Alders in the Palouse!

We had a great (albeit quick) weekend trip that included a brief stop in my hometown Hermiston (call it a "cameo" appearance!).

As many of you know, Emily and I are alumni of the University of Oregon. I played the trombone in the Oregon Marching Band for four years and have a deep devotion to my beloved Oregon Ducks. Emily and I have season tickets and go to almost every home game (we make exceptions for special events, including my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary last year!).

I started wearing these awesome socks this season. GO DUCKS!

Last year, Emily's mom made me this reversible cape,
which I now wear to every home game.


This is my ever-growing collection of Oregon hats.
The Oregon Ducks football team has more uniform combinations
than any other NCAA team, with jerseys and pants in four colors
(green, yellow, white and black),as well as three different
helmet colors (green, yellow and white).

I've always wanted to take Dad to a game, but he can never seem to make it to Eugene. So, when I saw that the Ducks would play Washington State in Pullman this year, I bought tickets for Dad, Emily and me (the Ducks and the WSU Cougars are in the same conference, so they play each other once a year, alternating home venues).

As I've also mentioned previously, Emily and I have made a goal to go to attend endowment sessions at as many temples as possible. Usually, we try to schedule our trips with the temple in mind. Having never been to the Spokane Temple, we decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to go since the game in Pullman didn't start until 3:15 p.m.

After Emily arrived home Friday evening, we drove to my dad's house, arriving just after midnight (OK, so we actually watched part of the presidential debates and then went to the gym for a workout... and THEN we drove to Hermiston). We caught a few hours of sleep, and when Dad got home from work around 6:15 a.m., we got dressed and headed for Spokane. We arrived at the temple about 9:40 a.m., with plenty of time to make our scheduled appointment for the 10 a.m. session (One thing I love about the smaller temples is how quickly you can get from arriving to actually being inside the endowment room waiting for the session to begin. Since there are no stairs to navigate and no chapel, it takes just a few minutes).

ShepAlders celebrate their 24th unique temple visit
at the Spokane Washington Temple!

We had a wonderful session and really enjoyed partaking in the blessings of temple work. Emily and I have now visited 24 temples together.

After the temple, Emily said we should get lunch at Applebees so we could silence our growling stomachs and get changed in to our Oregon Ducks-themed clothing. Emily grabbed her clothes and headed for the restroom, while I changed in the car (Emily said, "You're a boy... you can do that!). By the time we got done and returned to the table, our lunch had arrived. When we finished, Dad got dressed in the restroom, but he hadn't seen the Ducks t-shirt I left out for him. I told him he had to put it on because both his son and daughter-in-law are Ducks, therefore, he is vicariously a Duck... and Ducks don't go to games without the appropriate attire.

We made our way to Pullman, parked near the downtown WSU visitors center and boarded a free bus to Martin Stadium, which is the smallest stadium in the PAC-10.

With a capacity of 35,117, Martin Stadium holds only
about 60% of the typical 59,000+ sellout crowd at
Oregon home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.

If it not's Autzen... it's not awesome.
But, we still had a good time (even though it was pretty hot).

However, the uncomfortable high-school-bleacher quality
of the stadium's metal seats was too much for Em,
and she fled to the wide open spaces above section 14.

The Ducks massacred the hapless Cougars -- whose sole win this season this year came at the expense of Portland State -- and by the time the game ended, it seemed that there were more Duck fans left at the stadium then WSU fans (many who left after halftime). The game became so uncompetitive toward the end that our mascot, The Duck, got into his pajamas and took a nap in the end zone.

In the end zone, the Cougar end zone, the Oregon Duck sleeps tonight.

The final score was 63-14, leaving the Ducks with a 4-1 overall record (they lost to Boise State last week, but we'll get our revenge next year with a rematch in Boise. We will definitely be there to see the Ducks and Broncos play on the famous SMURF TURF at BSU's Bronco Stadium).

Dad said he had a good time... and he even
wore the shirt I brought for him!
(Notice the sparsely filled stadium in the background...
WSU fans started to bolt in droves by halftime).

After the game, we drove back to Hermiston, stopping briefly in Kennewick for some dinner and Frostys from Wendy's. Emily had to teach primary today... and since neither of us are "morning people," we decided to drive on to Beaverton. We finally got home around 2:30 a.m.

Studying Statistics ShepAlder Style!

I have to admit that my studying style does leave a lot to be desired, but here is a look into how I studied for my upcoming stats test that is, yes it's true, in 8 hours.

11:06pm Finding myself angry that I did not decide to finish my homework and study for the test sooner, I scowled at anything that would look at me...
and then checked my status on Mob Wars.

11:10pm I prepared for a long night with a Rockstar energy drink.

11:15pm Feeling under-enthused, I contemplated my life.

11:48pm Deciding I had that "did nothing all day but complain" smell, I took a shower and redressed in pretty much the exact outfit I was wearing before.

12:02am I finally started getting some work done.

12:28am Being easily distracted, I got sidetracked by reading about criterion validity on Wikipedia, and ended up reading about people's lives on their blogs.


12:30am Josh and I watched "Run, Fat Boy, Run."

[Note: Our TV sits on the floor because, although we ordered a
media cabinet nearly four months ago, it has still not arrived.
Hopefully it will come one day. -- Josh]


12:52am The movie motivated me to hula hoop a little bit.


1:57am I became very discouraged with myself, though the fact that I was holding a yellow legal pad means that I was actually studying at this point.


2:36am I got bored with studying and decided to knit instead.


3:56am I decided that my real problem was that I was hungry (it had been 8 hours since eating dinner), so I enjoyed a corn dog hot from the oven.


4:48am Increasingly angry at statistics, I ranted to Josh about my frustration with grad school, then got back to studying. Of course, instead of studying I wrote this blog, but there are worse things I could have done with my time.

If I Could Be a Book of Mormon Hero

The first time I remember noticing Josh was during an FHE roadshow-- the different FHE groups in the two singles wards at the Eugene Oregon Institute were in charge of putting together five minutes skits or songs to perform-- and he was singing this song at the edge of the stage while members of his FHE group acted out the lyrics in period garb behind him.

At the time I was really annoyed because it was such a clever song and my FHE group hadn't even shown up to the activity! Josh says he came up with the idea after his group decided to do the oh-so-not-original idea of a "dating game" parody sans any type of script or real plan (Josh has issues with many Mormon clichés, but that's fodder for a different blog posting...). When his group got together for the next FHE before the roadshow, he had come up with this song as a decidedly more innovative group number.

Two years later, Josh and I started dating and I got to be excited about his cleverness rather than annoyed. Two (and a half) years after that, I made him record himself so that I could share this song with everyone.

So, without further ado, I give you "If I Could Be a Book of Mormon Hero," lyrics by Josh Alder (adapted from the song "Superhero" by Stephen Lynch):

Get me Some Stats Knowledge, Stat!

Class was so fascinating, I had to take this picture to
commemorate my glazed and vacant look of interest.

I have been in college now for almost 8 years. Sometimes, like during my statistics class on Thursday, it gets difficult for me to gain perspective about why I am still in school. Part of the problem with statistics is that this is my third stats class in as many years and I am in that awkward position of feeling like everything is review, yet being unable to parrot back the equations and definitions that would cause me to be the Star Student that I feel I should be.

The other problem with statistics is that it reminds me that I have yet to start on my thesis. I have talked to classmates who are both deeply entrenched in thesis stuff and others who, like me, have not yet even chosen a topic. It can get pretty frustrating, but then I have to remind myself that this is the avenue that I have chosen: thesis, dissertation, and frustrating practicum placements are all a part of what will make me great.

Eventually, like with my English thesis, this (statistics, thesis, school, practicum) will all be a distant memory. According to school rules, I cannot take more than 8 years to complete my degree anyway. So all I have to do is continue visualizing myself as the therapist I know I can be, and maybe (definitely?) it will happen.

LDS Temples: A Summer Adventure (Now with videos!)

I had a much-needed break from school for the month of August, so Josh and I decided to take one of the many trips we have been planning for the past year (other planned trips include: Washington DC, Hawaii, and a church history tour on the east coast) and visit all the temples we could fit into a week. Obviously it's been some time since August, but I wanted to post some pictures because we had so much fun. Some of the commentary comes from my journal entries regarding this trip. Toward the end of the Temple Tour it was hard to keep everything straight!

Day One: Boise, Twin Falls, and Logan

You shake your squatty body!
Boise, ID
"It's long and short, made out of grayish stone, and looks like a stake center from the freeway. It has a chapel, which is different from the smaller temples, but you then have to walk through the dressing area to get to the endowment room. The Celestial room is circular, which was different than anything I've seen."

The spirit of God, like the sun at noon day is burning!
Twin Falls, ID
"We went to the Open House [because this temple had not yet been dedicated]. The endowment room has a mural of the nearby falls-- I think the newer temples all have murals, which recalls the oldest temples. The largest sealing room held at least 70 people, with rows and rows of seats."



A bald eagle on a hill cannot be hid.
Logan, UT
"This temple was so off the beaten path! I think it looks like a bald eagle from far away (and you can really see it from miles away as you approach the town). It's gorgeous, made with reddish-brown stone, and is one of the first temples finished in the west [fourth to begin construction, second to start operation]. The inside, however, was remodeled in the 1970s and is now nothing unique, except that you move rooms once and can hear it when car alarms go off in the parking lot [which happened at the most inconvenient of times]."




Day Two: Bountiful

Now with more Emily Alder!
Bountiful, UT
"We did 20 initiatories here and it took [what felt like] forever. It's a '90s temple-- big and efficient. I don't remember much else. I may have gotten lost inside. I did that a lot-- wandered." Josh's aunt and uncle were gracious enough to let us stay the night with them, and I was ungracious enough to forget to send a thank-you note.



Day Three: Salt Lake and Jordan River

Possibly the only couple present who did not get married that day.
Salt Lake City, UT
"We were the witness couple, which was neat. It was a live session, meaning there are temple workers as 'actors' rather than a video. It's faster. Each room has a mural. It's old-fashioned (finished in 1893) and very ornate. Very big."



Outside was this statue and we just had to get a picture.
It's just a baby prophet!

The second-busiest temple, according to Josh.
Jordan River, UT
"This temple looks very dated from the outside. I think it was finished in 1980. It has a huge lawn in front. I think I had a hard time staying awake because it was a later session and I had a massage earlier." Many people have since told me that this is their temple, which I guess means I ought not to make any more remarks.

In homage to my niece:
Her name is Jordan, too!



Day Four: Mt. Timpanogas, Provo, and Manti

We tried to block out the numerous wedding parties with our big heads.
Mt. Timpanogas, UT
"There were so many people getting married there! This temple seemed like a bigger version of Bountiful. You could smell the cafeteria when you walked in. We ended up as the witness couple because another couple refused."



Fewer escalators, more awesomeness!
Provo, UT
"Josh was feeling nostalgic about his mission because missionaries go to this temple once a week while in the MTC. He remembered that there used to be escalators even though there are now just stairs. This temple is cool because it is rounded and there are SIX endowment rooms. Plus, because there are mostly missionaries, there were a bunch of languages that had to be made available."



Third temple dedicated, first temple in style.
Manti, UT
"This temple was exactly what I expected a pioneer temple to be-- it reminded me of the Beehive house [in SLC]. But it's really out in the middle of nowhere. It's stunningly beautiful though and built into the hill. Like SLC, it also does not have a video. One of the rooms had murals depicting Spanish colonization of the Americas." Josh says, "You're Welcome" on behalf of his ancestors.



Day Five: St. George

For fear I would melt in the intense Utah heat, Josh had to snap this picture quickly.
St. George, UT
"We drove to the town after leaving Manti [at 10pm] and it's 3 hours away. There was a lightning storm and driving was scary. The temple is very white, and I'm not sure if it looks whiter because of the red rocks as a backdrop or if the plaster used is whiter for some reason. This temple was also very busy with weddings and it got a bit crowded with everyone in the way." We got to spend some time in the visitor's center, which (thankfully) was air-conditioned.



We also saw:
im in ur piktur reeding ur placks.
The St. George Tabernacle



Recalling the story of then-LDS President Lorenzo Snow's historic trip to the St. George Tabernacle in 1899 (as recreated in the 1963 church film "Windows of Heaven"), Josh expresses that he doesn't know why the Lord has sent him to St. George.



The moral of this story is: proceed with caution!

Days Six Through Eight: Las Vegas!

We have already been to the Las Vegas temple, so we took a break from the temple tour on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday to chill (only metaphorically because it was 110 degrees out) and spend some non-house-of-the-Lord time together.

We stayed at the MGM Grand, famous for its golden lion statue and slow elevators.



We saw the shows "Ká" and "Le Réve." In this picture, I am standing in front of the massive theater-in-the-round pool used for divers and synchronized swimmers. It was amazing!



I had to dodge so many drunk people in the streets, I felt like I was back in college.



Day Nine: Sacramento

We have officially visited all temples in California!
Sacramento, CA
"Looks like a smaller Timpanogas or Bountiful, but the inside was set up more like Columbia River, WA. The woodwork inside was gorgeous."

Our crazy, madcap tour of the Houses of the Lord (and Las Vegas!)

Ever since Emily was endowed in May 2007 (in preparation for our temple sealing on July 28, 2007), we have made a conscious effort to visit the many temples owned and operated by the LDS Church. The only rule we have is that a visit doesn't count unless we do attend an endowment session (we did make an exception once, only because the temple had not yet been dedicated).

Currently, we have been to more than 30 temples. Here's the list of temples we've visited together in chronological order, as of August 2010. (Josh also visited the Ogden Utah Temple shortly before entering the MTC in August 1999 and the Mexico City Temple in February 2007 while on a work-related trip to the Mexican capital; sadly, Emily was not with him on either occasion).

1. Portland, Ore.
2. Las Vegas, Nev.
3. Oakland, Calif.
4. Fresno, Calif.
5. Columbia River Washington (Richland, Wash.)
6. Seattle, Wash.
7. Houston, Texas
8. San Antonio, Texas
9. Newport Beach, Calif.
10. Redlands, Calif.
11. San Diego, Calif.
12. Los Angeles, Calif.
13. Boise, Idaho
14. Twin Falls, Idaho (open house)
15. Logan, Utah
16. Bountiful, Utah
17. Salt Lake Temple
18. Jordan River, Utah
19. Mt. Timpanogas, Utah
20. Provo, Utah
21. Manti, Utah
22. St. George, Utah
23. Sacramento, Calif.
24. Spokane, Wash.

25. Washington, D.C.

26. Rexburg, Idaho

27. Idaho Falls, Idaho

28. Dallas, Texas

29. Draper, Utah

30. Oquirrh Mountain, Utah

31. Boston, Mass.

32. Manhattan, New York City, N.Y.

33. Reno, Nev.

34. Medford, Ore.