Summertime!

It's official, summer is here!
Yesterday we hiked one of the hill trails here at SunCrest. I love living up here...

To Ski or Not to Ski

When I started running a couple years ago part of me was seduced by my friend's description of bliss. You know... runner's high... when your running settles into it's perfect steady rhythm and you feel like you could run forever...you know? Not me. Running is never bliss for me, I enjoy it and even like it some days but I never seem to be pounding down the trail because I can't think of a place I would rather be. So two years ago I got a road bike and THAT has been fun, then this winter I did the craziest thing and bought a Sundance Ski pass. I've been skiing a total of maybe 5 or 6 times in my life, but with Brin in first grade this year I decided it was time to ski. My first day, I remember sitting on the lift as we started up for the second time and thinking what have I done? I have to come back here again and this is hard and embarrassing and I'm not sure I can or want to do it again. But I went back the next week and the next and the next. Then came Tuesday this week, I woke up again with that knot of anxiety in my stomach. As we turned out of the main part of Provo Canyon to head up to Sundance the police were checking for 4-wheel drive or chains because the roads were barely cleared and I thought to myself that I was in for a record short day of skiing because of bad weather. I announced to my friend on the lift that I was ready for the back side of the mountain today, one run down the front and then we'd tackle the back because I might as well face this unrational fear. The powder was deep as we started down and suddenly I was having fun, not just a good time but a grinning good time as I made my way down the hill. It was hard, and still just as steep but suddenly I was having fun! The feeling lasted all day, we skiied until I could hardly stand and I still just felt elated. It's going to be hard to get going again next week, but I've had skiing bliss and I can't wait to feel that again.

To ski or not to ski with Grandma at Solitude...Sadie:to ski, Em:still deciding...

2009 in Review

Butch Cassidy

Sadie: This weekend I ran the Butch Cassidy 5k. I took 3rd place out of all the girls under 10 years old. I raced a dog half way! IT WAS SO FUN! Later that afternoon we went to a frog pond. I caught a frog the size of a nickel.

Sadie crossing the finish line...

Emilee: I took 5th place in my age group: girls 11-14. I couldn't run because I was 11, but I walked fast and had an awesome time. We were with our friends the Claytons and we had a blast!

Brin: I took 5th place out of all the girls under 10 years old. I won a green ribbon for my prize. The race ended in a ghost town and we got to explore some of the old houses there. That afternoon we drove through a really long dark tunnel in Zion's National Park. We turned off the car lights and Dad drove really fast and we screamed like on a roller coaster!

Reunion

Bear Lake 2009

Emilee getting up on the kneeboard-look at that determination!

Sadie inside Minnetonka caves

Brin on the beach

After a vacation as I sort, wash and fold the piles of laundry, while the tent gets stored and the sleeping bags and flashlights put away and as I start to put the house back together I have had the following internal conversation with myself. "I'm doing it for the kids." "Some of my best childhood memories are the vacations and time I spent with my cousins." And by far the best... "they'll appreciate this when they are older."

This summer I finally admitted to myself that it is as much for me as it is for them. I love spending time with my family and extended family and I'd pack and unpack all summer long if it meant that we could be together. And this summer I did just that and for the record it was all worth it.

Camp

There's camp and then....there is GIRLS CAMP.

The ingredients:

1 campground

16 girls 12-17 years oll
5 women leaders

3 very patient men

5 tents

lots and lots of food

The directions:

Do a little hiking, a lot of eating. A little fire-building, a lot more eating. A little knot tying, and more eating. Then take another day and spend it boating, mixed with more eating.

The results:

Sixteen 12-17 year old girls (who started out with not a lot in common) who now really like being around each other. They still don't have that much in common, but what they do have in common- the gospel of Jesus Christ- is enough. The friendships they formed and nurtured through 3 days of girls camp have turned them into friends forever and a strength and a light to each other through the coming years together. And that makes it all worthwhile.

1994

• President Bill Clinton takes office
• Nancy Kerrigan gets clubbed on the leg
• 9 people are held hostage in the Salt Lake Public Library
• Apple computer releases it's first Mac computer with a powerPC microprocessor
• Kurt Cobain, of Nirvana, dies
• OJ Simpson leads police on a televised chase through LA
• ...and I graduated from high school

Tonight I attended my 15 year high school reunion and had fun visiting and catching up with old friends. Some of my good friends even won awards...longest married (14 years), most kids (7, WOW!), and farthest distance (over 6,000) miles. You know who you are, so now when you browse through my blog you're required to leave comments so that I feel important and am inspired to be witty and intelligent.

After a few hours visiting, I decided that 1) we're not that old, 2) we haven't changed all that much and 3)we really should stay in better touch!