Summer Highlights

1. Hands down the Beach was our favorite summer pastime, where hours were spent frolicking in the waves and sun bathing on the sandy shores.

2. Boogie Boarding was an entirely different category, and perhaps superseded the previous entry in likeability.

3. Another of our favorite excursions was to the infamous Universal Studios Lot where we experienced the new Simpsons ride with pure delight. Neither of us could stop giggling (although Ryan will deny this) and we seriously loved both the ride itself and the quickie-mart afterwards where Duff energy drinks were sold for the discount price of $8 a can.

You’ll note the enthusiasm displayed on the boys’ faces as they waited outside in the heat while we visited the ladies room.

We also enjoyed riding on the huge escalators which were both steep and fast!

4. We made a couple of visits to famous Hollywood landmarks, including, of course, the Hollywood sign, walk of fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

Ryan is pictured with Matt Damon’s hand prints because he gets that look alike thing a lot. Personally I think Ryan’s much cuter!

Rose and I with Marilyn Monroe - Ryan thinks I am cuter than her also!

5. We enjoyed an Angels Baseball Game, although it was directly after a long and seemingly safe day at the beach for an entire cloudy day – we thought we were safe but every one of us was sun burnt, and the sun on our faces here did not help the agony.

I love Ryan's expression here - What a cutie-pie!

6. Although not specific to California some of the wives did a couple Pottery days creating gorgeous one-of-a-kind masterpieces for all to admire. Artsy stuff like this is so fun and it makes me wonder why I don’t this kind of thing more often.

7. Ryan and I went to the Redlands Temple every week and also visited a couple of the neighboring temples. Each one is so beautiful, peaceful, and serene. Just spending time on the quiet temple ground is so therapeutic. Our weekly trip was also followed by an equally enjoyable trip to the local Bagel shop.

8. Every Saturday the company would treat everyone to Dinner Out and here we made some of our fondest memories made with some of our greatest friends. Here we are pictured at P. F. Changs.

9. Having Ryan’s Family come visit us out in Cali was so fun, and this pictures us enjoying our scenic picnic lunch in the parking garage at Universal Studios. We figured better that than the $9 hot dog inside.
10. Probably my favorite memory of the summer is just the opportunity to be with Ryan somewhere new. Each change in our life brings with it an increased understanding of each other, our likes and dislikes, and details we never knew about before.

Take for example, the afternoon Ryan and I lay by the pool for about an hour watching a salamander hunt his insect lunch from a sun-heated wall. Fascinating! We were enthralled, and never could have had that shared experience or knew about that shared fascination from here in Utah.