June 30, 2016

Bike ride with Rylie and looking at clouds with Sadie makes for a fantastic summer evening!

June 29, 2016

Great 24 hour camping up AF canyon at Timpooneke with the Bell family.  The canyon is beautiful and green right now.  It was fun to sleep in a big tent with everyone (except Ashlyn and Cam who slept in the back of the Pilot and loved it).  I can't believe this is the first time the girls and I have been tent camping this summer. 

The Bells showed us a great idea - they write in sharpie on the tent when and where they camp and who they're with.

June 24, 2016

Good day trip to Richfield.  I love hanging out with my dad and mom.  And I got to see my sis.  My dad took Cam to get ice cream at the Dairy and I love that she got to spend some one on one time with him.

June 22, 2016

Playing HORSE with Sadie out front was a great evening activity.

Cam's "Best Day of the Year" is here with a Kelcie sleepover.

Also, bonus Dr. Mario playing with Kenz today.

June 21, 2016

"You can't tell me worrying doesn't help because the things I worry about never happen."  - Boyd K Packer. 

This quote reminded me of my dad. 

June 20, 2016

I like getting up and going running in the summer.  Something about exercise and summer morning that makes the day better.

June 18, 2016

Successful Draper Reunion near Meeker, Colorado.  It was much prettier than I imagined.  Here's some highlights from the trip:

• Having Cam find Kelcie and Sadie find Laynee.
• Evening nature walk with D where we found 2 deer and a screeching hawk.
• Drive to Trappers lake was gorgeous.
• Seeing an elk, cool ducks, and an awesome little beaver.  Watched the beaver for awhile then hiked to the other side of the lake where we heard ducks and threw a snowball. 
• Sadie loved the kayak and Cam loved the paddle board.
• Playing Speed with Ry.
• Going on an elk drive.  Seeing tons of eld.  Like a huge herd of 100 along with other little groups.  The herd had baby elk and we heard them call.  And there were two in the river posing for a photo.  If only I had brought a camera with a zoom.
• Seeing 3 little racoons.
• Brynn in her squeaky toddler voice saying, "I'm going to bite your face off!"  
• Sadie still loving the kayak and us two figured out that kayak is a palindrome.
• Cam and Kelcie took on Bridger and Jaxon on the paddle boards.  All 4 were in the water often.
• 4 mile hike turned into an 8 mile hike.  Mirror Lake in the White River Range of Colorado was beautiful and I loved finding this "one of a kind" lake.

June 16, 2016

"Be where your feet are."

June 15, 2016

Kelly planned the outdoor adventure of Hidden Falls up BCC.  It was good for me to just let the kids play in the water and for me to play too.  Quite enjoyable.  The girls and I had a vertical assembly line in passing water through hands to see how long there was still water.  Fun, I know.

There was plenty of fighting and arguing and complaining on this adventure even though it took us about 250 steps to get here.  :) 

June 14, 2016

Mason actually reported his evening adventure to me.  Him, Giff (Jacob), and Tanner went up AF Canyon and had a fire while relaxing in their hammocks and eating salt and vinegar chips.  Sounds way fun.  Except the flavor of chips. 

June 13, 2016

Somehow Cam agreed to go on a hike with me today.  It was such a splendid time with her.  How I love that girl and that she wanted to hang out with me.  After the hike we grabbed some shakes from In-N-Out after deciding we wanted drinkable shakes.  Good choice.  I went with strawberry while Cam chose vanilla.  What a great 2 hours. 

June 11, 2016

Oh I love a rainy hike, I love a rainy hike...

D and I went with K and T on the PIne Hollow Trail in AF Canyon.  It was such an amazing hike with the green and the slight rain and the green and some flowers and the green.  We had such a great time and saw some cool hawks.  It was also fun trying not to slide so much you fell on the slick, muddy trail.  It decided to rain pretty good on us on the way down.  All in the adventure.

June 10, 2016

First mom/kid hike of the season.  We went to Stewart Falls which was lovely.  So many good pictures from this hike but here's one of the gang in the parking lot after the hike.  Kelly is brilliant and brought ice cold drinks. 

June 9, 2016

The triangle Rubik's cube is a constant sound of being twisted and turned - especially by Sadie.

June 7, 2016

Al Fox Carraway:

"The gospel is not there to prevent hard times from happening but to make those hard times doable and easier."

"If we feel that Heavenly Father has turned His back on us, we're the ones who need to turn around."

"There will always be something to overcome, something hard to handle, or something new to figure out.  How unproductive it is to long for the trial to be over, to crave a fast-forward button, to hang onto the make-believe mortal vision we creat in our minds.  Stop living in the future, and enjoy today.  Search, learn, and find joy in your trials, because surely there will be many, consistent through our whole existence here."

"Never should it be about what you don't have or haven't gotten yet.  Don't let it be about what you don't know or can't do.  Embrace what comes your way."

June 4, 2016

Successful neighbor camping in the books for 2016.  Escalante treated us well - except for the broken arm by Paislee and the near head exhaustion on our first hike.  :)

It was the Drapers, Kings, Giffords, Bartholomews, Martels, and Pickles.

On the way home we had a good pop in visit with my parents. 

June 3, 2016

I do like playing around at Devils Garden Escalante style.  Also, LOVED our evening hike to Upper Calf Creek Falls.

June 2, 2016

Peekaboo and Spooky were way cool slot canyons, but I don't think I need to go back to them anytime soon.  It was hot and tricky.

June 1, 2016

From President Hunter in speaking of greatness, "I am also talking about those who instill in others faith and a desire to live the gospel - those who actively work to build and mold the lives of others physically, socially, and spiritually.  I am referring to those who are honest and kind and hardworking in their daily tasks, but who are also servants of the Master and shepherds of his sheep."