Bear 100 and other such happenings

Hello readers! I am ashamed at myself - I really have been a slacker lately. It is true, and sad. So - maybe you're wondering what's happening with the Chambers? Not a whole lot. It is football season, and I am LOVING it!!! The Aggies have represented themselves pretty well so far. A week and a half ago Joe & I went up Logan Canyon to Franklin Basin and worked at an aid station with the former 16th ward Bishopric at the Bear 100. The Bear 100 is a 100 mile mountain race (running nonstop ...) with people coming from all over the country. The person who won the race this year finished in just over 18 hours. The average age of the runners - 44, oldest - 67, and youngest - 24. It was a fun night.
The drive through the canyon was gorgeous - with the trees starting to change colors.
Me - chopping onions. The Tidwells made the most fantastic Dutch Oven Stew I have ever tasted. Yum!!
Posted on the tent we had ready for runners who wanted to rest - signs courtesy of Bishop Knowles.

Joe & I were also able to go to the USA vs. El Salvador soccer game, qualifying game for the World Cup. I played soccer growing up, and loved going to the game! The fans (both El Salvador & USA) were extremely loud and it was a ton of fun!
Joe & I, and you gotta love the guy drinking beer behind us. Out of the six people who went - three of us were wearing blue, El Salvador's colors. Next time we go to a game, I'll research the other teams colors! Well that's all for now folks - but I promise more to come. Soon.

What we've been doing ...

Wow ... I really am bad at updating our blog. Obviously nothing too exciting going on up here in Cache Valley. One of the reasons why I love summer is because of all the fresh fruits & veggies! Nothing beats fresh produce! My parents are kind enough to have a big garden and fruit trees so my siblings and I can use whatever we'd like. On Saturday my mom and I canned apricots & green beans, then we all went to see Harry Potter. The movie is almost three hours long, but it was over fast! I loved the movie! It had a lighter feel to it - for the most part. A definite must see!
My mom had a ton of cucumbers in her garden (total of 9 I think), so I decided to make some pickles. They're pretty simple, but my stove is VERY slow at boiling water. To process them in the end, you have to submerge the jars in boiling water. It took my stove two and a half hours to heat enough water so I could submerge my jars! Oh what a pain! The entire canning process took three and a half hours. My feet are very tired!

Joe and I have a very small garden growing. We just picked our first bell peppers, had quite a few tomatoes, but the jalapenos have been growing like crazy - we've probably picked close to 10.

I recently discovered a book series that I love. The series is called Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan. It is set in modern time, with mythology still alive - Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, etc. The kids are demi-gods, with special abilities. It's a really fun & light read!

Walkin' in Memphis

Last week Joe & I were able to fly back to Arkansas/Tennessee, where Joe served his mission. I got to meet some of the people Joe knew, and we also got to visit some pretty incredible places. The first place we went to was Graceland - home of Elvis Presley. Here is the actual house -


They displayed so many outfits - ones that he wore singing, and ones he wore in the movies. Some were pretty crazy outfits!!
Elvis apparently loved racquetball (who knew?) and had one built behind the house. After he died they converted part of it into a display -



Next - the Peabody Hotel. This hotel is very famous, because of its ducks. It all began as a prank, when some guys (I think it may have even been the owner, or manager) got drunk and after hunting they decided to leave their live ducks in the hotel fountain. When the woke up, they ducks were still in the fountain and everyone was watching them. So it turned into a tradition that ducks would 'live' in the hotel. Between 11-5 they are in the fountain in the hotel, and the rest of the time they have a 'room' on the top of the hotel.


They spread out red carpet, and as soon as the elevator door opens, the run down the carpet into the fountain.
There is a Duckmaster that takes care of the ducks. He'll ride the elevator up, get them, bring them down the elevator, etc. Joe was lucky enough to get a shot of all five ducks! It was amazing how many people were there to watch the show.



Anyone heard of Lorraine Motel? If not, you just failed history! This is where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot. It was very sad, but ... profound at the same time.




The trip was very hot & humid, but fun! I will post more later ...