Our Adventure between the Adventures:)

Some of you may know that this blog used to be called the "Lars & Spring Chinese Adventure". It was originally created to document our "adventures" in China. Duh.

After we came back to the States in September 2011 we made the rounds of family and friends.

We flew into Utah to watch Lars graduate from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors degree in Chinese and a minor in Political Science. The amazing Steve & Liz Merkley let us stay with them in Provo for a couple of days. Thank you!

My parents, Richard and Verdella Grout came down from Driggs, Idaho to celebrate with us! Also, to help us re-acclimate to American FOOD!!! Yummy:D

Side Note: Go EASY on dairy when you get back:( Or else...

Ma and Pa took us home with them! IDAHO:D Where I was born, by the way. And while there we did, OH so much, besides eat a ton of meat and potatoes:)

We (big breath) :

Visited Shoshone Falls  or "The Niagara Falls of the West"

VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!

Visited Lake Cleveland, where my family would vacation and go fishing when we were little:)

Hiked pretty high to get this shot.

Visited my brother, Alan, who was killed in a car accident while I was in China

Drove by the school where I attended first grade in Declo, ID.

Watched a double feature at The Spud Drive-In Theatre

Captain America and Harry Potter 7 part 2

More hiking on the South Teton Trail

I love NATURE :D

Next, was ELK CAMP!!! An annual ritual where my Dad, Mom and brother, Ryan take their camper into this very remote mountain (seriously, no cell phone reception) for a week-ish to hunt elk.

They got one!
Did you know that elk have two ivory teeth?

While there we also went four wheeling and picked huckleberries

On the way home we stopped for some square ice cream

My nephew, Jonas:)

Fun times in the car:P

So, once we wore out our welcome at my parents we drove back down to Provo, Utah to spend time with the best of friends ...

Awesome girls (Maddy & Emily)
 I used to have in Achievement Days.
All growed up;'( 

Band of Brothers (& Sisters)
We survived Monogram Systems together!

...and run the DIRTY DASH!!!

We were the SPA-TANS! Get it?
We are fierce like the Spartans but ready for our mud baths at the SPA...

Me with my sister in law, Chelsea and my big sister, Kristina - Clean :)

Dirty :D with Lars, Chelsea, Spring, Tami & Kristina

Our robes were not such a bright idea.
Once wet they weighed seriously 50 pounds:(
But we carried them the whole 10 kilometers! 

After we completely exerted ourselves in Utah we thought it time to head to my sister, Kristina's house  in Parker, Colorado...

But on the way we drove through Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. So cool!

You should see this pic on Lars' 3DS.  Amazing!

Double Arches

Balance Rock

Beautiful scenery I'm obsessed with:) 

FINALLY the last leg of our journey:)

Spending a few weeks with the TOLMANS!!!

I'm always amazed at this family. Kris and Rob have been married, what? 16 years? They have a beautiful marriage and a beautiful family of 9 children! You'd think that it would be a mad house but surprisingly enough it isn't...all the time:P Haha!

We had a marvelous time taking part in their lives! We really felt like a part of their family. Very loving and happy! I especially enjoyed all the volleyball and Turbo Jam workouts:D

This was also the time when Lars and I rediscovered Halloween candy...OH, how we missed American candies!!!

But the thing I was looking forward to most was chopping off my "luscious locks" and donating them!

Got rid of my sore neck and all my dyed hair. This is ALL NATURAL:)

So, between having to remember what Fast Food tastes like, the daily food group of Meat and Potatoes at the parents and all the Halloween candy we missed so much, we packed on about 20 pounds in two months after coming home from China:) And it was GOOD!

Now on to the next Adventure: 

Living with the In-Laws for a year!?!

Haha...