May 31, 2018

Kinda cool when someone you don't know sets you apart for a calling and in the blessing they seem to know you.

May 30, 2018

Awesome hike/hammock with Lorien and Sariah.  We hung out in the hammocks up an AF Canyon meadow with the most beautiful views.  Probably my favorite hammock spot yet.  Smile.

May 28, 2018

Good day.  Mason emails, hiking in Capitol Reef, and text with pictures from the senior sister missionary in Memphis. 

Hike was awesome with K and T and S and D.  But don't do the Chimney Rock loop - especially if it starts raining and it's windy.  Just take the same way back.  :)

May 27, 2018

At choir practice we sang "Army of Helaman" and I couldn't stop crying.  Waaaaaahhhhh. 

May 25, 2018

Got a good hike AND a good movie today.  Pine Hollow Peak and Solo for the win.  I do love me a good new movie in the theater.  We had all of us and drinks and popcorn for the awesome evening.  Too bad we had the popcorn gone by the end of the previews.  That's what happens when there's seven of you.

May 24, 2018

Good mom day.  Dance festival watching of Sadie, and then Ry and I went shopping and had lunch (Chick-Fil-A).  Lorien sent me a picture of the mosse they saw which at first made me wish I had gone hiking but then I would not have wanted to give up the Rylie time.

May 23, 2018

I've been in quite the funk the last little bit.  Not sure why - probably a bunch of different reasons, but getting out in the green today and hiking definitely helped.

I love hiking a new trail and Silver Creek (not the official name) up AF Canyon was so great.  A little short at about 3.5 miles RT, but the green was amazing.  And just after we said that it was like a movie set it was so green and mountainy and to cue the deer - we saw deer.  Like 9 of them.

Trailhead up the dirt road past Tibble Fork.  Just before the Holman Flat camp spot there's some logs to cross the river and the trail goes from there.

May 21, 2018

Mason is moving to Memphis.  Midtown Memphis Tennessee.  New adventures await, including district leader adventures.  Proud of that boy.  He'll miss Elder Broadbent.

May 19, 2018

"The summit isn't where you learn who you are or what you're made of, it's somewhere during the climb." - Melia Shumate (hiker)

May 18, 2018

That time D and I went to a BYU baseball game and we were way hungry and I pulled out a bag of nuts from my jacket pocket.  It was just what we needed to get us through until we went to eat at Burger Supreme after the game.  You never know what I'm going to find in my jacket pocket.

May 17, 2018

It was a kayak and Kenzie day.  Good day, right?  Lorien and Sariah and I kayaked a bit in the Jordan river (that is totally disgusting but still fun to kayak in) and then Kenz came to visit and we had lunch and chatted in the backyard.  I'm liking this South Jordan, 30 minutes away living of theirs.

May 16, 2018

Watching Sadie running track is so great!  That girl works so hard.  She's exhausted after her races and gives it her all.  Awesome.

(Sadie, Jessie Elswood, and Becca Bell)

May 13, 2018

Awesome Mother's Day.  Talking to Mason was so great.  He just seems good.  And seeing his face and hearing his laugh and watching him run his fingers through his hair just warmed my mother heart.  So proud of him.  He's the best and my favorite missionary. 

Also got notes from my girls and some hiking stickers from Kenzie.  I have been greatly blessed with awesome kids.  They teach me and are patient with me and love me despite my faults.

May 12, 2018

Amazing and frustrating and amazing and scary and amazing and beautiful backpack to Coyote Gulch.  There was D and Clayton and Sadie and me.  We went down Jacob Hamblin and up Jacob Hamblin with a side trip down to an awesome waterfall.  Summary - frustrating stuff first, amazing stuff second.

Flat tire on Hole in the tire - I mean - Rock Road.
Super scary way down to cliff.
Hot tent.
Sand everywhere.
Ants.
Squirrel eating through my backpack to eat a bunch of food.
Super scary way up.
Wind hiking out.

Sand castle building with Sadie.
Amazing alcove.
Cool water winding through the tall red walls.
Thick arch of Jacob Hamblin.
Grandpa time.
Tent Backgammon.
Big waterfall.
Small waterfalls.
Clayton eating what the squirrel left over of Mountain House.
Delicious spring water.
Hearing and seeing frogs while filtering water one night.
Natural bridge.
Awesome echo.
Horton - aka Cliff Arch.
Nemo's bacon burger.

The biggest highlight was probably the hour we spent here at the big waterfall.  Bare feet in the water with soft sand and eating lunch and playing and watching Sadie splash through the water with amazing beauty all around.  One of the best lunch spots ever.

May 7, 2018

Email day and a text from a member today.  Double bonus!

May 4, 2018

Mason hits 7 months on the mission today.  I'm so thankful he chose to serve.  It's amazing what the mission has done - for him and for me.  (This pic was as close to May 4 as I could find from pics he took.)

May 3, 2018

As much as this dog has exhausted me, there's something about petting a puppy that makes things a little better.

Also, time is different with a puppy.  Today felt like a week and the last week has felt like a month.

But Cam and I ate a bowl of ice cream outside while watching Baylie so that's good.

Also, listened to Elder Holland's BYU Graduation Speech that was way good.

May 2, 2018

"Walking in His paths will prevent us from tripping over ourselves." - Marvin J Ashton

May 1, 2018

Cam is an awesome dog owner.