one of the best kept secrets of utah valley, we have come to love this little resort! it is 15 minutes from our door and just after a snowfall, has the best powder EVER!

Mitt Romney and Sherlock Holmes

What do Mitt and Sherlock have in common? Read this

"It is a rather extraordinary turn of events. But when you have eliminated the impossible, as Sherlock Holmes told Watson, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. This rule holds for presidential contests as well as for whodunits: Romney is improbable, but his rivals are impossible, and so he will be the nominee.".

The New York Times Sunday Review

Brigham YOUNG University: why the "Y?"

We love the "Y" on the hill out our front yard. It's stately presence has come to mean home to us. As an icon to the whole valley, Provo citizens find their way and chart a course using the Y as a landmark. Likewise, wherever we happen to be, on campus, biking around the trials, on a run or across the valley at the lake, we just look up and know we are not far from home. We make regular trips up the steep hill to take in the view. It has become a comfort and a way to orient ourselves, gain some perspective and have a moment or two of clarity. We LOVE the Y! In case you didn't know, here is a bit of trivia and interesting history as to how it came about.

In 1906 - When the junior class of Brigham Young University High School( click for more details on that nitty gritty) wanted to paint '07 on the side of the mountain, the senior class became upset. To settle this conflict BYU President George H. Brimhall proposed that they paint the letters BYU on the mountain instead. The plans to construct the BYU on the mountain were begun. A line of high school and university students, and some faculty, passed buckets of lime, sand, and rocks up the mountain in order to fill up the letters. After six hours of hard labor, only the Y had been completed, so the filling in of the remaining two letters was postponed and later abandoned. The large white Y on the side of the mountain has become the nationally recognized insignia for BYU and the reason why BYU is often called "the Y". It is made of concrete and is 380 feet high and 130 feet wide (116 by 40 m). No other college in the United States has a larger symbol; in fact, the Y is even larger than the "Hollywood Sign" in Los Angeles.

"a brand new year began last night, this year i'll try to do things right..."

from a children's book i used to read to clark when we lived in philly. that phrase has stuck with me and i find myself reciting it as each new year rolls around.

the years are rolling way too fast now. can't stop the hands of time. here are the updates from last year and things to expect for the next one

clark and marissa: married, moved into a darling house and built a garden :) both in school and demanding jobs. clark gave up the pool business and began managing a fine restaurant (the corinthian) which is part of a

yacht club in marin county. marissa works in a vet hospital. they have a new-to-them truck and are the beehive and deacon advisors in their ward.

nate and mindy: second year of marriage and baby boy gill is on his way. still in provo attending byu. mindy graduates in april, nate is applying for internships in geospatial information systems... (huh?)

colin: home from the mission and dating. and dating. and dating. also attending byu and teaching at the mtc. inherited hidalgo (josh's half-breed scooter) lives south of campus but makes frequent stops to our fridge.

josh: elder gill. loving life in the mtc. will be there till march, then heads to russia. learning the language. happier than he has ever been (his words).

amy: grew fins in addition to her gills. on a continual climb for personal bests. this week placed first in her school for 50 m freestyle.

working hard for regionals. still an A student. loving life without braces!