May thru Aug adventures...Part 1

I figured that since I haven't written too much about my summer, I better take advantage now to do so. This summer has been filled with traveling adventures, work, and reading good books.
In May I began my summer with working and reading. I found another series that is written by Suzanne Collins (author of the Hunger Games) and I have been enjoying the 5 books in the series for the Underland Chronicles. They are adventurous and easy readers so it has been worth it to read them. :) I also read a book by Richard Paul Evans that is called Micheal Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25. I enjoyed that one too. It is nice to read a variety of things when you do not have to read textbooks. During May my sister and I decided when to go see our parents and so I was very excited about being in Portland with them.
June came and my traveling began!! I had a 10 year mission reunion that took place in East Canyon Resort just east of Salt Lake City. It was an overnight camping trip and I hadn't been camping since I was a teenager when I attended Girls Camp, so I was excited to go again. I drove down and spent some time in the Salt Lake valley and then drove through Provo Canyon to get there. I saw Bridal Veil Falls, which I am sure I saw when I was growing up. Then I drove through Heber City, by Park City and on up to East canyon resort.
The reunion was really a lot of fun, I would have loved it even more if my mission president and his wife would have been able to come from Colorado. But he was unable to travel due to a heart surgery within the last year. I look forward to the day when I am able to see them again.
Since I posted so many pictures on facebook, I am only going to put a few in this post (as my internet isn't downloading them as quickly as I would like it too).
 The first picture shows all those who served in the Viriginia Richmond mission from 1999 to 2002 (ish). most of them I didn't know very well since I was not there until 2001. The mission president that was before mine was there with his wife, the Fellers.

 This picture shows everyone who was able to come to the reunion with their families. There were a lot of kids who had so much fun playing. A mission really does bless the lives of so many, especially when the missionary returns home and stays strong in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then is married in the temple and raises their children in the same manner. I am grateful to know that so many who served in my mission are still strong in the gospel today.

The last pictures shows some of the tents that were put up at our site. East canyon really is beautiful.
I was very happy to be there and to have the chance to talk about the land that we all love so much. It was a blessing in my life to serve the people of Virginia and I hope to go back there one day. Also I hope to have the chance to see more of my companions over the next few years since they live in other states.


Then the last week of June my sister and I left Idaho to visit Portland, Or. Our parents now live there and since I have never lived there I love to visit as often as I can. We saw so many things that I can't even begin to post all the pictures showing the many wonderful things that we saw. So I will write about them, put a few pictures, but then allow you to learn more about each place on your own.
We left on a Saturday night after I got off work and headed to Meridian, ID (next to Boise where we used to live). We stayed the night with a good friend of mine that I have known since we graduated high school. We then went to church at our old home ward the next morning. Before leaving the Boise area, we drove up to Eagle to see the high school that I attended for all 3 years, and past the site that has been chosen for a temple to be built. Then it was time to be on the road and head to Troutdale to be with our parents. We stopped along the way just to stretch and be out of the car and arrived in the late afternoon. Once we brought our things in from my car, and gave our parents hugs, my sister opened an envelope that contained her Associates Degree from BYU-Idaho. She was very excited to finally have it.
On Monday, my sister and I spent time with our mom touring some of the sites in downtown Portland. We saw Powell's Bookstore (which is the biggest bookstore I have ever seen since it is 4 levels in one building and has an annex with a couple more levels- I think) then we walked down to see the opening of Chinatown. It was neat to see it but I thought it would be different from what it really was. We walked along the streets to see the Govenor Tom McCall Waterfront park! I have wanted to see that park for a couple of years since I saw pictures online. It is a park that is next to the Willamette River and was really neat to see it.
On tuesday, again dad wasn't with us since he works nights and slept while we went and played during the morning. The first place we went to was the Pittock Mansion! It is 100 years old, 100 feet up, and has an amazing yard. [funny story about the mansion.....there was a tree that a family was taking pictures of their children climbing up it and once they were done we went over to take pictures by it too. Well I thought I could climb up the tree too just like the kids so I got my hands secured and put my right foot up on the tree, and when I went to pull myself up the tree my right foot slid down the trunk, and landed on the ground in a way that I can't even tell you. Because of this I earned the name of Monkey for the rest of my trip. and a side note...2 months later it still hurts and I learned that I tore a ligament] And for more of my adventures, you will have to wait until tomorrow when I am more awake to write it. :)