Posting for posting sakes

Between work, school, and family I have not had not much time to post. So I thought that I would post a few pictures and get y'all updated.

If you read my wife's blog you know that I am in my last semester at U.V.U. This is by far the lightest load I have ever taken, but it is also the most important semester. One of the classes I am enrolled in is my senior capstone project. The project my group and I have been assigned is to design, develop, and implement a website/forum for a local autism group. One of the members of our group has two children who have been diagnosed with autism. His wife is a part of a local group of mothers that get together and meet, offer support, and offer advise to each other. One of the problems they face is the ability to easily coordinate meetings. Another problem they face is communicating with each other. The primary method of communication they use is email. Email is a quick and simple method to communicate when your group is small. When the group gets large it becomes difficult and cumbersome. For example a mother may email a question like "does anyone know any babysitters that are qualified/certified to watch autistic children?" The next day she may have fifty or more responses to that question. Reading and sorting fifty emails is time consuming. Hopefully you are beginning to understand their dilemma. So we have proposed to build a website/forum to help them and their families better communicate and plan events as well as provide topical information both for those who have autistic children and those who don't. If anyone has any talents or resources that might help us get this accomplished for these amazing women and are willing to donate some time or skills, please let me know. Having the website will make their lives much easier.

Previously I posted about a drive that we took on the alpine loop and cascade springs. Here are a few pictures from that trip.

It has only been a few weeks since Ethan and I took our last hike, and I am chomping at the bit to get to the outdoors again. The weather, up until yesterday, has been absolutely beautiful. Yesterday it rained all day. Today it rained most of the morning. It is a bit chilly but it is still possible to do some hiking. We are anxiously waiting for my sister and her family to arrive so that we can go on some hikes while they are here. Bring some warm clothes.


I will be traveling to Denver in a couple of weeks for work. The day after I get back we are leaving to visit the previously mentioned sister in Washington. Hopefully I will be able to get in some salmon fishing and/or hiking while we are there. We are definitely hitting a local donut shop called Spudnuts. If you have not been here you need to go. It is a small town cafe that sells doughnuts made from potato dough. They are delicious and were featured on the Travel Channel. One bit of advise, call in your order ahead of time or get there early. Otherwise you may not get what you want and my have to wait a while to get them.

A week or so after we get back, my other sister is getting married. So as soon as we get back we will have to start getting read for the onslaught of family and friends that will descend upon our house in preparation for the event. In and around all of that we have to fit in Ethan's birthday, Halloween, and Breyton's blessing. Then after that we have Jensen's birthday, Thanksgiving, our anniversary, my birthday, Christmas, and New Years. So as you can see we are busy and it does not look like that is going to change for a while.

Finally, since the Mariners did not make the playoffs, go Sox!