pool time

The best day of the year occurred when I found out our best friends were moving back to Provo. They attempted moving away from us to Minnesota, but after four long months decided its just not worth the strain on our relationship. Since then I have been taking full advantage of having a friend again. I love friends. Especially the Jackson's, they're awesome. After my half day of work on Wednesday I went to the Jackson's pool to hang with Becca and Livy. Its so much fun in the sun, splashing in the pool, and having girl talk.

 cute Olivia J face

After the pool we hit up Surf n Slurp for some snow cones. I LOVE snow cones and I love people who go with me to get snow cones. 

 sugar high

What a perfect summer day with two best friends.

salsa

There is a popular salsa recipe around the office. Once brought in by Steve Orrock, a physical therapist in the area, and since everyone constantly raves about it. Last week Dr. Rich said he would give me twenty bucks to make the salsa and bring in for everyone. Of course!!! I love salsa. 

So i went to the store, bought the ingredients, and thirty bucks later had a lot of work ahead of me. 

"The" Salsa Recipe

20 Tomatoes (diced)

12 Limes (squeeze out the juice)

1 large white onion

1 large red onion

1 can corn (with juice)

1 can black beans (rinsed)

6-8 anaheim peppers (chopped tiny)

1-3 Jalapeno peppers (purred)

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 can tomato paste

Salt (2 Tbsp) to your preferred taste 

Cilantro (3 bunches) to your preferred taste

Warning!...this recipe makes a gallon and a half. That's a lot of salsa. Before you make it, you need to have a plan in hand of how you are going to get rid of it.

This was unlike any salsa I have made before. It is very chunky, very fresh, very delicious, and oh yea...it took me two hours to make.

Tips: If you are not an onion person, add less onion. If you like it spicy, add more jalapeno peppers. If you are low on time use your food processor. It is important to chop the tomatoes but you can process the onions and jalapenos.

I bottled up some salsa in mason jars I had laying around the house. 

 One for me, of course. The other, in a cooler, traveled home 10 hours with me through the Nevada desert to give to my family. Huge salsa lovers.

It was totally worth it. And yes, I will make I again.

trip

Did I mention I am driving here on Thursday?

Its going to be an awesome long weekend with the hubby.

float the provo

Yesterday, Brady, Kenzie and I all floated the Provo river.

It was perfect conditions, very hot outside, to float the melted snow water gushing down the canyon. We each fell off our tubes into the freezing water at separate times and were there to help the hypothermia shocked sibling back onto their tube. After a few min you were all dried off and ready to be splashed again. We linked our three tubes together so the two outside tubes were in charge of paddling away from impeding dangers while the middle man relaxed and took in the breathtaking views of the lush canyon.  The float took us about an hour from start to end and after we treated ourselves to Costco ice cream. I love Utah summers.

HP7

It did all end July 15, and we were there. Third row, right in the action with Harry, Ron, and Hermione defeating Lord Voldemort till the end. 

Makenzie, Brady and me. 

I just love Harry Potter. Maybe not as much as my sister Kelsey who saw it twice on Thursday night and dressed up in her Hermione outfit, with her wand. 

But I still consider myself a lover of magic. Can't believe its all over. I think I'll read the books again.

hiking

I've been on a few hikes this summer.

Stewart Falls with Jeremy. Located in Provo Canyon, this is an easy hike that ends at a tall, beautiful waterfall. This year there was still tons of snow up at the top. On our way back down we decided to run. I was in front and as I ran around a corner there stood a moose, right. on. the trail. I was a little freaked out and about started to climb the tree next to me as the moose just turned around and walked away. Schoo.  That made for an exciting adventure.

 Jeremy got a little dirty playing on the snow. 

 STILL tons of snow

Mount Olympus with Dad, Mom, Kelsey and Tristan. This mountain is located in south Salt Lake right off the I-215. This is a more strenuous hike with no shade the first 1.5 miles but then after you cross this stream there is shade. Our goal was to find Zeus or Hercules at the top.

Resting at the stream crossing. 

 Looking out over Salt Lake.

 

Adams Canyon with Tristan, Brady, Kelsey and Makenzie. This hike is located just 5 minutes from my Grandparents house in Layton. We have done this hike many times since we were little but it seems to get harder and more challenging every time, hum. This hike ends at a wide stream where you have to take your shoes off to walk through the ankle deep water to get to the waterfall. Along the way we had to boost each other up rocks, scale across a sloping cliff edge, and jump from rock to rock to cross the stream. It was an adventure.

Timpanogos Mountain with Mom, Brady and Makenzie. We started at the Provo canyon side and

the plan was to hike for a couple hours and then turn around but you can only hike for 1.1 miles (exactly) before you can, "go no further unless you have ice picks". Too much snow on Timp to hike it just yet. So we hiked the one mile and had a photo shoot at the most beautiful waterfall I think I have ever seen.

 Kenzie and Mom

 Brady sitting in the water.

 View down the canyon.

And still have a few more on the to-do list, including, the TOP of Timp and Bells Canyon.

4th of July

The fourth of July is probably the best holiday ever. 

It always includes a hot summer day, family and friends, good food and outdoor activities. 

Tristan and I spent our 4th of July together at Grandma and Grandpa Jensen's house. 

That morning Tristan went golfing with the boys and I ran a 5K with the girls. 

We watched the Layton parade. 

 super excited for it

 All of us on the swing.

We had some good dutch oven cookin'.

Grandpa was in charge of making the potatoes.

I was in charge of making the peach cobbler.

Mom manned the BBQ.

Grandma's decorations. 

My Dad video interviewed Grandpa for family history purposes. It was fun listening to Grandpa tell stories about his life.

After dinner I had to drop Tristan off at the airport to be back to work the next day. Sad face. 

To wrap up a perfect July 4th day, we watched the Layton Liberty Days fireworks. This firework show lasts for 40 min and it is awesome.

TONS of people.

Waiting for the fireworks to start.

Brady and Dad

Playing card games.

Mom and me.

Sporting our Layton Liberty 5K shirts.

Happy Independence Day!

together again

Guess who is here! Tristan! And my family! Yay! It is so good to see everyone, especially my honey. I called Tristan Thursday afternoon as he was driving to the airport. He said he was not quite there yet but would call me once he got through security. Half an hour later I got a text from Kelly saying Tris left his phone in the car and when she tried to back and page him, he had already boarded. Awesome. I kept my phone with me all day in the event he tried to contact me. Sure enough, he called to say, "Pick me up at passanger pick up #4." The pick up went great, I eventually found him, waiting on the curb.
We kicked off July by hiking Mount Olympus on Friday. A tall mountain located south of Salt Lake. My Dad was our trail guide. We climbed its' steep slopes and had PB&J's at the stream.
On Saturday we hiked again, this time along a trail just 5 minutes from my grandparents home in Layton. This hike ended at a waterfall and had us scaling rocks, climbing up steep cliffs and crossing through the stream.
Today we are having a family reunion with my Mother's side. Grandpa Jensen is warming up the coals for our Dutch oven potatoes for dinner and peach cobbler for dessert.
I just love July.