WHY I AM NOT MARRIED

Answer: my birthday.  Don't get confused, stay with me.  Every year on my birthday I make the same wish when I blow out my candles.  I started making this wish when I was probably 6 or 7 years old.  I always wish to marry and orphan so I don't have to share family time (don't judge me).  I wished for that again today.  I am starting to think that birthday wishes do come true and that is why I am not married because I have never met an eligible orphan.  But then again, maybe birthday wishes don't come true because I never got to dance with Patrick Swayze to "Time of Your Life."

JOHN WESLEY POWELL AND THE GERMANS

I don't know how I could manage to teach Lake Powell better than I do.  I am kind of awesome at talking about it.  I mention Lake Powell and John Wesley Powell in my class probably 2-3 times every day.  Literally.  My students recently took a test on government explorers (including Powell) and one of the essay questions was, "Why did Powell explore the west?  Discuss both of his expeditions."  This is a student response with their exact spelling and grammar: "because the germans sent him and he trapped beavers.  teh purpose of his second was to catc beavers and teh germans wanted to see if he would surviv."  Where did I go wrong??? I don't think I have ever said anything about Germany in my Utah history class.  Ever!  Oh boy.

"ANDY...YOU GOONIE"

Thank you to my parents for hosting a goonie-rific summer vacation.  To be a part of the Belnap family means you have the entire Goonies movie memorized.  To vacation in Oregon and be a part of the Belnap family means you visit all the Goonies sites.  We did just that!  We watched Goonies while staying at the beach and toured all the famous sites from the movie.  It was amazing!!!!

Cannon Beach

"The rock, the lighthouse, and the restaurant..."

Opening scene - jail

The jail is now a museum honoring The Goonies

Where Mikey's dad was raising the flag pole as the Goonies rode past

Goondocks!

The owners of the Goondocks are Goonie friendly

Josh and Baby reenacting the opening scene

Data's suit

BOSTON WITH MR. SUMNER

I went to visit Jaimee and the kiddos is Boston last week with Jen.  We had a lovely time in the New England Fall.  I saw some super history, super houses, and super people.  Jen and I slept in Kate's room and read her stories, made her stay up late with us (yes, we did that to a 5 year old), and let her pick out our outfits.  I was so scared that Will would be shy and not remember us because he lives 2000 miles away but he totally loved us!  As much as I literally HATE having Jaimee and the babies so extremely far, I also love having them in such a cool city.

My.  Dream.  Home. - Concord, MA.

Edge of the Concord River where the "shot heard round the world" took place.

THE BEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!  I MEAN THIS WAS ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY AMAZING!!!!  I MET STING aka GORDON SUMNER.  HE WAS SO NICE AND LET US GET A PICTURE.  THE HISTORY STUFF SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP BUT MEETING STING TOTALLY TRUMPED EVERYTHING!

House of 7 Gables - this was my favorite thing in Salem, MA

Scott took us to the crew race Head of the Charles - they do way cooler sports back east

The entrance to Harvard.  A bit classier than the BYU tunnels.

Harry Potter Witch and Wizard store in Salem, MA

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Halloween is only worth it if you have little kids you love.  Otherwise, Halloween sucks.

DELTA

Pretty much every company in the world capitalizes on breast cancer awareness month.  It is kind of like you have no heart if you don't promote the pink ribbon on your logo, marquee, napkins, billboards, etc.  Delta is one of those companies.  I have never flown on Delta in the month of October but I will from now on.  All the flight attendants and airport representatives have pink Delta outfits on, they serve pink drinks, they advertise on their screens for BC research, and much more.  When they announced on the PA that pink drinks were available (this was after seeing all the people in their pink wear) I started sobbing.  Yes, public tears.  I was in the middle row between two strangers and they were highly concerned but thankfully didn't try to ask me what was wrong.  I probably cried for 45 minutes because I just love when people support the cause and then I think of my Grammy and then I think of every other grammy or mom or sister that might be fighting.  It was just a bit of an emotional outburst.  Awkward?  Yes.  But whatev.

OCTOBER 20

Today is my Grammy's birthday.  Last year all of the extended family got together on her birthday (18 days after she died) to have a party in her honor.  We had dinner, cake, ice cream, and memories galore.  This year, just one year later, things area already different.  My grandmother - as I am sure all of your grandmothers (and just women in general) - have the ability to pull families together.  They are the knot that ties people together.  That was by far one of my grandmothers best abilities.  You just wanted to be wherever she was.  People wanted to be around her.  Today we are not celebrating her birthday together.  We hardly see each other.  I feel like extended family unity is all but lost. The first sign I had of this drifting was the Race for the Cure in May.  I was the ONLY person from my family who attended.  But last year there were about 20 of us present to walk in honor of Grammy.  This year I had to do it alone.  I was 10 years old when my maternal grandmother died.  I was extremely close with her as well because she lived with us for 5 years.  I saw my mom's side of the family all the time during those years.  I can probably count on two hands the number of times I have seen my "Idaho" cousins in the past 10 years.  Is family separation just something that comes with the loss of the matriarch?  I feel like my family (on both sides and myself included) slacks off in the time commitment it takes to truly stay a part of each others lives.  It takes works.  It takes sacrifice.  It takes love.  I miss that my Grammy always brought us together for holidays, family home evenings, birthdays, etc.  I miss that my family used to love being surrounded by one another.  I miss and love ALL of my family.  I wish I could tell my Grammy Happy Birthday!

PINK PUMPKIN PAINTING

I turned my Halloween doorstep decorations into real October seasonal decor - breast cancer pumpkins! I used pink Craft Smart acrylic paint that was way cheap, about $1.35 per bottle.  I also sealed the paint with my breast cancer bottle of "Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play" hairspray.  And I finished painting them while watching the Lifetime special, FIVE, about breast cancer.  I sobbed my way through all of them, obviously.It was actually a wonderful grouping of short films all related to different women fighting the disease.  It is replaying frequently on lifetime throughout the month.  The best one is the second clip directed by Jennifer Aniston. 

BREAST CANCER BYU

Every October the world turns pink!  BYU - and many teams throughout October - honored Breast Cancer Awareness with an official pink ribbon game.  I saw some people with official BYU hats that had a pink ribbon on them.  Scott Clark swears they came from the bookstore but I cannot find them anywhere.  Any of you know where you can find the BYU breast cancer hat??? Last year Josh was able to score a pink Nike sweatband for me from one of the players.  This year I didn't get any swag but I did find myself crying multiple times thinking about  BYU+breast cancer+football+ homecoming game+breast cancer awareness+ the Y was illuminated+breast cancer pink everything = tears, tears, tears.  I love how pink has infiltrated all things.  I SERIOUSLY LOVE IT WHEN BYU AND BREAST CANCER AWARENESS COLLIDE!!!