December 29, 2017

Pretty much spent the last three days hiking and watching movies and playing Codenames and Karma and laughing and listening to The Greatest Showman soundtrack and farting.

My favorite hikes were Tibbetts Arch and Murphy Point.

Things to remember -

• "Kenz just joined the farty party."
• Watching Wonder Woman.
• Girls ice skating on our Tibbetts Arch hike.
• Ice sheet challenge to pick up the biggest piece and having it not break and then dropping it so it shatters.  ("Ah - I like it when it shatters." Incredibles movie quote.
• Having one of the biggest laughs of my life after a random Kenzie burp.
• Kenzie's round of tickling her sisters.
• Cam being the best hike leader - "my instincts were correct" as she came back from going the wrong way.
• Lots of Karma playing.
• Darren choosing La La Land as the movie pick.
• Price Main Street Grill bathroom adventure with Rylie saying, "Beward, my poop's in there."  And not knowing there was a stranger in the bathroom.
• Random Partition Arch photo with Kenz and a professional taking our picture and still having it be a bad photo of us.  We just can't take a good photo.
• "Can I lick you?"

December 26, 2017

The Greatest Showman movie was so, so, so good! Loved seeing it with all my girls!

December 25, 2017

"It's not what's under the Christmas tree that matters, it's who's around it." - Charlie Brown

Christmas is great.  Happy kids and happy parents.  So good to talk to mason and yet so brutal.  I soaked all 35 minutes in of seeing his face.  He looked so good!

Other great things - playing Dr. Mario with Ry, Christmas snowball fight with S T and K, chimes, Karma game, D and Sadie playing Minecraft, Camrie's humor, etc, but greatest was seeing Mason.

December 24, 2017

Rylie's dance moves at 10pm on Cmas eve are awesome!  Also, Camrie's comments are so funny sometimes - "blow your hair back good".  :)

December 23, 2017

I love how Christmas bring family together.  So nice to sit and chat and laugh.

"When we talk about the birth of Jesus Christ, we appropriately reflect on what was to follow.  His birth was infinitely significant because of the things he would experience and suffer so that he might better succor us - all culmination in His crucifixion and resurrection.  But I also think it's appropriate this time of year just to think about that baby in the manger.  Don't be too overwhelmed or occupied with what is to come.  Take a quiet peaceful moment to ponder the beginning of His life; the culmination of heavenly prophesy but really the earthly beginning for Him.  Take time to relax and be at peace, and see this little child in your mind.  Don't be too concerned or overwhelmed with what is coming in His life or in your life.  Instead take a peaceful moment to contemplate perhaps the most serene moment in the history of the world when all of heaven rejoiced with the message - glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." - Elder Christofferson

December 22, 2017

Whoever had the idea to visit Capitol Reef today had a great idea. (Me)  Whoever chose the Cohab Canyon trail had a great choice. (D).  It was a great little hike that packed a lot of punch into its 3.5 mile roundtrip (that included a side trip up to see the South Fruita Overlook).  Lots of great views, an arch, the playground, wall pockets, and a little tiny slot.  The only mistake made today was buying the $5 gas station sandwich.  Yuck.  Oh, and the crowds were rough on this hike with us seeing two people.  :)

December 21, 2017

Stumbled across a few nature quotes today.
"Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer.  Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy harden nooks full of nature's darlings.  Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their won freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.  As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature's sources never fail." - John Muir - Our National Parks, 1901, page 56.

"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs to companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." - Rachel Carson.

December 20, 2017

That time you go running in the morning and a deer crosses the road right in front of you.

I love reading scriptures in the morning so why don't I do it more?  I usually leave it for the evening.  Silly me.

December 18, 2017

Email day!  I love hearing from my missionary son and love hearing how he loves the Book of Mormon.  I love that book too.  One of my favorite things about it is the reassurance it brings.  Like when we read 2 Nephi 9:18 - But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One Israel, they who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall full forever.

December 17, 2017

Enjoyed reading some President Hinckley and some Elder Christofferson this Sabbath morning.

President Hinckley - I invite every one of you, wherever you may be as members of this church, to stand on your feet and with a song in your heart move forward, living the gospel, loving the Lord, and building the kingdom.  Together we shall stay the course and keep the faith, the Almighty being our strength.

Elder Christofferson - To come to Zion, it is not enough for you or me to be somewhat less wicked than others.  We are to become not only good but holy men and women.  Recalling Elder Neal A Maxwell's phrase, let us once and for all establish our residence in Zion and give up the summer cottage in Babylon.

December 13, 2017

One of my favorite things is to have nowhere to go on a winter night and nothing to do but stay inside and stay warm.  Sigh.

December 11, 2017

Email day!

December 9, 2017

Had such a great Saturday.  First was an awesome card from my favorite son that came in the mail, then it was an awesome Facebook post from my favorite Elder (also my favorite son) about the Book of Mormon with a challenge I will be doing tomorrow, then it was a text from someone with the best picture of my favorite Cabot companionship sitting on Santa's lap!  Just so great!

The picture was so awesome with Mason and Elder Andersen and their Cmas ties.  It made my Cmas season.

And that card!  With mustache men all over!  It could not have made me happier because I loved everything about it.

And I love the Book of Mormon and seeing missionaries share their love of it is awesome.

December 8, 2017

Last night some of us went to the King's to watch Psych - The Movie (since they have the channel and we don't).  So funny and how I missed Mason and wanted to be watching it with him and yet so glad he's doing something more than watching the Psych Movie.  I loved when Kenz and Mason would watch Psych together.

December 7, 2017

Hiked a very cold hike up Pine Hollow.  Started at 14 degrees and ended at 24 degrees.  Brr.  But at the second meadow it was sunny and there was a tangible warmth and I just wanted to stay there and soak it all in.  Then in scripture reading I came across this quote from Sister Virginia Jensen from October 2000 GC.  "We can find ourselves in places of darkness from time to time.  We may wander into dark, spiritual caverns when we make foolish choices, admit harmful influences int our lives, or turn away from the light of the gospel to embrace the world just a little longer.  It may seem harmless at first - just a little exploring, that's all.  Before we know it, we become separated from the light and left in darkness alone.  Why do we remain in darkness when such rescuing light awaits us?  Let us bask in the warm and illuminating light provided by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Let the Savior's kindly light lead us one step at a time.  Let covenants and commandments keep us safe as we follow the gospel pathway to our heavenly home."  I loved the bask in the warm.  It's a good feeling to bask in the warmth and I had just experienced it at the second meadow.

December 5, 2017

Cam calls everyone "Bro".  Like I say - Cam, will you empty the dishwasher?  And she says - Sure Bro.  :)

December 4, 2017

Happy email day!

December 3, 2017

I went to Young Women (camp director me) and they asked everyone to share a time this week we felt the Spirit and I thought about my week and how it was long (there was puking here) but oh so good.  I felt the Spirit taking care of the kids when they were sick, when I did Family History and found some names for the temple, when I went to the temple and id initiatory, when I went to the temple again on Saturday and did a session, when I read Mason's emails, when I was in the mountains on a hike, chatting with my friends about gospel things, reading scriptures, getting the text from Sister Rasmussen, when I watch the Light the World videos, when I try and do a little something for Light the World, etc.  Needless to say it ended up being a great week.

The First Presidency Christmas Devotional just topped things off.  It was great.  And the first song - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was so good.

December 1, 2017

BYU volleyball and the BYU art museum made for an entertaining evening with D, Ry, and Sadie.  They volleyball game had some amazing rallies.  Way fun to watch.  And if you end up in the student section, you'll want to move.  Also, you may be more entertained at the art museum by a mirror than the actual art. 

November 30, 2017

Received an awesome random text tonight from a senior Sister missionary from the ALRM mission that was just released.  The text warmed my mother heart and put a big smile on my face. 

Sister Draper, this is Sister Rasmussen.  Your son was in our district.  My husband and I just left Jacksonville to come home (Alpine) from our mission.  We just didn't get to spend nearly enough time with him.  He's a great guy, so personable!  He's going to be an awesome missionary.  You'll be so proud of him!!

November 29, 2017

Ry has some serious mini orange peeling skills.  She can peel it in one peel.  Impressive, right?!

November 27, 2017

Put together a little Cmas package for Mason tonight.  We included a daily quote by President Monson book where we added quotes and a few memories on random days.  Our go to quotes were from Nacho Libre and School of Rock.  Apparently Jack Black is the one to quote.  :). There were also a few from The Office.  Fun, I know.

November 24, 2017

Cam and Kenz were way funny tonight as they solo sang some Troy and Gabriella duets turning sideways for the different parts.  Cracked us up!

November 23, 2017

Two awesome things today on Thanksgiving - 1. Text of my missionary from someone I don't know.  2.  Sitting in Cam's room with all of us laughing and chatting at 10pm.

November 22, 2017

Happy D's birthday!  #46 was celebrated with a birthday eve movie (Justice League), a hike to Desolation Lake that needed spikes, a closed museum, and birthday dinner at Los Hermanos.  Kenz and Ry joined in some of the festivities while Cam and Sadie had a sleepover in South Jordan with the Kynastons.

The hike was awesome.  It was quite the workout with slippery snow and coming down it was sloshy and really wet but the frozen lake was worth it.  So pretty.  5 things to remember:

1.  D's Sneeze echo at the lake.
2.  Darren saying, "Don't eat too much" and then Kenz looks over as she has just inhaled her Jimmy John's sandwich.  The look on her face was priceless.
3.  Kenzie's lettuce face from #2 while taking pictures that we didn't notice for a bit.
4.  "Smells like Christmas."
5.  Bunting a snowball and thinking how good of a snowball thrower Mason is.

November 21, 2017

Pickleball at the Bateman's was an awesome 1/2 hour.  So was watching the cousins play knee soccer in the basement.  It was D's first time playing pickleball.

November 20, 2017

Email days are so awesome.  This week included a blurb that every mom loves to hear:

"Thanks for everything mom.  I just want to say thank you for literally everything everything you do.  I don't thank you enough.  I appreciate the dinners you made (I miss your dinners ha ha) and I miss you doing my laundry for so many years :) and just all that you do.  I don't say it enough but I love you and appreciate you mom."

November 16, 2017

That moment when Cam is dancing around the kitchen when there's no music on and you ask her what music is in her head ad she says - High School Musical.

And then later I ask her for chocolate and she says, "You provide me with a house, I guess I can provide you with chocolate."  :)

November 15, 2017

After two weeks off of running (where I run a wimpy mileage of 3.1) with back issues, a 31:11 3.1 mile run was a little painful.  Left knee hurt, right groin hurt, and back hurt.  And yet it felt so good to get out.

November 14, 2017

"Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle.  It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God.  Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God's love." - Sister Bonnie D Parkin

November 13, 2017

Another awesome email day complete with photos and a video diary recap of the day with Mason and Elder Andersen.  Loved seeing that boy laugh. 

November 11, 2017

Cabin 2017 went way too fast.  This year was movies and lot of chatting.  Good time with Tara and Patty.

November 8, 2017

"Nature is one of the most underutilized treasures in life.  It has the power to unburden hearts and reconnect to that inner place of peace."  - Janice Anderson

November 6, 2017

Monday's are just the best.  Who knew that emails could make a Monday the favorite day of the week?  This week's lesson from Mason - even when things are super frustrating, just sing a song about it and get back to work.  Love the Elder!  His companion has been a good fit for him.  Here's a little of his group email, "Anyways that was my week.  It has been a really tiring week but as of right now I'm in a good mood and as Nacho Libre would say - my life's good.  Reaaaaal good.  I love my companion and we have already had such an awesome time so I'm excited for the next 10 weeks with him."

November 5, 2017

Sunday game playing fun including K and T.  Telestrations funny of birthday poop.  Or party pooper for the win.  :)

November 4, 2017

Today marks one month down for Mason and the mission.  I hope the rest of the months go by faster than this one because this one took for-ev-er.

I helped coach Sadie's soccer team this fall and had such a good time.  Sadie really improved this season.  She's always known where to be, but this season her ball contact has been solid.  She had quite a few solid passes today, one for an assist to Becca.  The team came back and tied a really good team to end the season.  Wahoo. 

November 3, 2017

Such a great hike to Desolation Lake today.  I love this hike.  We (me, Lorien, and Sariah) had so much fun.  We laughed and joked and froze and tied our hoods on tight and huddled by a rock to have a snack, and just had a great time.  Apparently we spotted a rare bird on our hike.  A goshawk.  The nature nerd in me was geeking out after I posted a pic on FB asking people if they knew what it was and everyone was excited and impressed that we saw this.  Oh, and we saw a far away moose at the end of our hike.

November 2, 2017

Cam is so funny.  Tonight she asked Darren if sometimes when he's at work when he goes to the bathroom does he sit there for awhile to get out of a little work?  :)  Silly girl. 

October 30, 2017

Email day is just the best.  I just love hearing from Elder Draper - he inspires me and makes me laugh and humors me and is a great kid. 

October 28, 2017

Our last full soccer Saturday pretty much summed up the season - a win, a tie, and a loss.

Also, I love coming home after being out with D and seeing evidence of the girls doing things together (monster pics) and finding Ry and Cam laughing and playing games on Cam's bed.

October 24, 2017

After a long day of traveling and a very long layover - Mason made it to Arkansas.  It was great to email with him today and hear his awesome story of giving away his first Book of Mormon.  Love that Elder.  I prayed for a smooth journey for the missionaries but if not let them figure it out.  I got the - figured it out - after a cancelled flight.  It probably worked better that way anyway.  God is good.

(Mason and companion Elder Nelson)

October 21, 2017

Red Cliffs Reserve sand hill is awesome.  I love the feel of sand on my feet and it was so pretty.  Sitting with the girls on the hill was relaxing and fantastic (D hiked to Babylon Arch).

Swimming at the hotel got me mom points.  The girls loved it and I'm glad we took to time to let them enjoy that.

October 20, 2017

I love the Taylor Creek hike.  Walking across the creek lots of times and seeing orange walls plus the yellow leaves as we got farther in was awesome.  The alcove was cool.  The girls hiking six miles was an accomplishment.  Love chatting with Sadie on hikes.  Dinner with D's parents in Mesquite was a good end to a good day.  As was seeing Gma O. 

October 19, 2017

This year's pumpkin patch was sort of a creepy Halloween experience with beetles all over most of the pumpkins.  We still accomplished getting some pumpkins.

October 18, 2017

15 for Rylie.  Happy birthday to this great girl!  She is just fantastic.  One of my favorite things about her is how she gets along with anyone.  To celebrate there was the movie last night, shakes and shopping with her friend Jordyn, and a party with some other friends.

October 17, 2017

I got to go with Ry to the movie.  That doesn't happen enough as I totally love it.  It was a pre-birthday movie seeing The Mountain Between Us.

October 15, 2017

Good Sabbath with three sacrament meetings.  First was Bri Peterson's homecoming.  So good to see her and Emma who I coached with AF softball.  Second was Chris Whatcott's farewell.  He and Mason will overlap in the MTC for a week.  Third was our ward.  It was an uplifting and good Sabbath.

October 14, 2017

It was a soccer Saturday but mostly a miss Mason day.  For some reason he was on my mind all day.  Miss that boy.  I have to remind myself that if he was home he'd most likely be at work or playing video games and not necessarily hanging out with me.  :)  Still miss that boy. 

On the soccer Saturday part of today, Sadie played so well.  She had such a great game - passing and defending and chasing and hustling and smiling.

October 13, 2017

What a good hiking day.  7.5 miles up Grovecreek, over, and down Battlecreek.  Then for date night D and I hiked up Dry Creek to the first meadow.  Fall was on display with beautiful leaves.  Battlecreek was so pretty yellow while Dry Creek was more red.  All of it was so fall pretty.

October 10, 2017

Email day! Yeehah! So good to hear from Mason.  Like so, so good.  And cool to hear my prayer was answered.  I'd been praying that he would laugh each day and Mason told me his companion is super funny and makes him laugh all the time.

Elder Lee, Elder Cundick, Elder Draper, Elder Nelson (companion), 

Elder Collins, and Elder Gillmore

October 9, 2017

The good thing about not having a soccer carpool is that I get to ride with Rylie to all (almost all) her practices and games.  We decided seat heaters are such a great invention and are especially wonderful after cold games.

October 8, 2017

Mockshnow.  Such a great get together with my Snow friends and spouses plus kids.  It's been quite a few years since the boys have gotten together with us.  In the past few years they've taken a back seat to letting the girls get together without having to juggle as many schedules. Good hang out at Tara's house.  I just really like when I can get together with my friends.  25+ years with these ladies.  And 20+ years with all the spouses.

October 7, 2017

Happy birthday to our now teenager Camrie!  Party last night with friends that included games outside and inside, some Psych, and a campfire.  Today was lunch at The Old Spaghetti Factory, presents, her soccer game, and Spider-Man.

Cam makes life better.  Whether it's through her humor, her thankfulness, her silliness, her peacemaker-ness, her thoughtfulness, and everything else about her - she just makes life better.

Thirteen things about Cam:

1. Her favorite restaurants are Spaghetti Factory and Panda Express.
2. She loves popcorn almost as much as Mason.
3. Soft blue is her favorite color.
4. She talks in different accents - often for most of the day.
5. She wants her bed "perfectly made".
6. She is always coloring or drawing or creating or lettering.
7. She does not like school.
8. She is so good to hang out with just family.
9. PB M&Ms are her favorite.
10. She likes her room clean and does a good job at keeping it clean.
11. She doesn't really like long sleeve shirts.
12. California beaches are her favorite place to be.
13. She has awesome dance moves when she hears the right music. 

October 5, 2017

Rylie's having a rough time as she just sent away her new best friend for two years.  When Mason's friends left on a mission and to school, Ry got to hang out with Mason a lot.  She'll get through this.  I'm doing better today and am patiently waiting for the first email and picture.

October 4, 2017

Miserable joy.  That is the only way I've been able to remotely describe what it's like to send your son off to the mission and MTC.  We had a great morning all together eating at waffle and fry place on Center Street in Provo and then walking around the Provo City Center Temple (where we avoided all the missionary crowds who were at the Provo Temple).  And then Mason walked through the MTC doors and we all cried all the way home.  Some people are so kind bringing treats and flowers and sending texts.

October 3, 2017

Awesome experience of Mason being set apart as a missionary!  He's got this.  President Raines gave him a great blessing and we had good conversation leading up to it.  There were a few tears shed.  Happy tears from me.  And feeling the Spirit tears.  I feel like he is ready and there are good humble people in Arkansas that he will help.  Rylie had a rough time at first with lots of tears but we had a good evening afterward.  Some of Mason's old young men quorum friends and leaders came over and then we sat around and chatted and looked at old pictures from two years ago and decided that two years didn't seem so long ago so two years for a mission is not too bad.  ELDER MASON DRAPER!

Disclaimer - we may have wasted a lot of the day away playing Dr. Mario.  Good choice.

October 1, 2017

Amazing day!  Conference watching surrounded by my kids with an awesome family soccer game in between sessions.  My mother heart was bursting with happiness as we laughed and listened and were together.  The mountains behind our soccer game had clouds and red leaves and I tried to soak it all in.  And then the tears flowed from many as Kenzie said goodbye to Mason.

September 30, 2017

Bowling with - MDawg, KDizzle, Tanthecanman, Ryce-a-roni, Mamallama, and Daddio - plus Cam and Sadie cheering us on was such an awesome hour.  I hope to remember Mason's smile for many months to come.  And it was so great to be all together.  (And I may have won.) We had pre-bowling fun of old school Dr. Mario competitions.

September 29, 2017

Awesome date hike with D.  Met him in Park City and we hiked Iron Canyon.  It was a beautiful fall hike with leaves changing and an uphill workout and a great view and a moose!  The yellow leaves were so pretty with the sun shining on them.  Red leaves were pretty as well.  Darren heard the moose in the stillness and then amazingly saw movement and we walked through the woods to find it.  Moose whisperer.  :)

September 28, 2017

Can't quite get enough going to lunch with Mason.  Today's eating was at Chick Fil A.

September 26, 2017

"In today's world it is tougher and tougher to be awed by ordinary things.  Make an extra effort to find awe in the everyday aspects of your life and take a moment to say, 'Wow!'." - David W Hart, BYU Speech

September 25, 2017

Drove to Logan with Rylie for a soccer game.  4 hours of driving on a Monday evening was made bearable by dinner with K and T and singing High School Musical with Ry.

September 24, 2017

What a great day!  Awesome farewell talk by Mason followed by lots of family and friends crammed in our little house (it was a cold and rainy Sunday) to show support for the leaving missionary.  There was lots of love felt. 

Clay also had his farewell today.  They both talked about what an influence Brother Moen was as a Deacon leader and Bro Moen was in attendance so that was kinda cool. 

September 23, 2017

I just love when K and T come to visit.  Lots of game playing and laughing and hanging out and fun and family pictures this time.  Pics turned out pretty good.  Kelly took them.

September 21, 2017

Sent Sadie off to Clear Creek today.  She's going to love it.  And come back doing boondoggle.  :)

September 17, 2017

Who knew that the Fort Collins/Denver area would be such a great vacation spot.  But really, what a great vacation!  Seriously, just what I needed and now I will miss Mason even more but glad I had this time with him.  Burgers in Laramie, driving fun, chatting on the hike and avoiding crazy chipmunks, Mason reminding me to roll with things and not stress, movie and candy corn, rainy temple baptisms, Mason loving the Mexican restaurant, M driving us around the nature preserve while we laughed about watching prairie dogs and a hawk for entertainment, playing catch in parking lots, and best of all - the soccer game, cheering and watching crazy Colorado fans do weird clapping and people acknowledging Mason's Manchester City affiliation.

September 13, 2017

When Cam reads things in her accents - puts a smile on my face every time.

September 11, 2017

Awesome morning with Kenz in Logan.  She took me hiking to the wind caves (I've wanted to hike to those for a long time) and then we went out for lunch at Herm's.  Get the club sandwich and skillet potatoes.  (And I don't usually love sandwiches.). Mmm.  Love being with that Kenz kid.

September 9, 2017

Temple night with Mason was great.  He's a great kid and handled everything.  The Draper temple was very accommodating.  

I wasn't going to ruin his night with lots of pictures but I did snap this one that I like.

September 7, 2017

My kids came through for me tonight.  It was a bit of a rough, frustrating night where everything seemed to be piling up and I was making every wrong decision.  Mason was reassuring and positive, Cam was encouraging, and Rylie was amazing as she cleaned the kitchen without being asked.

September 4, 2017

Apparently 2 hours is our limit when it comes to lake beaches.

September 3, 2017

Fabulous Sunday evening.  D made brown butter spaghetti for dinner.  After dinner was Perudo for three rounds.  Then it was a neighborhood walk with all of us (me, D, TK, M, R, C, S) with bikes, scooter, Ripstick, feet, plus a football.  Then homemade popcorn and a little ice cream with a movie. ("42")

August 31, 2017

"Sunset skies, bonfire nights, I love the simple things - that's how I'll always be." - Tim McGraw

August 28, 2017

"If God were to reward only the perfectly faithful, He wouldn't have much of a distribution list." - Jeffrey R Holland.

August 26, 2017

White Pine hike!  The flowers, the pikas, the views, the lake, hiking with D - all so cool.  10 miles felt good.  I haven't done a 10 mile hike in a long time.

August 25, 2017

Sitting around a campfire is way cool.  You just don't know what kind of conversation you're going to get.  :).  And you might "dance when you're cold".  Quote of the night from Rylie "if you're going to burp freely then I'm going to fart freely."

August 24, 2017

Name that artist with Mason is an awesome game - even though I'm not even a challenge for him.

August 22, 2017

Making footprints from puddle rain on the sidewalk with Sadie this evening was the highlight of the back to school day.  Also, Rylie's first day of high school picture with her friends made me smile.

(Abby Marsh, Annie Watson, and Rylie - Skyridge High School - 9th grade)

August 21, 2017

Good day!  Eclipse, snow cones with the girls and their friends, and we threw back to school bedtime out the window and went to a BYU soccer game.  (110 minutes of soccer and 0 goals.) Oh, and a big thank you to the random lady who gave us some free tickets.  I saw my BYU college friend and coach Tammy (Horning) Crandall.  And Cam looked so cute going to 7th grade day.  Plus it's President Monson's bday (90 years).  Here's some quotes from a BYU Speech of his titled "Great Expectations":

"Good habits are the soul's muscles.  The more you use them, the stronger they grow."

"In the game of life, a second effort is often required.  The happy life is not ushered in at any age to the sound of drums and trumpets.  It grows upon us year by year, little by little, until at last we realize that we have it.  It is achieved by a body of work done so well that we can lift our heads with assurance and look the world in the eye."

"Follow the example of Christopher Columbus.  Take a leaf out of the log of his journal on his first voyage.  Day after day, as they hoped to find land and never found it, he wrote simply, 'This day we sailed on.' Perseverance will pay rich rewards."

"Remeber that when you help another up a mountain, you are a little nearer the top yourself."

August 20, 2017

Cam talking in her Irish accent this morning was cracking Mason and I up!  She was hilarious.

August 17, 2017

Sure like spending time with my girls.  Today it was Park City shopping (thank you Adidas store) followed by Waffle Love eating (thank you red berries and cream).  While at Waffle Love we met a couple who have been married for 72 years.  They were so cute.

August 16, 2017

Good day!  Morning hike to Dog Lake with 3 moose, afternoon hanging with the girls, dinner out with D and Mason to Texas Roadhouse, and evening Netflix watching of Madame Secretary. 

August 14, 2017

"If you find yourself racing through life, slow down long enough to take along some good friends." - Elder L Tom Perry

August 13, 2017

"When we are in the mountains our thoughts tend to tilt heavenward."  - Brother Gifford

And so begins the leaving of Mason's friends on different journeys for the next little while.  Tanner Beck is the first to leave - mission bound.  I will miss these boys coming around.  Sigh.  (Picture courtesy of Tricia Beck.)

(Muff, Giff, Tanner, Mason)

August 12, 2017

D took me on an awesome hike tonight to Pine Hollow Peak.  6 miles of great hiking.  It took us 3.5 hours.  The hawks were so cool to watch and hear.  The views of Timp were amazing.  The yellow and purple flowers in the aspen grove were so pretty. Seeing and hearing wild turkeys was so wildlife like.  The 2 minute downpour as we ran to the car was refreshing.  Such a great hike!

August 10, 2017

It's just that I really don't want summer to come to an end.  The early morning hikes, the watching movies in the day or late at night, the shaved ice runs, the sitting outside in the hammock, the scootering with the kids, the sitting around doing nothing - sigh.

August 5, 2017

D+A = 23 years today!  How I love Darren.  We make such a great team.  We celebrated with a baseball game (Bees), a hike (Circle All Peak), and a movie (Spider-Man).  Three of our favorite things wrapped up in one overnight stay in Salt Lake.

August 2, 2017

Good hike with the girls and and Kings to Cecret Lake.  That place is becoming a city but it's so pretty that even the crowds didn't ruin the experience.  :). We even found a parking spot.  Skipping rocks and chatting at the lake while sitting on a log was bliss.  And any hike that ends in JCW's has to be a good hike.

August 1, 2017

Great evening with the fam.  Despicable Me 3 followed by shaved ice was just awesome.  I love when D and I and the 4 at home kids get to hang out together.

July 30, 2017

Little Rock, Arkansas!  Mason is heading to Ar-Kansas.  October 4 will be here in no time.  Love that boy.