Diamondbacks playoffs

Once again Jordan won tickets at work....this time to see the Diamondbacks play game three of the playoffs.

There was a lightening warning that night with a slight chance of rain.  It was drizzling as we drove to the game so we didnt think to much about it.  Lightening storms are pretty common here.  We parked a few blocks away and as soon as we got out of the car it started pouring. 

We ran to the stadium and while looking to see where to pick up our tickets we realized we were on the wrong side!  By the time we got our tickets and into the game we were soaked!  We were joking about the 'slight chance of rain' along with the storm warning.  My jeans were wet all the way up to my knees and my shirt and little sweater were soaked through.  

It was worth it once we saw where our seats were.  Box seats with all you can eat hot dogs, popcorn, chips, peanuts and drinks!!  

Soaked but excited to be at the game. 

Go Diamondbacks!

Grand Slam!!

The Diamondbacks won game three of the playoffs 8-1

West Side Story

I had a horrible day at work, was tired, feeling deflated and when I came home I walked in to find flowers sitting on the table and Jordan surprised me with an incredible night.  He had won last minute tickets at work to see West Side Story that night!!

We got dressed up, went to dinner and then the show. 

The music and talent were incredible and our seats were sixteen rows from the stage!!  The only downside was that I felt like I needed to go home and watch the movie. I thought that they had added a few inappropriate parts to the play that I didn't remember.  I think they were trying to make the play more modern.  For me it took away some of the magic of the play and the poor family in front of us who had brought all their little kids had to leave in the middle of the second act.  

Overall we had a fantastic night and realized that it had been almost three years since we had been to a play!  I want to see Wicked next spring, so we are waiting for tickets to go sale and then we will be back to theater.  Unless of course Jordan wins more tickets.....   

#17 Visit Tombstone, AZ

Jordan and I have been talking about going to Tombstone, AZ for awhile and on Saturday morning we got up early and drove the three hours to Tombstone. 

Once we got there we were greeted by cowboys dressed up in their old west outfits showing us what to see and when events were.  

Our first stop was the old courthouse. 

"In 1882 the Cochise County Courthouse was built at a cost of around $45,000. It provided offices for the county sheriff, recorder, treasurer, board of supervisors, and included a well-built jail. The courthouse was a comfortable symbol of law and stability in these turbulent times."

 We then walked down to see the bird cage theater.

  

"It was a saloon, theater, gambling hall and brothel. Legend has it that no self-respecting woman in town would even walk on the same side of the street as the Bird Cage Theatre. It opened its doors on Christmas Day 1881 and ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year until closing its doors in 1889. In 1882, The New York Times reported, "the Bird Cage Theatre is the wildest, wickedest night spot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast." Evidence of this can still be seen in the 140 supposed bullet holes that have been found in the walls and ceiling. The Bird Cage was named for the cage style crib compartments suspended from the ceiling. It was in these "Bird Cages" that the "ladies of the evening" entertained their customers."

They say that Tombstone is one of the most haunted places in the United States and I don't doubt it.  Walking down main street there are signs everywhere showing where people were shot and killed.

One of things that I liked the most about visiting Tombstone was that everyone was dressed up in old fashioned western wear.  Locals and tourists a like.  It felt like going back in time. 

 "The most famous event in Tombstone's history was the famed Gunfight at the OK Corral, which didn't actually happen at the corral, but in a vacant lot on Fremont Street. On October 26, 1881, members of the "Cowboys" had a run-in with Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp with help from Wyatt's friend Doc Holliday. 24 seconds and 30 shots later, Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McLaury were mortally wounded. In many peoples opinion, it was this one event that has kept Tombstone alive for all these years."

Tombstone was expensive and everything cost money. From touring old buildings to seeing a reenactment of the shootout at the OK corral. We did decide that it was worth it to see the actual spot where the shootout accrued.  It was very interesting.

 
On our home we stopped at the Boothill graveyard.

 

"Tombstone is also the home of Boothill Graveyard. Boothill began in 1879 and was used until 1884.  Legend has it that Boothill was named for the fact that many residents there died violent or unexpected deaths and were buried with their boots on. Many famous Tombstone folks lie there including the victims of the 1881 Shootout on Fremont Street between the Earps and the Cowboys."

 

On the drive home Jordan and I were talking about what a sad and difficult life it must have been for those who lived in Tombstone during that time.  Prostitution, drugs and murder were accepted and a part of their daily lives.  I makes me appreciate my family heritage and the righteous choices that were made and have been passed down from generation to generation.

 

We left Tombstone early in order to make it back home in time to watch Boise State play their season opening game against Georgia. 

 

We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner.  The TV playing the Boise State game didn't have sound so we watched the first half of the game at the restaurant and then came home to watch the rest of the game.

 

   Boise State won 35-21. 

Go Broncos!!  



Thai BBQ and mango sticky rice

Friday Jordan and I went to Brad's house for a Thai BBQ with him and Lindsey.  Jordan and Brad barbecued chicken marinated in chilies, while Lindsey and I went to the grocery store to pick out some mangoes for the dessert.  Neither Lindsey or I have ever bought a mango so we spent some time with the produce guy learning about how to pick out a ripe mango.  We learned that mangoes ripen from the outside in so you want to find one that is soft all the way through. 

Dinner was so good. We had BBQ chicken with sticky rice which we ate using our hands, Thai style and then had mango sticky rice for dessert which was delicious thanks to the perfect mangoes we picked out.

After dinner we didn't have any plans so we decided to go to the Phoenix museum to check out first Friday, which is a free event where local artists open their galleries and studios to the public.  We loved walking through the Heard museum.  Jordan and I cant wait to go back and spend more time looking at all the photography and art.  It was incredible, the museum is gigantic and it would take you all day to look at everything.  They had some beautiful pieces and some rather interesting ideas on art expression.      

  

After spending some time in the museum we walked to the street fair where local artists were selling their art.  It was loud, very hot and seemed to have more people screaming on microphones about how the world was going to end then trying to sell anything.  Needless to say we didn't spend a lot of time there. We walked through and only stopped at one booth before heading home.

We all said that we would probably skip that the next time we came and just spend our time in the museum.  It costs $15.00 a person on a normal day to go to the Heard museum so I love finding events like this that allow us to spend time with our friends doing something that we normally wouldn't think to spend money on and then discovering how much we enjoy it.     

   

#20 See an NFL Football game

Last Saturday Jordan won four tickets at work to the Arizona Cardinals vs San Diego Chargers NFL football game!!!! 

We invited our friend Jonathan who we know from the resort and his friend Chris to come with us.  Our seats were incredible, about thirty rows up from the field. And not only did Intel give us free tickets to the game they also gave us each twenty dollars to spend on snacks or team memorabilia which we took full advantage of.        

This was the first NFL football game that I have ever been to and what a way to go. 

The Cardinals lost in the last quarter 34-31 but we didn't really care because we had so much fun that night.

Then on Thursday we went to the Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos game with Shawn and Nicole. 

When we had gone to the game on Saturday they wouldn't let us bring in our Nalgene water bottles and so Jordan took them back to the car before the game started and forgot to bring back the camera.  This time we knew not to bring water into the game and to just bring the camera.  

Jordan and Shawn LOVE the Denver Broncos so they had bought tickets a few months ago for the game.  Needless to say our seats were a little higher in the stands then the game on Saturday.  This time we sat about thirty rows from the top.      

The Cardinals vs the Broncos 

The Cardinals lead the game 20-0 at the half.  Most of the crowd left early so Jordan and I went and watched the remaining second half of the game about ten rows up from the field. 

 Tim Tebow the Broncos quarterback

Jordan and Shawn loudly cheered for the Broncos while I quietly cheered for the home team.  Jordan was so funny telling me through out the night that it was OK to cheer for a different team.  

The Cardinals smashed the Broncos winning the game 26-7   

We had such a fun time and have enjoyed our luck letting us watch the last two NFL football games close to the field.  I could get used to this.   

35 Before 35

The other day I decided that I needed to have more of a focus in my life other than fertility treatments, medications and all the doctor visits which seem to have consumed our lives over the past year. 

So I made a list of the 35 things that I want to do before I turn 35.  I have my list on my dresser and look at it almost everyday.  Its nice to be reminded of all the things I want to accomplish in my life.      

Here it is:

1. Start our family either through getting pregnant or adopting 
2. Go surfing in San Diego
3. Decorate my house so that it feels like a home
4. Take a family picture that I love
5. Write Grandma and Grandpa Newman's family history for my children and grandchildren
6. Lose weight and build muscle
7. Canyoneer Mystery in Zion National Park
8. Learn to like fresh fruits and vegetables
9. Ride a train to the Grand Canyon
10. Buy a home or have a down payment started
11. Go to Sprikles and buy a cupcake
12. Visit Thailand or have a date set
13. Run a 10K
14. Get incentive at work
15. Buy a new bed
16. Build a headboard
17. Visit Tombstone, AZ
18. See Wicked on Broadway
19. Go to the Phoenix Zoo
20. See an NFL football game
21. Build a wardrobe that makes me feel like a grownup
22. Eat out less
23. Finish the baby quilt I started
24. Take a cooking class
25. Visit Sedona, AZ
26. Go to BSU championship bowl game
27. Make a camp rainbow gold photo book
28. Build a kitchen table and chairs from scratch
29. Visit a renaissance fair
30. Compete in an adventure race
31. Read scriptures cover to cover
32. Host a dinner party
33. Go on a cruise
34. Attend the temple at least once a month
35. Volunteer

Our weekend in Utah

This weekend Jordan and I went to Utah for Maya's sealing.  I loved seeing everyone who came to the temple.  My family, Aunts, Uncles and cousins.  I love how we always come together for these moments and it truly reminds me how families are forever.  One of the most special parts about Maya's sealing was that it was in the same room Jordan and I were sealed together. 

I am so excited for Caitlin, Ryan and Maya!       

 

After the sealing we went back to Caitlin and Ryan's for a BBQ.  It was really fun to catch up with everyone and Ella loved having her aunts there.

 Saturday we went shopping and stopped to play in the outdoor water fountain.  Ella was a little timid at first but Jordan and Grandma showed her what to do. 

Sunday Amber, Ella, Jordan and I hiked to Bridal Veil Falls.  It was beautiful but the water was freezing! 

Its not very often that I get to visit my family so being able to come to Utah this weekend was so much fun.  We loved seeing everyone and cant wait to visit again in November.  

Winner, winner, pizza, dinner

Jordan won tickets at work to Organ stop pizza for a free lunch on Saturday.  It was really fun.  We invited some of Jordan's coworkers Ruth, Tim and their son Chris to come with us.  

The organ is an old theater organ, the largest in the world! 

It has over 6000 pipes and percussion's.  

 The organist played all different types of music: Phantom of the Opera, Classical, The little mermaid, Star Wars, Mission Impossible and more.

 

I was talking to Ruth about how lucky Jordan seems to be and how he always wins drawings at work. As we are talking they call Jordan's name saying that he had just won a random drawing for a CD of the organist's most requested songs!  It was hilarious! 

One of the things that I love about all the free events that Jordan wins at work is that it takes us to places that we would have never chosen to go to on our own.  When we think of pizza we would have never thought about Organ stop pizza but now that we have gone and had such a good time we would love to go back.   

Fossil Springs

This weekend we had planned a camping trip to fossil springs with Brad and Lindsey. 

Friday night came around and we decided that camping might be a lot of work for overnight so Jordan and I drove to Brad's house on Friday instead and we all made waffles, french toast and bacon for dinner.  We then helped Lindsey finish a project she was working on for church and watched a movie.

Jordan and I stayed the night at Brad's house and got up early Saturday morning, picked up Lindsey and headed to fossil springs.  We drove two hours to Payson and then on what seemed like a never ending bumpy dirt road to get to the trail head. 

It was a short mile hike in. 

Lindsey and I watched these cute families with their kids hiking in with us and we talked about how fun it will be to hike in together with our kids to fossil springs one day.  I love moments like that, that remind us about how eternal our families and friendships can be.

Fossil Springs

 Brad and Lindsey about to jump off the falls.

 Brad and Lindsey

Brook and Jordan

We only stayed until about noon and then hiked out. 

There were a lot of people there, not a lot of shore to just layout and relax and many of the people there were drinking and smoking.  Which normally would not bother me too much but trying to get pregnant  and being around second hand smoke made me really uncomfortable.  

We still had a lot of fun. Brad and Lindsey are officially engaged!  We spent a lot of time talking about how Brad proposed, their wedding plans and how excited we are for them.  

               Jordan and I drove home exhausted from playing in the sun all day.  We made dinner, watched a movie and went to bed early. 

It was a great day.