August 31, 2024

I love me a morning hike. The way the light hits the rocks is so cool. Also cool - having friends that like to do longer hikes with you. Claire and Spencer joined Darren and I for 7.5 miles from Grand Wash to Cassidy Arch, along the Frying Pan trail, through Cohab Canyon, and back to the campground. It was a great CR hike and we enjoyed some pie at the top. The kids and Kings came to join in the camping fun. We had a good little hike up Sulfur Creek (when we noticed an E Coli warning after we finished - we kept reminding Kenz you can’t get E Coli from having your feet in the water). We had a great evening at Panorama Point. Kids were laughing and dancing and it was outdoor togetherness at its finest. 

August 30, 2024

Labor Day weekend is starting in Capitol Reef. Wahoo! Some chili Fritos and a small sunset hike (Cohab Canyon) and the fun begins. Of course the deer greeted us at our campsite. 

August 28, 2024

I’ve been on a Celine Dion kick. Listening to her music makes me smile as I always remember when Darren brought home a new Celine Dion CD for me for no reason. We hadn’t been married very long and it made me so happy.  Good times in the mid 90s. 

August 25, 2024

Happy birthday to the National Park Service! It’s been a great NPS year. I visited 19 parks in the past 12 months. As always there were lots of Utah parks visits but we also crossed off 2 new parks (Sequoia and Kings) and returned to 2 favorites (Grand Teton and Glacier). 

“The care of the earth and of our natural environment is a sacred responsibility entrusted to us by God, which should fill us with a deep sense of duty and humility.” - Bishop Gerald Causse

Bryce, Capitol Reef, Zion, Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Bryce, Grand Teton, Glacier, Yosemite, Kings, Sequoia, Death Valley, Grand Teton

August 23, 2024

What a fun hike today. We went up Little Cottonwood to hike to Catherine Pass. Lorien and I went ahead and bit and continued our hike to Sunset Peak. Such a great hike with a big payoff for only 4.2 miles round trip. Flowers were gone but the lakes from above were beautiful. We had some misty clouds surrounding the mountain but didn’t get rained on. 

August 18, 2024

Some specific things that made me smile this week:

Senior Sadie. Topper Tuesday. Trail talk. Croquet (crochet). Dr Mario. Our park. Big horn sheep. Girls making fruit pizza. Olive Garden D and me talking with Cam and Sade. Epic game of Bang. Kids laughing while playing Mario Kart. Remembering how it was a 14 moose summer. Alma 48 with so many awesome phrases - preparing the minds of the people to be faithful until the Lord their God - band of Christians (who wants to join the band?!?) - no less serviceable - firm in the faith of Christ. 

August 17, 2024

Back to school party! Games (Bang, croquet, and Mario Kart) and pizza (fruit and Dominos).  Good times having us all together. “Why are all your kids here?” “Back to school party.” :)

August 16, 2024

Got to see my hiking gang today. The hike was not great for exercise but it was great for my mood. Always nice for mental health to be with these hiking friends of mine. 

August 15, 2024

Happy last first day of school. Senior Sadie makes me smile. I love that girl. 

August 14, 2024

What a good back to school tomorrow lunch at the OG (Olive Garden). Sadie, Cam, me and Darren. Loved chatting with the girls and eating breadsticks. 

August 13, 2024

Cloudy after rain summer mornings are so lovely. It’s also lovely sitting outside with Baylie. Then tonight we had a lovely soft yellow sunset after a crazy 20 minute rain and hail downpour. Running errands was even lovely with Sadie and Cam today. 

August 11, 2024

Pretty good week:

Seeing my work people. K C S bringing some brown toppers. Kids calling them browns. Hike with Kenz and Syd (so much fun). Wildflowers. Timp basin. Gandolfo’s sandwich. Dr Mario in Richfield. Timp basin round 2. Purple flowers. Goats. Pika. K C playing Mario Kart. Summer morning walking to church. Accord Lakes seeing my sisters. (And also so very sad to not have my parents at the cabin.)

August 10, 2024

Timp basin round 2.  Today's visit was with Darren and Baylie.  The yellow flowers had faded but the purple flowers were in full force.  We ended up leaving the crowds and hiking to the bomber wreckage through flowers as tall as me.  We saw a few goats which is always a treat.

August 7, 2024

Took a hike to Timp Basin. Kenz came as well as her friend Syd. We had a fantastic hike and were rewarded with 3 goats and 1 million flowers. 

We got to the sign and were a little disappointed in the flowers. Someone told us to keep going and 1/2 mile later there were so many more colors and it was amazing. Sometimes that extra little bit makes all the difference. As does someone to encourage you to keep going. 

11 miles for a great morning. Then it was Gandolfo’s for lunch. I told the 2 girls that anytime they go on a hike with me I will buy them lunch. 

August 5, 2024

Happy our anniversary! 30 years baby! A little 1994/2024 comparison. 

August 4, 2024

So many osprey on our drive through Swan Valley Idaho. We also may have thought we saw an owl but it turns out it was fake. 

But my excitement was real all day yesterday with all the mountain views!

August 3, 2024

Nothing says 30 years of marriage like a 20 mile hike in the Tetons! And an amazing hike it was. I finally got to hike Paintbrush Canyon/Cascade Canyon Loop. It was worth the wait and was everything I had hoped and more. We saw elk, deer, pikas, marmots, and a mama and baby moose. Thanks to the random guy who pointed out the moose just relaxing and spread out in the grass behind the trees. I thought this Teton trip might be mooseless but it wasn’t! So many favorite parts of the hike. Upper Paintbrush Canyon was gorgeous and my kind of scenery. Then the divide was amazing and more expansive than I thought. Then you had the parts where The Grand was large Marge plus flowers. There was also the smell of forest when you were hiking lower. I love that pine smell! 

August 2, 2024

I love this little town of Victor, Idaho. Apparently they have world famous huckleberry shakes. I’m not sure about world famous but it was definitely delicious! Great way to start the anniversary weekend celebration.