We Sail!

This is a late commer photo but we're alvery proud of Andrea's diving skills!

Andrea and I made the 13 hour drive from Rexburg to Lake Shasta, CA to be with my family on the 4th of July. These are some pictures from our sailing adventure on the legendary sailing vessel, "Spraymaker".

Since most of Northern California is on fire right now, we got to watch this fire fighting plane scoop up water (2 acre feet with each pass) and then dump it on a fire burning a nearby hill side.

This is Blake, my partner in crime at the BYU-Idaho Safety Office. I took these photos while flow testing fire hydrants at work. Yes we actually do work...some days.













These fire hydrants will pump out anywhere from 900-1200 gallons per minute. The water comes out at about 50-70 psi. Normally the red diffuser nozzle is pointed down at the ground so that passerbys aren't knocked across the street. But we decided to see what would happen when it was pointed up instead. (Warning: trained stunt man, do not attempt.)

Sometimes they're a little stubborn. I think we need a longer wrench.

Andrea and Ben's Birthdays

Andrea shows off her new Tweety Bird kite. She also got the green shirt she is wearing for her Birthday. (No I did not pick it out which is why it's so cute).













Andrea didn't want a birthday cake, she wanted a birthday pie. So Sarah Lee made her a nice Apple pie and I stuck candles in it.













Anyone who knows Andrea knows she loves Cheese so I got her a cheesy snack for her Birthday along with some of her favorite cereals.













Chris and Melissa both came over to help us celebrate.















My cake on the other hand nearly burned down the apartment. I leaned about six candles toward eachother in to parts of the cake to get this effect. It was awesome.

Memorial Day in Twin Falls

Shoshone Falls
The Dodds clan (including Dunbar's and Van De Graaffs) went on a walk by the mighty Shoshone Falls. I was reading about the geology of the area and when Lake Boneville flooded (11,000 years ago) the canyon, water flowed over the south canyon wall. The 460 ft. high Twin Falls bridge would have been under ten feet of water! Today all that remains of Lake Bonneville is the Great Salt Lake in Utah.











As we were hiking out of the canyon, we stopped and took some photos along the way. While I was taking this pictures I heard the rock walls start to buckle and crack. I knew I'd have to act fast...












So I threw down the camera and jumped under the rock wall to brace it while everyone got out. Luckily no one was injured.















This is Jenna Van De Graph, a very happy three year old. For her Birthday, she wanted a "princess castle cake". So her mom (Andrea's older sister Kristen) created this masterpiece. Andrea also helped out by doing the red frosting around the towers.












Ben and Joe on a sax/trombone duet. Listen at your own risk.

Bustin' a Move

Andrea and I went to the "Second Chance Prom" in Idaho Falls with Brandon and Melissa. Melissa has a job at a bridal shop so she got Brandon a deal on a nice tux. I decided I'd just roll in my usual black suit and red tie. When I wear my suit it's a little eaiser to "bust a move" if you know what I mean.

















Brandon and Melissa are both looking snazy. Andrea wanted me to crop out the couple in the background but I thought it was funny. It seems this fellas hand has driffted way south of his wife's waist.

Our First Anniversary!

This is Ben's and my first anniversary, April 6th, and Ben bought me the most beautiful flowers ever!! He had them delivered this last Friday while I was at work. (All the girls were jealous). I loved the flowers so much that I had to take pictures of them. The Star Gazer Lilly is my absolute favorite flower and, as you can see, they came in a "springtime green" vase (my favorite color and one of my wedding colors)! He attached a very sweet note to it as well. He really is the best husband (I tell him that about 20 times a day).

Sun Valley

Andrea and I left Rexburg at 7:00 a.m. and drove to Sun Valley to go skiing with the fam. This picture is in the ski shop where we're waiting to get our rental stuff. The Dodds' all looked very professional in their sking outfits. From left to right it's Uncle Chad, Liz, Sarah, and Andrea.

Andrea's getting suited up. We ate $10 hamburgers in the lodge behind us. At least they tasted really good.

We had never skied together before (well I snowboarded) but I soon discovered that Andrea's a great skier. We raced down one of the milder slopes and she beat me! So I challenged her to a rematch and I won that one so I still have some dignity.

This is one of the peaks of Bald Mountain. It's about 9000 feet and wow what a view! That cliff behind us is what we skied down, or fell down depending on how you look at it.
Papa Dodds was the resident ski coach. He and Uncle Chad showed us how its done. Dad's looking good in his new ski goggles we got him for his birthday.