August via iPhone Photos

I found the cutest turtle on a bike ride. 

I went on a nice and early Saturday morning temple trip with the Relief Society. 

We returned to Duke Farms with Drew, Kerri and Kate. We ate at Manville Pizza after (thanks to a recommendation from 3 years ago). 

Our car looks best with accessories.

I went on a ride with a women's cycling team and was amazed at their athleticism (aka it was HARD)!

Paul took me on a Saturday afternoon date to Brick Farm Market, a mid-way point in his 80 mile loop where he sometimes stops for a Daniash. Their meatloaf was delicious. Paul had the best Philly Cheesesteak he's ever tasted. 

I've been helping Paul in the lab with some extractions lately. I like being involved and helping. Science is cool. 

Duke Farms, etc.

We have had some nice outdoor time this summer, just the way summers should be spent.

We finally made it to Duke Farms, a large old estate that is open to the public and has lots of walking trails and ponds. They also have the foundation from a house that was never built and it looks like a jungle dream.

There is also a lovely greenhouse with all sorts of beautiful plants.

And old men who get in my way of a picture.

 

We headed to Washington Rock on the way home for a nice view of our New Jersey land.

 And we ate our favorite Panda Express meal. 3 Entrees (Surf and Turf, Beijing Beef, Sweet Fire Chicken and Orange Chicken are our usuals), plus a side of potstickers. Cheap, yummy meal for two.

In other news....

Driving on New Jersey roads to lacrosse practice each Monday night had it's nice moments. Green lined streets and pretty clouds (just ignore the million power lines).

Swimming night at the Rec Center with the Wilson fam before they moved to Utah a week later. Lockers+kids =fun.

Going on bike rides without Paul around. I signed up for a cross race and am scared our of my mind.

Becoming my mom at work and loving whole natural almonds.

Helping the entomology club sort bugs and finding this note from a students insect collection (sorry I don't feel like rotating it).

Another solo-bike ride (at least the second half was solo, the first half was my first group ride). But I found this nice turtle on the path and made a nice family that was walking by take a picture of me with the little cutie.

5 Years.

Paul and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary on July 26th. Five years!

We woke up to a nice omen, a praying mantis on our outside window.

I tried to be cute a make Paul a little arrangement of memories from each of the years of our marriage but he was mostly confused until I explained that it was in the shape of a 5 (Audrey was confused as well - this picture makes it look much clearer than it was in person).

I have really loved sharing a life with Paul these past 5 years. I think we have grown and improved together and I really feel like we are hitting our grove.

 

Thanks Audrey, for taking our cheesy "number" picture.  Next year we will have to use two hands!

After Audrey's camp finished up we headed to Shippensburg. Paul chose our dinner stop and I was NOT thrilled about White Castle being our anniversary dinner. Truth be told, he took me on a nice lunch date to Sushi early that day, so I was really just joking about the anger.

Audrey loved the mini-sliders and kept giggling at their cuteness.

We made it to Shippensburg and waved goodbye to the Goates as they set off to drive through the night on their trek West.

We stayed in PA and made an anniversary trip out of it and did some backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. The weather discouraged our plans a bit so we didn't sleep on the trail as planned, but we still got in 10 miles of beautiful hiking. It was a perfect way to spend some time together in quiet, beautiful, nature.

We love the forest.

(PS - Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4)