Sunday, December 7, 2014

A Mixture Of Nature And Suburbia In Sandy #Utah



I'm a native California girl but that was a long time ago...when you could walk on the San Joaquin River levees and trails alone and not be afraid of being accosted by exhibitionists, transients, pick-pockets and more.  (The last time I visited, it was a exhibitionist, yikes!)  It's still beautiful, don't get me wrong, but those days are gone for me.

It seems like I've always lived in beautiful places, like the 10 years I spent in Floyd, VA, so green, so humid, so close to the Blue Ridge Parkway...I loved it so much!

Now it's Utah that I call home, and I love it here too!  I lived for several years in Provo, UT.  It's a college town, home to BYU and UVU.  Then we moved north to the Sandy/Draper area.  At first I wasn't sure I'd like it.  I'm sort of an introvert, who loves to get away to nature.  I crave places that aren't crawling with people.  I need places to be able to walk and be by myself, to meditate and reflect and let my dog roam while I'm doing so. 

Sandy is in Salt Lake County and close to many fun events and shopping areas.  But I was so happy to find that it also has a slice of the most beautiful nature around and the solitude I love is right in my back yard!  As a matter of fact I really consider Dimple Dell equestrian, hiking jogging and recreation area my backyard.  Dimple Dell is an expansive park offering hiking, biking & horseback riding along with ponds, streams & picnic areas.  It is like a huge nature park in the middle of the suburbs  It goes for miles and has many trails.  There are many entrances to the park.  One trailhead entrance is right by 24-Hour Fitness in Sandy at 10365 S 1300 E.


I frequent just a small part of Dimple Dell, just enough to fit in a 50-minute walk with my border collie, Evee,  several times a week.  I have carved out my own route, one that I know isn't too well-traveled. 


I even have my own private bench to take in the gorgeous mountain view! 


Another great thing about living in Sandy/Draper area are the many places to bike.  I like to bike on Wasatch Blvd, where you can get gorgeous views of the city below or bike towards Little Cottonwood Canyon.  The Pepperwood Area towards Draper is also gorgeous to bike through and there are several parks and mountain biking trailheads you can take.  I like going earlier in the morning because the traffic is a little heavier during the day and unfortunately there aren't designated biking lanes for some of the way. Most drivers, however, are very considerate, if you don't hog the road.  I also recommend using lights both on front and on back of your bike, or a reflective vest or a light on your helmet.

If you are in a crowd-loving mood we have plenty of places and events here for that as well!  As a matter of fact, Sandy specializes in events and venues of all kinds!  The shopping is amazing.  Just get off I-15 at 123rd South and you have restaurants galore and the South Town Mall is right there, with Dillard's, Macy's, and R.E.I. to name just a few.  Both Trax and Frontrunner Trains are accessible in both Sandy and Draper, heading as far north as Layton and south to Provo (Frontrunner only). 

Loveland Living Planet Aquarium - This 9th largest aquarium in the United States is located here in Draper at 12033 South Lone Peak Parkway.  It is a childhood dream come true for founder and CEO, Brent Anderson.  As a child, he was given a book about the sea from his grandma,  It awed and inspired him so much that as an adult, when asked what he would do if he knew he couldn't fail, he knew he had to bring his youthful dream to reality.  The Aquarium has 4 main galleries - North American River Otter Exhibit, Ocean Explorer, South American Explorer, and a 300,000 gallon shark tank! 

Sandy Amphitheatre - Located on the corner of 9400 South and 1300 East, this Amphitheatre is open during the summer and has amazing concerts!  It has a capacity of 2,750 and allows people to bring in their own chairs.  It is a truly unique concert experience!  I live so close to it that I can hear the music in the evenings when I'm sitting outside on the porch or have the doors and windows open.

Rio Tinto Stadium - Soccor has become a big deal in Utah, ever since REAL Salt Lake made Rio Tinto Stadium their home.  This is located on 9256 S. State Street in Sandy.  I've been to a game and it's packed! 
As you can see, the area where I call home has a lot to offer!  You really ought to come and explore!  And let me know when you come...we'll do lunch!


Monday, December 1, 2014

#Football, #Thanksgiving and #MyPostMonday Link-Up

Whew!  I need just a minute to breathe!  It's been from one event to another and I'm left breathless!  We had been going to a lot of football games right before Thanksgiving because that's what you do when your son is on the football team during his senior year of high school.  What was really an added bonus is that his team was going for their 3rd straight State Championship!  They just kept winning!  So we kept going!  The season finally ended, at the University of Utah Rice-Eccle's Stadium.  It was truly tense because during the 1st half, Roy was going full tilt and wouldn't even let Timpview score.  It was 8 - 0 at halftime.  But Timpview re-grouped and somehow figured out what it was they were supposed to do.  At the end of the game, it was 28 - 8 Timpview!  So proud of my son who was part of the defensive line and battled it out to prevent more scoring from Roy.  Below are pictures of me with both of my amazing sons during the championship game!  Love them!
During the game

After the game with my Senior
  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I did it all this year.  Usually we go to the relatives to enjoy a good buffet meal, but this year everyone did their own thing.  We enjoyed the more low-key and intimate atmosphere.  I felt really good about what I made, including a turkey and ham, trifle, sweet potato casserole with brown sugar and pecan topping, various pies, rolls, stuffing, turkey gravy the obligatory cranberry sauce, rolls, etc.  There were no family blow-outs even though we did have some lively discussion on several current events in the news!

Guess what?  Today is #MyPostMonday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating posts, tips, pictures and videos!  I'm especially looking for Christmas posts and if I happen to find yours, I'll link it up and let you know!  It's like being featured!  Sometimes I miss some amazing posts.  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase!

Guest Post - A Perfect Southern Utah Adventure


Hi, I'm Kendra from the blog The Things I Love Most!  I'm excited to be blogging here at A GAL NEEDS...! I am also really excited to be a part of this Blogging Roundup of 14 Utah Blogger sharing 14 Utah Adventures! I love Utah!  I was actually born and raised in Utah County, but moved to Southern Utah with my husband and children about 8 years ago!  We absolutely love it here, and are tempted, sometimes, to never move back. (Although we still really love Utah County). We have learned to love the heat and don't really like snow very much anymore, except for when we are visiting!

When we first visited Southern Utah to see if we wanted to live here, we fell in love with it right away! It's kind of the best of both worlds in my opinion.  We have amazing Red Rock, Beautiful Pine Valley Mountain not far out of town, and if you want snow in the winter you only need to drive a half hour north to Cedar City!  When most people think of Southern Utah they think of the big places like Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.  Both of which are amazing places and if you haven't ever been there, you totally need to go! Today I am going to share with you some great places to visit if you were going to go to St. George for a weekend and wanted some fun things to do as a family or even just as a couple!
  • Pioneer Park - (aka Dixie Rock) - This isn't a park with a playground, it's a big 52+ acre area with some great hikes, picnic tables, amazing views and more.  My favorite view is when you get on top of the Dixie Rock and you can see the whole valley, including the spectacular St. George Temple. There is a really cool slot canyon to climb through that's kind of hard to find but it is well worth the search.  Ask someone you see if they know where it is!  This area is free.

  • Snow Canyon State Park - This is a hidden gem in Southern Utah. You could camp here and spend days.  I've done most of the hikes in this park! Our favorite place to go here is the sand dunes! The kids have so much fun playing and rolling down the big hills of sand! They also have fun biking paths and some great hikes you can do with or without kids.  Make sure you find the caves, they are really cool, but not easy to do with children. This place is amazing because you see red, black and white rocks all blended together!  There is a fee to enter the park unless you have a state park pass.
  • Red Cliffs Recreation Area - This place is amazing, and only a couple miles away from my house! We love to go here and let the kids play!  It's a great place to camp, hike, rappel, and when there is water flowing, a fun place to play in the pools at the end of the hike!  There is a $5 fee for day use.
      • Oak Grove - If you need to get up in the mountains and enjoy a cool evening out of the St. George heat this is the place to go! It gorgeous and very peaceful! There is a $5 fee for day use.
      • Pine Valley Recreation Area - We love to camp, hike and go to the reservoir up in Pine Valley. We recently camped up there in October and the weather was great! The retirement town is nestled in the mountain of Pine Valley. If you go, make sure you visit the church there.  The architecture is amazing! There is a day use fee, and it is only open from May to October each year. 
      • Kanarraville Falls Hike - This hike can be done with children although you may not be able to go all the way to the top unless you have some tough people to carry the kids up the hard part, which is what my husband and our friends did. .  The hike is mostly in water, which was about shin deep on me.  At the top are some fun natural watersides and really amazing slot canyons that you walk through.  There is a parking fee of $10, but it is worth it!
      • Oak Grove - If you need to get up in the mountains and enjoy a cool evening out of the St. George heat this is the place to go! It gorgeous and very peaceful! There is a $5 fee for day use.

      • The Virgin River- We love to go down to the Virgin River and let the kids play. There are lots of place to enter the river.  It's free and fun!
      • Warner Valley Dinosaur Track Site - We always take our friends that come visit to these awesome dinosaur tracks!  My kids love to sit in them and imagine what it was like when dinosaurs lived on the earth!  It is free and a very short hike to the tracks.

      If you aren't in the mood to hike all weekend, St. George has some great parks, and some amazing splash parks.  Here is a link to all of them!  Our favorite park, when it's not busy season, is the St. George Town Square with a fun man-made river, carousel, children's museum, library and fountain, also visits Judd's old country store and get some yummy soup and old fashion candy!

      There are also some great lakes to visit that don't cost too much that are both about 15 miles outside of St. George in the Hurricane area!
      • Quail Creek State Park - There is a place that you can walk down in the parking lot to avoid paying the state park fee. They don't mind.  Mostly the fee is for boaters and campers.  The beach here is more rocky, so if you don't want sand all over in your car, then this is the beach for you!
      • Sand Hollow Lake State Park - I love this lake, but my husband hates red sand all over inside our vehicles so we don't go here as often, but when we first moved down here we were there every weekend in the summer
      There are a lot of places to camp, but if you aren't very excited to camp our favorite hotel is the Holiday Inn Express in Washington.  They have very nice rooms, serve a great breakfast, and have a nice pool!

      I would advise that if you are planning a St. George weekend trip, check the St. George City Calendar to make sure it isn't a busy week. St. George holds a lot of big races, and the Senior Games each year The city is very packed during these week. There are plenty of weeks throughout the year that are perfect to come!





      Sunday, November 23, 2014

      Gorgeous Crystal Hand-Beaded #Bracelets by Sashka




      How would you like to receive a beautiful set of bracelets to brighten up your wardrobe for the holidays? I received these beautiful bracelets in the mail and was so impressed by the beauty and quality of workmanship! Sashka Bracelets make the perfect gift, whether you give just one or a whole set of them!  The price is certainly reasonable, at $12.00/bracelet!  And with free worldwide shipping, it's hard to say no!

      Sashka Bracelet Co. gets its beautiful products from the women artisans in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal.  They are hand crocheted with crystal and sterling silver beads that give the bracelets a delicate sheen or sparkle when you move and when they hit the light.  They are designed to roll over the hand with ease.  If, by chance, they are too big, you can place them in warm water to shrink them.  I had no problem with them.  They rolled on my small wrists easily and while being loose, they never came off.  The only issue was that the turquoise bracelet bled on my skin when I first wore it, but after that first time, I had no problem.  


      There are so many color combinations and the 4 bracelets I chose were so fun to mix and match.  I usually take the multi-colored bracelets and pair them with the one solid green one.




       I've got my eye on more of these bracelets because the quality is so excellent and the colors are so vivid!  
      "Sashka Co. Bracelets roll over any size hand for a perfect fit. Our glass beaded bracelets are hand crocheted by skilled artisan women in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. Your purchase empowers women in need through fair trade. Free Worldwide Shipping!"

      I love how Sashka always has great sales going on.  Just check out their Facebook page to see the latest promotion! 

      Follow Sashka on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!



      Saturday, November 15, 2014

      Sabbatical Sunday Link-Up

      I've changed the title to this link-up.  It used to be Sabbatical Sunday "Weekly" Link-up, but since I've totally missed posting it for 3 weeks in a row, I think it should be Sabbatical Sunday -Whenever I Get Around To It - Link-Up. 

      But seriously, life just gets too crazy and I get too tired and then what goes out the window?  My blog.  I know, how am I ever going to be one of those big-income, big-time mom bloggers if I can't even stay current?  Just forget about it, I'm destined to be mediocre.  I need to embrace it.  Jesus loved the humble folks! 

      I think our football season is just about done.  Timpview High School won their last play-off game.  Now it's the big one.  The state championship game is next week!  I'm so excited!  
      ____________________________________

        I like to take a break from the regular routine on Sundays, including my blog.  It gives me a chance to clear my head, re-set priorities and appreciate the many blessings I've been given.  I go to church, I reflect, and I try to find ways to inspire me to be a better mom, wife, Christian, and person.  Sundays are my day to take a sabbatical!  If you have a post that you'd like to share that is a little different from the ordinary weekday post, feel free to link up here!  We'd love to have you!  If you post a link, won't you take some time to check out the other links and follow, comment or share!   

      Monday, October 20, 2014

      A 3rd Birthday & #MyPostMonday Link-Up


      Yesterday was the best!  I love our family get-togethers!  It was my adorable nephew's 3rd birthday.  Everyone was there and the food flowed.   I brought my usual punch bowl cake and Natalie brought the birthday cake.  In addition we had some amaazing ribs, salad, baked beans, bbq'd corn and other yums. 
         Natalie's cakes are not only works of art, but they are gluten-free, so that our gluten intolerant uncle/relative, Dayne, can also participate in the festivities.  It is a courtesy that apparently even his immediate family doesn't extend to him, so it's really nice that she does that.  Plus, it was fetching delicious!

      Even though it's my nephew's birthday, some of  the other cousins were as excited as he was.  They like to check out the gifts, get in a little play time with them as well and maybe even help blow out the candles!


       Anyway, today is Motivating Monday!  We all need a little motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating posts, tips, pictures and videos!  If I happen to find yours, I'll link it up and let you know!  It's like being featured!  Sometimes I miss some amazing posts.  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase!

      Saturday, October 18, 2014

      Sunday Re-Cap


         This week has been crazy!  Some of the highlights were parent night at Timpview HS! The T-Birds have not lost a game yet, and after one final game, will be headed to the state play-offs.  They have won 10 state championships in a row, starting in 2004 and I hope that they continue the trend for at least one more year!  But my highlight was getting the flower from the coaches and having my son with me. 

         I had a walking date with a friend of mine who I've been wanting to get to know better for quite awhile.  She is so amazing!  She has a Brazilian resteraunt at the South Towne Mall.  I haven't tried it yet, but I know it's good because she is a wonderful cook!  We talked, laughed and had a great time.  I'm looking forward to trying it and coming back to tell you about it. 

         I like to take a break from the regular routine on Sundays, including my blog.  It gives me a chance to clear my head, re-set priorities and appreciate the many blessings I've been given.  I go to church, I reflect, and I try to find ways to inspire me to be a better mom, wife, Christian, and person.  Sundays are my day to take a sabbatical!  If you have a post that you'd like to share that is a little different from the ordinary weekday post, feel free to link up here!  We'd love to have you!  If you post a link, won't you take some time to check out the other links and follow, comment or share!   

      Monday, October 13, 2014

      Motivating Monday Weekly Link Up!


      Welcome to Motivating Monday!  We all need motivation!  I, for one, love to explore other sites for motivating posts, tips, pictures and videos!  If I happen to find yours, I'll link it up and let you know!  It's like being featured!  Sometimes I miss some amazing posts.  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize! Don't be shy--I'm really very supportive!  Remember, any link to your posts helps your blog numbers increase!

      Saturday, October 11, 2014

      Sabbatical Sunday Weekly Link-Up

       I like to take a break from the regular routine on Sundays, including my blog.  It gives me a chance to clear my head, re-set priorities and appreciate the many blessings I've been given.  I go to church, I reflect, and I try to find ways to inspire me to be a better mom, wife, Christian, and person.  Sundays are my day to take a sabbatical!  If you have a post that you'd like to share that is a little different from the ordinary weekday post, feel free to link up here!  We'd love to have you!  If you post a link, won't you take some time to check out the other links and follow, comment or share!  

      Monday, October 6, 2014

      Motivating Monday Weekly Link-Up



      We all need motivation! Did you find something that motivated you this past week? It could be a Tweet, Facebook Post or a blog post you like. OR maybe you wrote a blog post about something that gets you fired up, a rant, if you will!  That technically counts as being motivated!  I will definitely visit, comment, follow and promote!  I may even visit your site and if I see something that motivates me, I'll link it up!  Of course I'll let you know if I did!  Everyone is invited to do the same!