Anniversary trip

Seth took me to Arches National Park for our 10 year anniversary. The place is amazing. Truly amazing. It almost seems fake. We camped one night. It was super cold at night, but it was snuggly and fun. I'm glad I am barely tough enough to sleep in those conditions. It makes coming home to a warm shower and bed so nice. It always amazes me how close these adventures are from our home. 4 hours driving and you can experience this amazing place. Utah really is such a great place to live. We can't wait to take our kids there. We would hear kids in our campground and both feel a little sad. Piper and Quinn spent the day with PP and Bears, and then they spent the night with my mom. It is an amazing gift to have someone in your life who you trust completely with your children.

Thank you mom, Patrick and Erin. Don't know what we would do without you.

Oh and P.S. Pine tree arch is the best and No. 53 camp spot in Devils Garden Campground is the best. It is the most secluded tent spot. This campground sells out frequently because it ROCKS!!, so make reservations in advance.
This campground is ideal for kids. It has bathrooms and a dish washing station.
Love it.

10 years

I have to hurry and write this down, because I think remembering what you did on your 10 year anniversary is really important. I met Seth when I was 16. We were friends at first, then a little more. We dated on and off until October 2001 when we were married. I have loved him, the kind of love that makes your guts ache when you are away from someone since 2 months after meeting him.
Today on this cool crisp autumn day it has been 10 years. We woke up and rushed off to Piper's preschool Halloween parade/party. Mom went with us and Nana, Papa, Patrick, Erin and Ronan and of course Quinn were there as well. Piper was an octopus and Quinn and Ronan were firefighters. I cooked most of the afternoon. Uncle Jason, Seth's brother and Seth's best man at our wedding, joined us for dinner. Piper wouldn't eat and Quinn was crying. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. As I write this Quinn is sleeping in his little basket next to our bed and Piper is sleeping in her big girl bed 10 feet away. This is where we are in our lives right now. One day our kids will be grown and we can go to fancy restaurants and maybe even travel. I know for a fact that I will long for the days that we have now.

History thru matches

You definitely appreciate everything more as you get older. That's one of the beauties of aging.

I loved my grandparents. I miss them all the time. I wish they were alive so I could appreciate their hard work and lives more now that I am able to really understand.
I've talked a little bit about them before. I am totally bragging about them, but I am so proud to be a descendant from them.
My grandpa was Lincoln Carter White. He was a great businessman and loved to fish. He owned Bullfrog Marina in Lake Powell at one point. He also owned Schubachs Jewlery for years. Massey of Massey's Jewlery, still in business, exists because of my grandpa. When he came to this country my grandpa taught him the business. I love going into Masseys and hearing the guys talk about my grandpa. Schubachs is still around but he sold it many many years ago to another company. His generosity was legendary. Something that got passed onto my mom. My grandma was Aline White. She was a spit fire. She owned rental property around the valley.
They loved to travel. They paid for my college education as well as my siblings and cousins. Thank you a million times.
When my grandma died I got her match collection. They have sat in a box for many years, and this past week I found some old Italian olive jars and displayed them in our home where they can be enjoyed.
Wow they are amazing. They are a eye into their past. A glimpse of where they went and places they loved. I wish they were still alive to tell me about their travels, but I will just imagine them going to all those places and smile.
I am so grateful to come from these amazing people. I hope my grandchildren will think of me the way I think of them.

Disneyland

When I thought about having kids one day the fact that I could take them to Disneyland came to mind. I love the place. I love the smell, the memories, the energy. I love that everything is happy there. You go there and suddenly all your worries go away. It reminds me of my dad, my brother and of being young and pure.
So every October Seth and I try our best to take a nice vacation. Fall is an amazing time of year to travel. Cheaper and less crowds. Two musts when traveling.
I have been waiting for Piper to be the right age and this year she most certainly was. We packed up the family truckster and headed to California. The weather was not optimal, but the crowds were. We pretty much walked onto every ride. Oh and by the way, Piper and I rode the Matterhorn together. This is my favorite ride other that Pirates. She was barely scared. No crying. So proud of her.
The first night we got there Disneyland was having a special trick-or-treat Mickey Mouse party. It was so fun. After the park closed you got to stay until 11 pm (night is my favorite time in the park) and trick or treat. There was also a special Halloween parade. Such a great time of year to go.
We stayed in Vegas on the way to California and on the way home. I think I hate Vegas. It is just gross. It is everything that I hate about Americans. Consuming, consuming and then consuming some more. We stayed in a nice hotel and ordered room service and had a lot of fun.
I love traveling. It might be one of my favorite things to do in life. I can't wait to start planning our next trip. I hope that my children will love traveling as much as Seth and I do. There is so much to be learned from traveling. I really think it brings a family closer.