped up to to the plate and agreed to help me win the tickets. I told him all about my idea with the giant rocket. While I worked, he got busy finding some cardboard boxes. He then proceeded to cut the cardboard into the shape of a giant rocket.
After work, I rushed to the store, bought some spraypaint and some battery operated Christmas lights (it was November after all). I then met my co-worker at my house and we frantically finished up the rocket. We spray painted it, wrapped it with lights, cut out lettering for U2 and KISN 97 (being oh so creative and using red lips for the KISN).
And WAHLAH. We had our "poster."
The rocket was big...at least 5 feet in length. We then attached it to a wooden dowel so we could hold it up high in the air...you know...like a rocket.
We threw it in the back of my grandpa's old rusty Toyota pickup and headed to SLC.
We arrived just in time. We saw our competition with their puny little posters parading around the streets chanting, "U2, U2, U2." My co-worker, who is at least 6'5" tall held the rocket high high high in the air and we joined in on the chanting.
"U2! U2! U2!"
We did this for about 30 minutes until someone from the radio station came over and presented us with 2 tickets to see U2 that night.
Score!
I will always remember this story.
I knew in my mind that I could win those tickets. Even when people doubted me or laughed, I knew I could do it.
And I did.
And it was epic!
Below I have drawn (using only clip-art mind you) me and my co-worker with our stellar poster.
Moral of the story: You can do anything if you put your mind to it!
PS: I would love it so much if one day you and Shannon could come soak in the hot springs with us.
I just returned home from a week long trip involving all things summer.
camping
fishing
family reunions
BBQs
tubing down the river
tan lines
thunderstorms
fair rides
cottoncandy
etc, etc
Isn't summer the best!?!
We had such a good time. We are always torn at the end of these trips....we want to stay and never leave, but we also are ready to be home.
Here is just a tiny portion of our trip in pictures . . .
c a m p i n g
We went camping at Brooks Lake near Dubois, WY. It is probably the prettiest place I've ever been. We were at 9,000 feet and the mountains still towered over us.
Curtis was finally able to fish for the first time since moving to Wyoming 4 years ago.
Isn't this gorgeous?!?
c o u n t y . f a i r
Lane and Elisa
My darling niece, Elisa. I wanted to put her in my pocket and bring her home with me. She's adorable!! You wouldn't guess from her face in this pic, but she really did enjoy this ride. :-)
Clark and Elisa on the big ferris wheel.
There's nothin' like a small town county fair!!
Have you ever seen such a thing? The goal is to pick up the pig and put it in the barrel in something like 60 seconds. Then all the kids are sprayed off with a fire hose.
t a l e n t . s h o w
my ever-so-talented hubby juggling croquet balls.
Notice all the tie-dye?
Our family is just cool like that. Plus, families who tie-dye together, stay together!
Lots of things didn't get captured on film due to my camera dying.
Other adventured included . . .
Sleeping in a tent for 4 nights straight.
Tubing down the Salt River where I may or may not have ran a stranger over with my tube causing their tube to float away down the river. The stranger may or may not have given me dirty looks the rest of the way down the river.
Visiting with friends who we haven't seen in ages and drooling over their adorable kids. They were so cute I was tempted to just gobble them right up for dinner.
This past weekend my in-laws came up to Thermopolis for a visit. Lucky for me, they are great and I enjoy being around them.
We gave them the grand tour of our town. It's always fun to be reminded of what our town has to offer.
Sometimes, I get in these moods where I'm not sure that our town has anything to offer....it's small...really small. The only fast food places we have to eat at are Taco Johns, Subway and McDonalds. That's it. Not to mention we only have one stoplight. One.
So, as I said, it's a good reminder that this town actually does have stuff do to. Fun stuff too. Plus, it truly is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
One of my most favorite things to do here is drive around the State Park. It's oh so pretty. Especially now. It's so green from all the rain we've had...and now it has hundreds of purple wildflowers at every turn.
Isn't it just beautiful?
Plus, we get to see buffalo...just 5 minutes from our house...buffalo. Here we are driving past a small family with 3 teeny tiny babies (small for buffalo anyway). One of the babies was probably only a week old (if that). It was kinda scary being this close. Towards the end of the film, you'll hear me whisper, "oh my gosh, Curtis, go!" We were so close to the babies and the mommas didn't like it one bit.
Also at our State Park is a swinging bridge that hangs above the Big Horn River. S-C-A-R-E-Y. If you hate heights, you would NOT like this bridge. I hate heights, no, I loathe heights...I even have nightmares about heights. I usually opt out of crossing the bridge, but I decided to be brave and impress the inlaws. I took the camera along to give you a feel of what it's like crossing this thing. If you listen closely, you can hear the squeaking noise of the bridge as it bounces.
We also made a visit to the State Bath House. It's a facility at the State Park that has soaking pools were people can come and soak for free for 20 minutes in the hot mineral water. These waters are known to be "healing waters." The water used in the Bath House comes straight from the mineral hot springs. No chemicals or cleaners are added to it...so it has the awesome scent of sulfur. It was pretty fun. We had never been before...it was much nicer than I expected. There is an indoor and outdoor pool, which are both very clean and nice. Don't worry, I'll spare you of our pasty-white chubbiness and not post pictures of us soaking. :) (just FYI, nude soaking is not allowed...so yes, we were wearing our swimsuits...or rather, our bathing suits...he he).
After our soak at the Bath House, we crammed our smelly sulfur bodies in our car and drove 30 miles to Legend Rock to see Petroglyphs. We really did smell...it was kinda funny. Anyway, the Petroglyphs were pretty cool. Some are said to be 11,000 years old. (don't ask me what the figures are above the eagle???)
On our way home from Legend Rock, we came across these 3 horses at a creek near the side of the road. We stopped just to take a quick look at them and two of them walked right up to our car. One even tried to stick his head right in our car window. What social horses!! They were so cute...and they look like they have been rolling around in the mud. If I wasn't afraid they were going to try to eat us, I would have reached out to pet them.
And lastly, on Sunday afternoon we went to the Car Show that was in town. It's always fun to be outside on a nice day and walk around the park and see cool old cars.
Doesn't Thermopolis seem like a fun place to visit? Come on up and we'll give you the grand tour...and then we'll eat at Taco Johns together!!
Curtis and I were moving our old sofa out of the house to make room for our new one. The plan was to haul it to the in-laws so Curtis' brother could use it at his home. We carried it out the front door and loaded it in the truck.
"Don't we need to secure it with tie-downs?" I asked. "No, it will stay," replied Curtis. "Are you sure?" "Yeah." "Even with the tail-gate down?" "Yeah, it's fine." "Are you sure?" "YES." "Ok" (said apprehensively)
So, with the sofa in the back of the truck (just sitting there...with no tie-downs...and with the tail-gate down) we headed down the road.
So far, so good. Then...we reach a busy intersection and get stopped at the light. The light turns green and we take off. That's when I looked behind me to see the sofa falling out of the truck.
thump, thump.
There our sofa is sitting in the middle of the intersection.
We hurry and get out and try to put it back in. I am laughing too hard to be of much help.
A guy pulls off to the side of the road..."do you need help?"
"No, we're fine. Thanks though." "Do you need straps?" "No, I think we're good."
This time we put the tail-gate up and rest one end of the sofa up on the tail-gate.
We get back in the truck and take off again.
Just then, I look back to see the tail-gate drop down and the sofa fall out...again...same intersection.
This time I'm really of NO help at all. One just doesn't have the strength needed when trying to hold back the laughter all while being stared at by passersby.
Same guy shouts from the side of the road..."are you sure you guys are ok?" "Yes, we're fine." "I have straps you can use." "We're really fine...thanks though."
Again, we lift the sofa into the back of the truck. This time Curtis makes sure the tail-gate is securely latched.
We get in the cab, and ever so slowly hit the gas.
I look back....all is good....tail-gate is still up...sofa is still in place.
I laughed my head off the entire drive (about 20 minutes) to the in-laws. I couldn't help it. I kept envisioning the sofa falling out of the truck...twice...and then I kept replaying our conversation of me asking Curtis several times if we should tie down the sofa. He just laughed with me.
The Thermopolis High School Bobcats have won the Wyoming State 2A footballchampionship.
WOOHOO!!
This is BIG for our little town. In the previous 3 seasons, they have only won a total of 3 games, so this is HUGE.
Way to go Bobcats!!
Here they are being escorted into town after their big win. (It's more fun to watch if your volume is turned up ... for dramatic effect)
You may think there is some kind of big emergency in town, but no, its just every single emergency vehicle joining in the celebration of welcoming our champs back to Thermop. Oh the joys of a small town...I love it!
Its been fun living right on the main road into town. Living here, we are able to see all the action right from our front porch. Not only did we get to see all the hooplah involved in our team coming home, but also yesterday a beet truck tipped over on the main road covering the road and nearby parking lot with beets...tons of beets.
I'm going to miss living right on the main road where all the action is....more on this later.
Last Sunday Curtis and I took an impromptu drive to Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Ten Sleep is about an hour away from us, and with a name like Ten Sleep, how could we not stop by for a visit?
Here's a tidbit about Ten Sleep:
It's a small ranching community with a population of about 300. The town website says that "Ten Sleep is a true example of western lifestyle" and that "travelers are welcome and greeted with friendly smiles" ...both of which we found to be true.
Ten Sleep has quite a history. It is "recognized as being the site of many historic battlegrounds between Indian tribes and the white man. Among those sites are the Bates Battlesite, an engagement in which the Arapahoe were defeated by a coalition composed of U.S. troops and the Shoshone. At the Dull Knife site, Dull Knife and Wild Hog were defeated leaving the Big Horn Mountains under the control of the white man." (Information found here)
Ten Sleep got its name because it was ten days (or 10 sleeps) between the Great Sioux Camps, the Platte River and the northern camp near Bridger, MT.
The town was a very quaint little town and we will be sure to visit again soon.
We recently returned home from a family reunion in Yellowstone. Aren't family reunions great?!? There is always fun to be had . . . especially with the Cheney bunch.
Yellowstone was beautiful! It was my first time visiting the park and it was everything I had hoped for.
Here are many, many pictures of our adventures at Yellowstone . . .
w i l d - l i f e :
smiling for the camera.
now he's just showing off.
taking a dip.
I had no idea buffalo liked to swim ... or that they even could swim.
Caution: GRIZZLY crossing.
g e o t h e r m a l - w o n d e r s :
hot pots.
mud pots. These were pretty cool. You can't tell very well by the picture, but they are puddles of mud that are boiling and popping up. They make all sorts of loud plop, plop noises.
Old Faithful in all her glory.
waterfalls.
c u t e - c u t e - c o u s i n s :
Aren't they adorable? I just love them so much.
and isn't she the most cutest thing you've ever seen? I just wanted to put her in my pocket and bring her home. I couldn't get enough of kissing those cheeks.
Yellowstone was beautiful and the company was delightful.
Thanks Cheney family for a fun, fun family reunion. You guys are the best!
He did it! Curtis graduated and is now a Juris Doctor...and one cute Juris Doctor at that! I tried my best to capture this momentous occasion on film....
[entering the stage]
[being hooded]
[getting the ginormous diploma]
[Seriously, just look how big it is. Way bigger than mine.]
[Curtis and some of his peeps played a couple of songs during the ceremony, including Tom Petty's Learning to Fly. Classic! Aren't they hot in their robes and hats?!?]
[Class Photo. I had the perfect shot until the girl in white got in my way.]
[Good Friends...who will be missed dearly by us both.]
[Family Photo]
[2 grads in LoVe!! How could we not want to be all kissy kissy in this attire?!?]
It seems like just the other day we were driving up to Laramie to check out the University of Wyoming campus to see if it was the right fit for us. These past 3 years have flown by, yet it also seems like we have been friends with the Laramie folk for decades. We will treasure this experience forever.
Now, I know some of you are wondering what our future has in store for us. So are we. At this point, we are planning on staying here in Laramie until Curtis takes the Bar in July. How fun...a summer full of studying! Curtis is taking the Wyoming Bar, which means, you guessed it...we are planning on staying in Cowboy Country...at least for a while. Curtis has a couple of leads on some jobs, but that is all I can tell you now. But I promise, when I know more, I will tell.
Good job babe on graduating from law school. Stay cool and have a good summer!
