Eugene's Out in the Artdoors

Each May the City of Eugene, Oregon puts on an urbane adventure race. Similar to the TV show The Amazing Race and Kellie Nemke, Marnee's partner runs the team that organizes the event. So Marnee invited Matt, Casey and I out there to be a part of her team and compete in the race. We had a great time, although it took a lot longer to complete than we thought it would. We road bikes from location to location completing tasks either physical, mental or artistic. My ass was killing me from the bicycle seat by the end of it, but well worth the bonding. Here are a few of the pictures from the event. Enjoy...

Aloha Maui!

May 1-5, 2009

My cute husband and I decided we needed a little get away. (Actually I decided I needed a get away and he complied.) We finally chose Maui as our destination (other locations in the running included; Paris, Belize, Costa Rica, and Cozumel). We had a great time. We went to a different beach each day, got to see the windsurfers and para surfers, went to eat at some great restaurants, and most memorably drove the "Road to Hana". Up, down, in, out, over, up, down, in, out, over = Katie very car sick!! We found sound Dramamine at the little camp store in Hana and that saved me on the way back. Plus, we stopped a lot and looked at all the waterfalls. We also went and checked out The Plantation course at Kapalua where the PGA plays their first tournament every year. What an amazing golf course. The trip was a great time, but a little too short. I would have loved a couple more days.

Angel's Landing

Angel's Landing at Zion's

Casey and I took advantage of a free Sunday at home to go hike in Zion's National Park. It was a stunning day with perfect weather. I had never done this hike at Angel's Landing. It was kind-of crazy. To get to the landing you have to hike along the edge of the mountain holding onto chains attached to the side so that you don't fall into the abyss. The views were totally worth it though! What a gorgeous place. This hike has revealed to Casey, however, that he is a touch scared of heights. It didn't bother me at all however, and he felt I was a little lax in my grip on the chains. We finally had to change positions so that I was walking behind him so that he couldn't see what I was (or wasn't) doing. So cute.

Kylie's first pedicure

So, Sara and I went to get pedicures one afternoon and my mom and Kylie came along. Kylie wanted to be like her cools aunts, so she got her very first mani/pedi. She was so cute. She picked out her color (blue with blue glitter on top) and got flowers on her thumbs. It was funny how closely she watched what they were doing. Her mom paints her nails all the time, so she new how to hold still and let her nails dry. She was very proud of her blue finger and toe nails. She is so fun to be around. Oh, to be a carefree child again!

Malan Family Photos

Thought you might like to see some of our Malan family pictures.

Washington DC

Casey & I took his mom Lorrie to Washington DC for the Inauguration of President Obama. It was a pretty incredible experience. Certainly once in a lifetime. We arrived (after a red eye flight to NYC and then driving to DC) Sunday afternoon. We didn't even attempt to make it down to the concert. We spent Sunday lying pretty low. Our hotel had a kitchenette, so we did a little grocery shopping and went out to dinner. Monday we got up early and headed out. The Metro station was absolute madness. (Little did we know the next day was going to be worse) We waited in this crazy line to buy our Metro passes. However, while in line, something fantastic happened. We met this darling girl, Nancye (she was just a little younger than me, but woman sounds so old) Nancye ended up being a life saver. She's living in Park City working for the US Ski & Snowboarding Assoc. She, like our group, got tickets to the Inauguration from Senator Bennett. But the bonus was that she had interned for a Senator and had lived in DC. She knew right where to go and a few shortcuts to make it happen. Like I said, life saver. Anyway, with the assistance of the lovely Nancye, and despite a slight altercation between my mother in law and a pro-lifer where some profanity was rallied about, we made it to the Senate office buildings, where we stood in yet another line, it will end up being the theme of the trip. We got our tickets for the Silver ticket area and went on our way. We spent the rest of the day on the Mall. We shopped a lot, watched MSNBC film Hardball with Chris Matthews, and took in some of the memorials. We ran into this woman who decided not to bring her three year old daughter. And since her daughter couldn't be there she stood all day long on the Mall getting people to sign a book; leave a message if you would like, where you were from, all for her daughter. She would then take your picture and mark which picture number corresponded with which signature. (Just a little side bar, they ran out of hot chocolate at the refreshment stand on the mall at 7:30 pm the night BEFORE the Inauguration. How are you not better prepared than that?) It was a great day. Every person you ran into was positive, happy, freezing, considerate, respectful. The energy was absolutely amazing. I was surprised how many non-Americans had come. They just wanted to be a part of history. The next morning we left the hotel at 6:30. It took us 5 hours to get from our hotel next to BWI to the Capital. That is just insanity. It took us an hour and half in line just to get on the Metro. The thing was a really cool hour and a half. The group was singing patriotic songs, with the police officer standing on the road above us leading the singing. There was a woman, outlandishly dressed chanting, "Rosa sat so that Martin could walk. Martin walked so Obama could run. Obama won so that our children could fly." She was convinced that each time she said it the line would move. We rode the Metro with a Chicago Tribune writer and Political Analysis, Clarence Page. He was so nice. He was writing notes of our conversation. It was totally surreal. Once we arrived in DC it was utter chaos. I have to never seen or experienced crowds like this. When we got off the Metro, there was no Silver ticket entrance directions. We were flying a little blind, and each officer, secret service, national guardsmen, we asked told us to go somewhere else. The had street after street barricaded. We finally arrived at what we thought was the correct entrance only to find it wasn't and once again the way was blocked. I felt like we were in a rat maze with no exit. We finally did find the proper entrance only to find it was closed for some unknown reason. The crowd was chanting, "Two, four, six, eight. Open up the f*%#ing gate." Which they did, and the three of us got swooped up into this rushing crowd. You couldn't lift your arms past your side and got moved against your will. That was when I had had enough! The Utah Congressional Delegation was hosting a reception on the top floor of the Hart Senate Building. So we went there and watched the ceremony on Fox News (God help us). But we were warm, and relatively away from the crowds. We had an amazing view of W leaving on Marine One. We had hot chocolate and snacks. We also ran into Nancye there. Her group had tickets even closer than ours. Their entrance was closed because the metal detectors had broken down. So they nearly missed the ceremony as well. Even with the disappointment of not getting in, the energy in the room was still so great. Hope, excitement, pride, patriotism, it was all there. After the Swearing in, everyone that was outside came in from the cold and the room got quite crowded. So we took off. My claustro had had enough for one day and I went back to the hotel. Casey and Lorrie attempted to see a little more. They did get to see the staging area for the parade and spent a little more time on the Mall. I can tell you we all slept very well that night. We flew home the next day and were all quite grateful to have had the experience.