Big Birthday Summer 2023

The world is a dumpster fire, but summer is in full swing here in Pootah. We’ve had two sets of visitors, celebrated so many birthdays, and have been running and paddle boarding our way through the summer.

In June, we had a great visit from Ian’s mom and stepdad. We hiked, ate, and enjoyed the views and the company. It was a quick visit, but a fun one!

Notable activities included:

• A delicious dinner at a local restaurant Ian and I had been meaning to try for forever but never had an occasion to visit until now

• Off-roading on a sketchy road up the side of a mountain to a high alpine lake then hiking to an even higher high alpine lake (a new adventure for all four of us)

• Taking a cauliflower bite appetizer tour of local Draper restaurants

• Visiting Park City (I had to work during this particular activity, but I did play hooky to join everyone for the second half of that day)

• Riding the ski lift at Sundance

High alpine lake #1 - Silver Flat

High alpine lake #2 - Silver Lake

Sundance never fails to disappoint with the views.

The following weekend, Katie came to visit. We went on several scenic, self-guided walking tours of some of our favorite places and explored a few places that were new for all of us. We also celebrated birthdays, as Katie’s visit came right between her birthday and mine. We even achieved Katie’s goal of seeing high alpine cows!

Notable highlights include:

• Many morning hot girl walks

• Watching season 3 of Ted Lasso together

• Eating at the Lebanese restaurant featured on Guy Fieri’s famous Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives (DDD)

• Visiting the Natural History Museum to beat the heat

• Devil’s Kitchen, which is a miniature Bryce Canyon featuring red rocks and hoodoos but only an hour and a half away from home instead of four hours. Devil’s Kitchen is off of the Nebo Loop, which is the road our half marathon takes in August. So we got to preview the race route, achieve Katie’s goal of seeing red rocks, visit a cool new place together, AND see copious amounts of high alpine cows.

• Lake day, which included relaxing and reading as well as me on my paddleboard towing Katie in a pineapple shaped inner tube. Tragically, we don’t have a photo of this, so you’ll just have to use your imagination. I’m paddling with Katie hooked up to my board with the ankle strap hooked to her wrist, and she’s half asleep living her best life floating along in a giant pineapple surrounded by mountains.

This rock formation is called Devil’s Kitchen.

This is the road we’ll be running the half marathon in August.

Hauling all our stuff from the car to our picnic spot at lake day. The paddleboards roll up into the giant backpacks we’re wearing here.

Lake day vibes. Peak vacation mode reached.

After our back-to-back visits, life returned to its regularly scheduled programming. We ran in the town’s annual Draper Days 5k race, where had they not changed the age groups at the last minute, Ian would have gotten another medal. Tragically, I would have gotten fourth place just like I did last year. We did both set PRs for our fastest 5k times, so that was victory enough.

We’ve been running so much lately to train for our half marathon in August. Objectively, I guess twice a week is not that much running, but it feels like a lot. I’m typing this now on a Sunday having run over 12 miles yesterday. Saturdays we wake up at the buttcrack of dawn to run before it gets too sunny and hot.

Following our Saturday death runs, we’ve been paddle boarding on Sundays. There are quite a few lakes and reservoirs within an hour of our house (even more if we were to drive further), and we have a short list of a couple that we really like. Paddle boarding is relaxing but still requires enough energy and focus that it feels like you’re putting in a little work. We also stop to swim and snack and check for sunburn. It’s a fun time, and no running required :)

The more mundane aspects of life are fine (work, cars, house, etc.). Another day, another dollar, ya know? It’s too hot for me to walk after work, which is annoying, but a temporary setback. It gives me a little more time to read. Even Ian is reading while trapped inside. He’s about to start book three of four in this science fiction series he likes.

Let’s see, what else… The O’s are doing amazing, which is always fun to watch. We’ve been really into the Tour de France this year after watching the Netflix special about last year’s race. Ian’s watched it off and on in previous years more casually, but this year we kept up with all the highlights.

We don’t have any trips planned for the next month or so. Our half marathon is the last weekend in August, followed by a trip to Phoenix to explore and watch the O’s play the Diamondbacks. Then the weekend after that is Ian’s stepbrother’s wedding in New Jersey. No, tragically, we won’t be stopping at home. We’ll only be on the east coast for the weekend. Sorry to disappoint.

If you’re still reading, here are some bonus pics of the Pioneer Day (a fake Utah holiday, also known as Pie-and-Beer Day) 10k we ran before work last Monday.

Anywho, thank you again for reading. We love and miss you all!

Until next time,

Chloe