marriage

I promised to finish up the India posts. And that I compeltely plan on doing. But boy has this semester gone wild. I am very thankful for it to be over.

But I just thought I would say..................Im getting married. In three days.

Holy Cow.

Mountains, Big Mountains

Well, how in the world do I do justice to this adventure blog? I seriously, should have just blogged while I was in India. But the Internet was never reliable. Now, jamming all the awesome, incredible experiences into one blog just might not be enough. This is what I am going to do. I will do several blog posts about different experiences, but definitely not in chronological order. Probably intermixed with the regular everyday adventure blog posts. Today will just be a teaser of the pictures of ..... that's right... the HIMALAYA!

How do I start this?

Oh... yes this was a Hamblin Geology Research field trip to India...A sure blessing and learning experience. But I won't bore you all with the Geology...... I know no one else wants to read about suture zones, thrust belts, or melanges.

Well, Delhi was smelly, muggy, dirty, and loaded with people. It definitely had its own vibe. As the plane landed, I thought, "Holy Cow, What have I gotten my self into?"When we first drive from the airport to the University, I definitely realized the world is much bigger than my tiny little world. The first night in the University of Delhi guest house I was all by myself. I walked into the bathroom and there were buckets everywhere. Soon I learned that every bathroom has at least five buckets of all sorts and sizes. But my first thought was "What in the world do I do with all of these buckets?" Anyways, that night..... Jet lag set in. I honestly couldn't sleep, With a 11 1/2 hour time difference, who could? In the morning I made an awesome discovery. Ok so it's not an awesome discovery to the millions of people that live in Delhi, but They have monkey every where. They are like squirrels!

I realized early on in the trip I should have taken a nicer camera. I thought.... I will be backpacking, traveling very light, hiking, dirty, etc...I realized early on.... that was dumb. How often do you get to go to India. Probably once in a lifetime and I seriously just missed out on rocking pictures. Luckily some others had great pictures. So maybe I will borrow some of there's later. In the meantime.... Here are my regular pictures.

This is a picture from Hardiwar. Smelliest place I have ever been. But is a very sacred location where They take the ashes of the dead and float them down the Ganges. Just like the Ganges through out the rest of India, it is used for bathing, every day needs etc.

Typical Indian street....

Finally, we made it to the mountains... the glorious mountains. the biggest mountains. Ok so this doesn't really look that big eh? We drove up in a bus up to the mountains at night. I never saw the Himalayan driving. So when I woke up in the morning, It was dark and foggy. As the sun rose, I caught my first glimpses of the Lesser Himalaya.

More.... Bigger... Prettier Mountains to come.....

In the next episode of the Izzy Geologic Adventure of Elevated and Muggy Wonder

Izzy gone wild

Funny story of the evening

Lauren and I spent most of the night watching girlie girlie movies. It felt good to giggle and feel like a girl. I think I have had it up to my nose in manly dirty mining business for the summer. No more I tell you

Anyways the funny moment.

Leaving for the evening. Lauren tries several times to turn on the porch light. Doesn't work. Captain Izzy ( that's me folks ) declares, "No worry Lauren I have my flashlight." I instincivly lift up my shirt, show of my shiny white belly and saunter out of the door.

Photography and Such

I picked an awesome photographer for Steve and my wedding. Scott Jarvie

My sister is super excited ( I think maybe more than me) and is trying to win a chance at a workshop with him. She is playing the game JaG. More info on that here .

So check him out and check her out.

Camp Steiner

Let's just say this was a stinkin' rockin' weekend. Amy and I drove up deep into the Uinta Mountains. Where we found this crazy looking mountain man. Unshaven, smelly, dirty ragged clothing, rugged tan. And I even let that boy kiss me!

Camp it self was lovely. No electricity. Little running water. Gorgeous views. Smelly pine trees. And stars as far as the sky could see. Perfection.

This is the little cabin Steve stays at. Apparently he is the most rockin' climbing director. Lucky enough to get a cabin all to himself at this Boy Scout camp. It is the most beautiful cabin in the world. Granted it doesn't have fancy granite counter tops, or polished wooden floors. But there are plenty of mosquito's and chipmunks to make the soul happy. Seriously though. There are two couches downstairs. A loft upstairs with a old bed and some shelves. The old dirty wood floors are covered with a slab of carpet. And to top it off..... an amazing fireplace. I love this cabin. I am still trying to convince Steve that we should work at Boy Scout camp after we are married. He would feel quite silly working at camp for .... eight summers? But the cabin is.....soooooo... worth it.

The activities of the weekend of course included climbing. I love how Steve is belaying laying down while his sister does a bomber power move.

The views were INCREDIBLE at Steiner. And when I say incredible I really mean INCREDIABLE!! (think french). Everything sounds more beautiful in French.

We started a club called the Mountain Goat Girls. Club goals are simple. 1. Climb mountains often. 2. Love the mountain. 3. Love the goat girls.

I is Baby Goat

Amy is Mama Goat

Climb a mountain with us..... and we just might let you in the club.

Oh and you get to be the president of the club if you have a baby on a mountain. (No not conceive a baby, give birth to a real live baby)

Family

7 children
10 adults who think they are children
Family loaded with Fourth of July excitements
43 pictures
And this was the best one we got.
The single picture where at least one family member wasn't making a goofy picture
We are actually all smiling! (Cheesy grins definitely.)

We definitely put the fun in dysfunctional.

I just might turn him into a Mountain Man

For our last weekend adventure Steve and I went and taught Boy Scouts blackpowder rifles. Pops had offered to teach the men at Woodbadge this lovely skill and we tagged along.

If you're going to teach boys to shoot a Thompson Hawkin model 50 cal, You have to of course dress up. This is the same gun that Jeramiah Johnson used. "This here is the gun, that shot the bear, that kille'd me. "

The weekend was a stinkin' blast.

My Pops wanted to get some pictures in our Mountain Man get up. Steve thought these would make great engagement shots. I am a little bit less unsure about that one. HA!

Pops ... of all people.... Pops told me to show a little leg.

PS ... thats a pistol in Steve's and Pops belt. What goofs!!!

D&C 58:27

I know not everyone wants to hear the mushy details......but frankly I think they are pretty darn amazing! So I will spare the tears and snot. But to put the excitement simply.

I'm in love.

The little love story began with a blind date, a broken leg, lots of gasoline, plenty of awkward moments, rock climbing, Rock Canyon mornings, Sunday afternoon, dancing in the kitchen, "Worlds Best Couple Champions", yucky cookies, Super Novas, cooking attempts, long talks, hiking, lots of laughter, and childrens libraries.

and it ended with a pretty blue ring.

Thats right Ladies and Gentlemen...... Stevie and Izzy are engaged! As in to be married. Betrothed. Tying the knot. Jumping off the edge. Beyond the point of no return. Or as Courtney told me yesterday, "You FINALLY picked the right one."

The story goes as this.....

We hiked a really big mountain

Got all sweaty and gross but we were super hardcore.

Steve told me we would go on adventures of the rest of our lives

and I said YES!

trips with Pops

My dad and I try to go on a backpacking trip each summer. I was wandering about my mom's computer and found pictures of last years trip to Cold Lakes. This is honestly my favorite spot in the Ruby's. It's hardly used unlike Lamoille Canyon.

There are hardly any pictures of my Pops. I had to literally steal the camera from him and sneak pictures. Otherwise Pops loves to take pictures of me plus the scenery. ..... hence the following.

This is the summit over into to Robinsons Lakes.

Cold Lakes
Little summit to Old Man something or other..... It really looked just like an old man! I felt like an old man when I hiked up to the top. PS check out those biceps!!

WOOT WOOT! I definitely cannot wait to go on a backpacking trip with Dad this summer. The plan is to do the Ruby Crest trail.

This is my first step to being a rock model. This is my end goal of being a Geologist.... Who cares about the science! Just got to make this metamorphic core complex look good!

MMMM My favorite part of backpacking.

climbing

Teaching the girls to climb on things. Yup. Yup.

They need some more adventure!