Fall Break!

One good thing about living in Apple Valley, and especially working as a teacher in Apple Valley, is fall break.  Students and teachers get 2 weeks off in October!  WOOHOO!  I love it!  By the time fall break rolls around, it's perfect weather and you have two weeks to do whatever you want!  This fall break we were able to get a lot accomplished, but better than that, we were able to have tons of fun and spend a lot of time together.  Here is a pictorial log of what we did .

As nerdy as it seems, Mark and I love to put puzzles together.  Puzzles are one of Mark's claims to fame.  He seems to have quite the knack at finding just where that one piece, that looks like all the other 999 pieces fits, and on the first try!  While I, on the other hand, sit there and try every one of the 999 pieces until I finally find the right one.  Mark brings it up about every time he finds a fitting piece.  "1 for 1 Mark, oh, 2 for 2 Mark, oh wow 3 for 3 Mark, hey look at that, 4 for 4 Mark."  By about piece 6 I have had it.  Anyway, at the beginning of fall break we went to Wal-Mart (Mark's favorite place) and bought 2 puzzles.  We only finished one, but here is the process.  

I would just like to say that I did the edges, the white, "New York, New York" part, and most of the water all by myself!

So, ok, Mark did the rest of the puzzle almost entirely himself, but I was there, trying!  I did do some of the sky!  In fact, I finished that corner right there.

When we moved, Mark and I got rid of the $10 garage sale grill we had.  We would have just kept it, but Wal-Mart stopped selling propane tanks that fit our grill (yeah, that's how old it was - I mean, come on, it was $10 - what did you expect?).  Anyway, I told Mark that since grills were on sale, we could buy a new one.  Here is Mark putting together his new toy.  We have yet to use it, but I'm sure we will - someday.

Our ward does something really fun!  Each Halloween, families leave treats on two families' doorsteps anonymously and then those families do it to two more families and so on and so forth.  It's called being BOO'd!  Here we are with Nolan (Mark's bro) making our treats and getting ready to go. 

Yummy treats!  Here are the runners!  All in black and ready to go!

Back when Mark and I first got married, we used to go hiking every week.  Since we moved to California and started teaching and going to school we just stopped.  On one of the unusually cooler days during fall break we hiked up to this old deserted house, high up on a hill overlooking Apple Valley.  Speaking of Apple Valley, after our hike I became curious as to who the house belonged to and what it's purpose was.  Turns out it belonged to one of the founders of Apple Valley, and he built it to overlook the entire valley.  And I also found that way back in the early 1900s Apple Valley did indeed use to bear fruit - apples to be exact!  It was covered in bountiful, green apple orchards.  I wish I could have seen it.  Anyway, the great depression, a few frosts, and a few climate changes later and we have the Apple Valley we know today - brown, dry, and completely lacking in apples.  Amazing!  Who would have thought?  So, here is a picture of Mark and I at the house. 

Wow!  I'm really attractive and my front leg looks like I have elephantitis - or whatever that disease is called. Ugh!

Just so you know, that house in the background of Mark is not the old, deserted house, and neither is it my complete lack of photography skills.  It was another house that Mark really liked and wanted to take a picture of.  It's his dream backyard.  You can't see it really well, but its an oasis!

A while ago, a man in my ward and his friend put together a musical revue and asked me to be in it.  Music in the high desert is beyond pathetic.  Actually culture in general is in a sad state.  Honestly, I fear for the musical and cultural welfare of my future children.  Mark doesn't seem worried, but then again - as long as his kids can shoot a basket I don't think he really cares.  Anyway, these men are trying to remedy our lack.  All I have to say is GOOOOD luck, but good for them.  We just recently had our performance and here is a picture of me in action.  It's a picture of a picture, so the quality isn't the best, but you get the idea.  Don't I look so American Idol? :) 

Finally, the best part of break.  We went to Oregon to visit my family and to be with my sister, Katelyn, as she went through the temple and had her farewell.  It was awesome!  I loved being at home and it was absolutely beautiful there!  Even Mark said that he wouldn't mind moving up there.  Too little, too late!  Especially now that we have a mortgage!  Anyway, we were there for 5 days and we had so much fun!  My family is the best and I love spending time with them.  Every time I come back I am a little bit homesick again.  Not that I don't love my family and life here, but sometimes it's just nice to be home.  Katelyn's farewell was wonderful.  Everyone came - my mom, her boyfriend, Jim, and even my brother Jared!  My brother, Andrew, my dad, and my step-mom, Sheila all spoke - well and of course Katelyn.  And all my sisters and I sang together.  That is one thing I miss the most!  I get to sing with a lot of talented people, but none of them are my sisters.  We won't get to sing together again for at least another year and a half - until Katelyn gets home.  Sad, huh?  Anyway, it was wonderful!  And of course, like all wonderful things, I brought my camera, but forgot to ever take it out until the last day after all the festivities were over!  So here are pictures of some of my family members.  It was Sunday afternoon and most people were sleeping or gone somewhere so I didn't get pictures of everyone.  

This first picture is the view outside my dad's house.  Breathtaking!  Who wouldn't want to live in Oregon?  And Mark wonders why I have such a hard time adjusting to Apple Valley.

Mark is just tuckered out!

My daddy - I love him!

My beautiful sisters!  From front to back - Katelyn, Melissa, and Heather.

My handsome brother Andrew (a.k.a. His Majesty, the Homecoming Prince)

And my cute little grandma.

I'm sad that I didn't get pictures of my mom or Jared or any other members of my family for that matter, but like I said, I was a dork and forgot that I even brought my camera, so I only got pictures of people who were awake and at the house at the time.  Good times in Oregon!