Kami & Neil

I'm Moving!

2011-09-26T21:02:00.000-06:00

I am moving all my blog posts to a new url: TheEssigLife.com. I am not going to post to EssigEats.com anymore, either. All my food posts will just be combined onto TheEssigLife.com.

Thanks!

The Perfect Day

2011-09-20T21:12:00.002-06:00

Saturday was the termed "The Perfect Day" by my brother-in-law, Dave. Here is why is was the perfect day for him: he slept in, went golfing, Michigan football won (his favorite college team), and we had lunch at Tucano's! We stuffed ourselves silly, then went to the RSL game. His favorite player on RSL scored the game-winning goal of the game, and then one of his favorite bands, OneRepublic, played in a mini-concert after the game. When we got home, we started watching the Utah-BYU game that was recording on TV. BYU lost (by a lot!) and the game was super entertaining! Oh, and Ohio State (Michigan's rival) also lost. So, in all reality, it really was the perfect day. :) Here are some pics.

I {heart} Fall!

2011-09-20T21:05:00.000-06:00

I love this time of year... the weather starts to cool down, the leaves start to change, and sweater season is just around the corner. Fall is my second favorite season of the year, and I'm so excited that it is almost here that I started to put up some of my fall decorations.

I made this wreath... it turned out even better than I thought it would!

RRR Madness

2011-09-11T21:06:00.003-06:00

So we did the Red Rock Relay this year. It's a 187-mile relay race from Brian Head in Cedar City to the mouth of Zion. Every time I do one of these races, as soon as I start my first leg, I think to myself: "What was I thinking? Why did I agree to do this, anyway?" But as soon as I am finished, I realize how much I loved it and what an awesome experience it was! This was obviously no exception. My team was awesome, especially Van 2. We had a great time, even with getting no sleep (we only got a 2-hour break between our second and last leg- and that didn't include driving time!). The weather was a little crazy- as we were driving up to start our first leg, there was rain falling and crazy lightning in the distance. Apparently, some lightning hit a tree right next to the road where people were running and it blew wood chunks all over. Everyone was safe and ok, but it was kinda crazy! Our first runner had to run in a hail storm, but it blew over by the time I started! I had a crazy 6.4-miler that was straight downhill- my quads were screaming by the end. After we finished, we grabbed some grub at Gandolfo's, then headed back to the house we were staying at in Cedar City and watched The Italian Job and rested. Before we knew it, we were back in the van and headed to Newcastle (this was about 9:00 at night by this point). We did our night runs in record time and headed to this house and St. George to rest. Our third leg started at sunrise, which was pretty amazing to see with the amazing red rock scenery. My third leg was really tough- there was a hill that gradually rose higher and higher for about 3 miles. The toughest part was I couldn't see where the hill ended because the road kept turning, so I was very glad to see it finish! The race itself was pretty amazing- we saw a little bit of everything. Rain, hail, lightning, costumes, sun, 5:30-minute miles (nice work, Mike!), red rock, and the best part... In-N-Out at the end. That milkshake and burger never tasted so good as it did that day! Here are some pics!

Finish Line! Wahoo!

Mike can play the ukelele like a champ- and run 5:30-minute miles!

That van was my home for two days...

Um. Boys are weird.

This was my last leg. It hurt so much but it was so pretty!

Neil's Birthday!

2011-09-11T19:39:00.001-06:00

Neil turned 26 on September 3. We had the most relaxing weekend ever! Thursday night, my mom came to Layton and we went to dinner at Pad Thai in Layton. Friday, we went to dinner with Dave and Carly at Red Iguana. The mariachi band even came over and sang Happy Birthday, and they gave him this yummy dulce de leche cake. Saturday was a chill day. We slept in, ate breakfast at Kneaders, took a nap, watched college football (dang you, USU!), ate some sushi at Sushi Ya, and then went to dinner at The Pie in West Jordan. We also went to the RSL game, and Kyle Beckerman and Chris Schuler scored a goal each for him! There was also birthday cake involved that weekend. I am a pretty lucky girl to have Neil in my life and I was happy to spend his special day with him.

Neil is opening his basket of goodies - headphones, wallet, and lots of treats!

Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting... Mmm

Birthday dinner (well one of many, anyway!)

RSL vs. Philly- they won 2-1!

9/11/11

2011-09-11T18:56:00.000-06:00

This is such a crazy thing to realize that 10 years ago, our country was attacked. I keep reflecting on where I was that day... I remember that I woke up that morning and went to school. I was a sophomore at the time, and I had band for my first class. We sat in band class and just watched the news in horror. It just seemed so insane, like I was watching a movie. It was a Tuesday, so it was also a game day for the soccer team. I remember thinking how unreal it was that afternoon as we were playing, that playing soccer felt so normal when everything else didn't.

I received this in an email from Grandpa Sorenson and I thought it was so great.

"From the Washington Post Article that Pres. Monson wrote for them:

The calamity of September 11th, 2001 has cast a long shadow. Ten years later, many of us are still haunted by its terrible tragedy of lost lives and broken hearts. It is an episode of anguish that has become a defining moment in the history of the American nation and the world. This week, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, along with Tom Brokaw, will pay its own homage to the unforgettable events of September 11, 2001. There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy. People across the United States rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered. We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven. And, as ever, we found it. Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.

Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well.
Our Father’s commitment to us, His children, is unwavering. Indeed He softens the winters of our lives, but He also brightens our summers. Whether it is the best of times or the worst, He is with us. He has promised us that this will never change.
But we are less faithful than He is. By nature we are vain, frail, and foolish. We sometimes neglect God. Sometimes we fail to keep the commandments that He gives us to make us happy. Sometimes we fail to commune with Him in prayer. Sometimes we forget to succor the poor and the downtrodden who are also His children. And our forgetfulness is very much to our detriment.
If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.
The way to be with God in every season is to strive to be near Him every week and each day. We truly “need Him every hour,” not just in hours of devastation. We must speak to Him, listen to Him, and serve Him. If we wish to serve Him, we should serve our fellow men. We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.
It is constancy that God would have from us. Tragedies are not merely opportunities to give Him a fleeting thought, or for momentary insight to His plan for our happiness. Destruction allows us to rebuild our lives in the way He teaches us, and to become something different than we were. We can make Him the center of our thoughts and His Son, Jesus Christ, the pattern for our behavior. We may not only find faith in God in our sorrow. We may also become faithful to Him in times of calm."

Enough said. God bless America!

Neil's Melted Ring

2011-09-01T11:52:00.000-06:00

This morning, I woke up as usual and got in my car to go to work. The engine just wouldn't turn on, and it was making a loud angry noise at me. I called Neil down to look at it, and we tried to jump the battery, which didn't work! I was able to call into work, and Neil decided to take the battery over to the Auto Zone across the street. Turns out our battery was totally dead, so we just bought a new one. Unfortunately, when Neil was putting the new one in, he was using a metal wrench to tighten down the positive terminal. His wedding ring accidentally made contact with the negative terminal. It sparked and shot his hand back, and the ring was crazy-hot and partially melted! He burned the skin off on his ring finger, but I'm the most sad about the fact that his wedding ring is melted. We are going to hopefully see if we can fix it, but we might need to buy him a new one. :( At least he is ok and my car is working again!

TOU Half Marathon

2011-08-29T20:11:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, I ran the TOU Half Marathon! I love this race because it is a really fast course, and the finish line is about 5 minutes from my mom's house, so I don't have to worry about parking. My time this year was a lot slower than last years, and it hurt a lot more, but I think I enjoyed it a little bit more. A couple of random things I remember about this race: there was a skunk at the start line that scared everyone because we were sure he was going to spray us; there was a random kitten on the side of the road at one point of the race who just stood there, wanting to be petted by everyone running by; and apparently there was a midget who ran faster than me, even though her legs were half the size of mine (that's a direct quote from Neil, ha ha!).

Just after Mile 9

After the race, and a couple of cups of Gatorade!

I really liked the medal and shirts this year!

Great Times With Family

2011-08-29T19:56:00.000-06:00

This weekend was so great! We drove up to Logan on Friday night and ate a great dinner at Fredrico's Pizza. Seriously, their garlic bread is goood. Every. Single. Time! It also helps that Fredrico's is where Neil and I met, so there are lots of fond memories of the place. I attempted to get to bed early, because I was running the Top of Utah Half Marathon the next morning. (Separate post on that later!) Saturday night, we met up with Neil's siblings at Firehouse Pizza in Providence. We all laughed a lot, were generally too loud, and ate a ton of good pizza! After dinner, Joann had to take her kiddos to bed, but the rest of us went bowling. Even though we had to change lanes once, it was a successful time. I even broke out of the 50's! (Ha- I am a terrible bowler.) Sunday morning, we were able to go to church and listen to Tom's farewell talk before his mission. He leaves on Wednesday, and we couldn't be more excited for him! His talk was great, and so was Becky's (she was asked to speak as well). The chapel was absolutely packed with his family and friends, it was great to see. Afterward, we had a yummy dinner at Grandma & Grandpa Sorenson's. I don't know how we fed all the people who came, but we managed it! I really enjoyed this weekend, and I know Neil did too.

Tom Tom's Mission Blog

2011-08-29T09:54:00.000-06:00

Tom has asked Neil and I to keep a blog for him while he's on his mission. Here is the address if you are interested in checking it out! It's still a work in progress, but we're happy to do it for him. :)

ElderTomTom.Wordpress.com

Fair Time & Feeling Crafty!

2011-08-24T10:11:00.001-06:00

Last Friday, we visited the Davis County Fair. We pretty much tried all the food there- Navajo Tacos, Corn Dogs, Pulled Pork Sandwich (only one that wasn't worth it), Ribbon Fries, Fresh Donuts, Funnel Cake, and Fresh Limeade. Wow, that was a good day! I had to go work out for quite awhile to burn all that off, but it was worth it.

This photo is super blurry and dark... mostly because I took this picture with my phone. Oops!

And lately, I have been feeling pretty crafty. Two really good friends had baby showers close to each other, so I was ambitious and decided to make their presents. After a lot of internet research, I decided to make them baby bibs, a pacifier pocket, and a diaper strap. What are the last two, you might ask? Well, I have attached some pictures and also the links to the tutorials so you can make them if you would like! In one of the gifts, I also included some "Tin Can Treats".

Here are the baby bibs from the first set of presents. She is having a girl!

Button details from the boy baby bibs

Pacifier Pocket, Diaper Strap, and Baby Bibs

Tin Can Treats (Check out how HERE)

I've also been making a load of bracelets. I can't ever decide on the colors I want, so I just keep making more! It might be a disease... maybe it's called Braceletitis? Coloraphobia? Indecisionicia? The verdict is still out on the name, but in the meantime... I'm going to make some more bracelets. :)

Catching Up

2011-08-22T09:34:00.001-06:00

This month is apparently about catching up with friends and family. I got to see my dad again at the beginning of August, and I also got to go to dinner with my two best friends from high school. We try to get together once of year, and it is always a fun time when we do. We can seriously sit and talk for hours! It's so interesting how we can grow apart and how things change in our lives, but when we get together, it seems just the same. I love these girls!

This was our first attempt at taking a picture by ourselves. It didn't quite work!

A little better this time...

The hostess took pity on us and took our picture

Logan 6v6 Classic

2011-08-22T09:26:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, we had our Logan 6v6 Classic tournament that we have hosted the last couple of years. This was the best year so far, and it was a blast. We changed venues this year, which was the best thing! The city painted the fields for us, which saved a ton of time and effort. We had a ton of help from family, and we had a lot of fun. Neil didn't play this year, but I put a team in and we had a lot of fun playing! The weather was perfect, too- nice and hot. :) We still haven't decided if we are going to host it again next year... we'll decide in the spring probably!

Neil and his helpers!

This was the winning team this year!

Nicole's Maternity Photos

2011-08-22T08:50:00.000-06:00

Last week, I was able to take some maternity pictures of my best friend, Nicole. The lighting was awful that day, but we were able to get some shots that worked! Enjoy.

Nicole's daughter Mikylee joined us for the shoot. She was a trooper and only fell in the water once! :)

This is classic Nicole! Ha, love it!

An Hour With My Dad

2011-08-19T11:35:00.000-06:00

So my dad was in Utah for a couple of days at the beginning of August. I haven't seen him in years, and Neil has actually never met him at all. We were pretty excited when we got the opportunity to meet up with him, even if it was only for an hour! My brother and mom were able to be there, too. Even though my dad is in the Phillippines now, it was great to spend a little time with him. I hope to be able to see him again, hopefully a lot sooner than last time!

TomTom Experiences Tucano's

2011-08-19T11:08:00.000-06:00

So at the end of July, we (Neil, me, my mom, and Tom) were all going to a RSL game. Of course, we have to go to a good restaurant before the game, and when we found out that Tom had never experienced Tucano's before, it was a pretty easy choice! Tucano's is very similar to Rodizio Grill in Salt Lake, and the jury still seems to be out as to which one is better. I personally like Tucano's because I feel like it is just as good, with a little cheaper price tag. Anyway, it serves Brazilian-style food. There is a large salad buffet with lots of different choices of food (think sushi to mashed potatoes to salads to Brazilian cheese rolls) and then there are meat servers that walk around serving you delicious meat, along with grilled pineapple. I love this place (especially the grilled pineapple) and it definitely put Neil and Tom into food comas by the time they were done!

The RSL game was pretty good too... even though we lost. Still worth it!

Tom, entering into full coma mode

Neil is really feeling it here

At the game

Tom made a friend at the Gateway

Sorenson Camp

2011-08-19T10:52:00.000-06:00

This year, Neil's cousins decided to have Sorenson Camp. This is basically where we camp out in G & G Sorenson's backyard, play lots of fun games, eat lots of good food, and just basically exhaust ourselves silly. We accomplished everything on the list! There was a super fun Western theme. What a blast!

Collage of some of the MANY pictures that were taken that weekend!

Game time

Western-themed Picture Booth... with costumes, of course!

Getting creative with glow sticks!

Aunt Sue rented this humongous water slide, and it was put to great use! Tom had the best "splash output" of anyone!

Daniel comes out the slide, armed and ready to go!

My Birthday

2011-08-19T10:35:00.001-06:00

My birthday this year was the BEST. I loved everything about it! I've always loved having my birthday in July because the weather is almost always hot and sunny, I never had school, and since my birthday is at the end of July, it's around a state holiday. Even though I am on the upwards climb towards 30 now, I've decided to stay positive about my age. There is nothing I can about how old I am, so I instead choose to embrace it. I've had 26 years of experience, and I am looking forward to my 27th year of learning!

So this year, Neil decided to celebrate my birthday all week long by giving me an envelope every day with a present inside. It was like the 12 Days of Christmas, but much cooler! He had a different coupon/gift printed in each envelope, and it just made my day! I'm pretty much the luckiest girl ever. :)

On my actual birthday, I had the day off from work, so I slept in (there is truly nothing better), then did a little birthday shopping when the mall opened. After shopping, I picked Neil up from work and we went to Kneader's in Bountiful for lunch. I just love their Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich, I could probably eat every week and not get tired of it! After lunch, Neil went back to work, while my sister-in-law Carly and I hit up the pool in her neighborhood. The weather was deliciously warm, and there was even some public drama at the pool to entertain us, ha ha. When we were finally tired of the sun, we cleaned up and drove to the Gateway to watch the final Harry Potter movie. The movie was great (of course) and then we met back up with our husbands and ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Our waiter even brought me out some birthday ice cream with a candle and they sang to me! It was a fantastic day, I loved every minute of it!

My mom came down on Tuesday for a birthday dinner. I love Gabor Brothers!

Neil is contemplating his HUGE calzone at Gabor Bros. Seriously, it's the size of a football!

Love him!

Mom, about to dig into that monster plate of Chicken Alfredo.

At Cheescake Factory

Dave & Carly

Tomato Basil Pasta from Cheesecake Factory. Yummo!

Fireworks at the RSL game on Saturday

RSL vs. San Jose Earthquakes

My birthday coupons!

Cousin Catch-Up

2011-08-18T15:38:00.000-06:00

At the end of July, my Best Cousin came into town to visit! I only got to see her a couple of times, but we had a blast! We met up at P.F. Chang's in Salt Lake. Tim got to come, which was cool because I don't think he'd ever met Baby Ben. The food was great and the company was even better. After dinner, they came back to my house to watch the US Women's Soccer team play in the World Cup Final. Crystal was also thinking about buying my scooter, so she gave it a test drive. It was a fun day!

My delicious dessert

Life always looks a little better with dessert in your hands

Look at Ben staring at my cake... he wants it too!

The crew: Dustun, Crystal, Abby, me, Neil, Tim, Ben, and Amanda!

Crystal driving the scooter, notice how the boys are chasing behind her!

Love the pink helmet

Abby was yelling for her mom because Crystal drove away, ha ha

Uncle Les Retires

2011-08-18T14:48:00.000-06:00

On July 9, my Aunt Susan threw a Retirement Party for my Uncle Les. He retired from the Weber County Sheriff's Office! The party was aptly themed Hawaiian-Style, because my aunt surprised Uncle Les with a trip to Hawaii the following Monday. The food was great (as always), and it was great to be there for Uncle Les.

Yummy dessert

My cute Mom

The Man Himself

Grandma & Grandpa Bartschi

Neil needed to catch a quick nap

He finally cracked a smile at the end!

Long Time No See!

2011-08-18T14:25:00.000-06:00

Wow it's been awhile since I've blogged! I am going to be catching up in the next couple of days, so bear with me for a lot of posts! It won't be too painful, I promise. :)

So we spent some time in June getting Neil's parents house ready for the renters to move in. Neil's sister, Joann, and her husband, spent the most time getting everything ready, and the house looked AMAZING when it was all said and done! Here are some pictures of the cleaning crew, and also of the house when it was finished.

The hardest worker out of all of us!

Grandpa Sorenson, helping get rid of the fresh peas!

And of course, Nick was right there to help him.

Tom had this look for almost the whole time.

Tom & Uncle Lester removing dead grass and weeds.

It's always a good thing when Carly is in charge of the list!

Tom-Tom

Yay, brothers!

Yup. They are making noise by clapping. No surprise there!

New carpet and paint in the locker/mud room

Living Room

Kitchen

New carpet in an upstairs bedroom

Downstairs living room/playroom

New curbing around flower beds/trees

Land of Free, Home of the Brave

2011-07-07T10:48:00.000-06:00

We had a very relaxing Fourth of July this year! We loved getting a three-day weekend (in Neil's case, four-day weekend) and we spent the majority of the time relaxing! We did muster up some energy on Saturday to go for a 10-mile bike ride on the Legacy Trail. I also discovered that my new favorite drink after a long bike ride is the Jones Strawberry Lime Soda! That night was spent watching some soccer games. On Sunday, we were able to Skype with Neil's parents and brother in Chile, and it (kinda) worked after only 4 tries! Anyway, it was great talking to them and hearing about some of their experiences so far. On Monday, we met Dave and Carly at Syll's Cafe in Layton (yummo!). We ran some errands, then met Dave and Carly back at their house, where we made some delicious ribs (recipe here) and watched a movie. After that, we went to one of the more interesting Real Salt Lake games this year. The game was full of PK's, red cards, reffing blunders, and 6 total goals! The fireworks afterwards were really disappointing, but on the drive home, there were fireworks all over the Salt Lake Valley that was pretty cool to see. All in all, it was a great Fourth of July weekend!

Our June in Pictures

2011-07-02T20:06:00.000-06:00

Utah Summer Games

2011-06-28T13:01:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, we headed down to Cedar City/Saint George to play in the Utah Summer Games Adult 3v3 Tournament. We had such a blast! We ended up taking the bronze medal on PK's, and we only lost once the whole tournament. We also won our group, which I don't think has happened on any of the tournament teams I've played with. Jared was nice enough to let us stay in his parent's house in Saint George, and we had a great time. After winning the bronze medal, we all headed to Rio Tinto Stadium to watch Real Salt Lake beat Toronto, 3-1. The game was super hot (which is how I like the weather to be!) and there was a player on the Toronto team that provided some great entertainment. He committed a bad retaliation foul on one of the RSL players, and the crowd spent the next 60 minutes booing and jeering at him. He also made the mistake of reacting to the crowd, which made the whole thing even funnier. I'm sure he was glad when the final whistle blew. Here are some pictures!

Setting Apart

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, Fred and Mary Ann were set apart to be mission presidents. We were (almost) all able to go to Elder L. Tom Perry's office in Salt Lake and be there to be a part of this special experience. It was very spiritual for both Neil and I personally, and we felt so lucky to be able to be there. It is kind of profound how God can see what you need at certain times in your life, and deliver it to you in a way that you can understand. Fred and Mary Ann are learning a lot in the MTC right now and we've been excited to get a couple emails from Mary Ann already, telling us of their experience so far. Here are some pictures we took after the setting apart!

RSL Game Etiquette

2011-06-22T12:36:00.002-06:00

So Neil and I have season tickets for the RSL games. We were going to be out of town for one of the games this month, so we donated our tickets to Neil's sister Joann. Joann and her husband aren't huge fans of soccer like we are, so Neil sent them the following email with tips on how to enjoy the RSL game. I'm glad I have a husband who frequently makes me laugh! His email is long, but there are some clever things in here.

Joann,

Here are a few things that will make your RSL game more fun.

What To Wear

There are lots of things you can wear! Shirts, long sleeve shirts, tank tops. I'm sure you have clothes.

Ok I'll be serious. Sandy is not part of the ice box that is Logan, so you can dress accordingly. If the temperature during the game is above 60, a short sleeve shirt and pants or shorts should be fine. If its between 45 and 60, bring a hoodie. If its under 45, bring your winter coat. If its above 60 but raining, bring a rain jacket! If its below 60 and raining, bring your winter coat!

We recommend you wear red. RSL is red so you should be too.

Also, if it's cold, don't forget beanies, gloves, scarves, etc!

Going To Dinner

Dave, Carly, Kami and I could give you dozens of restaurants to go to and they'd all be delicious. Here are three great places to eat in Salt Lake, depending on your budget and time constraints.

Sweet Tomatoes - This is a salad buffet that costs around $9 per person. Kami loves it and I love it, too. It has a huge salad bar, along with a pasta bar, a bread bar, soups and free soft serve ice cream. It's a winner for time and budget. It takes about 30 minutes to get your food, eat, get more food, eat again, get dessert, eat it, and leave. 10060 South State, Sandy, Utah. About 1 mile south of Rio Tinto Stadium. We recommend you arrive no later than 5:45 PM to ensure you have enough time to not miss any RSL action.

The Red Iguana - This is possibly the best Mexican restaurant in Utah. Its located in West Salt Lake on North Temple. It's a sit-down mexican restaurant and will run you $10 to $12 per plate, plus drink, tip, etc. Sometimes there is a huge wait because it's small and delicious. 736 W North Temple, Salt Lake City. We recommend you arrive no later than 5:00 PM to ensure you have enough time to not miss any RSL action. If you get there at 5PM and there's more than a 15 minute wait, I'd revert to a Plan B of some kind.

The Old Spaghetti Factory - I hate pasta, but I liked this place. There are two locations, one at Trolley Square, one in Kearns. I would recommend Kearns for the sake of time. They have a great menu, running about $12 to $15 per plate. I wouldn't expect a huge wait here, especially if you go early. 5718 S 1900 W, Kearns. We would recommend arriving no later than 5:15 PM. If there's more than a 15 minute wait, go Plan B.

Other Places - Crown Burger (Sandy), In-N-Out (Centerville, West Valley, Draper), DB Cheesesteak (Salt Lake)

Game Parking

You can park for free, or you can pay to park. There are dozens of paid parking places around the stadium. If you're cool with a 1/2 mile walk, here is where Kami and I always park. There's a secret way out, too, so you're not stuck in 90th South Traffic. Oh, that reminds me AVOID 90TH SOUTH EXIT ON GAME DAY! ITS A TRAIN WRECK OF HORRIBLENESS. Take the 106th South Exit and backtrack.

Try to be at the parking spot at least 30 minutes before the game begins. That will give you enough time to walk to the stadium get in, buy some concessions and get to your seat with a few minutes to spare.

The place we park is about 1/2 mile east of the stadium. There are two school buildings and church here you can park at and then walk to the stadium. To walk, you would walk down 9400 South and then turn north on State.

Watch out for scalpers and crazy RSL fans on your walk! Ok just kidding. The scalpers don't bother you and the RSL fans are just fun.

Getting Your Tickets

Joann, I'm disappointed you tried to read this section because I'm pretty sure I already sent you an email covering this topic.

Buying Merchandise

Buy stuff! Ok, you don't have to. If you do buy stuff, get something cool! They have a few good t-shirts there, and if you really wanted to go all out, buy a jersey! They're only like $70 to $100!

Buying Concessions

I'll be disappointed if you go to an RSL game and don't buy a churro. Kami and Carly will be, too. It's just part of the experience. They're not necessarily any better than any other churro, but it adds to the experience! The concession stations take cards, although some of the little carts only take cash. Plan accordingly. They have beer, too. I know you're into that sort of thing.

Know The Players

Hey now! You need to learn about our players! You can see the roster here: http://www.realsaltlake.com/players There are five you NEED to know (I think you should know all 22, but I'll let you start with 5):

Kyle Beckerman - He's the white fella with the dreadlocks. He's our center mid and our team captain. He is also number 5.

Javier Morales - He's our best player. He also plays center mid. He is number 11 and has serious ball skills. (Too bad he's injured now!)

Nat Borchers - Nat is one of our two center defenders. He's the tall white guy with the super-red skin. He's really tall and any time we have a corner, there's a good chance he'll go forward into the box and score with his noggin. He's number 2. If Dave were at the game, he'd be yelling in a heavy scottish accent, "Borcher! Put yer' noggin' on it!".

Jamison Olave - He's our other center back. His name is now considered a verb and he frequently "Olave's" attacking players (that means he cleans them out with a serious hit, usually getting the ball, but sometimes not). He's number 4.

Nick Rimando - The man between the sticks. Nick Rimando will have 2-3 INCREDIBLE saves during the game, guaranteed. He's an athlete, that's for sure.

Cheering & Chanting

I wouldn't call it a "requirement", but the other Season Ticket Holders around you may be disappointed if you're not cheering and chanting. I'm not saying you have to do it all game long, but sometimes the crowd really gets into it, so you can join in! Also, sometimes they pass around giant flags that cover the entire section. Don't worry, it keeps moving. You'll be able to see soon enough.

Heckling Opponents

Standard practice. You can yell at them and laugh at them anytime they do something stupid, make a bad touch, blow a shot or get a card. If people around you are doing it, you can, too!

Heckling The Referee

Referees in MLS are easy targets because they make a lot of bad calls. Booing is standard practice. I wouldn't recommend throwing anything at them, because they might arrest you, but if you feel the urge, just try to be inconspicuous.

Booing the referee is standard anytime the ball goes out of bounds and it should have been ours, or anytime they call offside against us (right or wrong), or anytime a player on our team receives a card. You can boo when the other team scores, too.

Never Leave Early!

Leaving an RSL game before the game is over is a HUGE mistake. Just ask Mom and Tom, who sat through a 0-0 game for 85 minutes in the freezing cold rain, leaving at minute 84, only to find out that RSL scored the gamewinner in the 92nd minute.

RSL has a habit (good or bad) or scoring late goals. Just don't leave, even if you're tempted because the game isn't super interesting. If you leave, they WILL score. If you stay, they PROBABLY will score.

RSL is red hot right now and I'd be shocked if the game against Houston was anything less than 2-0. If should be a good game. Even if the coach puts our "reserve" team in, they will still win. Our reserve team is better than most normal teams. In fact, our reserve team beat New England 2-0 at New England. Our reserve team!

Leaving The Stadium

Now that the game is over and your voice is shot from too much yelling and screaming, it's time to go home. Best case scenario, have your things in your hand, ready to go as soon as 90 minutes is reached. The referee will usually add 3-4 minutes of stoppage time, but get ready to leave anyway. Once he blows that whistle, BOLT! Get out of there! Otherwise, you may fall victim to the ridiculously slow pace of old people, fat people and people who are just too happy to leave.

Take the walk back to the car. If you parked in the secret (it's really not secret) spot, here's how to get out:

Drive North on 300 East. Go past 9000 South and keep going. Turn left on 8720 South (AKA Main Street in Sandy). At the light, turn right onto State Street. Continue on for about 4-5 miles. Turn right onto 6400 South, and then turn right onto the I-215 on ramp. Then, keep right and turn right onto the I-15 on ramp, then you're all set. AVOID 9000 SOUTH LIKE THE PLAGUE. You'll waste a good 30 minutes trying to get onto I-15 there, especially if you got stuck behind an old person trying to get out of the stadium.

The Post Game Show

There's a radio post game show on 700 AM. If you're interested.

I hope that's enough information for you! Enjoy that game! If not, enjoy everything else you did!

Neil Essig

Essig Farewell Party

2011-06-21T11:06:00.000-06:00

This weekend, we had a huge bash for Neil's parents as they prepare to leave for Chile! They go to the MTC tomorrow and fly out to Santiago on Monday. We are so excited for the amazing experience we are sure they are going to have, and it was so great to get together with family and friends, so we could send them off the right way! Mike slaved away all day creating a wonderful Dutch Oven dinner for us, and many people contributed salads. We had more Texas Roadhouse rolls than we knew what to do with, and the food was amazing! We also had a photo booth where everyone participated, and the props were provided from Aunt Sue's awesome costumes. We had a blast! Here a just some of pictures... if you read this and want a copy of your picture, please email me and let me know your email so I can send it to you!

Fun at Lagoon

2011-06-21T10:48:00.000-06:00

Last Friday, we were able to go to Lagoon with Neil's family. The weather was absolutely perfect and we had a blast! There were only a couple kid meltdowns, so all in all, it was a successful Lagoon trip. I love the summer!

Nathan on the swings

Nathan, being a good big brother to David

Daniel & Ian

Nick... Oh, a child's anticipation!

Ian

Neil with Andi & Daniel on the Tilt-A-Whirl

Andi

Waiting in line for bumper cars

Andi

Neil

Tom

Andi & Nick... Post-Meltdown. :)

1 Niece + 5 Nephews = Cuteness

2011-06-16T14:22:00.001-06:00

Last weekend, I was able to take some pictures of my in-laws kids. They are too cute! I missed getting some of Kyle, but I am going to try and snap some pics of him this weekend. Love these little ones!

Nathan

Daniel

Ian

David

Nick & "The Guy in The Blue Shirt" horsing around

Andi- she eventually warmed up to the camera!

Andi & Joann

Nick- we couldn't get him to pose, so I settled for some secret shots.

Fiesta Cup

2011-06-16T14:09:00.000-06:00

I participated in the Fiesta Cup again this year, a womens' 6v6 outdoor tournament in Cache Valley. It was so nice to see all the soccer friends I haven't seen since I moved! Our team didn't win very much, but we had a good time anyway!

Orange Flowers

2011-06-13T17:08:00.000-06:00

Driving around Logan yesterday, I spotted some beautiful flowers and had to stop and take some pictures!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2011-06-10T15:39:00.000-06:00

Today is my mom's birthday! Here are just a few reasons why I love my mom:

She is super super giving and generous.
She loves to cook and is amazing at it.
I have never met someone who didn't get along with her.
She says random funny things like: "Oh that meat isn't done yet? 'Blowtorch' it!" (Like it's a setting on the oven); "Better watch out, there's cowboys here."; "Ohhh... if I had known we were all going to be here, I would've brought brownies!".
She made a commitment to start running and has completed many races since then.
She always supported me in almost anything I wanted to do growing up (except for the things that weren't right for me, of course).
She has taught me everything I know!

Thanks Mom! You are the best! I hope you have a great birthday. We love you!

Tom-Tom Graduates!

2011-06-01T13:55:00.000-06:00

Neil's little brother Tom-Tom just graduated high school! We're super proud of the little guy (ok, he's normal-sized, but he will always seem like the chubby-cheeked 10-year-old I met 8 years ago) and the family celebrated by going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. We laughed and ate and laughed some more. Fun times!

This is Neil's "Oh my gosh, she's making me take a picture AGAIN" face

Joann and Kyle

Dave, with hiccups

Carly, Dave without hiccups, and Joann

Mike, Tom, Kami, Neil

Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Sue, Andi

Nick, Mary Ann, Fred

Kyle (he's a baby genius! He was reading the menu to us!)

Memorial Day

2011-05-31T16:36:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was an interesting Memorial Day in our family! We woke up to freshly fallen snow on the ground and 35 degrees. Gotta love Utah weather! We drove to Logan and enjoyed a yummy breakfast at Grandpa Sorenson's. (I LOVE hash browns!) After that, we headed over to Neil's parents house to help them get their house ready for their pending departure in the middle of June. All the Essig's met and worked hard moving, boxing up, and cleaning. (There was only a little blood!) We had worked up a big appetite by then so we fired up the grill to have a barbecue! After lunch, we also had a small lesson on the country of Chile. If we haven't explained already, Neil's parents are leaving for Chile on June 27 to be mission presidents for three years! They are excited to go, but there is a lot to be done before they leave. Neil's little brother Tom has also received his mission call to the Chile Osorno mission, which is about an 8-hour drive away from where Neil's parents will be serving in the Chile Santiago North mission. Neil and I prepared the lesson on Chile and we presented a small slideshow of some of the landscapes in Chile. Here is the video, enjoy!

Family Dinner

2011-05-31T16:18:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, Neil's older sister Becky was in town. We took the chance to all go to dinner as a family. We met at the Sonora Grill in Ogden. The food was delicious! Afterwards, we headed over to Farr's Fresh in Riverdale and enjoyed more time together, along with some yummy ice cream/frozen yogurt.

St. George Pictures

2011-05-31T16:02:00.000-06:00

When we went to Las Vegas this May, we stayed the first night in St. George. We were able to take some cool pictures, enjoy!

Vegas Tournament 2011

2011-05-31T15:57:00.000-06:00

This year, we were able to go Las Vegas and play in an adult full field outdoor coed tournament again! It was fun this year again, even with all the stress of getting a full team there. We played much better this year, and even though we didn't advance out of group play again, the experience was still a blast! Here are some of my favorite quotes/memories from the trip:

-- "Sometimes I say things and then I think to myself, 'Why am I so weird?'" - Neil
-- "I was going to brake check you... I would've if she (Annika) wasn't pregnant..." -Nate
-- "Can I buy some uncooked rice from you? My phone got wet." - Tyler at the Thai restaurant, after he jumped in the pool with his phone in his pocket
-- "If we make it to the semifinals, I am going to be physically incapable of driving home." -Neil
-- Guy on the other team to Garrett after a breakaway - "If you hadn't come out, I would've scored." Garrett- "Place it next time then."
-- "Don't step on The Cankle!" -Stacee
-- "Kendon. We have a problem. Annika's pregnant. Call me back." -Neil
-- "I would rather eat a raw turnip than eat cheesecake." -Tyler
-- "I went into the bathroom and cried. Not for me, for him. Because, who would love this man?" -Stacee
-- Nate being late to dinner because he was making friends with an old couple from Wisconsin at the pool.
-- Everyone almost crying at the Thai restaurant because everyone's food was SO spicy.

Here are some pictures!

Driving to dinner in St. George in the Jag...

Annika & Jared, while we were waiting for breakfast at the Bear Paw Cafe. Most delicious breakfast EVER!!

Neil has his game face on before the Rio Buffet!

Chilling at the pool

Dinner at Basil & Lime with the team

The team: (Top row first, left-right)

Nate, Neil, Garrett, Jared, Damian, Kendon

Becky, Stacee, Kami, Nicole, Annika, Ana

I Love The Internet Sometimes

2011-05-10T20:20:00.000-06:00

I love the internet. I follow a large number of blogs through my Google Reader, and sometimes I wonder why I spend all this time following blogs. Well, it FINALLY paid off this last week! I entered a giveaway on HeatherSpriggs.com for either a necklace or earrings from this amazing Etsy shop, Niandra. I chose the earrings, and it was so so so cool to open my mailbox the other day and get a package from Italy! While the internet can offer some bad stuff, it can also offer some joy as well!

Mother's Day Recap

2011-05-10T19:58:00.000-06:00

We spent Mother's Day in Cache Valley. We started the day at my grandparent's place and ate a yummy dinner prepared by my mom! My aunts and brother were able to be there as well. After dinner, we were sitting around and chatting. Tim was playing a game on his phone and my grandma wanted to see what he was doing. She was able to win her level on the first try! It was a little weird to see my grandma playing a game on her phone, but it made me laugh! After that, we met up with Neil's family for dinner at his Aunt Sue's house. We had yummy Teriyaki Chicken and later laughed over cupcakes. All in all, it was a great day!

Grandpa and his strawberries!

Grandma playing the game.

143 Days 16 Hours 24 Minutes

2011-05-10T14:30:00.001-06:00

So as I'm writing this blog, I'm looking at the Race Countdown Clock they have on the St. George Marathon website. I had the high hopes of completing the Salt Lake Marathon on April 16 this year, and I didn't do it. There were a number of reasons why, but when the date came and went, I was left feeling disappointed and unaccomplished. I don't know why running a marathon is such a big deal to me- I even had a co-worker say today, "There are easier ways to commit suicide." It's just something that I've really wanted to accomplish because I think I am capable and I want to prove to myself that I'm as strong as I think I am. After not completing Salt Lake, I decided to look for a fall marathon to do. The one that kept coming up was the St. George Marathon on October 1. Unfortunately, this is one where you had to enter a lottery and just hope you got in. This marathon is super popular throughout the country, and they "only" let in 7400 people. Along those lines, they let you in no matter what if you meet the following criteria: this is your third time entering and you haven't been in before; if you live in Washington County and can prove it on your drivers license; and if you are a member of some of the running clubs down there. I don't fit any of those groups, but I entered anyway, crossed my fingers, and kind of forgot about it. Well, this morning I remembered that the lottery date had passed, so I checked online and I GOT SELECTED! I'm pretty stoked about it... I think it will serve as extra motivation to know that there are probably a good number of people who really wanted to run this race but couldn't because their name wasn't drawn in the lottery. It just feels like it's meant to be... now to get my training schedule together! ;) The race is only 143 days away, that's plenty of time, right???

(And on a side note, if anyone is feeling generous and wants to buy me this SWEET GPS watch for "only" $199.00, I wouldn't say no! :P)

Busy Busy Busy!

2011-05-10T10:47:00.000-06:00

We had a SUPER busy weekend! Friday involved playing soccer together, then Saturday morning we coached soccer. Which was followed by playing soccer, then watching RSL soccer, then driving randomly around Roy looking for a park. We spent Sunday in Logan and enjoyed lots of family time for Mother's Day (post soon to follow..)

Playing outdoor soccer. You can find more pics and a post by Neil here.

Eating at a random park in Roy. The full story is on Neil's blog, found here!

More Mother's Day picture and stories to come!

RSL vs. Monterrey

2011-05-10T10:34:00.000-06:00

We had a chance to go to the biggest game in RSL history to date on April 27. The atmosphere was incredible, and even though the team lost, we were still super proud of the team and happy to be at the game!

Streamers, anyone?

Jared, Annika, Kami, Neil, Dave, & Carly!

Even The Pros Act Like Family

2011-04-27T08:40:00.001-06:00

Spring is Here!

2011-04-23T14:33:00.000-06:00

SPRING IS HERE! It's been pretty rainy and cold, but I'll take it nevertheless. These flowers are on a tree that I park next to at work and I had to take a picture yesterday.

April So Far

2011-04-18T20:04:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I have been really bad at posting this month for some reason. I'm not completely sure why, because looking back, I don't feel like I have been that busy! So here is a quick synopsis of what we've been up to this month:

Cooking some of this:

Low-Fat Chicken Teriyaki (recipe here)

Coaching these fun girls: (and winning, I might add)

Working out with this great app:

Watching Tom play soccer and SCORE A GOAL:

Reading some great books:

Eating out at this great place (more than once):

Watching some El Classico:

Catching up with friends and going on impromptu hikes: (Sorry Nicole, no picture of us)

Listening to some good music:

and last but not least, FINALLY giving in and buying a new camera lens! I know there won't be any buyer's remorse on this one!

Happy April! I'm ready for warm weather now! :)

I Think This One's My Favorite...

2011-03-29T08:36:00.001-06:00

Families Are Fun

2011-03-28T16:02:00.001-06:00

A couple weekends ago, we had the chance to go hear Neil's cousin Sara speak in church after she came home from her mission in New York, New York. We were hanging out after sacrament meeting, some glasses were passed around, and this was the end result. Families are so fun! :) (Thanks Joni for taking the pictures and providing the glasses)

Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy

2011-03-26T23:36:00.001-06:00

Our night began like this...

With a little of this...

Then this happened...

And then 4 goals for RSL happened...

And at halftime this happened...

Real Salt Lake Half Time Party from Neil Essig on Vimeo.

And this is how cold I was...

And our night ended like this...

REAL SALT LAKE - 4
LA GALAXY - 1

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T08:31:00.000-06:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day (and incidentally, Happy Birthday Crystal)! We hope you all have a great day! If you are curious about the history of this holiday, check it out below: (information found on History.com)

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But for all his celebrity, his life remains somewhat of a mystery. Many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are false, the products of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

Taken Prisoner By Irish Raiders

It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

Guided By Visions

After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice-which he believed to be God's-spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.

To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation-an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)

Bonfires and Crosses

Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. (Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick's life became exaggerated over the centuries-spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life.

Happy Birthday Tom!

2011-03-16T19:39:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Tom's 18th birthday. Yes, this kid is an official adult now! We celebrated by taking Tom to the Champions League Real Salt Lake game. We started the night off by meeting Dave, Carly, and Tom at Texas Roadhouse. After Tom rode the saddle, we headed off to Rinto Tinto Stadium. The game was so much fun- the energy was high and the team played great, winning 2-0. It was a fun night and we're so glad we went!

2010 Christmas Video

2011-03-11T08:08:00.005-07:00

Video evidence that we did, in fact, celebrate Christmas this year!

2010 Christmas from Neil Essig on Vimeo.

It's a celebration! Video footage from the Essig Family Christmas!

Family Pictures

2011-02-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

Over the Christmas holiday, we had a chance to get family pictures taken with Neil's family. I loved getting the pictures taken because Neil's family is so fun. The pictures were taken by Brittany with Cascio Photography. Check out her website here: casciophoto.blogspot.com.

February In Review

2011-02-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a little while, so here is a quick review of our February!

One of our coed indoor soccer teams- Xavi FC

Hanging out at Brick Oven with some of our former co-workers & friends from Sportsplex

Our Valentine's Day dinner at P.F. Chang's- yummy as usual!

I spent a good portion of this month with a nasty cold, but Neil and I made the best of our time together. We are adjusting to new work schedules and spending time with friends and family. We ate a lot of Thai food and had a full Star Wars movie marathon. All in all, February was a great month!

Ten Things I've Learned From Soccer

2011-02-10T20:41:00.002-07:00

As many of you know, Kami and I have recently changed jobs. Because of this, our ties with the soccer world are not as strong. I am currently planning on retiring from soccer and moving on to other things. I felt like right now would be as good a time as any to share a few things I've learned from playing soccer. These can apply to other sports, I'm sure, but it's always good to share.

10. Never judge another player by the basketball shorts they are wearing.
9. Teaching someone else to play can be more rewarding than playing yourself.
8. Someone who claims they are “just doing it for the exercise” is most likely lying.
7. Most people would rather keep playing and lose than sub off the field.
6. When an opponent talks trash, it always feels better to beat them with skill than try to beat them with words.
5. When angry, it is better to say nothing than say something and ruin a friendship.
4. Sometimes it feels better to give someone a chance than to simply destroy them.
3. Actions taken on the playing field will most definitely effect your outcome in the afterlife.
2. An enemy on the field can easily become your best friend in six months, just play on their team and see!
1. It pays in the real world to be a good sport on the field (just ask Kami).

Chess Anyone?

2011-02-01T14:15:00.003-07:00

Well I finally have some good news! I just accepted an offer as the Operations / Marketing Manager for JG Wholesale. Who are they, you ask? They are a company that sells Chess products online! So I guess I'm going to be seeing a lot of these guys soon . . .

So I guess that means I'll be saying goodbye to indoor soccer. And here's a cartoon to express my feelings about working at an indoor soccer facility . . .

St. George Half Marathon

2011-01-30T14:39:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, I was able to go and run the St. George Half Marathon. It was so nice to run outside again, and the weather was perfect! About 40 degrees when we started, and when we left town, it was almost 60 degrees. My mom and Neil came to support me, and we had a really nice weekend. Friday night we ate at The Pizza Factory, which was DELICIOUS as always. After the half marathon the next day, we ate at a Thai restaurant called Benja Thai & Sushi. I downed a huge plate of yummy Pad See Ewe. I ran the half marathon in 2 hours and 10 minutes, which was a pretty good time. I was really proud because this was the first half marathon I have run, where I ran the entire time- no walking! :) Here are some pictures!

Some of My Favorite Things

2011-01-16T14:40:00.001-07:00

A New Start

2011-01-13T14:29:00.001-07:00

As a number of you already know, Neil and I have both been job hunting recently. With major cutbacks in pay and hours, among other factors, we both realized that our current work situation was NOT ideal. Neil is still going to school, so getting a full-time job logically fell on my shoulders. Neil sent out an email on Monday afternoon letting friends and family know about our job search, with a vague hope something might come out of it. Well, Tuesday morning, I received a phone call from a marketing company that just happened to be hiring RIGHT NOW (as in, if Neil had sent that email one day later, I would've been too late), and they did a phone interview, had me take a computer test online, and then called me within 30 minutes to schedule another interview that day. It all kind of went by in a blur, and I tried not to get my hopes up, but this morning I found out that I got the job! (This would be the WORST story ever if I didn't.) So, I start Monday. Due to creepers on the Internet, I'm not going to say where I am working now, but it is a full-time job at an internet marketing company. My official title is Internet Marketing Specialist, (ha ha, whatever that is, I'll find out on Monday) and I now get to work normal business hours. Hurray! I finally get to use my degree in Marketing... three years after graduating. :) Neil is still looking for graphic design work, so if anyone has anything in mind, please let us know. Thanks for everyone's support, and wish me luck! :)

Thank goodness I don't have to work in fast food!

2010 in Review

2011-01-07T22:01:00.000-07:00

I decided to go back and review our year in 2010. I was surprised at how much we actually did, and it just makes me excited for 2011. Here are some pictures!

January- We spent it shivering, working, and sleeping. Enough said. :)

February- I ran my first race of the year. My family also said good bye to my cousin Travis, as he went on his mission to Virginia. We also had to say good bye to Neil's dog, Hollie. We still miss her!

March- Neil and I drove down to Saint George so I could run in the Spectrum 10k. The scenery was beautiful, we ate at In-N-Out Burger, and got some sun!

April- we went to our first RSL game of the season, and my mom and I ran our first race together of the year. My best friend, Nicole, also got married this month and I was able to take her wedding pictures!

May- We ran another race this month (Neil running the 5k, while I did the 10k), we had a fun Sibling Dinner at the Mandarin, I ate my first sno cone of the year, and we played in a soccer tournament in Vegas. Lots of laughter and fun this month!

June- Wow, this was SUCH a busy month! First of all, my sister-in-law Joann asked me to take pictures of her and her kids while she was still pregnant, which was a blast. Those kids are adorable! We also spent a lot of time this month watching the World Cup, playing soccer (I played in a women's 6v6 tournament), and we also ran the Wasatch Back again. I'm tired just thinking back on it! :)

July- This was my favorite month of the year! It was my birthday, we spent almost two weeks relaxing in Canada, Neil took my to Bear Lake for my birthday, and we also went to the RSL game on Pioneer Day with Dave & Carly. The game was BORING, but it didn't matter because there were fireworks!

August- Neil and I spent a lot of time this month coaching soccer (we're the assistant coaches for a girls team), playing soccer in the 6v6 tournament we ran, and hanging out at Lagoon. I also ran the Top of Utah Half Marathon, which was my second ever. The race went great and it was a good way to wrap up the summer!

September- It was Neil's birthday this month! My mom and I had fun embarrassing him at Texas Roadhouse. My mom and I also ran the Top of Utah 5k and she did really well! We also spent a beautiful day in Park City, where Neil enjoyed taking pictures of the gorgeous fall leaves! We also went for a great hike up Adams Canyon in Layton.

October- It was our 5th anniversary this month! Wow, I still can't believe how fast time has flown by! We spent it in Las Vegas, and also spent some time coaching. We also had the chance to hang out with the Essig's at a corn maze, and ate Cheesecake Factory on Halloween.

November- This is the month that RSL was knocked out of the playoffs, which was a bummer. My mom and I also ran the Turkey Trot 5k again this year. Neil and I spent Thanksgiving this year in California, coaching a soccer tournament. The weather was a little cold, but we did enjoy the sun!

December- Another busy month! Lots of spending time with family, wrapping presents, baking, laughing, visiting Temple Square, eating, and sleeping. Busy, busy, busy!

Christmas Fun

2011-01-04T14:30:00.001-07:00

This is a little late, but here is my Christmas post! We had a wonderful Christmas this year. There was a ton of great food, lots of laughter, and some much-needed time with family. It was our "on" year with the Essig's, and that always involves lots of activities and children, which is so fun! My mom prepared some amazing meals, as usual, and we were also able to go see the movie Tron on Christmas Day. Neil and I both really enjoyed Christmas this year, and we were sad to see it end. Here are some (actually, a lot) of pictures!

I love Christmas cookies!

Yay for baking!

Snow falling the day after Christmas

Hanging out at the Essig's

Kyle is a little unsure about Macey

Me and baby David (can you tell he just woke up?)

Christmas morning joy

Nathan is pretty happy

Andi carried her doll around the rest of the day and beyond

This is the camera we got from his parents

Someone gave David a KitKat bar- whoops!

Preparing "breakfast donkeys" for Christmas morning breakfast

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T17:36:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year everyone! I am excited for the new year, excited for all the possibilities and choices ahead. It's interesting to think about what the new year might bring! I am so grateful to my friends and family for the last year. Tonight, I am planning on staying in, watching some movies, and cooking some of this and some of this. Have a safe and happy new year and see ya in 2011!

Redmark Hollie Berry

2010-12-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

I made a book for Neil and his dad, with the family's favorite memories of their dog who passed away last February. Here is the link for the book if you are interested in buying it! (It's $20 without shipping & handling.)

Message from Santa

2010-12-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

My sisters-in-law introduced me to this amazing piece of technology, where Santa sends you a video from the North Pole. I'm not talking animated, clay-mation type video here- this is honest-to-goodness, live feed from the North Pole. Amazing. Wish I had stuff like this when I was little! Here is the link to the video Santa sent to Neil. Merry Christmas!

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/3gJUDhpmgDXT961AK6UJ9Q

Check this out and make your own for FREE at www.portablenorthpole.tv!

2010 Lagoon

2010-12-19T13:21:00.002-07:00

Earlier this year, my family went to Lagoon. I took my video camera and shot a few things. I totally forgot about the video until this weekend, when I stumbled upon it in my video files. So I edited it and put it all together. Enjoy!

2010 Lagoon from Neil Essig on Vimeo.

This was from a trip to Lagoon with my family!

No-Shave November

2010-12-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Neil participated in No-Shave November this year. When I threatened to participate as well in protest, he just laughed at me because he knew it was an empty threat! His beard got really thick and had hints of red in it- I wonder if that's a sign that we might have red-headed children someday! Here are before, during, and after pictures.

*He shaved that awful mustache off about ten minutes after we took the picture, so he is clean-shaven again, thank goodness! :)

Temple Square

2010-12-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my family was able to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square. This is an annual event for Neil and I, and this year we were able to go with my mom, my brother Tim, and his girlfriend Melissa. I always love looking at the lights, and being on temple grounds is a great reminder every year what the Christmas season is about. After walking around the temple, we went to a great dinner at P.F. Chang's, which is always delicious! We had a great time, here are some pictures!

Kid History Part 1 & 2

2010-12-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, some of you may have seen these videos floating around YouTube and various blogs, but I think they are too funny. They are a little lengthy, but these kids are super adorable and the adult actors are hilarious!

KID HISTORY #1

KID HISTORY #2

Thanksgiving in Cali!

2010-11-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

Neil and I had the chance to spend Thanksgiving in California this year. The girls soccer team I coach played in a tournament Friday-Sunday, so we left Utah Tuesday afternoon to try and beat the storm that was rolling in that afternoon. We stayed in Vegas that night and enjoyed a really nice dinner at P.F. Chang's. We had a table right next to the window and it was really nice! The next morning, we spent some time shopping before traveling to California. The head coach, Sly, has a sister who lives in the LA area, so we spent Wednesday night there and had Thanksgiving dinner there. Thursday morning, we drove to the Santa Monica Pier and hung out for a little while before dinner! Dinner was delicious and it was fun. The next morning, we drove to Irvine and started coaching the tournament. We won our first three games, and then lost in the final on Sunday in a PK shootout. The girls were disappointed to lose, but they played hard and I hope they learned a lot. Here are some pictures!

We made the girls run sprints on the beach, lol

And also made them do push ups!

Santa Monica Pier

LA Temple

We took second!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for my family and friends, and for home. It was kind of weird today realizing that I wouldn't be having Thanksgiving dinner at home with my family back in Utah (we're in California right now), but I realized that home is really where the heart is, and as long as I am with Neil, I AM HOME. We spent the morning at the beach, freezing our butts off, but enjoying the view. God has given us a beautiful world to live in, and I intend to enjoy it as much as possible! I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, and I will enjoy the warmer weather twice for everyone back in Utah (and North Dakota too, love ya Nicole!). I am also thankful for a creative husband who can take amazing pictures like this one. Have a great holiday!

Turkey Trot 2010

2010-11-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, my mom and I ran the Smithfield Turkey Trot 5k. This was the first race she ever ran last year, so we wanted to make sure we did it again to see her improvement! She finished about 11 minutes faster than the year before, but more importantly, she is so much healthier this year than at this time last year. I'm proud of her and I know she can keep up the good work! Here are some pictures!

Clowning around before the race

Still running even with snow on the mountains! :)

Playoffs Sadly Over

2010-11-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

A couple of Saturdays ago, Neil and I had the chance to go the Western Conference Semi-Finals at Rio Tinto Stadium. Sadly, the team ended up tying after 90 minutes, which meant they were knocked out of the playoffs race. The team started off slow and FC Dallas got a quick goal the RSL just couldn't come back from, even with a goal at the very end of the game. Also sadly, FC Dallas went on to beat the LA Galaxy (Neil's favorite team) yesterday in the Western Conference Finals, 3-0. Now we decided we better cheer for FC Dallas, because they are going up against our rival team, Colorado Rapids, next Sunday in the MLS Cup Finals. Here is a picture from that game. We still had fun! :)

More Vegas Pics

2010-11-05T10:02:00.000-06:00

Here are some more pictures from Vegas. We ate at this yummmmmmmy Thai restaurant called Basil & Lime, it was so good, we ate there twice!

Oh my delicious.

Seriously- look how good her food looks! I want some right now! :)

Awards presentation. We took second!

The team with their medals and super awesome coaches!

Anniversary in Vegas, Baby!

2010-11-04T16:59:00.000-06:00

Neil and I spent our anniversary this year in Vegas. I can't believe we have been married 5 years already- it seems like it has gone by so fast! The soccer team I coach was playing in a tournament the weekend after our anniversary, so we went down a couple of days early. We drove down on Wednesday and spent the next two nights at the Luxor. We had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe the first night, which is located in the MGM Grand. The restaurant was decorated totally out there, and the food was pretty good. We spent some time shopping and relaxing. Thursday morning, we kind of got suckered into a timeshare presentation where we both lost valuable hours of our lives listening to a lame saleswoman. The only bonus was that we got free tickets to The Lion King that night, which was SO amazing! The costumes were incredible, and the actors were very talented. We were pretty excited to get those tickets, when the cheapest ones cost $70 each. It ended up being totally worth it in the end! We also fulfilled one of Neil's dreams on Thursday by doing an All-You-Can-Eat All Day buffet on Thursday. I was stuffed and he was super happy. :) Friday afternoon, the team arrived into town and we spent the rest of the weekend coaching the girls to second place in the tournament. It was a great time!

Our buffet passes, ha ha

After the girls scored a goal

Halloween 2010

2010-11-04T16:35:00.000-06:00

Halloween for us this year was really low-key, which was very nice! Friday night was spent with the Essig side of our family at a corn maze in Syracuse. This corn maze was a lot bigger than any other I had been too and it was a blast! They had three different mazes, with one being haunted. The teenagers in our group headed that direction, while the rest of us went to the non-haunted maze. Neil (a.k.a. Neil GPS) led us out of the maze pretty quickly, so we spent the rest the evening hanging out together. The corn maze had slides, along with live music, concessions, and livestock to look at. It was fun!
Saturday night, my mom came into town and we ate a yummy dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Neil and I decided there is nothing better than glancing over into a car around Halloween and seeing someone dressed in a costume. It is way funny! After dinner, we relaxed at home and watched Hocus Pocus, which is such a classic around Halloween, the perfect blend of cheesy and funny and random!

Corn maze with the Essig's

Cheesecake Factory

Best Buds

2010-10-28T21:54:00.000-06:00

One of my best friends from high school is sadly moving this Saturday to North Dakota. I told her that North Dakota was too far away but she didn't believe me. :( I was able to go lunch yesterday with her and our other close friend from high school. Aah, the memories!

Another Run, Another Day!

2010-10-28T21:50:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, I convinced Neil to run a race with me. It was for a really good cause, check out the website here. We signed up for the 10k and decided to just run the 5k halfway through the race, lol! I've never done that before, but it was kind of funny and I know Neil was glad to end early.

JT & Jimmy Fallon

2010-10-07T21:53:00.003-06:00

This was on Jimmy Fallon the other day. So funny! (You will have to watch a 30 second commercial at the beginning but it's pretty funny if you can make it through.)

Fall Is In The Air!

2010-10-07T21:35:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, Neil and I took a drive up to Park City to see the fall leaves changing and go to their local market they hold on Main Street during the summer. The market is super quirky and fun and we loved walking around. They have live music, delicious fresh food, and lots of crafts to buy, so it was super fun! We managed to get some really cool pictures of the leaves changing. I love fall- it is one of my favorite times of the year. Here are some pictures from the day.

These great pics are the ones that Neil took.

TOU 5k

2010-10-07T21:21:00.000-06:00

On September 18, my mom and I ran the Top of Utah Marathon 5k. The morning was a bit chilly, but we were excited to get out there and go for a run! She did so good on the one hill in the race and she is improving each time we run together. Here are some pictures- I love spending time together, especially when it's doing something healthy. Great job, Mom!

Before the race

During the race

The sun was just starting to rise

At the finish!

Happy Birthday Neil!

2010-09-05T20:39:00.000-06:00

Last Friday was Neil's 25th birthday! The day was busy and fun, with lots of food and treats. The highlight of the day was when my mom basically forced Neil to get on the saddle at Texas Roadhouse at dinner that night. Neil was such a trooper and endured all the attention. Thanks for being my best friend and such a wonderful husband- you're amazing and I love you!

Oh. My. Cream. Puffs.

2010-08-29T23:27:00.001-06:00

How good do these Cream Puffs look? Check out the recipe here!

Top of Utah Half Marathon

2010-08-29T21:43:00.000-06:00

I signed up to do the Top of Utah Half Marathon this last Saturday in July. This is my second half marathon, and with how crazy our summer had been, I really slacked off on my training. I mean, why would you go run when you can go get ice cream or relax at the pool instead? ;) I finally got into gear about 3 weeks before the race (which really isn't enough time), and while I wasn't super pumped the night before the race, I'm so glad I did it! The race starts up Blacksmith Fork Canyon in Hyrum and goes down the canyon through Millville and finished in Providence. There were 2300 runners signed up for the race. I didn't start hurting until Mile 9, and other than a short stop to stretch out some cramps, I didn't walk the entire race. I did, however, have to wait at Mile 6 for about 4 minutes at the Porta Potty. It was painful to stand there waiting and watch hundreds of runners run past you, but when nature calls, right? I ended up finishing the 13.1 miles in about 2 hours, 8 minutes, which is about 3 minutes faster than the last one I ran. My mom and Neil were there to cheer me on, and of course my buddy Sly ran as well. She killed the race and finished in about an hour and 38 minutes. The course was beautiful and really pretty fast. Here are some pictures!

Waiting for the race to start

Hanging out at the start line with Sly and Nicole

Mile 9- I can't believe I'm still smiling!

This is how crazy it was at the finish! People were EVERYWHERE!

Thanks for the support, Mom!

And Neil!

This is Sly and I after the race. We were so disappointed they gave us dog tags instead of medals!

Tim's Birthday

2010-08-29T21:26:00.000-06:00

On August 31, my older brother turns 27. Wow, we're starting to get old! We had a early birthday lunch at P.F. Chang's in Salt Lake this weekend. The food was yummy (of course) and we had lots of laughter. Happy birthday Tim- I hope this year is a great one for you!!

Family Time at Lagoon!

2010-08-29T21:17:00.000-06:00

On August 21, Neil and I joined some of his family at Lagoon. It was hot and windy at first, and a LOT of people were there because it was the last weekend before school started and also a Bounce Back weekend. Luckily, the weather slightly cooled down and the crowds thinned out and we had a great time! Our 5-year old niece put us to shame because she isn't scared of any of the rides! She's finally tall enough this year to ride most of the rides and she was actually GIGGLING on Colossus. I am, of course, scared of heights and rides in general, so I felt a little stupid. It was fun to hang out with everyone, though!

Team Tournament

2010-08-29T21:03:00.000-06:00

The third week in August was a tournament week for the girls team I am coaching. We entered into the Strikers Cup, based out of Layton, with high hopes of winning the tournament and working on a new style and system of play for the girls. We started off by winning 8-0, then won 2-0, and finished group play by winning 6-1. We played the championship game on Saturday and ended up winning 7-2. The girls played very hard and they definitely earned their medals! Great job, Avalanche!

Logan 6v6 Tournament

2010-08-29T20:38:00.000-06:00

On August 14, Neil and I hosted the 2nd Annual Logan 6v6 Soccer Tournament. This is an adult tournament held outside in North Logan, where each team fields 5 field players and 1 keeper. The tournament this year grew from 7 teams to 12 teams, and the teams were super competitive compared to last year! It was a blast to see a bunch of our soccer friends from Logan again. The weather cooperated and while it was a lot of work, it was worth it in the end! Our team ended up playing and got knocked out in the quarterfinals by the eventual champions. We had so much fun and we're so glad we did it!

Team Retreat

2010-08-29T20:16:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I've had time to blog, so there are going to be a bunch of posts in a row. Enjoy!

My friend Sly and I took on the responsibility of coaching a U14 girls soccer team starting in July. The girls have mostly played together for years, but since Sly and I are new to the team, we wanted to have a retreat in order to get to know the girls better and have them get to know us a little better! The team is based out of Woods Cross, but we had the girls come to Logan to stay for a couple of days. We started on a Thursday afternoon and had them meet at Old Main Hill up at the USU campus. The girls ran the Old Main Stairs (120 total I think) for 30 minutes. As a reward, they got pizza! That afternoon, we had a light training session and also a scrimmage against a local boys team. After the scrimmage, we had a team dinner and basically just hung out for the rest of the night. The next morning, we met bright and early to go on a team hike up Logan Canyon! The hike was up Tony Grove and we hiked 6.7 miles total to Mount Naomi, which overlooks Cache Valley. The weather was beautiful and the girls were troopers after all the activity the day before. We were able to get to the know the team better and it was a fun time! I'm excited to coach the rest of the season!

2010 Canada - Fireflies

2010-08-11T17:20:00.002-06:00

Only a few video posts remaining as we give you a tour of Canada in 2010! I hope you're not actually looking for "fireflies", because those you will not find here. This is a tribute to the official song of Canada 2010, which is Fireflies by Owl City. I'm pretty sure that song was sung at least 5 times a day at the cabin.

2010 Canada - Fireflies from Neil Essig on Vimeo.

2010 Canada - I'll Never Join You

2010-08-11T14:15:00.000-06:00

Dock Wars . . . no . . . Star Wars!

2010 Canada - I'll Never Join You from Neil Essig on Vimeo.