I want to see mountains again...

Ah Buffalo, it really is a great town, but what is has in fun weather it lacks in mountains. Early in August, I got to spend a few glorious days in the Sierra Nevada range with Stacie's two brothers, backpacking in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Our destination was Twin Lakes which was rated as a "strenuous" hike, but we saw the mileage (just under 8) and thought, "easy, peasy, lemon squeezy".

We set out after Scott and I had gotten, literally no sleep, as we had both traveled from New York all night, arriving in Merced, CA just as the sun was rising, to an anxious Kevin, bursting with energy and a strong desire to hit the trail. In the first image below you can see our optimistic faces, 3 miles into the hike and just before the 2500 ft elevation climb that nearly put my system into shock.(As it turns out... living at sea level + flying all night with small children + hiking to 9500 ft + swimming in a cool crisp alpine lake = a few rough patches for Matt Gruwell. Scott handled himself much better.) The picture was taken in Cahoon Meadow and we joked about climbing the top of the peak seen above our heads. Silly fools, we camped a good 500-800 ft above that peak and in the end hiked to 1500 feet above it.

Once I had some hearty Lasagna with meat sauce (compliments of Kevin) it was time for some evening fly fishing. The fishing was fantastic (a strike on every well placed fly) and the fish were beautiful brook trout. We let them all live and I might have glimpsed heaven as I sat, fishing in this amazing lake as the sun went down.

During the night we had a fun visit from the deer shown in the third picture. I was sleeping under the stars and had a good fright (this was bear country) as the foot steps of this fine animal approached. Kevin was even more startled as he was caught with his pants down (not figuratively) when the deer came into camp. To our relief, it wasn't a hungry bear and while it stayed around for the next few hours, I found it comforting company because having her around meant that there were no bears.

The next day we set out for Silliman pass into Kings Canyon and saw a really good sized chunk of the world. I can't describe the feeling, but it was wonderful to behold the great western divide of the Sierra Nevada range in all its glory. It rekindled the East Coast/West Coast battle inside me as we will be seeking gainful employment over the next few years. I really miss mountains...

Childish optimism



Reelin them in, one at a time



The Night Watchman



Ahhhhh - Sierra



Overlooking our campsite on one of the twin lakes



Coming down the mountain

Dancing Through the Summer

Summer has begun and we are filling the days with FUN! We started the vacation dancing, with Ashlan and Elli's ballet recitals. Ashlan's was a dance with Winnie the Pooh and Elli twirled to princess music...very fun! (Ashlan's recital was on a Sunday, so we went to a dress rehearsal.)













































































Just two days after school got out Ashlan had surgery to remove her adenoids and tonsils. We recently found out both were enlarged and the large adenoids were blocking her sinus airflow. It has been so sad because she has not been able to breathe or smell or sleep well. The surgery went so well, and I feel deeply grateful for the blessings that come from prayer and priesthood blessings. Ashlan was such a trooper and had an amazing recovery. Her snoring no longer rocks the house! Below is a picture of the darling quilt they had for her on her bed at the surgery center. This little quilt was waiting for her when we arrived...they give one to each of the children, they get to keep it with them during their stay, and then take it home with them. It was so sweet to see it over her in the big, white hospital bed, and it made it all seem so much less sterile. She took that little quilt with her everywhere she went for days. So, message to Relief Society Women...the quilts you tie pay off!!




















That same weekend Matt and I snuck away for a night out with wonderful friends to see the play Wicked. It was fabulous, of course, and we continue to get the songs stuck in our heads. We followed the play with dessert at the Chocolate Bar- how can you go wrong! Thank you Amy & Ryan, and Eliza & Brad, for a super fun evening and your friendships that bless our lives.




































And as for Fourth of July festivities, we spent the holiday camping with 5 other families in Allegheny State Park. We are so grateful for good friends! It was beautiful and lush and green, and we loved escaping into nature, sitting at the campfire, exploring and hanging out at the lake. They had a fireworks show over the lake on July 3rd (we sat on top of the car for the show.) I LOVE fireworks! Matt and I joke that the only arguments we ever have are over me wanting him to drive faster to get to the fireworks! We came home on July 5th and, lucky for us, our little town of Clarence was having their Independence Day Celebration that day, so we had a traditional 4th of July BBQ and headed to the town park for fireworks, again. It was very fun, and we are reminded of our deep gratitude for this amazing free land in which we are blessed to live.








































































Tip of the Week:

I love entertaining and decorating, and all things party....so I thought I would add a "tip of the week" each time I make a post, just for fun! The tips may be something I've seen somewhere and tried, or an idea I've created.
This week's tip is a simple way to name that place at the table! You can do this with any color or font- here I made it more fun for a birthday party, a black and white cursive would add a formal touch.

The Little Joys of Life

The last few months have been full of so many wonderful events and fun times, that when put together define what makes life great. Isn't it the little joys along the way that make all the difference? Time with family, friends, and just being together....

We took a trip to California in March for my brother's wedding. Scott was married to Alisa Leonard in the San Diego temple. WE LOVE OUR FAMILIES! It was so great to be with everyone and we love Scott and Alisa so much. We've been blessed to live near them (they live in Manhattan) over the last few years and we love it! The sealing was very special, performed by my father, while all seven of his children, their spouses and his wife sat in the room with him. A tender moment that words can't quite describe.













































































In May we celebrated Elli's 4th Birthday...I can't believe my "baby" is 4 yrs. old! My father always says "every year goes by faster", and I am beginning to see what he means. We love our little Elli and are so grateful for the pure JOY she brings to our home. She is one ticket full of smiles and sweet expression and she literally lights up our lives! Here are some pictures from her birthday dinner and Butterfly Birthday party- she was insistent and ecstatic about having a "butterfly" birthday...we painted butterfly wings and all! (I'm a bit of a birthday cake fanatic!)























































































Elli's birthday was immediately followed by a visit from my sister Kristin, her husband Greg and their little Jake, also 4. It was fantastic to have them here, and we had oodles of fun! We visited Niagara Falls and the church sites, and just played- including chocolate pedicures and lunch at Cheesecake Factory for Kristin's birthday! They joined us on a trip to Masachussetts for Matt's commencement (he finished in August but commencement is only held in May). What an emotional moment it was to watch Matt walk across that stage...a fabulous "cherry on top" to the work, tears, and smiles of the last 6+years! We were so happy to have family and friends there to share it with us- their support and love has made all the difference. We sent Kristin and Greg off from there and then spent some time in Mass. with Matt's parents, and our Massachusetts family- such wonderful friends. Matt's mom and I topped off the trip with a few days playing in Boston, visiting museums, SHOPPING (of course!), and discovering little crepe restaurants....it was a joy to spend time with her.



























































































































































































And now, Ashlan is finally out of school (they went until June 24th!) and we are gearing up for summer! We've got a lot planned, we'll keep you "posted"....(I promise not all posts will be this long...I had a lot to catch up on!)

Hello Dear Family and Friends! We finally did it....we started a blog. We have been overwhelmed with emotions of love for our family and friends as we've experienced life's changes over the past year. We have been so blessed with wonderful, supportive families, and dear friends who have encircled us with love as we have lived across the country and far from home. We also have so many incredible life-long friends that we think of often and want to be better in touch with. I have a longing to reunite with all the amazing people who have blessed my life through the years. This blog is a place where we hope to share our lives with you, post weekly thoughts and pictures, and share stories- we hope it is a place of reuniting and staying in touch, and that you, in turn, will share with us what you are doing in your wonderful lives and families.
Please visit often....we love you all.

A little update:
As many of you know, we spent the last 6 years living in Massachusetts while Matt worked on his Ph.D. It is no secret that we LOVED it there! It became home. Ashlan was only 4 weeks old when we moved there, and so it really was where we built our first home as a family. We loved the beauty, the trees, the gorgeous Fall's, the pumpkin patches, apple picking, and carts on the side of the road selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers. We loved the history and culture, and quaint towns of the East Coast. Boston, Vermont, Maine, and NYC became our favorite spots. And, of course, we love the people we met while there. Isn't life amazing? Heavenly Father is so kind to give us so many incredible experiences and so many people in our path to learn from!

Matt graduated last August with a dual Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology and Entomology. YEAH!!!! For those of you who don't know, he does DNA research on Scale Insects, and now bat flies. I married an amazing man- and his hard work is only a fraction of what makes him amazing. We sold our home and moved to upstate New York to start a Post Doctoral Fellowship at the University of New York, Buffalo. It is such a fun experience to live in different parts of the country and experience all each area has to offer. We are a hop, skip, and a jump from Niagara Falls, and just down the road from Palmyra and the church sites of the Restoration of the LDS church. It has been a very special experience to visit those sites often and feel the spirit that is there. We have been welcomed warmly here and are excited for all the adventures ahead. Ashlan is in 1st grade and loves it! She is especially fond of math, but it is rare to find her without a Junie B. Jones book nearby! She is our outdoor fanatic, and will pick up any bug anytime, thanks to her Dad! Elli is attending a home pre-school that I am doing with some other mom's and it has been perfect for her. She is an indoor fanatic- just kidding- but she does change from one dress-up to another ten times in a day...no joke. She loves dance class. Matt really likes his job and we keep busy renovating our house- that's become a hobby for me and we love doing it together. (Although someday I would kind-of like to move into a house without bright blue bedroom carpet...I'm two for two right now!) We're also keeping busy with family trips and visits (more pics and posts to come), and can't wait for the fun activities of summer. We are healthy and happy and life is good. Below are some pictures to recap our lives over the last year......

Easter 2008- Sweet girls and Matt's favorite Easter egg- he was sure it would win the Easter egg roll!

































































Gruwell Family Christmas Tree- we love to go into the woods and cut down our own!
















Christmas Darlings




















Ashlan at the Pumpkin Patch

















"Elli the Cat" on Halloween
























Matt's favorite hobby- fly-fishing


















Daddy-Daughter time- hiking in Southern Utah



















Celebrating Matt's graduation on a cruise- just the two of us! We enjoyed my new sport, scuba diving...(Matt's been certified for years)





































Matt awarded honors- we love him!