The Wheelers

CONGRATS Mike!

2012-01-26T12:33:00.006-05:00

Yes, we're still alive and kicking here in Alexandria. Mike and I were both sick this last weekend and just took the opportunity to stay home and sleep. Now we're feeling much better and we also have some good news!!!

We found out yesterday that Mike passed the CFE Exam! Congrats dear! Now Mike is officially a Certified Fraud Examiner. He has been working very hard to pass these four exams in order to attain this goal and has busted his tail every night. I definitely married a hard worker! He is now Michael Wheeler, CPA, CGFM, CFE.

Oh yeah and Mike is also consistently training for his next Adventure Race in May! (Actually on our anniversary ah hem.) This one is going to be 60 miles long! Yikes!

Did you watch the State of the Union address this past Tuesday? I thought that it was really entertaining and love to watch it every year. It was really special seeing Gabby Giffords there too. Washington D.C. is pretty hot with political tension right now. I don't like to argue with people about politics (you never get anywhere) but I am pretty concerned about the Republican party right now. I consider myself a staunch Independent but I predict that the Republicans are not going to experience a great deal of success in the upcoming election. Who knows though!

Cupcakes for Dinner

2012-01-24T15:52:00.003-05:00

Last night we ventured out for a quick Buzz run for some out of this world, yummy and chocolate cupcakes! Yep, that was basically my dinner last night. It's so wrong and oh sooo good!

This Makes Me Happy

2012-01-23T17:26:00.000-05:00

This picture really makes me happy on this cold and gloomy Monday! Seriously, my office is FREEZING! Brrrrrr!

Boy Scouts & Brooms Don't Mix

2012-01-20T15:54:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday evening Mike took our little broom to Boy Scouts in order to play the legendary sport of broom hockey. (I wanted to go!) As you can observe the broom came home in several pieces...Mike tried to fix it.

Tah dah! Sadly, it fell apart about 10 seconds after this picture was taken. Such a tragedy and I told Mike that he's not allowed to take any more brooms to Boy Scouts.

The end.

A Future Redskin?

2012-01-15T21:23:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Mike and I traveled into the city to check out the NBC Health and Fitness Expo. It was really fun and we enjoyed speaking with a nutritionist, calculating our BMI, collecting swag, observing the booths, etc. It definitely was an unique and interesting activity for a Saturday afternoon.

What Was I Thinking?!?

2012-01-11T19:48:00.001-05:00

So I stumbled upon this photo from my Senior prom in Oregon and stopped dead in my tracks! Was that really only 8 years ago? These days I definitely wouldn't be caught in this outfit. Although I do still enjoy those yellow shoes....Lets just say that my style has calmed down quite a bit since high school. Thank goodness!

Books That Keep Me Going

2012-01-10T15:40:00.007-05:00

This last weekend I mostly read, read and read. Here are a few of my favorite reads as of late.

1.) The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

So I still think that the musical is better. I mean come on! However, the book was very interesting and helped fill in many of the play's gaps and lack of character development. For example, in the book Christine has more of an in-depth relationship with the Opera Ghost. Also, I liked that in the book Raoul isn't such a sissy and you actually want to root for him. (In the play I'm always secretly wishing that Christine would choose the Phantom over Raoul.) What on Earth does she see in Raoul? He's so lame! Anyways...

2.) Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Chris McDougall

Mike and I were completely enamoured with this one! It was fascinating and definitely inspired me to run a little faster. (Disclaimer: At the time. Not so much anymore.) Even if you don't enjoy running, I think that you'll appreciate the author's hilarious writing style. I don't agree with all of his points but I do believe that more people would enjoy running if they gave it a fighting chance and don't compare themselves to others.

3.) I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali

I flew through this book and finished it in one sitting! It was short, powerful and very memorable. When one lives in the United States it's very easy to forget that women all around the world are often treated worse than animals. This little girl's story was so devastating and shocking that it made me cry on multiple occasions. However, today Nujood is not a bitter person and has become a role model for women who are fighting against arranged marriages and for women's rights. I hope that someday these hideous cultural practices will end.

4.) Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond

I have to be honest. This book was looong and dull. However, I do feel that I learned a great amount from it. Yet, I feel that if you read the last 50 pages you'll get the gist of the entire 500 paged book.

Ford's Theatre

2012-01-03T16:27:00.001-05:00

On Monday, Mike and I took a little trip to historic Ford's Theatre in D.C. It has a very interesting museum and we learned things like:

President Lincoln loved the theatre and actually met John Wilkes Booth before his death since John was a celebrated actor.
President Lincoln was good friends with the famous social reformer Frederick Douglas.
There are only a few original items in Ford's Theatre: a picture of George Washington and a chair in the presidential box.
Lincoln's wife, Mary, was a spendthrift and remodeled the White House.
At the beginning of Lincoln's presidency, the White House was similiar to a second rate motel. It was dirty and dingy.
Lincoln's body guard was absent during his assassination. Some think that he was at the local bar.
Few realized how important and historic Lincoln's Gettsyburg Address was. In fact, he wasn't even the main speaker and was determined to keep his speech short.

Here's Mike catching up with President Lincoln.

The Petersen House where President Lincoln passed away.

The presidential box where President Lincoln was shot.

The theatre. They still hold plays here. Pretty strange. I don't think that I would go see a production here. The whole place feels creepy and haunted.

The President's box.

Overall, it was a very somber experience to learn all about President Abraham Lincoln's life, works and his assassination. It was sad to observe the locations where he was shot and later passed away. He was a great president and we owe the Emancipation Proclamation to him. It makes me wonder how much more he could have accomplished if his life was not taken from him.

Our Spontaneous and Unforgettable Trip to NYC

2012-01-02T00:10:00.006-05:00

One night my Auntie Barbara, who lives in Maryland, called and asked if we wanted to go on a last minute and spontaneous trip with them to New York City the very next day! Oh yeah baby! Of course we wouldn't miss such an amazing and fun opportunity!

The next morning we woke up at 4 am in order to get to Annapolis on time and then we all loaded on to the bus at 6 am and headed to the Big Apple! We traveled with Uncle Ken and Auntie Barbara's good friends and our cousins Alexcia and Ali'i. (Va'a was in Texas for the BYU Bowl game.) We were all soooooo thrilled!!!

Four hours later we were in the midst of the bright hustle and bustle of Times Square! Here's a photo of the young ones.
And their parents plus Mike. (Mike, Ken, Theresa, Barbara, Ken, and Marilyn.)

Mike and I in Times Square December 2011.

We saw the famous New Year's Eve Ball.

And we added a post-it note on to a New Year's Eve wishing wall along with hundreds of other tourists.

Of course we checked out the M&M World. The entire store smells like chocolate. Heaven!

Also, we played around with the giant screen and camera in Times Square. Can you see us?

Mike the tourist.

We did our best to stay together and not lose anyone which is quite a feat with a large group in New York. (Note: No one was lost....for long anyways.) It could be overwhelming in the sea of humanity!

Mike posing in front of the New York Christmas tree. It was huge!

The famous Rockefeller Skating Rink.

Ah cute family! Auntie Barbara, Ali'i, Alexcia, and Uncle Ken.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

We stopped at a street vendor to grab delicious New York hot dogs and pretzels. Yummm!

Auntie Barbara, Adhna (Alexcia's good friend from BYU-H) and Alexcia take a bite!

Auntie Barbara admiring the goodies.

Later we ventured into Central Park. Ahhh I love this place! Here's cute Alexcia and Adhna strolling along.

Beautiful cousin Alexcia and I.

Adhna and Alexcia enjoying the moment in Central Park.

Theresa and Auntie Barbara.

All of the girlies. We had such a blast together!

Later we strolled into the famous and gorgeous Plaza Hotel.

Wow, it was very ritzy!

The beautiful ceiling in the hotel.

Later we watched the amazing Broadway show The Phantom of the Opera! Broadway is definitely my favorite part of New York. Here's a picture of the haunted chandelier.

Adhna, Alexcia and Auntie Barbara after the show. I've had these songs stuck in my head all week! The actors, music and costumes were simply breathtaking!

At the end of the day we had dinner at a terrific Cuban restaurant called Victor's. Their beef brisket was out of this world good! It was such a blast!

Thank you so much Uncle Ken and Auntie Barbara for this amazing day! It sure was one fun family adventure that I will never forget!

A Fantastic Year: Summary of 2011

2011-12-29T12:17:00.029-05:00

At the conclusion of each year, I like to create a little blog and photo recap regarding our family's main events, accomplishments and travels of that specific time period. (You know, the good stuff!) Let me just tell you that 2011 was a big one for Michael and I. It was one splendid and rewarding year where we saw our hard work come to fruition in countless of different ways.

On January 7, beautiful Laneia King made her big debut and I was appointed as the trusty godmother. It was one special day that I will never forget.

Here's Adam holding his daughter for the first time.

In February, Mike gloriously returned home to D.C. from his long work assignment in Pennsylvania. (Oh I was one happy wife.) The seperation was a trial but taught us to treasure our marriage and enjoy the small, ordinary and quiet moments that we have together. We haven't had a desire to return to PA since..

Here's a photo of Amish country in PA.

The Cherry Blossom Festival in April 2011 was just gorgeous this last year!

In May, my Dad and I traveled to Las Cruces, NM to watch David tear it up in his Spring Football game.

On Cinco de Mayo, we also celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary with a relaxing picnic in the park.

Later that month we ventured into the famous Pentagon and watched my father receive an Army medal for his service there. We were very proud of him. A few months later he was transferred to South Carolina. We definitely miss seeing him on a regular basis.

In June, we took our own family vacation to historic Williamsburg and

to the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. What a fun vacation!

Later that month we ran "amuck" in a race with fun friends through obstacle courses, mud pits, etc. on the Marine Corps Base in Quantico. (Home of the FBI Training Academy.) We returned home filthy and as happy as ever.

In June, I traveled to green Oregon to visit with my mother's side of the family. It was so wonderful to catch up with countless of family members, see the new babies and to spend precious time with my mom and little sister Madeline. I miss that girl so much! She's becoming one very thoughtful and intelligent young woman.

While I was enjoying time with family in Oregon, Mike started an annual tradition of taking his two younger brothers, BJ and Matt, on a rigorous survival trip in the great outdoors. They traveled and backpacked in West Clear Creek in Arizona. They returned home dirty, scratched and with countless of funny and memorable stories. Later we went camping as a family in blazin' Sedona.

Oh and I ran my first half-marathon in Alexandria! (Blah, blah, blah.)

In August, we went camping and hiking with awesome friends in Shenandoah. It's really such a beautiful park and I'm aching to return this next summer.

During the fall, we enjoyed countless of Navy football games with our family members. We are super excited to see what this next season has in store for us! Gooo Navy!

My Mom and I had a blast in Las Cruces celebrating David's Senior Homecoming Game!

In October, I graduated with my Masters in Public Administration from the University of Phoenix. It was a challenging experience and taught me discipline, sacrifice and the importance of working towards your goals.

The next week, Mike and I traveled to hilly Buchanan, Virginia to participate in our first adventure race! Mike has discovered a new passion in adventure racing and is already prepping for his next one this Spring 2012. Meanwhile, I have strengthened my resolve to be a cheerleader at his next race...

In November 2011, we traveled to freezing Provo, Utah to watch my brother play against my cousin, Va'a, at Brigham Young University. It was one big family fun fest and I loved it!

This is a photo of David and Uncle Steve after the game.

For Thanksgiving, we traveled to Arizona to visit with Mike's side of the family, meet our new nephew, Jackson, and to be there for Benjamin's mission farewell address in church.

Mike and BJ also ran 21 miles through the Coalmine Canyon. We're very proud of Benjamin's determination to serve the Lord for two year in Mexico and can't wait to hear about all of his great adventures.

Phew! What a year!

We are so thankful for our dear family, friends, good health, the Gospel, our marriage, and for the special memories and experiences that we have shared together as husband and wife. Despite the challenges, life really does get better all the time and we have an immeasurable amount of blessings to be grateful for. I'm thankful that I get to share each day with my best friend, Michael, and for the great joy that he brings into my life on a daily basis.

2012 is going to be another big year for our family! We're looking forward to graduations, a new apartment, etc. Who knows what new friends we'll make, experiences we'll share and adventures we'll embark upon? I love life and hope to always cultivate the enthusiasm, strength and optimism that I need to overcome any challenge that comes my way. Adios 2011!

The Elevator & I

2011-12-27T11:56:00.001-05:00

After much internal debate, I have decided that I'm going to blog about my "fun" elevator experience that occured two weeks ago. Claustrophobes beware!

So after an ordinary day at work, I walked into a seemingly conventional elevator excited with the prospect of beating traffing and heading home. It just wasn't meant to be. The elevator worked for a minute, stopped and shuddered. My heart almost stopped and I instantly knew that it was going to be a looong night. I was mostly stressed about being at an appointment at 7 pm. I called the elevator emergency line and spoke with their representative, who politely informed me that it would be about an hour before someone could get me out. What???

Luckily, our security guard also called the fire department, so after waiting for a little over an hour, I suddenly heard two men outside of the elevator doors arguing with one another about who was suppose to let me out. Umm hello can you guys please figure this out later and just let me out! Ultimately, the firemen won the argument, they opened the door a few feet and with their aid I jumped about six feet down to the firm floor. (I was stuck in between two floors.) Oh hallelujah!

Overall, the whole situation was just terribly embarrassing, however, I am grateful that everything turned out well and that they didn't leave me in that darn elevator all night. Some of my co-workers were amazed that I remained calm during this whole nightmare but I knew that if I freaked out that it would just make the entire situation that much worse. It's always best to remain calm and to try not to panic. I do have to admit that I had some scary and overdramatic thoughts cross my mind about the elevator's cables snapping...However, I'm also pretty sure that I must have some awesome and greatly overworked guardian angels watching over me.

Moral of the story: take the stairs!

Christmas Recap 2011

2011-12-27T11:03:00.006-05:00

This last Christmas season was very busy indeed!

Every weekend was jam packed with festive activities ranging from cookie and white elephant gift exchanges, Christmas cards, shoppping and presents, a free performance of Handel's Messiah, church musical performances, a Scottish parade, Christmas parties, etc. Not to mention our "fun" apartment search. Phew!

December is one crazy month but we really enjoyed getting together with friends, focusing on the more spiritual aspects of Christmas and living it up. Of course we missed our family members but we were also grateful to skip out on the hectic holiday travel and to have an opportunity to relax.

On Christmast Eve 2011, Mike and I started the morning with a 15 mile bike ride. We're so grateful that it hasn't snowed in D.C. yet! This has been the most mild winter yet and we're loving it! (Knock on wood.)

Later that evening we got together with fun couples and enjoyed games, cheese and chocolate fondue, a secret santa gift exchange, etc. It was a pretty hilarious night!

We were pretty anti-social this past Christmas and decided to stay at home, relax and mostly catch up on our z's. In the morning, Mike gave a spiritual thought, we opened presents, made waffles and fruit smoothies for brunch, went to church, cleaned, cooked, slept some more, watched basketball, etc. It sure was one lazy day but I've been so dog tired lately that it felt like heaven!

Posing with our tiny Christmas tree after church.

We hope that you have also enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season!

Much Love,

Mike & Chelsea

The Amazing Capitol Dome Tour

2011-12-24T15:59:00.000-05:00

Mike's awesome Aunt Susan invited us to attend a Capitol Dome Tour with her, cousin Dan and other friends. These tours are pretty rare because you have to have a congressman or woman with you and they only take about 60 people on this tour per day. We were thrilled to go on this exclusive tour!

The dome of the U.S. Capitol is made of iron and reaches upwards to 288 feet in height, including the beautiful Statue of Freedom that adorns the top of the exterior dome. Construction on the dome took almost 11 years to complete. Inside the dome The Apotheosis of Washington was painted by Constantino Brumidi in 1865. This fresco-style painted is suspended 180 feet above the Rotunda floor and is truly a must see if you are visiting the Capitol complex.

The tour guide opened this little hatchet and I was blown away by a whoosh of air! We're almost there!
Mike climbing up the steep staircase. We had to climb up around 300 steps to get to the top. It was one good workout!

Hello!

Finally, we were there and wow it was beautiful!

Snapping photos on the capitol dome tour.

I didn't want to look down. It made me a tad nervous...Yikes!

Lady Liberty. I could look at this amazing art for hours.

The main man himself. George Washington.

Outside the dome. We were up soooo high!

An amazing view of Washington D.C.! Wow! It took my breath away.

This is one tour that I never thought that we would be able to go on. We learned a great deal about the dome's history and it's really inspiring to understand and observe all of the fine work and art that was placed into our nation's capitol building. Thank you so much Susan!

The Best Christmas Gift

2011-12-24T14:59:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, December 17th I accompanied my good friend Poppy into the LDS Washington D.C. Temple in order to receive her temple endowment. I was really really really happy for their family and had been looking forward to this event for a looong time. I was so honored and touched that Poppy asked me to escort her inside the temple. It was such a special, beautiful and wonderful day!

Here's the Kings and their friend in the D.C. Temple's Visitor Center after the session.

The friends: Rushings, Faamulis, Kings, Michelle Wallace, Jansons, Wheelers, and Adam's friend. (Sorry, I don't know his name.)

The Faamulis and Kings. I actually interned on the hill with Joe Faamuli for Congressman Faleomavaega. Such a small world!

Me, Miss Laneia and Poppy.

The girlies: Julie, me, Laneia, Poppy, Michelle, and Tana.

The men folk: Jaron, Shane, Joe, Adam, Mike, and unknown.

I am so happy for the King family and am absolutely thrilled that they are being sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on January 7, 2012, which is also Laneia's birthday.

They actually moved away this last Tuesday, since Poppy is in the Marine Corps, and had orders to work in Hawaii. I'm sad that they moved but am also very happy for their family and for the future adventures that they will enjoy together in gorgeous Hawaii. It's bittersweet. Hmmm looks like Mike and I will have to save up our pennies and plan a trip to Hawaii within the next few years...

Laneia's First Birthday Party

2011-12-24T14:13:00.001-05:00

Our good friends Adam and Poppy held an early first birthday party for their gorgeous daughter Laneia/farewell party. In Polynesian culture, people usually throw a large party for their children's first birthday complete with beautiful polynesian dances, good food, music, and of course family and friends. Polynesians tend to go all out and Poppy definitely did for Laneia. It was such a blast!

Here's Poppy and her dance group Shades of Polynesia performing.

Laneia's yummy birthday cake!

Time to sing to the pretty birthday girl!

Hmmm I think I like birthdays...

Such beautiful brown eyes you have!

Oh sugar!

Chillin' after the birthday fun.

Happy birthday beautiful Laneia!!!

Moving

2011-12-23T13:37:00.006-05:00

Yes, it's true. After living in the charming Old Town Alexandria area for the last two years we have decided that it's time to pack up our belongings and move about 30 minutes away. We'll still be close to Washington D.C., which is very good, since that's where I work, however we have decided that we needed to move in order to secure a larger and more afforable apartment, be closer to Mike's office, get a puppy... (Oh wait I'm still trying to convince Mike on that one! Haha!)

Anyways this has been such a difficult decision since we have countless of close friends in the Alexandria area and lets face it, Alexandria has the best LDS wards. I'm going to miss our ward sooo much. They have really been our family here on the east coast.

I'll miss beautiful Old Town with its cobblestone streets and white twinkling lights.

Yet, I’m also really looking forward to a bigger place, being closer to family members, better school systems, more parks, etc. The area that we’re moving to has more established families and amazing public schools. I would love for our future children to get a top notch education here on the east coast, where the northern Virginia school systems seem more competitive and the teachers tend to have graduate degrees. We have a lot to look forward to.

Better Than Christmas Morning: Army vs. Navy Football 2011

2011-12-16T20:57:00.010-05:00

"As much fun as these things are, part of what we celebrate is the dedication and the sacrifice all these young men and young women in the stands are going to be making for our country."

-President Barack Obama, 12.10.2011

Saturday, December 10th was one incredible day! Why, might you ask? It was a day of destiny! The date of the grand Army vs. Navy football game!

This is one of the oldest football rivalries in collegiate sports today. The hype behind this game was huge and inescapable this year, especially in patriotic Washington D.C. I felt very blessed that we were able to join the fun, although I wished that my own father could have been there. He was serving our nation in the middle east. It's really never the same attending these games without him. My Auntie Barbara says that he's our good luck charm.

We were so grateful that the game was held in Maryland this year instead of Pennsylvania, since it considerable shortens our commute time. Plus, it was a tad warmer this year...

There were over 80,000 people at the stadium to watch this game. It was sheer madness! I was very excited.

Rockin' the suite! What?!? Thank you so much! We were soooo spoiled!

Are we really here?!? You better believe it!

It's pretty interesting that there is also a small Army vs. Navy rivalry within our own family since my father is in the Army and my uncle works for Navy.

I really love this specific game because of all of the military personnel who attend and their rich and cherished traditions.

Look at all of those Cadets in the grey coats! (West Point students) Wow!

Navy's choir sang The Star Spangled Banner. Somehow it's so much more meaningful to me when midshipmen sing it. In a few short years these young people will be serving our nation. It makes me feel so grateful and proud.

President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden arrived for the game. Historically, the president is suppose to attend this game since he is the official Commander in Chief of our nation. Also, he was there to flip the coin before the game.

The students entering the field.

Consequently, there were tons of secret security personnel surrounding the stadium.

During halftime President Obama met with around 70 wounded service men and women. It broke my heart to see so many young people in wheelchairs at this game. That really humbled me and is a tragic reminder of the reality of war.

Here comes Navy!

An action shot.

TOUCH DOWN!!!! We were so elated!

It's a tradition that the President will sit on one side of the stadium during the first half of the game and then switch to sit with the other team during the last part. It's to show that the President isn't biased, but I secretly know that he was cheering for Navy...

Hence, the midshipmen and cadets created two lines to escort the President to the other side.

President Obama switching to Army's side.

The Navy band at halftime. Of course they would make a submarine. Awesome!

And then an anchor. I loved it!

Finally, someone sang the iconic I'm Proud to be an American song, as military families held up an enormous American flag. It was very touching.

An amazing view!

The Wheelers.

Overall, Navy beat Army 27-21 for its 10th straight victory! Oh hallelujah!

After the event, an Army fan spoke with my Aunt Barbara about the game. She told him that my father works for the Army and was serving overseas. He thanked us for my dad's service and I was too emotional to say anything sophisticated or elegant, so I mumbled a highly inadequate "thank you". It made me teary though because in the end that is what this football game is all about. People dedicating their lives to a higher cause. I know that the United States is presently facing dark times, but when I let my mind wander over all of the basic rights and freedoms that we take for granted, I feel that ultimately we have been greatly blessed.

Oh I'm proud to be an American!

Go Go Go Crash

2011-12-08T15:52:00.000-05:00

I think that I'm one of those women who tends to go, go & go at full speed until I just run out of gas and crash! (Those are the nights that I go to bed at 7 pm.) Are you like that too? Any advice on how to keep your energy level up?

Old Town Has Gone to the Dogs

2011-12-06T22:19:00.010-05:00

On Saturday morning we slept in until 8 am (heaven), enjoyed yummy waffles for breakfast and then rode our trusty bikes a few blocks down to charming King Street in Old Town for the annual Scottish Parade. I'm such a sucker for parades.

We liked the manly kilts and loud bagpipes. It was all very colorful and festive!

The old Army vehicles were interesting too.

However, we really loved the cute dogs,

dogs,

and oh did I mention dogs? Haha, that's D.C. for ya! (People tend to choose pets over children.)

Us enjoying the Scottish parade in all its glory.

It is pretty hilarious that there are countless of dogs in the Scottish parade! Who needs parade floats when one can have doggies? However, most were advertising for a particular canine shelter in the local area so it's all for a good cause. Many of the local citizens also bring their own family pooches to watch the festivities. It's just one good time for everyone!

After the parade we went on a 15.5 mile bike ride on the Mt. Vernon Trail and around the incredible monuments in Washington D.C. It was one splendid day!

Mike chilling with George Mason. (Sorry Emily! Haha!)

Posing.

Biking past this gorgeous sight of the Washington Monument.

In front of the World War II Memorial. (I'm not sure why I look so distressed in most of these Iphone photos. I think I was standing on my tippy toes to be in the picture.)

The Washington Monument.

Lincoln Memorial.

It was such a fun bike ride and so grand to spend the morning with Michael. It's simple and relaxing days like these that I truly treasure!

Mike's Epic Run through the Canyon

2011-12-03T17:25:00.002-05:00

One day, Mike came up with the ambitious idea of running with his brother BJ through the Coalmine Canyon, which is located where he grew up on the Navajo Reservation outside of Tuba City, Arizona. One last outdoor adventure before BJ leaves for his LDS mission in Mexico. We think that Mike and BJ are the first people to ever embark on a run through out this specific canyon. Quick, call Guinness! They are pretty ahhh-mazing! I was amazed that Mike wanted to run on such treacherous terrain. At last the big day arrived!

The Fiat rental car out in Coalmine.

Mike, BJ, Mom, and Matt at the rim of Coalmine Canyon before the big run.

It was one cold morning in the desert.

Hiking with the Wheeler clan.

The windmill.

Mike and BJ checking the map before they started their run.

Here's BJ entering the canyon.

What gorgeous scenery! I loved the red rocks!

Mike's mother, brother Matt and I were the road crew. So after hiking a mile into the canyon we said adios to Mike and BJ who ran off into the distance. We would see them about 17 miles later!

Mike found some mountain lion tracks.

Matt and his youthful energy.

On the run.

Resting on the sand dune.

Wow!

This is what happens with quicksand.

17 miles later and in need of more water. They sure were glad to see us!

Running the last distance.

BJ and Mike after their epic run.

I couldn't believe that Mike and BJ ran 21 miles through the sand dunes, narrow ledges and quicksand of Coalmine Canyon! What an adventure! These men are athletic beasts!!! Mike is truly one adventurous spirit! What will this man do next?!?!?

Benjamin's Mission Farewell

2011-12-03T16:34:00.003-05:00

For Thanksgiving 2011, we traveled to warm Mesa and Tuba City, Arizona to spend time with family, meet our cute new nephew Jackson and to listen to BJ's farewell talk in church. Oh and did I mention that Mike and BJ ran 21 miles through Coalmine Canyon??? It sure was one busy and fun filled trip!

The Wheeler family after BJ's excellent talk in Tuba City.

Mike and his two brothers BJ and Matthew.

Mike and his siblings and Mom. (Mike, Bianca, BJ, Mom, and Matt.)

BJ and the West family. (Bianca, James, Madison, Benjamin, Mike, and Jackson.)

The whole crew.

Our adorable niece Madison. She's going to be one big heart breaker.

What a cutie!

Madison and James.

Sibling love at its finest!

And here's a photo of handsome little Jackson. He's such a chill baby.

BJ did a remarkable job on his talk and even continued the Wheeler tradition of singing a hymn, which was very brave. Afterwards we enjoyed a delicious family potluck. I know that BJ's going to be a great missionary in Mexico! He's such an intelligent and dedicated young man. We can't wait to hear about his future adventures! Good luck Elder Wheeler! We are so proud of you and will see you in two years!

Getting Hitched

2011-12-02T13:37:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow my cousin Kenneth is getting married in dreamy California. He is the second of the Niumatalolo grandkids to get hitched. (I was the first.) I know that they are going to have a huge Polynesian reception and I’m really happy for Ken and his future wife Telesia! Marriage is the best decision that I have ever made and I wish them good luck in their own maritial adventures.

XOXOXO,

Chels

Feeling Christmasy?

2011-11-30T10:19:00.003-05:00

Oh I sure am!

Thankful: Day 23 & the Sweetest Surprise

2011-11-23T11:37:00.006-05:00

So Tuesday night I was fast asleep in bed around (the oh so late hour) of 10:30 pm when Mike comes in and whispers in my ear that a suprise came in the mail for me. However, I was too dazed to get out of bed and instead fell right back into comatose mode. Plus, what was he talking about?!? A surprise??? It was all so mysterious...

The next morning I investigated further and found this!!!!

AN AMAZON KINDLE! WHAT?!?

It promptly arrived in our mail with no note or explanation but Mike told me that my good friend, Ruby from Oregon, had sent it to me as a graduation present. Again what!??! I couldn't believe it and am still in shock that she would do something so sweet and generous for me.

I love to read and am really really excited to use this new toy! (Hehe!) Thank you sooooo much Ruby!!!

Ruby is my best friend from Oregon. We met in the 8th grade at good ol' Brown Middle School in Hillsboro. I was fresh off the plane from Alaska and was asked on a regular basis if I had lived in an igloo and resided with polar bears. (Oh my gosh people!) I had fun with that one.

Ruby and I were introduced through a mutual buddy and quickly became bosom buddies, which helped us survive all the way through highschool. She is such an intelligent, successful and ambitious woman! However, more than that she also has a heart of gold! I have countless of fond memories of her inviting me over to her house for dinner in highschool, which would consist of gourmet Vietnamese food, bubble tea and more. Heaven!

Today, I am extremely grateful for my friendship with Ruby! I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful lifelong friend who always writes uplifting letters to me and keeps me in mind. Her friendship means so much to me!

P.S.

I'm still hoping that one day we can visit Alaska together and go on a grand fishing trip!

Football: A Family Affair

2011-11-21T20:57:00.010-05:00

On Friday, November 18th, Mike and I traveled 4.5 hours via airplane to snowy Utah in order to watch my brother play BYU in the famous LaVell Edwards Stadium. We were extremely excited to see our family members, to cheer on David and visit our ol' stomping ground. It has been two years since we have resided in Provo and I was bombarded by countless of dear memories of this special city.

The snow was really coming down hard when we landed in Utah. What a rude awakening for me haha. (You all know that I'm such a wimp when it comes to cold weather, especially since the weather in D.C. was so pleasant and fairly warm, when we left.) Although I do have to admit that the fresh snow was pretty beautiful and serene.

We spent the night at Uncle Steve's beautiful home

and were warmly welcomed by a furry face.

I love Utah's gorgeous mountains! Oh west coast! I do miss you and your affordable prices!

David's game was at 8:15 pm so we made sure to stock up on hand and toe warmers (huge life savers), large jackets and warm hats before the big event.

My Dad, Uncle Steve, cousins Moses, Malia and Va'a, Mom, her husband Bob, sister Madeline, mother-in-law Marie, brothers-in-law BJ and Matt, and of course Mike and I all came to cheer on David! All together we represented the states of Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, South Carolina, Arizona, and Utah. It was pretty incredible that we were all able to travel and unite together in Provo.

On our way to the highly anticipated football game we ran into these angry (wanna be) protesters. Come on people! Is this all you have?!? You call this protesting? I was amused...

We enjoyed a fantastic show by BYU's energetic marching band. Mike's uncle use to play the saxophone in the BYU band. Pretty cool!

I'm back Provo!

David and his teammates walking on to the field.

All business.

Should I cheer for BYU or NMSU? Of course I mostly cheered for NMSU but was happy to see our friends on the BYU team do well too.

The team captains walking on the field.

Behold the action shots.

Having fun!

It was a fun game even though it was freezing.

Go BYU! (And NMSU!)

Mike enjoying the game.

Mike, Matt, Mike's mother Marie, and BJ. They traveled 7 hours to see us! It was great to visit with them!

Go David!

Dad taking in the view.

Ultimately, NMSU lost but David played well and got some tackles. We were elated!

Va'a, Dad and Moses after the game.

The guys and Madeline.

Welcome to Siberia!

One of David's mission companions from Ghana came to watch him play. A happy reunion!

Me, Dav, Mom, and Madeline. (Thanks for smiling David.)

David and Uncle Steve.

Moses, David, Va'a, and Uncle Steve.

Dad and David.

Ahh it was so wonderful to see sooo many family members! David's games have really united our family and have given us countless of excuses to get together and create fun memories. I will miss attending David's games and am highly grateful for the sweet memories of this last season. Honestly, I have loved every single minute of it and am excited to see what the future holds for Doctor Niumatalolo.

Thankful: Day 16

2011-11-16T13:34:00.006-05:00

Today, I'm highly grateful for the ability to laugh at myself! Since I'm a natural clutz and a goofball, I have had ample opportunities to practice this talent within the last two decades.

P.S.

I picked this particular photo to represent my silly (and dangerous) nature, since I accidentally sent my brother to the hospital for stiches, about one hour after this picture was taken. I guess David wasn't laughing...

Thankful: Days 14-15

2011-11-15T12:07:00.005-05:00

It's going to be another busy holiday season for our little family! Gosh, can you believe that it's November 15th already?!?! I'm not ready...

For Thanksgiving, we're traveling to warm Arizon and we'll spend Christmas in D.C. Also, this weekend we're headed to Provo, Utah to watch the NMSU vs. BYU football game. Seriously, we don't usually travel this much.

I'm not too excited to see the snow in Utah on Saturday especially during an evening football game. I'm not a cold weather person and was more than happy to leave it all behind when we moved away two years ago. (Complain, complain.) However, I am super excited to see all of our family!

Today is the first in about two weeks, where I woke up feeling good, without a splitting headache and sore throaght. I am so grateful for energy and feel like I can conquer the world today.

In addition, busy season is now over and Mike is at home again. (Hurray!) I am so thankful to have my husband back. Last night was the first time that I have made dinner in weeks! Things are going well and I am just plain thankful for that.

Thankful: Days 12-13

2011-11-13T20:19:00.004-05:00

Lately, I have been blogging a lot about my brother David. I know that he doesn't keep a personal record of the different events and accomplishments of his life, so I have officially designated myself as the family photographer and historian. It's something that I enjoy and that I feel is highly valuable. Hopefully, David will appreciate it someday too.

This last Thursday, David was named to the Capital One Academic All-District VII first team for the second straight year! To qualify for this honor you have to maintain a high GPA and start on a collegiate football team. Mr. Niumatalolo has maintained a 4.0 in Biology with a minor in Biochemistry. He plans on attending medical school this next fall and our whole family is cheering him on towards these large goals. We are all very thankful for David!

Our family is really proud of David. As you know, playing football in college is a full-time job and really leaves little time for anything else. I have been amazed that my brother has been able to ace his tough science classes, like Organic Chemistry, while playing football.

I think that it's a true testament to my brother's character but mostly to his obedience to the Lord. My brother is a lot like my Father. David is often quiet and reflective but very funny once you get to know him. More importantly, these two men have always been great examples to me and iron rods in the Gospel.

Our family has experienced countless of trials, just like every other family, however, I can always count on my Father and brother for staying firm in the faith no matter what. I have often caught my brother telling people that they should keep the Sabbath Day holy, be respectful, not steal, etc. and it has always softened my heart and made me smile.

Today I am thankful for family, the Gospel and my brother's good example to me. Truly, this is what life is all about.

Thankful: Day 11

2011-11-11T14:22:00.002-05:00

Today my camera and I went on a little adventure around Old Town and down Mt. Vernon Trail.

This is what I am grateful for.....

What are these strange berries? They looked poisonous but I loved their gleaming colors!

I discovered this brilliant blue couch outside someone's home. I snapped a photo and quickly darted away before any of the local residents noticed. (I hope!)

I stumbled upon the historic Christ Church in Old Town. What a tranquil place for a cemetery.

This mansion in Old Town had little pumpkins dotting their window sills. I thought that they were cute!

In addition, I'm truly grateful for all of the brave veterans who have fought and continue to valiantly fight for our nation's rights and diverse freedoms. Today my father is in Oman. I'm personally thankful for his service to the United States of America. I hope that you have a wonderful Veteran's Day and remember to keep the military personnel in your prayers.

Thankful:Day 10

2011-11-10T20:48:00.001-05:00

Everyone and their dogs have been sick this past week. Thanks to cough drops, ibuprofen and loooots of kleenex tissues I've been able to ~~grumpily~~ happily sniffle my way throughout the day. I'm looking forward to the next three days of ~~errands, chores, etc.~~ rest. Hence, I'm grateful for cough drops and their power to help me focus on more important matters. Indeed grateful.

Thankful: Day 9

2011-11-10T20:20:00.002-05:00

I'm not really a morning person. However, lately I have looked forward to this specific interval since it's the only time that I see my husband during the day. Oh, how I'm thankful for the glorious morning.

Thankful: Day 8

2011-11-08T17:24:00.003-05:00

I have actually really enjoyed writing these little daily reminders of what I am grateful for and for the immeasurable amount of blessings (and trials) that I have in my life. It has been quite a ride so far!

Today, I'm thankful for perspective and especially how it changes, matures and expands throughout this journey that we call life.

*When I was 5 years old I had just moved with my family to freezing Fairbanks, Alaska from isolated and dreary Dugway, Utah. I had one pesky little brother who never listened to me and was in the first grade. My teacher's name was Mrs. Johnson and I remember not liking her very much. On the first day of school I was very anxious about making new friends so I carefully sized up my classmates, found a girl that looked fun (can't remember what my judging standards were back then), walked over to her and asked if she would be my best friend. She said yes. That was life.

*At 10 years old I remember riding in a bike "gang" with other pigtailed neighborhood kids in the rural and beautiful small town of Palmer, Alaska. I desperately missed Fairbanks and never really adjusted to the more redneck lifestyle of Palmer. My main joys at that time were my loyal dog, Snickers, girly sleep overs and creating tree forts in the lush forests outside my Alaskan home. (Because everyone in Alaska has a lot of property!)

*I remember when I was 15 years old and how my young life mostly consisted of highschool in Oregon, sports, drama, my parent's divorce, school choir, friends, cars, fun, etc. That was a period of life where I was involved in so many things in school and church and was always full of rambunctious teenage energy.

*At 20 years, life had changed dramatically once again. I was a sophomore in college in Utah, was making important life decisions concerning marriage with Mike, battling/enjoying life with 5 other female roommates, had recently lived in India, was trying to plan out my future career goals, etc.

*Now I am 26 years old, have been married for four years, am finished with college (hallelujah), live in the bustling town of Washington D.C., complain about achy joints, am working for a great organization that actually is relevant to my degrees, and still love to laugh and live life to the fullest.

Ultimately, throughout these last 26 years but mostly within the last five, I have learned a great deal about hard work, sacrifice, selflessness, etc. I think that marriage made me realize that I needed to place my husband's needs over my own and clearly this is something that I am still working on. I am pretty excited to see what the next five years of life has to offer and how my life and perspective will change yet again.

Thankful:Day 7

2011-11-07T11:37:00.003-05:00

Today I'm grateful for good health and for the opportunity to run, play and work out. Lately, Mike has been running/biking to work. This past weekend, he ran 13.1 miles in our fitness room. Way to go!

Mike and his younger brother, Benjamin, are training for a 30 mile run through Coalmine Canyon in Northern Arizona where they grew up. One last adventure before BJ leaves on his mission for 2 years. Pretty crazy if you ask me.

Thankful: Day 6

2011-11-06T18:33:00.001-05:00

Lately, I've been thinking a great deal about my Samoan heritage and what it truly means to me. I am very grateful for my polynesian ancestors and for all of the sacrifices that they have made for me throughout time including the decision to immigrate to The United States of America and to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It must have taken great courage and faith.

Also, I've been pondering about what our cultural heritages will mean for our future brown babies. They will be a quarter Samoan, a quarter Navajo and Caucasian. A good mix, right?

I want our future children to understand the importance of their Samoan and Navajo cultural identities. It's vital to know and understand your background and it really has placed a higher level of perspective in my own life about what I want to accomplish and focus on. I think that it keeps you humble too.

I dream of one day taking our children to the Navajo reservation and to the beaches of Samoa. I would love for them to learn the beautiful cultural dances, languages, customs, etc. of their people. We truly have a rich cultural heritage and so much to be grateful for.

Thankful: Day 5

2011-11-06T17:51:00.005-05:00

Saturday was the perfect fall day for football! The weather was crisp, sunny and cool and the trees were exploding with vivid colors. I was sorely tempted to abandon all of my chores and errands and just run around taking pictures of the trees. Maybe next weekend...

Mike had to work so I traveled solo to Annapolis to watch them play Troy from Alabama. It was the last home game of the season. Wow, these few past months have just flown by.

I had a blast sitting in the box with my Auntie Barbara. We had a great conversation and some much needed girl time.

Navy's mascot, Bill the Goat, came to say hello

and to grab some yummy food!

And guess what?!? We WON!

I'm really grateful for Navy football and especially for their win yesterday. Those boys have really had one tough season but things are definitely improving. It really helps that Santiago is back too.

After the game I drove back to D.C., picked up my poor husband from work and wearily traveled home. Life is good!

Thankful: Day 4

2011-11-04T09:36:00.006-04:00

I am a HUGE fan of Washington D.C. and am extremely grateful that we have had the opportunity to live in this dynamic city for the last two years. I really wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in this point in my life.

I’m thankful that we live in the nation’s capital because:

1.) There are always tons of things to do here! You really have no excuse to be bored.

2.) I love the diversity! I really enjoy being around people of different viewpoints, religions and cultures. It keeps things interesting.

3.) I adore the patriotism and routinely seeing military personnel in their uniforms. I’m so grateful for them.

4.) There are many fantastic schools here and it’s a great place to raise a family.

5.) Experiencing four seasons and with supposedly moderate winters. (We haven’t seen one yet.)

6.) The history and charm. I still have a lengthy list of everything that I want to see.

7.) The economy is relatively better here.

8.) Navy games of course!

Sometimes it’s hard for my west coast family and friends to understand why we chose to live so far away in Washington D.C. They always ask when we are moving back to the west coast. At times it’s difficult but Mike and I both have very independent personalities and have greatly enjoyed our lives here. Who knows what the future will bring though? I was born with a restless spirit and really enjoy traveling and experiencing new cultures and areas, which most likely stems from being raised as a military brat. Hence, I have no clue where we’ll be five years from now but I want to live in the present and enjoy D.C. for all it’s worth.

Thankful: Day 3

2011-11-03T10:34:00.002-04:00

This is an aspect of life that I’m EXTREMELY grateful for. Sleep! Last week I woke up at 4:30 am on several days in order to be at work by 6 am and returned home around 11 pm or later. I averaged about 4-5 hours of sleep per night last week. Accordingly, I’ve been slowly catching up on my z’s this past week and am thankful that the prominent dark circles under my eyes have been slowly disappearing.

Thankful: Day 2

2011-11-02T10:15:00.004-04:00

Today I’m highly grateful for books. I looove to read and often lose myself in bookstores. Currently, I’m reading Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond and it makes my evening commute so much more doable. It’s pretty lengthy but I’m learning a great deal about world history. I definitely recommend this one to anyone who is interested.

Thankful: Day 1

2011-11-01T21:30:00.002-04:00

Since this is the month of gratitude I wanted to jot down a few things that I’m very thankful for in my own life!

First off, I’m very grateful for my husband Michael. He is the most hard working man that I know. Even though he recently has been coming home at 10 pm he never complains and still remains positive about life. I really appreciate that. I feel so blessed to share my life with him.

David's Senior Homecoming Game

2011-11-01T20:29:00.003-04:00

My Mom and I had quite the little adventure this last weekend. It was my brother's Senior homecoming game in Las Cruces, New Mexico, which means that the families of the senior players were invited to walk on the field before the game with their respective football player. You know that we would never miss it!

Before the game we checked out David's campus and dorms since the players are not allowed to spend time with anyone but their team on game day. These dorms are much nicer than BYU's. Spoiled!

The NMSU football stadium.

Mom certainly had a good time!

#90.

He never smiles for my pictures. Bum!

Do you see the resemblance? Everyone says that David looks more like Mom and I look like Dad.

It was such a rush walking on the field with David and Mom. His picture appeared on the screen and they announced our names. Everyone was cheering for Mr. Niumatalolo! I was so proud of him!

The proud Mama.

The awesome senior photo collage that they gave David.

They had to go back into the locker room after the family portion of the game.

Before the game we were entertained by two awesome skydivers

and swashbuckling cowboys

while Nevada took a knee.

Finally, the team rushed on to the football field amid a sea of cheering Crimson colored fans!

Mom proudly showing off David's photos in the stands.

And the fun began!

David's cheerleaders.

Give me 30!!!

Crimson and white, fight, fight, fight!

Gooo David!

Yummy nuts that eventually made my stomach hurt.

Smash them David!

Overall, it was a really fun night encompassed with special memories for our little multicultural family. I was very grateful for the opportunity to attend a NMSU football game and to cheer on my brother. I'm a firm believer in the importance of morale support. Heck, I grew up watching all of David's peewee sport games so I have basically been brainwashed into it. It's a blast!

David is having a marvelous Senior year and we're all looking forward to watching him in three weeks in grand old Provo, Utah! I really can't wait!!!

He's a HOUSE

2011-10-27T19:32:00.005-04:00

Oh Hawaii, I miss you so!

Last Saturday David played The University of Hawaii in Hawaii. (Tough life, huh?) All of my local relatives were there to cheer for #90!

Here's a pregame photo that my cousin Coreeh took of my Auntie Sonja, David, my Grandma, and cousin Tiger. They went to his hotel the night before the game to give him some local Hawaiian food. My brother is so spoiled and he definitely milks it for all it's worth. Might as well though because how many times does one get to go to Hawaii?!?

Obviously, I wasn't at the game but I watched it from midnight to 3 am Washington D.C. time which is when I conked out. It was a thrilling game since there are many polynesians or "local" boys on the New Mexico State team so it becomes a huge competition when they return to the island to play against their former teammates.

David had a stunning game! The commentators were cracking me up with their random statements like:

"Niumatalolo, he's a house!" (Referring to David's gigantic size. He gets bigger every time I see him!)
"He's been active from the start of the game."
"David's having a game tonight!"
"Niumatalolo's putting on a show!"

It was really exciting to see my brother sack Hawaii's quarterback! At that point I enthusiastically screamed and woke up my poor husband.

A photo of my cousin Sione, Grandma, David, cousin Alexcia, and Auntie Raelene. It's a tradition to give football players leis after a big game. It's our way of saying "great job" brotha!

I love this photo of David and my grandparents. David and my Grandma Lamala are very close and he's definitely the apple of her eye. It's really sweet. We're all really proud of David.

Tomorrow I'm flying after work to Las Cruces, New Mexico to watch David play in his homecoming game. I'm really really excited and my mom will be there too. I hope that I can live up to my family's expectations and take some nice photos of the game.

Yay for football!

Lovely Leneia

2011-10-23T16:32:00.002-04:00

Saturday morning I hung out with my gorgeous goddaughter, Leneia. We had such a blast! She's seriously so easy going and lovable!

Trying to make Leneia laugh...

Doesn't this face just make your heart melt?!?

Welcome To the Little House of Horrors

2011-10-17T19:37:00.002-04:00

I'm extremely thrilled that Halloween is right around the corner! Our little apartment is gradually growing a bit spookier...and by spooky I mean friendly ghosts, fake flowers and cute non-threatening pumpkins. Yep, I really can't handle much more than that.

I am in loooove with this Yankee Pumpkin Spiced Candle. I smell it at least four times a day...

Also, I'm crafting meticulous plans to coerce Mike into watching a scary (or not) movie with me like:

Practical Magic

Hocus Pocus

The Nightmare Before Christmas

or a good Alfred Hitchcock movie!

When we were first married Mike told me that he had never seen a Hitchcock flick before. I couldn't believe it! That had to change! We've been gradually watching these classic movies on Netflix and have delighted in their cheesy graphics, intelligent lines and old school glamour. I love them and The Birds is one of my all time favorites. I have never looked at a black bird the same way since....

The Odyssey Fall Finale Sprint Adventure Race 2011

2011-10-16T20:08:00.013-04:00

Yesterday, Mike and I competed as Team Aloha in our first Adventure Race! We have been training for the last few months in eager anticipation of the big day. Mike has become an athletic beast and has been running long distances, biking to work, etc.

Adventure racing is a relatively new type of athletic competition that involves teams competing in mountain biking, orienteering, trail running, canoeing, mind games and puzzles, and oh so much more! Our race consisted of ~35 miles and this was actually considered a 7 hour "sprint race" since most adventure races last 24 hours or more. I'm still unsure of how people can compete for that long...they must looove pain.

Friday night Mike and I drove 3.5 hours straight from work to beautiful Buchanan, Virginia. A smaller town with a population of 24,000. We set up our tent, organized our race supplies and tried to get some much needed shut eye in preparation for the big day.

Unfortunately, it was pretty cold that night and despite my five layers of clothing, sleeping bag, towels, and blankets we were still cold. I barely got more than four hours of sleep that night and was so cold that I was actually excited to get up and compete in the morning. Please, anything to warm up!

Mike made some yummy eggs and ham for breakfast which considerably brightened my mood.

We camped right next to the James River. It was actually pretty gorgeous despite the frigid temperature. I was upset because I woke up feeling feverish and with a sore throat. Really not the ideal way to start out a long race.

We were pretty nervous and excited before the race. Those mountains you see in the background would come into play later. This was clearly no fun run and all of the other teams looked very hard core

but I can be hard core too. Haha!

In adventure races it's extremely important that you prepare your car with the right running and energy supplies. We would have one chance to come to the car and restock our hydration bags. It seemed like the majority of the racers had trucks and Subarus.

Before our adventure race we were given two topographical maps, specific instructions, a paper which is called a passport (where you write the answers to the mind games and "punch" at various checkpoints), etc. We had to meticulously plan out our route using Mike's compass before we started our adventure. Pretty interesting since we had never been to Buchanan before.

We started the race by biking and oh my gosh there were the biggest and steepest hills that I have ever seen in my entire life! They killed me and they never ended!

Typical terrain.

The one thing that I did not prepare for was the altitude. If I ever train for another adventure race I would run and bike at altitude to try to get my body use to the difference in elevation. That is my best advice to people who are training for adventure races.

However, we did well on the first biking portion of the race. A local trucker even yelled at us to get off of the road. Clearly, the local Virginians were not too pleased about having their town infiltrated by all of these crazy racers. I don't blame them.

Finally, we moved on to the canoeing portion of the race. This was such a blast! We had to quickly put our bikes in the canoe and then lift it to the river. Oh my gosh the canoes were extremely heavy and I could barely lift it! Gratefully, a race volunteer helped me lift my end to the river.

I loved the canoeing section and the river was absolutely gorgeous! We loved the little rapids too. Someday I would love to get more into river rafting.

Afterwards we lifted our canoes to the river banks, reassembled our bikes and raced to our car to fill up on running supplies, down a power bar, etc. We were given a new map which was poorly marked with few street names and had to bike to a mysterious point in order to start the trail running and orienteering portion of the race.

We were really excited for this leg of the race. I thought that this would be the easy part but it actually turned into the most brutal. We had to basically hike/run up a mountain to different points on our map which were marked with orange flags using Mike's compass and the topographical map. (Mike being a Boy Scout Leader has seriously paid off for us!)

Here's a picture from one of the optional checkpoints off of the race website. This was on top of the mountain and one of the optionals we had time to find.

Once again altitude sickness struck me and I was suffering. We traveled more than 2,000 feet up Purgatory Mountain and I was having a hard time breathing.

At this point in the race I was extremely tired, upset and emotionally breaking down. (It didn't help that I wasn't breathing very well and needed to throw up.) We had been constantly moving for about 5 straight hours with really no breaks. Mike was trying to encourage me to go faster but I felt that I couldn't breathe and needed to stop.

There really were no trails and we were literally fighting tooth and nail bushwhacking with evil thorn bushes, climbing up and down steep mountainous inclines, etc. During some parts I felt like we were rock climbing because the mountain was soooo steep! They don't call this Purgatory Mountain for nothing!

I was really in a dark place during this portion of the race. I was beyond exhausted, wanted to cry, was in pain, couldn't breathe very well, etc. However, I'm very proud that I didn't quit or cry. I knew that I couldn't give up on Mike. Also, I was certain that if we got lost or were stuck in the mountain that no one would be able to help us. We were alone and in such a dangerous place that there's no way that anyone would hike there to help us. (Well, we did sign a waiver...) I said countless of silent prayers that we would be able to safely find our way off of the mountain. We only had about 30 minutes left until the race ended and I was terrified that we would be stuck on the mountain all night.

Hence, despite the pain and scary situation, we kept our focus and realized that the only way we were getting off the mountain was on our own two feet. We bushwhacked our way step by painful step down the mountain and finally found the road we were looking for! Hallelujah!!!! We were ecstatic and ran down the road to our bikes.

Here is a picture of my leg after the race. It looks like we were attacked by a bobcat! Our bodies are covered in nasty scratches from those malicious thorn bushes!

Mike's arm after falling and catching himself on a rock during the trail racing portion of the adventure race.

After finding our bikes we were absolutely euphoric and pedaled hard to the finish line with 14 minutes to spare before the end of the race. We crossed the finish line together and there was a tremendous feeling of triumph! Not only did we hit all the mandatory checkpoints but we also obtained some optional bonus ones as well. Not bad for first timers. We were so proud of our accomplishment and so grateful that it ended well! We survived!

Mike and I celebrating after the race! We did it!!!

Afterwards there were hamburgers, french fries and brownies for the competitors. I couldn't eat much but Mike wolfed down two hamburgers. We picked up our swag, packed up our camping gear and drove straight home to a warm shower and dreamy soft bed.

I am extremely proud of this accomplishment of finishing an adventure race. I don't mean to brag but it was by far the toughest athletic competition that I have ever participated in. My half-marathon isn't even slightly comparable.

In addition, I'm extremely grateful to my husband who was very patient with me during our training and during the race. I know that he could have raced much faster by himself or with other male competitors but I'm grateful that he chose to do it with me instead. Overall, it was a positive bonding activity for our marriage and taught us persistence, patience, team work, hard work, and more. I have such an amazing husband who is always pushing himself and me to loftier heights. The adventure race was an incredible experience encompassed with pain, frustration, joy, and exultation! It taught me a lot about what our bodies and minds are physically and mentally capable of. Truly, we can do great things if we put our minds to it!

Difficult Run Trail: Mountain Biking, Trail Running and Canoeing

2011-10-09T21:42:00.007-04:00

Saturday morning Mike and I traveled to a beautiful trail near Great Falls called Difficult Run/Cross County Trail. (A name like that is enough to beget fear into the heart of any amateur like me.) We wanted to practice mountain biking and trail running on terrain more challenging than what we will encounter during the race. We now have less than a week until our grand Adventure Race! I'm so excited! It was one really gorgeous day!

Here's Mike carrying his bike across the stream.

My turn on another stream.

We decided to mountain bike 7.5 miles and then run 5 miles. To say the least we were completely covered in mud at the end! The trail really was pretty challenging with its tortuous mud pits, rivers, hills, rocky terrain, etc. I have a brand new appreciation and respect for mountain bikers! It's tough work! Also, it didn't help that the trail was really wet with countless of deep mud pits. We both fell off of our bikes a few times. In fact, we actually traveled faster overall on foot than on the bikes.

One step closer to the race! Woo hoo!

Later we rented a canoe and practiced our 2-person technique on the Potomac River. I'm really excited for this portion of the race!

Mike the adventurer.

Chelsea the goof ball.

Poor Mike took a bad fall while mountain biking and is in a lot of pain. Here he is icing his knees. Not what we wanted with the race so close. He's a trooper though and we're hoping that he'll heal quickly like he usually does. He also plans on biking to work tomorrow. Seriously.

Warning: The Polynesians Have Landed in Annapolis

2011-10-09T20:45:00.000-04:00

This last Saturday just zoomed by for me! I traveled solo to lovely Annapolis to watch Navy play Southern Mississippi. Poor Mike had to work. Gotta crunch those numbers! I was excited to see the game and my family members from Utah. Uncle Steve was a huge life saver for me during my BYU days. He would always take me to and from the airport, store my things in his house during the summers, etc. It has been a few years since I have seen him and his two kids.

Ali'i and Moses watching the game.

Uncle Steve & Uncle Ken.

Uncle Steve took this picture on Saturday morning and I thought that it was just hilarious. Here is Uncle Ken mowing his lawn before the Navy game. He says that it helps him relax before the stress and pressure begins.

My cousins Malia and Moses. They were toddlers the last time that I saw them in Utah. Now look at them! Holy smokes! Time sure does fly.

Brianna & Alexcia make friends with Bill.

The Niumatalolo gang after the game. (Moses, Ali'i, Malia, Steve, Alexcia, and I. Minus Uncle Ken & Auntie Barbara)

I don't really want to talk about how the game ended. (Ah hem not so great.) Mississippi was fast...I still had a good time visiting with my family members though. Today Alexcia flew back to college in Hawaii and tomorrow Steve, Moses and Malia will travel home to Utah. Ah but it was soooo good while it lasted! Please come back to the east coast soon!

Navy Vs. Air Force

2011-10-05T22:29:00.003-04:00

October 1, 2011.
A sold out crowd of anxious football fans awaited the huge rival game of Navy vs. Air Force. The first half wasn't good for Navy.

Air Force Players.

Ultimately, the game went into an exciting overtime and we lost 34-35. Ohhh it was such a bitter, tough and emotional loss! Hence, no commander-in-chief trophy this year since Navy needed to beat Air Force and eventually Army to go to the White House. Oh well! Lets hope that things improve soon!

Graduation Day. Woot!

2011-10-03T08:58:00.004-04:00

    On October 2, 2011 I received my Masters in Public Administration through the University of Phoenix. I chose to study Public Administration for countless of different reasons but mainly to aid in my quest for a career in international and economic development. This clearly is not the most profitable career path, especially with today's poor economy, but it has always been a firm dream of mine to work in the non-profit industry, hence my short stints in India and Africa while at BYU. Also, Washington D.C. is the best place in the United States for development so I feel that things are lining up nicely.

   Consequently, it took me 22 straight months of graduate school to finish the program. (I actually still have one week left and two more papers to write. Almost there...) They were months encompassed with frustration, joy, tiredness, etc. This program really ingrained the tough principles of hard work, sacrifice and discipline into my head and also how we can accomplish pretty much anything that we set our minds to.

     Anyways the commencement ceremony was held in the historic Daughters of the American Revolution Constitutional Hall in Washington D.C. It was awesome to graduate in such a historic and beautiful building.

My grandparents bought these beautiful leis in Hawaii for me. I have to admit that I was feeling a little sad that I didn't have leis since it is a family and cultural tradition. And with my Father now living in the south it didn't seem likely. However, when my Dad pulled these out right before the commencement I was so thrilled! It is so touching that my grandparents in Hawaii took the time to select and purchase these for me. It felt like they were at the commencement ceremony with me and it was a sweet reminder of my family's love.

And also I'm extremely grateful to my awesome cousin Alexcia, who is attending BYU-H, and also carried these heavy leis all the way from Hawaii on the airplane. I was so surprised and really touched by their thoughtful consideration of me! Now I could graduate like a true polynesian haha.

Dad and I walking to the DAR Constitutional Hall.

The historic Daughters of the American Revolution Constitutional Hall.

Mike and I before the commencement.

Before the ceremony I was pretty nervous and excited. I wanted to pinch myself. Is this really happening?!?

I am a Phoenix!

Dad & I. Dad drove 7 hours from South Carolina to attend this ceremony.

I heart Mike.

Inside the DAR.

Walking to the stage.

Walking off the stage with my fake diploma.

Listening to the commencement speaker.

Outside the DAR after the commencement.

Dad and I before he embarked on his 7 hour drive back to South Carolina.

Well this sure has become one lengthy post but I truly couldn't have accomplished this goal without the support and great encouragement of my family members and dear friends. My father has always encouraged me to "think like a general, not a private" and to lead in difficult situations. My mother has consistently built me up with ceaseless love and encouragement. My good friend Ruby helps me to see and believe in the good in myself on days when it's truly hard to see clearly. Lastly, my amazing husband has been supportive and with me from Day 1. He's suffered through an absent wife, quick dinners, frustrating weekends, and oh so much more. However, it has been one amazing ride and I'm excited to usher in the next chapter of our lives.

Niumatalolo, One Tough End

2011-09-28T13:35:00.000-04:00

So here's the latest on David and his football career at New Mexico State University. Recently, he was featured in an article stating that he "currently leads the Aggies in sacks with four, ranking him second in the league". Way to go!

David and his teammates celebrating after their first win of the season at Minnesota.

David and our family in California after the San Jose State game.

Check out the article here:

http://www.nmstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=9528&SPID=583&ATCLID=205302849&DB_OEM_ID=1900

Living Legacies

2011-09-26T12:24:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've been thinking a great deal about my ancestors and the family members who have made a significant difference in my life. I'm very grateful for my dear and sweet grandparents who have always been shining examples of faith and joy.

Here is a picture of my Grandpa Simi and Grandma Lamala who currently reside in beautiful Laie, Hawaii about a block from the Laie LDS Temple. "Simi" means James in Samoan and "Lamala" represents the sun. They are immigrants from American Samoa and are also faithful converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Grandma Lamala converted to the Gospel after a missionary saved her from drowning in the Pacific Ocean. It's quite an amazing story that I'll save for another blog post.

My grandfather worked for the Coast Guard while my fiesty grandmother raised seven children at home. My dad is the oldest of the seven. Grandpa Simi is known for his amazing cooking skills and is constantly preparing meals for large groups of people. Grandma Lamala is a warm and generous woman with a very large heart.

On my mother's side I have my Grandpa Mike and Grandma Karen who live in gorgeous Medford, Oregon. Grandpa Mike is a retired Economics college professor and my beautiful Grandmother raised four children at home.

I have very lovely and fond memories of fishing with my grandparents as a child, exploring their farm and petting the horses, playing riveting card games with them at night, etc. They are a very creative couple and my grandfather use to write poems for the grandchildren which always brought tons of laughter! Grandma Karen is a very talented organist and pianist and I use to love listening to her practice the hymns for church on Saturday night. They are a very open minded couple who always push people to think outside of their comfort zone.

Anyways this blog post could last forever but I'm very grateful to my amazing grandparents who have been a tremendous and positive influence in my life.

Update on Adventure Race Training with Husband

2011-09-26T11:43:00.000-04:00

We only have three weeks left until our adventure race in Buchanan, Virginia! Ummm yikes!!!

Mike kicked my butt this last weekend. We went for a 15 mile bike ride and I experienced a big crash on the wet trail. (My knees and legs are sooo bruised from all of my bike crashes by now.)

After the bike ride I was flat out done. I was pretty tired and basically acting like a wimp. I told Mike that he could continue to run but I was going to take a relaxing nap in the car. However, that didn't happen. Mike ~~coerced~~ gently persuaded me into running with him and we were able to knock out 4 miles. I was pretty proud considering the fact that I didn't think that I could run 1 mile after the bike ride. (Plus, Mike runs so fast that it's hard for me to keep up with him.)

I'm pretty confident that this upcoming adventure race is going to be a really fun experience! Did you know that they have adventure races that last for 24 hours? Thankfully, ours will only take 6-8 hours.

Our team name is.......

Team Aloha!

Haha, it was Mike's idea but I like it. Way to represent!

P.S.
Six days until my graduation ceremony and only three more papers to write. Yipeeeee!

A New Monument

2011-09-19T10:51:00.001-04:00

This last weekend went by sooo quickly! Of course don't they all?

Mike worked late on Friday because the wonderful busy season is upon us! This is our third busy season as a married couple so I'm pretty accustomed to basically being alone during the fall time. Also, this is really nothing in comparison to Mike's long work assignment in Pennslyvania last year. I'm very certain that there will be more work assignments in other states within the next year or so. I'm not at all looking forward to it but I feel prepared and ready for whatever challenges will come our way.

Anyways I was feeling pretty sick this last weekend but we still kicked our butts to the temple and then we traveled to Great Falls Park for some mountain biking. (Don't worry I'm not contagious. It's mostly migraines and fatigue.)

However, after an hour into the biking trip I decided to let Mike go on by himself. Later that night I slept for 15 straight hours and still felt drained the next day. I don't know what's wrong with me...I feel like a walking robot most of the time devoid of any energy or life. Maybe I should try blueberry juice.

On Sunday we biked to the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. (These pictures were taken from Mike's iphone.) Overall, I thought that the new memorial is pretty impressive. I've been wanting to visit it for a long time.

This is the first monument that has been constructed in Washington D.C. that is not of an American President. Martin Luther King Jr. was a powerful speaker and in my opinion an inspired man. Today, racial discrimination still continues but I feel that the world is definitely a better place due to the heroic efforts of Mr. King and his supporters. Truly, we have so much to be thankful for.

A Game of Honor

2011-09-16T08:37:00.000-04:00

SHOWTIME Sports and CBS Sports are teaming up for A Game Of Honor, a two-hour exclusive docu-drama revealing an unprecedented look at America's two oldest military academies—The United States Military Academy and The United States Naval Academy. As the midshipmen and cadets prepare to serve their country and participate in a rivalry unmatched by any other in sports—the Army-Navy football game—SHOWTIME will capture an all-access look at their unique season-long journey. The in-depth docu-drama will be co-produced and promoted by SHOWTIME Sports and CBS Sports in conjunction with CBS Sports.com and premiere Wednesday, December 21 on SHOWTIME—10 days after this year's Army-Navy game on CBS, December 10. Check it out!

Thursday Evening

2011-09-16T08:23:00.000-04:00

Ahhh. It's a beautiful world!

My 26th Birthday Bash

2011-09-11T15:10:00.002-04:00

On Friday we celebrated Poppy and my birthday with fun friends in their oh so swanky club room. I turned 26 and she 23 years old. Poppy and I have a lot in common since we're both Samoan, love sports, come from military backgrounds, are fairly young and married, love to laugh, etc. When we first met I instantly knew that we would be good friends. (It's really hard to find other polynesians on the East coast. It seems that most polynesians tend to reside in Hawaii or California. You know where it's beautiful, warm and there's an ocean....makes sense.)

Anyways Poppy ordered delicious cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes! They actually have their own show on TLC called D.C. Cupcakes. You can check it out at http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/dc-cupcakes if you ever care to.

Happy birthday to you...

The birthday chicas. (Poppy & I.)

Hanging out.

Blowing out the candles. An attractive picture I know...

A peanut butter cupcake with "w" for our last name.

Little girl smile.

Overall, it was a blast of a birthday! We stayed out until 1 am and had so much fun catching up and laughing our heads off with old and new friends alike. Thank you soooo much to my sweet husband, loving family and kind friends who made this birthday really special! I'm blessed to have such great people in my life.

Navy Vs. Delaware

2011-09-06T16:07:00.057-04:00

I love three day weekends! I feel like we get so much accomplished (errand wise) and still have time for fun. On Saturday we traveled to Annapolis to watch Navy play Delaware.The final score was 40-17! Way to go Navy!!!

Here's Mike's "tough guy" pose.

Please excuse my iphone pictures....

It feels great to start out the new season with a win! I had a blast spending time with my Maryland family too. We Virginians sometimes cross over to their territory...

This is our third season watching Navy football in Annapolis with my family. It's very different this year since my two cousins are away at college and my Dad moved to the south. I'm super excited for the next home game and especially that my Dad, Uncle Steve and cousins (Va'a, Alexcia, Malia, and Moses) will all be coming!

The Steve.

Parts of the next home game will also be used in an upcoming LDS documentary about Mormon families. Yes, Mormons like football too! Should be interesting and a whole lot of fun!

Good Luck Today Boys

2011-09-03T10:08:00.001-04:00

Today is an epic day.

My cousin, Tiger, is playing in his first game for Punahou in Hawaii. (Obama's old high school.)

This kid is huge! I really think that he'll be in the NFL someday. His parents are hoping so too...

My brother David is playing in the first game of his last season for New Mexico State. My Dad is there cheering him on right now. Wish I was too...

My cousin Va'a is playing (or red shirting) in his first game for BYU.

And we're going to Annapolis to watch Uncle Ken coach Navy vs. Delaware today!

Good luck everyone!!! I wish that I could be in four different places today cheering everyone on! I'm super excited to see what this season has to offer!

Birthday Boy and Good News

2011-09-01T13:29:00.000-04:00

On Friday we celebrated Mike's 28th birthday at the Cheesecake Factory! Yum yum! I love their lettuce wraps!

Chris' Outrageous Chocolate Cake! Heaven!!!

Sunset behind the memorial and Pentagon.

Faint rainbow.

Mike's already preparing for his next accounting certification...

He's knocked out two within this last year and a half! Way to go husband!

They look a little intimidating...

Lastly, Mike's younger brother, BJ, recieved his mission call on Mike's birthday! He's going to Veracruz, Mexico! Woo hoo! Congrats!

Over and out!

Cannons in Our Backyard

2011-08-29T12:42:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, church and all of our plans for the day were canceled due to lovely lady Irene. We didn't mind as long as everyone was safe! Luckily, she didn't really hit the Alexandria area although the wind was howling like crazy on Saturday night.

Anyways on Sunday afternoon, cabin fever was quickly setting into our small apartment so we decided to go on a hike at nearby Fort Foote.

Fort Foote was an American Civil War-era wood and earthwork fort that composed a portion of the wartime defense of Washington D.C., by helping defend the Potomac River approach to the city. It operated from 1863 to 1878, when the post was abandoned, and was used only briefly during the First and Second World Wars.

Here's a large tree that was lying in the middle of the road. Luckily, we were able to drive around it. The hurricane clearly made itself known in some areas around Maryland and Viriginia. There were a lot of tree branches and debris in the road.

At the beginning of the trail.

Going through the jungle...

A creepy old house that probably stored ammunition, etc. during the Civil War.

Mike on the banks of the smelly Potomac River.

You don't want to touch that water! Yuck!

Me on top of an overgrown section of the fort. Pretty awesome!

A section of the old fort.

A very large cannon in the background.

This cannon was constructed in 1863. Amazing that they are still here. It took 12 people to opperate one cannon.

The cannons were huge in person!

Mike and I couldn't believe our eyes when we saw these gigantic cannons. It was like we had stepped back in time. We never knew that there was this old fort, cannons, etc. from the Civil War so close to our home. It really made me appreciate living in VA, despite the random earthquakes and hurricane, that we have experienced this last week.

There's pros and cons to every city, right???

Happy Birthday Love

2011-08-26T10:52:00.000-04:00

So in keeping with my birthday blogging tradition, here are 28 things that I love love love about Michael!

1.) His amazing smile!
2.) Annnd perfect pearly whites.
3.) How he dominates in basketball and most athletic competitions.
4.) His handsome, large & brown eyes.
5.) His willingness to snuggle and comfort me when feelin' blue.
6.) That I knew him when he had glasses. I fell in love with those glasses.
7.) His hard work.
8.) Energetic personality.
9.) That he loves the outdoors.
10.) His adventurous spirit.
11.) How he's always looking for ways to challenge himself.
12.) He's a snazzy and classy dresser.
13.) How he loves to floss.
14.) Mike makes fantastic chocolate chip cookies.
15.) His fruit smoothies are also delish!
16.) His competitive spirit. He has never let me win in anything.
17.) When he helps me clean up the house.
18.) Mike's dedication to the Gospel.
19.) He makes me laugh every single day.
20.) He encourages me to eat healthy and make good meals.
21.) How he kicks my lazy butt to the gym. (It's only a short elevator ride up to our top floor.)
22.) I love it when he deep cleans our bathroom.
23.) His fun personality.
24.) He's not ghetto.
25.) Mike makes me want to work harder in all that I do.
26.) He is a good genuine person.
27.) Mike is a wonderful husband. I'm truly blessed.
28.) He will be an amazing father someday...

Upcoming Adventure Race

2011-08-25T16:48:00.001-04:00

So husband (some call him Mike) has successfully persuaded me to join him in the upcoming EX2 Rocky Gap Adventure Race on Saturday, October 1st in Flintstone, Maryland. I guess that adventure racing is a new type of race which is similiar to a triathlon except with no swimming. Thank goodness! I would drown...

This race includes:

kayaking

mountain biking

and running of course.

It actually looks like a blast! I'm most excited for the kayaking section. I love kayaking!!!

I'm also excited that we get to do it together. Mike keeps mentioning that he can pull me along if I'm not fast enough but I also continue to mention that no one is going to pull me along in a race. How incredibly embarrassing!

Lately, we have been fueling our fires by watching the TV show Expedition Impossible. The teams race through canyons, caves, rivers, deserts, etc. It's so awesome! You should check it out!

Anyways stay turned for our own mini Expedition Impossible....

Earthquake

2011-08-24T14:28:00.006-04:00

      So you may have heard that the east coast experienced an earthquake yesterday. Yep, that is correct folks.

      The quake struck with a powerful magnitude of 5.8 around 2 pm. (That's big for D.C.) I was in our covered parking garage on my way back to work after lunch. Suddenly, all of the cars started to shake with an incredible and unnerving force. I was wondering if the tornado had come early. (There is one scheduled for this weekend. How lovely.)

     As I hustled back to work everyone started leaving the building. We all stood outside for about 30-45 minutes, where I listened to my co-workers' wild and exaggerated stories about the earthquake, before we were told to go home. I had no qualm with that. Some people were pretty shaken up about the whole experience. Most were worried about their dogs. Or maybe their children? Nah, definitely their dogs...this is D.C. afterall.

So all of the intelligent people scrambled into their cars and waited together in traffic.

Luckily, it only took me about an hour to get home. Unheard of in Tyson's Corner which is infamous for its bad traffic.

This photo displays the extent of the earthquake damage at our home. It still was a little eerie though.

I guess that an earthquake of this magnitude hasn't struck the east coast in about 70 years! Pretty incredible! The majority of the school districts, government agencies, etc. were all evacuated yesterday. I have read that our beloved National Cathedral and Washington Monument were also damaged. It's pretty sad and I hope that they're able to quickly repair them.

Ultimately, I hope that everyone is safe! I never thought that we would experience earthquakes in D.C. Gosh, after the crazy snow storms that you can read about here Snow Storm, record heat waves, etc., I'm beginning to think that Washington D.C. rarely experiences moderate temperatures.

You can bet that I'll be working on our 72 hour survival kit...

Read About the Earthquake Here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/a-day-after-quake-washington-awakes-to-closures/2011/08/24/gIQA0A13aJ_story_1.html

Torrential Rain & Last Day in Shenandoah

2011-08-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

So Saturday night we were playing games in the Gleed's tent when it started raining. We continued to reassure ourselves that it would stop...but it didn't. In fact, the rain steadily grew worse and worse! Mike ran out to save the valuables in our tent and Ryan was trying to patch up the leaks in his. I have never seen such a down pour! Eventually, we all just ran for our cars. It was quite the night!

Here's where we slept. Gotta love those Subarus.

The next morning we dried off our things, packed up and went on our last and thankfully shorter hike. (I was pretty much dead by then.) It was called Dark Hallows.

More waterfalls. Woop de doo.

Overall, it was a fun trip with lots of grand adventures! It really fueled our passions for hiking and the great outdoors! A fantastic way to end the summer.

Adios Shenandoah! It was real!