Gifts for fathers... and not fathers

I told Daniel that he could get any tool he wanted, since he always talks about how few tools we have (apparently my flat head screw driver and hammer that got me through my 6 years of single , post-High School life are just not good enough to keep our household running). He looked at some Leathermans, but decided against it, so I just got him a collection of other small gifts.

I'll admit, this was mostly for me. Organization.

It forced Daniel to limit his ties to his favorite 20.

Chemistry... or food coloring.

Added a shelf in our room with some fun toys.

bike rack + panniers

My Cubicle Zen

I decided that my cubicle needed something... more.

I went to Savers and got some old curtains which I then hung up on the walls. The Link poster is hand made by Daniel's sister, Sarah. I got a succulent (which you may or may not be able to see) which only has to be watered once every couple of weeks (perfect). There's a wedding photo in a simple black frame and then of course some Mario magnets (Daniel got from his other sister, Rachel and they get to grace my space).

San Francisco

Everytime I go to San Francisco I think of this song by the Magnetic Fields. Also I have flashbacks of previous visits to the city with my brother Josh who will take us on crazy adventures on public transportation, playing chess with bums, and running for my life UP a hill at night on the edge of the ghetto so that he didn't have to make the decision between saving me or his camera.

This time we went and were miraculously able to get tickets the night before as well as able to park at the airport for free (because we have pretty sweet hook ups). Here are some of the highlights:

Daniel's excitement couldn't be contained.

On the plane, in the exit aisle where we had lots of leg room.

Cable cars. Wouldn't be San Fran without them.

This place has over 2,000 reviews on Yelp. So we decided to try it.

Japan town at its finest.

Brothers

What a cutie.

The sign is backwards, but it's not like anyone could tell.

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Favorite Quote

I couldn't think of a favorite quote, too many, but this is one of Daniel's. He spent a while cutting out this picture of  Richard Feynman and then pasting it on the whiteboard in our room. I especially like it because it is in Daniel's handwriting.

How to organize a scavenger hunt

Whether you are inspired by watching Sherlock Holmes, hosting a kid's birthday party, or if you just want to set up something fun for a friend, scavenger hunts can be a lot of fun not only to play, but to set up as well. 

If you haven't set one up before, here are some tips to review so that you don't end up pulling your hair out trying to set it up. 

• What is the theme of the hunt? Lots of options, usually it's good to think of something specific to the person, their particular interests or something related to the event. I've done one for my husband on our 1 year of dating anniversary that went through significant places to us (the place we met, where we kissed, etc).
• Think of places that have significant meaning, why do they have meaning-- if there are any special objects that the hunter would be able to identify. 
• Ideas for clues:

• QR hunt - if they have access to a smart phone with a QR code reader, this can be a lot of fun
• word play
• hidden clues- write it in white crayon or colored pencil so they have to hold it up to the light in order to see it
• treasure map- piece it together in order to find the prize
• pictures from the location- they can see what they are supposed to expect from that location
• rhymes that would explain the place
• Map it out logically in your mind and then you can start setting up what clues will be found where
• Make a list of supplies needed
• Set up the clues, make sure if they are in public places to either have someone watch them or to set them up only shortly before the hunt begins. so that they will still be available when the hunter gets there. 

Daniel and I helping out in an engagement hunt

My Life in 232 words

When I was 6 I loved to visit my neighbor's house, because he had Cartoon Network and candy. At my house we had carrot sticks and an antenna where the only thing worth watching was WB Saturday morning cartoons. I lived with my 8 siblings, parents, and my mom's father until I was 12, when my parents got a divorce. Family was my life, including the friends, there were always 2-3 extra kids around the house. From the time I was in 3rd grade, my mom wanted to get out of Kentucky, by the time I entered 11th grade, we finally did. We drove across country and arrived in Utah at 2am and immediately it felt like home. In Utah I learned to sluff, to kiss, and how to get caught when sneaking out of the house. When I was 17 I started school at BYU where I learned how to be independent, how to love life, and how to love myself. At 21 I went to talk about Jesus and I came back loving the land, the culture, and the people of Korea. My husband saw me first in a cafeteria while we were single and celibate and 2 years later we touched for the first time on the porch outside of his house. Daniel taught me how to love science, to think critically and to look forward to each new day.