Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort

Patrick and I headed down to Zion National Park last weekend to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  I found a KSL Deal for a two night stay at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort.  We loved every single minute of our trip.  I am breaking our trip into a couple of posts and this one will feature the Resort.

We stayed in a "Cowboy Cabin."  It had only the essentials; a couch, queen-size bunk beds, a dresser, and towels.  The bathrooms, showers, swimming pool, and hot tub were just a short walk away.

The cabin was so cozy!

It had been quite awhile since I had slept on a bunk bed.  I was more than a little excited!

We had dinner Saturday night at the Resort's restaurant, The Blue Belly Grill.  The burgers were delicious and so big!  I am glad that Patrick is always around to finish off what I can't eat.  

Included in our stay were vouchers to participate in different activities at the Resort.  Many things weren't operating since our visit was during the off-season.  We were content to rid the zip line and play mini-golf.

My turn on the zip line...

And Patrick's.

We played mini-golf in the evening after spending the day at Zion National Park.

Patrick easily won because I quit after hole 12 because my hands were cold and I couldn't hit a ball into a hole to save my life.  We will have a rematch at Hollywood connection soon!

We absolutely loved our stay at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort and would recommend it to anyone who is headed down to visit Zion's.  If you do go, let us know because we could very easily be convinced to go again!

Newlyweds No More!

Last Sunday, Patrick and I celebrated our first anniversary!  I've never had a year go by so quickly.  I guess time really does flies when you're having fun!

We were curious to find out when you are no longer considered a newlywed.  After consulting Google, we concluded the title drops after your first year of marriage.  Truth be told, I am kind of sad to not be considered a newlywed anymore.  People get so excited to hear you were recently married and I love, love to talk about Patrick and my life with him.  Hopefully our adventures as a not new, but not old married couple will be just as interesting!

Patrick's anniversary gift to me was a video he put together with the help of his cousin, Jordan.  Click here to watch!

Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween!  Here's what we got up to...

We carved pumpkins on Sunday.  I should have taken photos right away.  Our pumpkins started to go bad very quickly. It's an owl.  Yes, I still am into the whole owl thing.

Patrick's pumpkin.  It looks really neat lit up with a candle but it was hard to see the details in a nighttime photo.  He carved the state of Montana (Yay!).  I love his details- a star marking St.Ignatius, the rising sun, the mountain range, and a M for Montana or Marks (or maybe, the Marks move to Montana? Maybe one day!).

I love Pippi Longstockings.  I was able to pull together this costume using stuff around our apartment.  I knew my old Ariel wig would come in handy one day!

A close-up so you can see my freckles.  I have plenty of my own, they just aren't as pronounced as they used to be.

I finished this tote bag earlier in the week and was excited to fill it with Halloween candy to pass out. (Did I mention I am still into the whole owl thing?)

My cute musical theatre students came to class dressed in their Halloween costumes.  After wards, they stood in the studio's store front frozen like mannequins.  Main Street was hosting trick or treaters and the kids had fun surprising the people passing by.  They are too fun!

Into the Woods Jr. Snapshots

Wednesday was closing night of "Into the Woods Jr."  Here are a couple of snapshots to remember this wonderful production by.

The Birthday Boy

*WARNING: PHOTO OVERLOAD. SOMEONE HAD A BIRTHDAY AND HIS WIFE LIKES TO DOCUMENT EVERY MOMENT WITH THE CAMERA*

This week was Patrick's birthday.  Here is a blog post with lots and lots of photos of the birthday boy man. I always look forward to my own birthday week, but I get even more excited to help celebrate someone else's special day.  Planning and scheming is just too fun!

The day started with breakfast at Kneader's.  We had been needing an excuse to go and try their unlimited french toast.

For my birthdays, Patrick has put together little scavenger hunts where I  follow clues to find my gifts.  It is always very fun so I decided to put together one for him, too.  I think it has become a family tradition!

I put papers in balloons.  He had to pop the balloons and then piece the papers together.

Here he is carefully removing tape from the papers.  Oh, the anticipation! 

The papers formed a note with "Handsome Hubby" on it which led him to the catchall baskets we have hanging in the kitchen.  There he found a the key to our storage unit and a flashlight since it was very dark outside.

Inside the storage unit was Patrick's stash of birthday gifts.

New leather gloves, salted chocolate caramels, and a little display plaque I DIYed to show off one of his missionary badges.

It was only fair that the birthday boy man got to choose the dinner menu- pizza...

and dessert pizza!

Happy Birthday, Patrick! 

Into the Woods Jr.

I think I am a pretty lucky girl.  I've been blessed to have had so many opportunities in my life to use the wonderful and fun talents I've been given.  As I've said many times before, the Utah Children's Theatre is one of my favorite places in Salt Lake City and I am always ecstatic to be working on a project with them.  "Into the Woods Jr." was my latest adventure. I am a little late posting this... hopefully you'll still have a chance to catch one of the final performances.  And you really should try to see it!

I choreographed the main musical numbers for this Youth Stage production.  Wow, there are so many talented kids out there!  It is a neat experience to envision something in your head and then have a group of performers bring it to life on stage.  I couldn't be happier with the hard work and commitment of these young performers!

The stage starting to come to life.  

Have you passed UCT before?  It is centrally located in Salt Lake City at 3605 S. State Street.  If you haven't been before now is the time to experience live theater for the whole family!

The cast during tech week receiving notes from Director Meighan Smith and Musical Director Jana Cox.

uctheatre.org

Haunted Gingerbread Houses

It was Cake Boss all over again this weekend at our place! However, cakes were replaced by gingerbread and Rice Krispy Treats.  We needed an at-home date since we both worked late on Friday and Saturday nights. We decided to get in the Halloween spirit by decorating a haunted house.

We started with a kit that I found at Michael's.  We decided to step it up a bit by adding Rice Krispy Treat pumpkins and witch's dirt (made from Halloween Oreos).  Here's the finished result...

Patrick's creativity amazed me!  Here was responsible for some of the house's finest details, such as...

 The fondant skeleton...

 

the spider web, and the coloring of the pumpkin stems!

 

We were so proud of our decorating project that we just had to document it with a little photo shoot.

 

 Ta-da!!!

 

 Time to eat?!

 

 We thought a kissy photo would be cute, but I couldn't stop laughing which is why I have awkward fish lips! Ha!

 

 

P <3 M