Neighbors

We have the absolute best neighbors!!! 
In the house that Joe and I live in has been divided up into three separate apartments (one full upstairs and two small basement apartments).  The two basement apartments are reserved for married couples like Joe and I, but the upstairs is rented out to 4 single college girls. 

The couple in the basement apartment next to us are Caleb and Megan Hunter.  They got married just two months prior to Joe and I and are a joy to have as neighbors!  We have loved getting to know them and have actually developed a really great friendship.  So far we've had them over for homemade salsa and chips, gone to church together, and joined them for a fun Family Home Evening of rock climbing and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream.

Our joint family home evening was a great adventure since Joe and I had both never been rock climbing before.  Caleb, however, is an avid rock climber and Megan enjoys it as well.  Now that it is summertime and the weather is fitting, this Monday night was perfect for being outdoors.  The four of us piled in the car and drove up to Rock Canyon in Northeast Provo where we hiked a little ways up to a place that Caleb they liked.  We were climbing top rope style, so once we were all set up and Megan put on the harness, she started us off by climbing to the top while Caleb belayed her.  Joe followed after her, then me, and then Caleb finished us off with Megan belaying him.  It was great to climb to the top, repel down, and to watch each other do it too.

This was my first time rock climbing and for good reason too.  I am not-so-secretly afraid of heights.  (Yes, I am sure you can see my dilemma here.)  So this 5.10 grade climb was quite an intimidating thing for me.  However, for those who know my dad well know that he is also afraid of heights.  Even more so than me.  So as I climbed, I thought of him and of how proud he would be of me.  For those moments when I thought I was stuck or was tempted to look down, I reminded myself "I can't wait to call dad and tell him I did this!"  That idea was enough motivation for me to shake off my fear and to fake it till I made it.  And I did!  I made it all the way to the top!

After repelling down and feeling accomplished for overcoming my fear in the moment I needed to, I told Joe of my motivational comments to myself on the way up the climb.  Yet regardless of my personal fear, Caleb was distracted by another fact.  He could not get over the fact that I didn't break a single nail!  Not even a crack on my polished French-tip gel nails from the wedding.

So yes, I rock climb like a lady.

To celebrate everyone's successes, Caleb and Megan treated us to Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream where each couple shared their own concoction.  Joe and I chose a mixture of Cake Batter Ice Cream and Sinless Sans Fat with Caramel Syrup and Health Bars in a large Waffle bowl.

(I apologize if your mouth is now watering and I have sparked a Cold Stone craving.  It is hard to resist, I know.)

Our ice creams were devoured as we talked and got to know our neighbors even better.  Hopefully we will get to rock climb with them again this summer and try our hands more at this fun sport.

Overall, here is what we learned today: Climbing + Bonding/Laughing + Ice Cream = Beginning of a great friendship!