July 27-30: Sacramento with Mike and Keli

We were so excited to go to Sacramento to visit Mike (Felicia's brother) and his wife Keli. Brandon became even more excited as we went to several Russian stores in the area and seemed to hear people speaking Russian wherever we went. It's his new favorite U.S. city.
We were also able to go through the new Sacramento Temple during the first day of the open house (check back for pics)! It was beautiful!

Mike and Keli took us to the Jelly Belly factory for a tour. Oh the Jelly Belly goodness!












We took a stroll down Old Sacramento. Here we are near the Sacramento River. Rowr!









Mike showed us how to make homemade ravioli! It was worth all the work when we tasted it. Mmmm.... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

July 26th: Crater Lake and Rogue River Gorge

We finally went to Crater Lake! We were amazed with how big it is and so blue! It was beautiful!







We stopped at Rogue River Gorge on our way back from Crater Lake. It has some great waterfalls. Unfortunately, our visit was cut short when Brandon and I were both bit by something while we were walking on a trail. (Sorry--no pics of the bites. But, boy, did they hurt!)

July 25th: Prospect, OR

So on Tuesday, we took a break from any major excitement and went to the burgeoning metropolis of Prospect, Oregon. Beautiful little place. We ate at the Prospect Hotel, which is where all the presidents of bygone eras would stay on their way to Crater Lake. The food was good, but it took over 2 hours to get through the meal. Talk about slow service. Next time we'll have to order it to go and see if we can get out of there in under an hour. Geez!

July 24th, Pt 2: ENDOR! (Okay, not really, but close)

On the way back from The Coast, Ma and Pa Dyal took us to a redwood forest--the same one that was used in Return of the Jedi to double as Endor! Rumor has it that every year a bunch of Sci-Fi geeks get together and 'hunt Stormtroopers' in the forests. Lame.


The trees are super big!

July 24th, Pt 1: More Beach

While everyone else was enjoying Pioneer Day, our heroes were exploring the wonders of Coastal Oregon. . .
The Crescent City, CA, lighthouse. Neat, huh?

July 23rd: The Beach

The Dyal Parents are in LOVE with the coast and have made it their goal to infect as many of their children as possible with that same obsession. If that means they want to take us along, there will be no complaints from us. Thanks, Padres!
Your heroes, enjoying the lovely, yet rocky, Oregon coast.
Ooh! Felicia at sunset. GROWL!

Traveling to Oregon--July 22

Here are a few pictures on the road from Utah to Oregon...

Uh...

Ooh! America's next top model!
...uh...
From Nevada?
Wow, Nevada really IS weird! Does this mean Darth Vader is from Vegas?
The Cliffs of Insanity!

On the Oregon road

Battle Creek Canyon, ala Jakob-to

Our good friend Jake Rees took us up the beautiful Battle Creek Canyon. Although Felicia and I were sweating before we got to the saddle, it was well worth the effort.

Celebrating the 4th

The 4th was great! We started out the day at the annual Free Pancakes for Friends of America Breakfast, which our friend Spencer and his roommates put on every year. It begins and ends with one of them playing the Jimmy Hendrix version of the Star-Spangled Banner on the roof of their house. It pretty much rocks.


Brandon's boss was kind enough to get the office tickets for the parade, a tradition for the CSED crew that involves "participatory parade watching."


What the storm troopers?!

Hair Madness!

Who is that?

Between Brandon growing out his hair, and Felicia straightening hers, we had quite the exciting hair month!