Fair, Waffles, Dirty Dash, and Football

 This post could have easily been called Randomocity Part 2.  That must mean that my life is random!  Last week was full of adventures!
 For FHE on Monday, my "family" went to the Utah State fair.  My roommates and I made a bucket list of things we want to do before the end of the year and go to the fair and eat fair food was on the list.  So eat fair food we did!

First stop...the butter sculpture...this year it was Prince Wills and Kate cow style

No meal is complete without a heaping helping of corndogs!  I also got fried pickles...delicious!

Deeds went the fish and chips route.

O got tater twisters and a corndog and T and P-dawg got fish sandwiches.

We even ran into our dear friend, Haley, and her hubby at the fair.  The fair bring friends together!

Then we walked around and looked at the animals and all the weird fair-going peeps.

Animals smell so dang bad...you all know I have a sensitive sniffer!  Barf!

Could there be anything more uncomfortable than having an udder?  Sure grateful these cows don't think so because I sho love me some dairy products!

No fair experience is complete without an elephant ear smothered in honey butter and cinnamon and sugar.

O and T and their elephant ear.  My gall-less bod was not happy with me for days after this night!  Way too much grease!

On Friday, T, O, and I headed down to Orem for the BYU football fireside.  It was quite enjoyable actually, and it really helped put things in perspective (which was much needed considering what was to come in the game on Saturday!).  Afterward, we just happened upon a couple of players in the hallway and got a picture.  We felt like we were 10-years-old sort of, but you can't pass up a pic with Josh Quezada in that suit (Corby Eason also in the pic with me and O)!

After the fireside, we headed to downtown SLC, picked up P-dawg and went to get waffles at Bruge's.  Amy had told me about this little gem of a restaurant downtown, so we went to check it out.  It definitely did not disappoint.  I was coming down with a cold at the time, so I will need to return when all my taste buds are fully functional.

P-dawg got strawberries on his waffle and I got cream and Belgian chocolate.

O got raspberries and cream

T got peaches and cream

 On Saturday afternoon, O and I met our dear friend, Haley (recently married and therefore way too absent from my life), in Midway for the Salt Lake City Dirty Dash 10k.  We signed up for this race like 100 years ago.  I may have had the worst attitude on earth about this.  I didn't feel well, couldn't breathe really (cold), and just wanted to get to Provo for the game, and I don't really love getting dirty.  It ended up being the biggest blast ever known to man!  Right after we started, the adrenalin kicked in, my cold was gone, and we were having a grand time! 

Right before taking off up a muddy hill to start the race.

After the finish line.

 We ended up taking the 5k shortcut, and we walked about 80% of it.  Next year all of you are joining us!  Way too fun!  A friend of a friend of a friend took more pics of us actually on the course, so I will post those if I ever get them.  On a personal note, #24 on my bucket list - Be covered head-to-toe in mud - now complete!
O and I left straight from the Dirty Dash down to Provo for the football game.  We cleaned up at her friend Kara's house, ate some grub, and then headed to the BYU vs. Utah game.  There's not much to say here besides it was the worst display of college football I have ever seen in my almost 32 years.  We lost 10-54 and it was 10-14 at halftime.  Awesome Cougs, awesome!  Why couldn't our complete demise be against any other team on earth?!  My heart breaks!  I'd rather lose to a high school team!

I got season tickets for this?

One bright spot, we got to meet Cosmo after the game which was also on our roommate bucket list.

So that was my week last week.  Hopefully the Cougs will have a better showing next week!

Sophie D is 1

 I don't know how it is possible that this little gal is 1 already!  I sure do love her so much!  We all met at Amy's on Sunday for dinner and a little birthday party.

Covered in her taco salad!

Buggy surveying her loot.

She wasn't very interested in opening presents at all.

She loved her new birthday cake toy that plays music.  She would turn on the music, crawl to the middle of the room so that we were all watching, and dance away!  So cute!

Jack showing Sophs the ropes.  Love my naked babies!  Yes, Jack is sort of potty trained these days!

The Grossen Fam

Sophie wanted nothing to do with her cake which is hilarious because she normally will eat anything and everything in sight.  The cake was delicious!

Sophie and her birthday cake toy.

Me and my Jack Jack

Me and the birthday girl

Happy Birthday my little Buggy!  I love love love you!

Camping Again!

Last weekend, I went camping with Brett again at the usual spot up by Guardsman Pass.  It was a lot cooler this time, but there were almost no mosquitoes!  Yay!  We backpacked in after work on Friday, set up camp and got the fire going.   Brett and I have this down to a science now.

While the fire burned down to make hot coals to cook dinner, we wandered over to the rock that goes out into the lake.  We like to find as many salamanders as we can.  There were lots of little babies this time.  They are sort of disgusting!

Then we went back to camp and put dinner on to cook.  Yes, that is a two steaks, two chicken breasts, and two ears of corn on the cob we've got cooking there.  Oh, and a bag of Stacy's pita chips to my right.  We don't mess around!  And don't be jealous of my socks! :)

While dinner cooked, we went over the big rock pile and ate wild raspberries.  It is bizarre to me the raspberries grow up through the cracks of these huge boulders, but I sure do love them!  Yummmm!

It was a full moon that night too.  So beautiful!

This is how I eat steak while camping!

And a little s'more for dessert is always a must!

Don't I look cute? :)  I took this picture to make sure nothing too crazy was going on with my hair since I didn't have a mirror.  I didn't sleep so great that night.  I was overheating in my awesome new sleeping bag all night long and couldn't get comfortable.  I also need to purchase a small pillow.  Using my hoodie as a pillow just doesn't get the job done!

Nothing quite like waking up to the sun coming into your tent! 

I love this lake!  We can't find it anywhere on local maps, so it remains nameless, but I sure love it!  It's so peaceful and lovely!

Me and Brett all ready for the hike back out.

Continuing our tradition of stopping at the Silver Fork Lodge for breakfast.  I got a hot chocolate this time.  It was homemade and delicious!

Hopefully we can get one more camping trip in before it gets too cold!  Always love it!

9/11

Since I definitely did not write in my journal about this day 10 years ago, I wanted to write about it now on the 10 year anniversary.  I was just starting my senior year at BYU.  I was getting ready for the day in our little vanity area of good ol' apartment 109 at the Riviera.  I almost always listened to CDs in the morning while getting ready, but on that morning I had on the radio for some reason.  I heard the news that the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane and immediately turned on the TV.  Let me back up a little here.  I had not a single clue what the World Trade Center was before this day.  A few months before this, I had flown into Newark, NJ for my layover on my way to Madrid.  I remember being so excited to see the Statue of Liberty for the first time from the airplane.  I also remember seeing the World Trade Center and remember wondering what those two huge buildings were all about.  They definitely were prominent down in that lower Manhattan area.  Who knew the next time I saw them, they would be in flames on TV?
So anyway, I was glued to the  TV until it was time to head up to work.  I saw the first tower fall live on TV.  So shocking!  It seemed silly to be going to work/class when something like this was happening.  It really puts things into perspective when major events like this happen.  I remember calling my mom to make sure they were watching the news.  I remember asking her what in the world is going on.  I remember being scared that it was going to start happening all over the place...Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco...as the news came in that another plane had hit the Pentagon and one had crashed in Pennsylvania.
The next few days were weird.  It happened on a Tuesday, so we had a devotional that day.  I remember Pres. Bateman speaking about peace and there being no need to fear.  I remember going to a devotional or something in the Marriott Center and watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform and listening to President Hinckley speak a few days later.  I remember the peace that came from hearing that music and listening to a prophet's voice.  The whole world can be in complete commotion, but as long as we have the gospel of Jesus Christ, there can be peace in our hearts.  I watched hours and hours of CNN and cried and cried.  It was several months before I could listen to the National Anthem or any patriotic song without crying.
I watched several 9/11 shows on Sunday and it brought back many of the same emotions...sadness, anger, disbelief that something like this could happen, that people could hate so much.  I heard one news reporter say that our lives were forever changed that day whether we were directly affected or not.  This is so true.  My thoughts and prayers have been with those who lost loved ones on this day 10 years ago especially those who lost parents and spouses.  I have always loved America, but spending time abroad followed a few months later by this tragic day created a deeper love for this great nation.  I am grateful for the chance to have visited both New York City and Washington, DC several times in the last 10 years and to have visited Ground Zero and the Pentagon.  I love these cities!  America is truly a special place preserved for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  God bless it!  I certainly won't ever forget that day 10 years ago.

Labor Day in Boise

For Labor Day weekend, I flew up to Boise to spend time with Ryan, Kara, and Isaac.  I left Thursday after work, and arrived there around 7pm.  Our first stop was Baja Fresh.  Yummm!  I wish they had these in Utah! But it's probably better for my waist line that they don't! 
Ryan had to work Friday morning, so Kara and I hung around the house.  We went for a bike ride around their neighborhood.  This was my first time to see their new house.  It is a beautiful home and neighborhood!  When Ryan got home, Kara and I headed off to get a pedicure.  We both got Cougar blue polish in honor of the football season starting that weekend.

When we got back, we waited for Iz to wake up from his nap and then we headed into town.  We made a stop at Costco (it was an outstanding sample day, hurray!).  I had to get my picture with ol' Honest Abe of course!

Then we went to the Boise Nature Center.  We walked around little paths and looked at fish.  We even saw a snake slithering around in the bushes.  Awesome!  We saw a white sturgeon fish that was as big as I am.  So gross that fish that big live in rivers! I told Ryan to put his face in the owl and make an owl face.  This is what he came up with...I approve!

Oh my goodness, I love this boy!!

I got to choose where we went to dinner that night, so I immediately hopped on the Food Network website to see where Guy Fieri had been in Boise for his show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  We went to the Westside Diner.  It was pretty good...your standard greasy diner.  Ryan got the Daddy-O burger, and it was as big as his whole head.  He ate about half of it, and then said, "well, guys, I'm tapping out."  He leaned back in his chair, and it cracked underneath him.  We cried laughing.  That burger was that big!  So funny!  Just the back of it cracked, so he didn't fall to the ground, but the timing was just too perfect!

Iz loved him a corndog.  That face is priceless!  I feel the same way when I'm eating a corndog!

Saturday was football day!  This is why September is the best month of the year!  Watching College Gameday and football game after football game is my idea of a perfect Saturday, and that's exactly what we did!  Right before the BYU game, we went over to Wahooz and played a round of mini golf.  So fun!

This is what happens when you make a hole in one on the last whole.   Good one, Ry!

My friend, Meredith, and her family came over to Kara and Ryan's for the game.  We barbequed and ate lots of delicious food like homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches.  The Cougs won too!  So it was a great time!

Connor, Scott, and Meredith Gregory

Ryan, me, and Josie Gregory

On Sunday we went to church and relaxed.  We skyped with my parentals and watched a movie that night.  On Monday, I did a little family photo shoot. This was my favorite family shot followed by my favorite picture of little Isaac.

Before I knew it, it was time to get ready to go to the airport.  The weekend went by way too fast!  It was so great to spend time with Kara and Ryan and of course Isaac.  I could kiss this face forever!!  I don't love that they live far away, but it makes the times that we get to spend together mean so much more.  Thanks for letting spend the weekend with you guys!  Miss you always!

Iz was really into making this face.  So cute!