Going Crazy and Having Fun

I just spent the better part of today on the beach--if that's not tranquility, I don't know what is!

I think that the beach is by far my most favorite place in the whole wide world. There's just something about feeling the warm sand under my toes, listening to the sound of the crashing surf, and the carefree attitude that is enjoyed by everyone there that makes beach days the most peaceful day I could ever hope for. I love watching my kids play in the sand. I love running away from the waves with them. I love seeing the holes they dig, and the places there imaginations take them. I love sitting back in my beach chair and taking in the entire atmosphere. And most of all I just love being there--and I love it so much, that I just couldn't let the day end without expressing my thoughts about and my gratitude for a great day at the beach.

When I put Sarah down for her nap today, she had stick straight hair. It was falling in her eyes, but I promise it was straight. After she woke up, Andrew brought her downstairs and this is what her hair looked like:


I guess that this just means two things:
1. Maybe I need to adjust to thermostat and change her blankets because that look was sweat induced.

and

2. I am lucky to have a girl with great hair! (Great attitude however, is optional!)

What a cutie!

I just had the following conversation with Ben:

Ben: Mom, can I have one of those pancakes left from breakfast?
Me: Sure
Ben: OK, but can I put it in the thing that we put the waffles in to make it warm?
Me: You mean the toaster?
Ben: Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!

I guess ours should be called a waffler, because really that's all it's used for. Gotta love Ego waffles!

I really don't know if there are enough words to describe the weekend I just had. It was perhaps, the most exhausting, exciting, frustrating, frightening, tiring, painful, exhilarating and empowering thing I have ever done and I love every minute of it. (OK almost every minute). Let me explain. I got to be part of an amazing team for the Wasatch Back Relay. It is a 12 person relay race that starts in Logan and finishes in Park City and I don't think there could ever be a better race. First off, how could you not love running with 11 amazing women who make you laugh and more importantly lift you up when you are feeling low and inspire you to push yourself farther than you ever thought you could go! I got lucky enough to be part of the Joggin' Broads who are the most rockin' team that I could have hoped to run with. The only thing that I didn't love about the team was that there wasn't a chance to spend time with the other van--but I love them all anyway and will consider them friends for life. We set out on a journey of 180.5 miles and ended up completing that and gaining so much more. We finished in 25 hours 38 minutes and 1 second. There were 57 teams in the women's division and we came in 6th. Our overall place was 72nd out of 545 teams and our average pace was 8:31. If you ask me that's pretty respectable!

I also got the chance to push myself and my body further than I knew I could. I really think this race is more taxing and tiring than a marathon. (OK I think that now, but marathon weekend will probably be a different story.) I ran three of the 36 legs on the race and they were all so different and varied that just about every muscle in my lower body got a total workout and is completely sore. My first leg started at about four o'clock on Friday after noon and was 6.9 miles of torture. It was definitely my hardest leg physically, but it was so beautiful that it didn't phase me too much. I got to run on a dirt road and I was completely surrounded by the most beautiful green mountains and wildflowers and it was like I was running of the pages of a magazine. (Thanks for that thought Laurie) It was only after I hit the pavement that I really started to struggle, but I always knew that there was a car full of my friends just ahead waiting to hydrate me, cool me off with sponges and knowing that was enough to make me keep running and to lift my spirits. It was hot, but it was amazing.

My next leg started around 11:45 at night and I got to run the most fun 5.2 miles of straight uphill that I will ever run. It was so cool to be able to run so late at night and even though I knew what I was doing was hard, I couldn't really see up ahead of me, so it wasn't at all daunting and I just got to run how I felt and enjoy every minute of it. I also had the best playlist (for once) and it made the run even better. I think that was probably one of the best runs that I have even been on and it made me so excited for next year.

After that our team was off to sleep-or at least try to sleep-at a local high school. By the time we got there and got everything set up, we had about an hour and a half to lay down and try to get some rest, but let's just say, no one ever slept well on a gym floor while surrounded by hundreds of runners coming and going. By four o'clock, we were off again to start out last leg of the race. I was the final runner in our van, so I had to wait for what seemed like forever to start running. I was thrilled coming into the race that my final leg was only 3.6 miles but it ended up being the hardest part of the entire race. (I am in awe of your girls who totally rocked your 3rd legs that were so much longer than mine) On top of the lack of sleep, my stomach was churning all morning and so I just didn't have an appetite. I think running without sleep is one thing and running without proper fuel is another, but both is an almost fatal combination. I really think I could have handled both of those things better had I not been delivered a knock-out punch at the exchange. We found out at the exchange that our van couldn't follow me on that leg of the relay. I thought I would be OK, but it turns out running toward that car made all the difference in the world and not having them there seemed to be the one road block I couldn't overcome. Seeing that black suburban with the awesome pink letters on it was such an energizing moment of every leg and I didn't know how great it was until it was gone. About halfway through, I found myself wishing I could see them and being so sad knowing that they weren't going to be there. Mentally that was the one hurdle that I couldn't overcome and I feel like I should have done better on that leg. It will be my biggest regret of this race and it will also be my motivation to improve my mental stamina for my next one. By sheer will I was able to finish that leg and even though I thought I never wanted to run again when it was done, I have recovered and I am still so grateful for the experience. This leg was also a great lesson to me that you can do anything when you have a good support system, but when you are on your own, everything is so much harder.

After I was finished with that leg, our team got some much needed sleep and showers and then it was off to the finish line to wait for the rest of our girls. It was the best finish line I have ever crossed and will probably always and forever be one of my favorite races. I loved every minute of it--even the minutes I hated and I'm already looking forward to doing it again next year.

After running this race, I feel like there isn't anything I can't accomplish if I put my mind to it. Of course there are parts of the race I would have changed--like my 3rd leg (GU would have been smart)--but overall, I am so proud of myself for rising to a challenge and accomplishing something that doesn't seem possible. I couldn't have done it without my girls being out there and cheering me on and I want them all to know that I love them to pieces and count my lucky stars every time I get to be with them. My running buddies are truly one of the biggest blessings in my life and I hope they all know that I couldn't have done this weekend without them! Thanks girls for being even better than the best--I love you all! And finally I owe Craig a great big giant THANK YOU!! He is so supportive of me leaving our family to support my passion and I appreciate not only the love but also the selfless support. He's a great dad and husband and I'm lucky to have him:-)

I need a new swimsuit.
Swimsuit shopping is something I absolutely despise.
I thought I had better get a few ideas of where to shop before I take the plunge.
I googled "modest swimsuit."
This is what I found
The best part is the discount. (click on one of the suits to see just how much I could save)
I hope you like my new look!

Last night I slept over at my parent's house because my sister and her kids came into down from back east. Our kids are best buddies and since we don't get to see each other too much, the sleep over was a perfect option. As we were getting the kids into bed, my mom and sister needed to go to the grocery store but I had to stay behind because Sarah was having a hard time going to sleep. (Big shocker there). Shortly after they left, she finally fell asleep and I went upstairs to get a drink and found my dad was wandering around the kitchen talking to himself. I laughed at him and then asked him what he was doing and he informed me that he was practicing hisfireside for Sunday. He is the bishop in his wasrd and evey fifth Sunday they have a fireside for the youth at his house. (I know it's not the fifth Sunday, but he's leaving out of town on that one and so they bumped it up a week). I asked about the fireside and he gave me the brief rundown of his message and his stories that he is sharing with the youth. His message is about staying on higher ground and avoiding the temptations of normal life. It was so sweet for me to get to hear his little message, but to also see a bit more of him in bishop mode than I usually do. I know some of the responsibilities of being bishop tend to stress him out and wear him down more than others, but this is where he is in his element. He is such a people person, and he has one of those voices that you love to listen to. And I was just so impressed with the message he put together and the knowledge and wisdom he shared with me and that he will be able to share with his youth. I know that he's fun, and I know that he's on top of life, bu sometimes I forget that he knows so much and is so amazing and he really impressed me last night! After he shared his message, we just talked for a while--about life and church and responsibilities. It was one of those tender moments that I was so grateful to share with my dad. To say he has made a transformation since I was a little girl is a bit of an understatement. He has always been fun, and we have never doubted that he loved us, but the older he gets, the more of a softie he turns into. His testimony has grown so much even since I have been married and I am in awe of the man he is and constantly grateful that I get to have his influence in my life! He is kind and generous and I know there is not a thing in the world that he wouldn't do for me and my family. I'm so grateful to have the priveledge of being his daughter. I love you dad!

We had a great father's day weekend at our house and I truly am so grateful to have so many wonderful father's in our lives. The weekend started out with a very early trip down to Craig's parent's house to help with some yard work and to take some time to visit with his parent's. His dad really is getting up there in years, and because of that I don't think I ever got the chance to know what Craig's dad is really like. But I do know that Craig is who he is largely because of my father-in-law and I will be forever grateful for that. The whole time I have know Craig's dad, he has been a very quiet and solitary, but despite that I know that he is extremely loving and generous. In his day, he was a cattle rancher and has a strong work ethic that he (and his wife) have passed on to every single one of their kids. Now he doesn't have the best health and has no energy and has to be on oxygen all the time and while I know it is hard on him, I am still grateful that we have him around and that our kids get to know their Grandpa just a little bit better.

Besides our visit to see Craig's parents, we also had a small (very small) Father's day party at our house. Since we go to church at 9:00 a.m. there were no great father's day festivities in the morning. (I did remember to wish Craig a Happy Father's day as we finally sat down in sacrament meeting). After church I had to go to a quick meeting and when I came back I was happy to see that Andrew had taken it upon himself to get our Father's Day presents and "decorations" all set up. He was so cute after his lunch, he wrapped all our presents and made these signs and set everything up all by himself without even asking for help. I was so touched when I came home and saw everything all set up and ready to go--what a sweet kid! Of course once I was there that meant it was time to open presents (we went low key on purpose) and the kids loved seeing Craig open the things they had picked out--they were so excited to get him a water bottle that matched the rest of us and a green shirt that will fit right in at this work. Then Craig got to go and take his traditional Father's day nap. Later that evening my dad, mom, sister and uncle came down for dessert. We had carrot cake and spice cake--the favorites of both the fathers in my life--carrot for Craig and spice for my dad. We enjoyed everyone's company and really had a great time together.

I am so grateful for both Craig and my dad--they are both so important to me and such strong influences in my life and I love them both to pieces. My dad is the best dad anyone could ask for. He is kind, caring, loving and generous. He is such a joker and such a softie all at the same time. I love him to pieces, and my kids absolutely adore him.

And of course, my father's day recap wouldn't be complete without Craig because he is the most important father in my life and he truly is a great husband and father.such a softie all at the same time. I He is one of those dad's who don't mind getting down and dirty with the kids. He plays hard and isn't afraid (at least sometimes) to take on the responsibilities of motherhood. When I'm not around, he always makes an extra effort to take the kids on some kind of outing or to do something super fun with them. He adores each and every one of our kids and his adoration is returned ten fold. Every child has had their turn as toddlers to run to the door yelling "DADDY" as he returns home from work. Every one of them feels special and loved by him and we are all so grateful that he is our dad and that he is in our lives to teach us and love us every day! I couldn't ask for a better father for my kids and I hope he knows how much I appreciate the fact that he takes such good care of our kids in so many different ways!

We had a great time at Summerfest on Saturday night. As always, we went with our friend's who we love so much and are so grateful to have in our lives. We kind of have the same routine every year--but as we were sitting there for the parade, we realized that it's actually getting easier. This was the first year that we didn't have a little baby crawling around. It was actually kind of weird as Stephanie and I sat back on our (OK her) chairs and just let our bigger kids sit up front and close for the parade. We both realized that our little families are growing up and it was fun to be able to make a side by side comparission of this year and years past. This year, Sarah was really the only kid we had to keep a close focus on. The rest of the kids are old enough that we could trust them to get back and forth between us and their parade spot without any worries. We even sent the oldest three girls to the port-a-potty's by themselves this year! It really was kind of nice, it was not one of those parenting moments that you miss the days past and are wistful for the fun that the little kids create. There was no wishing back the years, and we were just all very grateful for the fact that our kids are growing up and are able to take care of themselves a bit more than they could before. If the truth be told, I am actually really looking forward to next year when Sarah is old enough to be in the big kid crowd and I don't have to worry about her quite as much. I think we lost her at least 3 times during the parade and fireworks and I'm just really looking forward to her growing out of the wandering off phase. Despite loosing Sarah, she really was so much fun at the parade and fireworks. She was in awe of everything that happened on the road in front of us for the parade. When each new float or attraction came our way, she would get this look of surprise and excitement on her face that was just too cute. She would let out an audible gasp with her mouth in a wide open circle then put here hand up over her mouth. It was so stinking cute and I loved having her on my lap for most of the parade. She loved all the floats, although the ones with mascots freaked her out a little bit--every time one of them came by she would get all clingy and say "scary" minus the c sound. This year we changed things up a little bit for fireworks and I LOVED IT!!! We have always watched the parade on the lawn of a closeby church and then trapsed down to the crowded park for fireworks. This year we opted to stay on the church lawn and watch from a couple blocks away--it was a decision that was a long time coming and I think it's a varriation to our Summerfest tradition that will probably stick--that is until our kids are old enough to not want to go with us at all--then I might start getting wistful for Summerfest days like this one!

I have been thinking about this picture all week and I thought it was a perfect one to put up for my Friday Flashback. (Technically it's Saturday, but since I haven't gone to bed yet, I'll count it for Friday:-) This is actually one of my all time favorite pictures. Ben was only three or four days old and I had left him downstairs on the sofa and when I came back, this is what I found. It was the sweetest little snuggle I had ever seen, and Andrew had a look on his face that was pure contentment mixed with love that just made my heart melt. Seeing that look in his face and the love in his eyes, I knew that these two boys would grow up to be best friends and that Andrew would always be there to protect his little brother. And so far, I've been right. They really are best buddies and while they have their moments of sibling trauma, these two are such good friends that it makes their mama proud. Andrew also watches out for his little brother and is constantly trying to teach him things. I'll never forget the day Ben was born or the first few that followed. They stick out so strongly in my mind and there are a few moments from those days that are frozen in my mind forever-this of course being one of them. The other that I absolutely love and will never, ever forget was my phone call home to the kids and my sisters from the hospital. For my youngest three kids we opted not to find out what we were having, so the anticipation of their arrival was even greater than you could ever imagine. Since we already had Andrew and Madeline, we were all really hoping for a boy so that Andrew could have a brother to be his buddy. I went into labor in the middle of the night on a Monday, and by the time I got out of bed that morning, we had to call my mom to race down to our house because it got pretty intense as soon as I stood up. Just as we were leaving we took one last guess as to what everyone thought this baby would be and everyone was really pulling for a boy. Well, after a longer labor than anticipated, we finally got the chance to call home and let our kids know that they had a baby brother. I knew that my kids and my mom were sitting at home on pins and needles so I couldn't wait to make the call. After one ring, Andrew happened to be the one to pick up the phone and I told him the good news. I can still hear his sweet little four year old voice, so full of excitement, yelling:
"Grandma, I have a brother!!!!!" I instantly started sobbing because his joy and cheer made the day complete for me. It was also so fun to call my sisters, Heather and Wendy, who were both busy with something and were ready to dismiss my phone call. I basically had to stop both of them from hanging up on me by saying--"Wait, can I just tell you one thing..." and then I shared my big news. (In their defense, Ben came about two weeks early and I already had a date scheduled to be induced so his timing really took everyone off guard). It was so funny to hear them totally change their tune and all of a sudden be really in to what I had to say! Later that day, my amazing mother brought my other two kids to the hospital for a birthday party--complete with presents and a cake that his sibling's picked out! It was so sweet and we still have most of the presents that they gave Ben for his real, true birthday. (They are a lot of our toy animals).
AS I finish this post, I just want to say that I am so grateful for my sweet little Ben (who's not so little anymore). He is the most fun loving, laid back kids and I absolutely adore him. He has always been so fun and he's so laid back that I know he frequently gets overshadowed. I don't want him to ever doubt that his is such an integral part of our family. He keeps us smiling, he keeps us laughing, and he amazes me every day with the depth of his personality. I will be forever grateful for the day that he was added to our family, we would not be complete without him.

I recently acquired a shirt from my sister's DI pile. It's one of those high waisted shirts that flow very loosely around your belly. I have been hesitant about buying any shirts of this style because they remind me so much of maternity shirts and I just don't want to relive that fashion era of my life in any way shape or form. However, I have debated trying one out just for kicks and when there was one being discarded by my sister I figured it was the perfect opportunity to try something new. Yesterday was my first test run in the shirt and surprisingly I wasn't all that annoyed with it. When the kids and I were sitting around the counter at dinner time, the conversation somehow turned to my shirt and I ended up having to explain to them what a maternity shirt was. They thought it was so funny and proceeded to ask me to put something in there so that I did in fact look pregnant. Since there was a dishtowel laying on the counter I opted for that and quickly gained a baby belly. My kids thought it was the funniest thing ever. It just so happened that at about the exact moment all this was happening our phone rang and it was Craig calling to inform us he couldn't make it home to dinner. (Good thing since we were already in the middle of eating:-) As I was talking to him there was a background chorus of "Let me talk to dad" "I have something to tell my dad" and "Hey, give me the phone." I figured the kids just wanted to say hi, so I handed the phone to Andrew and was quite surprised when he said, "Guess what dad, mom's pregnant!" He then came up with a very convincing story of how and why I went to take a pregnancy test. I just giggled and then he handed the phone to Madeline who said, "Dad, it's true, Mom is really pregnant," accompanied by her own convincing tale of the day's events. And finally the phone went over to Ben and Craig was greeted with more of the same. When it was finally my turn to talk again, I had quite the apprehensive husband. He was actually buying into the kids stories and I just couldn't resist--I had to go along for the ride. After several repeated questions, I had him convinced that I was pregnant. The hardest part of the whole gig was not laughing--I was dying and almost lost it a few times--thank goodness I was on the phone or I couldn't have pulled it off. I know it was mean, but I figure if he is dumb enough to believe that I would let the kids in on this juicy piece of gossip before I let him in, then he deserved a few hours of agony. We had to end our conversation as he arrived at church for Young Men's and I honestly felt bad, (but not bad enough to let him in on the secret just yet). I knew he must be dying, our future plans do not include any babies and so this was a major shocker for him, to say the least. We couldn't wait for him to get home from Young Men's so that we could let him in on the joke. Thankfully it was an early night for him, so when we heard him come in we all ran upstairs--of course the dish towel was still in place--and died laughing as we watched the looks of realization and then relief that passed across his face. He was so funny that night as he told me the worries and woes of the evening which included but are not limited to--rearranging the house, getting on a new insurance plan, kicking himself for buying a new car, and wondering how on earth we were going to deal with another Sarah-aged child around our house! So I know I'm mean, but at least it was good for a laugh--right?

At one of our ma and pa training meetings, we were asked to prepare 9 devotionals to share with the kids while on the trek. While it seemed like a lot, I took the task to heart and we had a really great experience sharing our devotionals with the youth. As I mentioned in my trek summary we had a button for each devotional that represented what we talked about. Thankfully there are a lot of options when it comes to choosing buttons and we had so many that just fit our little lessons perfectly! The buttons were originally inspired by what I thought were ugly bonnets--I wanted to have a way to decorate them or spruce them up, but they ended up turning out to be something really great for our whole family to use to remember the trek a little bit better. In fact, at the end of the trek, Craig asked our family what each button represented and they could remember everything that we talked about--it was so cool! I also didn't want to forget what we talked about, so I thought I would put up a quick summary of each of our devotionals and the button that we had the represented them. The devotional topics are in bold, the button (object) that represents each topic are in italics

TESTED*TRIED*TRUE
A Button
This was the trek theme for the whole stake and we actually related it to a button. We talked about how on any given piece of clothing a button is put through trials and tested just by its daily use. We then talked about how it remains true to the task at hand by performing it's duty day in adn day out and told them that they are the same way. Even though their daily lives will put them through different tests and trials they can remain true to the things they believe in and have been taught and it will make them stronger.

THE SCHOOL OF LIFE
Various School Supplies
We talked about how every day you have experiences and you need to make an effort to learn from them. It is our responsibility to process the experiences we have and use them to make our lives better and we can't do that if we don't take the time each day to ask ourselves, "What did I learn today?"

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
Baseball objects
We mentioned that a baseball player needs to think ahead and be ready for the next move he needs to make before he makes it. If he's not ready for what's coming next, chances are, he will cause his team some problems. However if he is ready, he will be an asset to his team and make a difference in the game. Then we compared life to baseball and let them know that they will face a lot of different obstacles, challenges and experiences in life and if they not prepared for them that will likely suffer. However, if they are prepared for them, they will be able to meet them head on and turn a challenge into a success.

ATTITUDE
Happy Face
One of my favorite quotes is "Happiness is not a destination to arrive at, it is a manner of traveling." I shared this with our group and let them know that while they may not always be in control of what challenges or obstacles they face, they are always in control of how they respond to them and that a positive attitude makes any challenge easier.

KEEPING A STEADY PACE
Hands
Craig shared a story about having to climb a mountain and how it is necessary to keep a steady pace. He talked about the necessity of being prepared for whatever journey we might travel on. We then talked about how we must use our own two hands to do the necessary labors to be ready for whatever task comes our way so that we will be able to keep a steady pace throughout any experience.

FAITH
Foot
We shared the theme of a larger and bigger trek that was "Faith in Every Footstep" and then talked about how important faith is to our testimonies. I finished by sharing my story of the first marathon I ran and what a faith building experience it was for me.

ADVERSITY
Butterfly
We talked about the fact that we all face trials in life but that those trials are necessary to make us stronger and better. We compared our trials to a butterfly and how it is necessary for a butterfly to struggle out of its cocoon to make it strong enough to take flight on its own. Without those struggles, the butterfly would shrivel up and die but with them, they are able to take flight and enjoy a whole new perspective on life. Our struggles can do the same for us if we use them to teach us a lesson.

PEACE
Peace sign
This was our last devotional and it was very short and sweet. We shared the scripture “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) Then we talked about how no matter what trials anyone is going through they can always find peace if they turn to our Savior and let him help bear their burden.

Craig and I were so blessed to have had the opportunity to be ma's and pa's for the pioneer trek that our stake participated in last week. Basically we were asked to act as "parents" to a group of nine 14-18 year olds over the course of three days. During this time we were asked to dress in pioneer style clothes and walk in the name of one of our ancestors who had a real pioneer experience. We also needed to walk about 21 miles while we pulled a handcart which carried all of our families possessions. The stake theme for the trek was "Tried*Tested*True" and the whole experience is one that I am sure I will remember forever. I have had so many thoughts swirling around in my head about this experience which is why I have taken so long to post anything about it, but I think that it may require multiple posts so I thought I would start with a summary of what we did while on the trek.

Before the summary I do need to say that I really did have the privilege of spending the weekend with some of the most amazing young men and young women that I have ever met. I don't want to share last names for the sake of privacy, but I will put in first names just so that I don't forget--Megan, Christina, Kristian, Aaron, Tyler, Jordan, Colten, Brett, and Nathan. Let's just say that I was amazed and inspired all weekend long and I will miss them all dearly.DAY ONE (Thursday)
There was a group of about 180 youth plus 50 adult volunteers that meet at the stake center for final instructions and an opening song and prayer. After that we drove to to Elberta, Utah where the church owns and leases land specifically for the purpose of hosting pioneer treks. Once there, we got in our family group and loaded our handcart and were ready to roll. Since it had been raining all Wednesday and for most of the drive down there, we were a little bit worried about the mud, but it turned out to not be too bad (at least that day). We were in a group with three other handcarts and once it was time to head out our family was thrilled to finally be moving. After about 20 minutes on the trail we ran into a mob that separated our families, ransacked our handcarts and harassed us for our beliefs. The mob did a great job and my only regret was that at this point on the trek, we were still to much in "normal-life" mode to play along. I was thinking more about getting the caked mud off mine and Megan's shoes than I was about the pioneers and the fear and agony they must have felt while being driven from their homes and persecuted for nothing more than their beliefs. I also am in awe at the strength so many of them had to stay true to the faith and sacrifice nearly everything they had in the name of religion. Reflecting on that experience made me realize how easy it is to let the distractions of daily life seem more significant than what is really important and it also made me want to do better at focusing on what is truly important in my life. After we escaped the mob, we got to continue walking and at about lunch-time we took a short stop during which we all thought we were going to eat lunch. However, after about 20 minutes, we were asked to start walking again with no mention of lunch or anything else. The kids grumbled a little bit, but really for the most part they had a great attitude. Shortly after we started up again, we were brought our daily rations of a biscuit and a very small bag of beef jerkey to share. It was our stake's way of helping us remember the meager rations and supplies the pioneers had to get themselves across the plains. We were fortunate in that we got to eat lunch about 2 hrs. later. They had to survive on mostly biscuits and broth for 3 months of hard labor which is yet another testament to the sheer strength and will of the early pioneers. We were able to have our first family devotional as we sat down to our lunch and it really did set the tone for a great learning experience for our family. We had a button for each of the kids to sew on their bonnet, neckerchief or shirt that represented each topic we were talking about and they really love the whole button thing. (I will write more about our devotionals in a later post.) About a half hour before we arrived at our campsite, four of our men were blinded by a snow blizzard and we had to travel for 15 minutes with blindfolded men. It was actually easier that some of the challenges that the other families faced. There was a spot on the handcart for everyone who was blind and so all they had to do was hold on as we led them. When we rolled into our camp that afternoon, we had a few minutes to crash,and then it was time for games. We had so much fun playing all kinds of games--pioneer and not--the favorite of which was poison bucket. Best of all all the running, pushing, pulling, and playing really did a great job loosing up our bodies and no one was quite as sore that evening as they were that afternoon. That evening we were fed well and then entertained by a wonderful speaker/storyteller. We closed the day with another family devotional which was by far my favorite--it was about taking time every day to learn from your experiences. At the end of the devotional we posed the question "What did you learn today?" and we really got some amazing answers from our youth.


DAY TWO (Friday)
This was by far the most memorable day of the trek for everyone involved. We started out the day by taking down our camp and reloading our handcart. Since we were the last company to leave that day, we had a long wait during which we shared some of our pioneer stories and just hung out with our family. The day started out with much of the same. We walked and were met by stake volunteers who gave us additional challenges to face as a family. We also passed a woman sobbing on the side of the trail who had stopped because she had to bury her husband--again a very visual reminder of the sacrifice some early pioneers had to make. We also had to pretend our handcart had a broken wheel and lift one edge as we traveled for about 100 yards. I also had a baby which meant that our family had to carry me on the handcart for 30 minutes. This was by far the worst part of the trek for me--I hate making someone else bear my burden and I didn't want to make this experience any harder on our family than it already was. I tried to make the best of it by taking everyones mind off the experience by telling stories and starting games. Our family was so sweet to me and they really didn't mind carrying me at all--but I still felt bad. About half way through our mileage for the day, we arrived at a spot where all the handcarts were parked waiting. We knew something was up, but we weren't sure what. Our stake leaders informed us that the road we were supposed to travel on had been washed out and that rather than risk getting our handcarts stuck in the mud, they would like us to camp there tonight. They instructed us to unload our handcarts and set up camp and just as most groups were beginning to do this, an angry mob came in (with pop guns and all) and drove us out of our camp. At this point, the only thing that we could do was go through the mud. I have heard conflicting reports as to whether it was a mile or a mile and a half, but having traveled it myself, I am inclined to say it was a mile and a half. As we turned the corner to head down this road, everyone was greeted with puddles and mud as far as the eye could see. To start this stretch of road, we had to wade through a muddy puddle that was about knee-deep. After a moment's hesitation our family jumped right in to the task at hand and we had a blast working together and getting dirtier than I have ever been. (Craig decided to join us in the mud about half-way through the trail when he realized that it wasn't going to go away any time soon.) I know that the trek through the mud must have been harder work for us, but our whole family worked together as a team and we bore one and other's burdens and it really didn't seem that hard. In fact the hardest part for me was that I kept tripping over my skirt and almost fell face first in the mud several times. (I finally got smart enough to tie up my skirt so that I could remain upright the entire time). This was absolutely the best part of the trek--it was such a bonding experience to be able to work together with our family in a way that challenged both our minds and our bodies and I will never forget the experience or the laughter that accompanied it. By the time the day was finished, I was covered in dirt and mud up to the tops of my thighs, and I was absolutely in love with the kids who I had spent the day with and who I had seen rise to the occasion and spend a whole day laboring without complaint. I was also beyond impressed with the members of my ward family who trudged back and forth through the mud to help every single handcart company along the way. It really is hard to describe the impact that this experience had on everyone involved, so I will just leave it by saying that it was an awe-inspiring experience and it made an impact on everyone who went through it. Sadly this day, we also had one of our girls get so sick that she couldn't walk with us, rather she had to ride in a handcart for the last half of the trek. We really missed her in the mud, but I know that she had a learning experience of her own that let her know that there are always people there to help you out if you need it. That evening everyone was exhausted so the evening's games were scrapped, but we enjoyed the hoe-down and then split up into families for devotional/testimony meeting time. We started our family time with the mini-version or 3 devotionals so that they could get all the buttons we had for them. (The most nerve wracking part of that whole experience was that the newly called stake president choose to sit with our group and it terrified me having to talk and teach with him just sitting there.) After our devotionals we turned the time over for testimonies and let's just say we had one of those painfully quiet testimony meetings. After what Craig felt was a long enough time of the gut wrenching silence, he suggested that we try what we had done the night before and we went around the circle answering the same question: "What did you learn today?" If I was impressed the night before, I was beyond impressed this evening. The youth gave such insightful answers and through their words, they let us know that they had testimonies and that they were growing through the experience. My favorite comments were made by Aaron who let us know before the trek that he wasn't a fan of camping and that he didn't even think he was going to come. We were actually quite surprised to see him show up on Thursday morning. When it was his turn to share, he told us that he learned if you're where you're supposed to be, doing what you're supposed to be doing, even if you don't want to, your life will be blessed because of it. His thoughts just really hit home for me because so much of life is about doing what you are supposed to even if you don't really want to and for him to recognize and that really impressed me.

DAY THREE (Saturday)
I slept horribly because of wind and rain storms and we woke up wondering when and if we would start treking because of the weather. Thankfully we were able to go and for the most part, we had the same experiences as the previous days. We had our men leave because they had to go serve in the army and me and my two remaining girls pulled our handcart alone for about 20 minutes. We all wished it was harder, but were glad we got the experience. After that everyone stopped to hear some words of wisdom from the stake president and then we were asked to walk in silence for the next little while. There was actually a great spirit there as we walked along the hardest part of the trail in silence as everyone took the moments of silence to reflect on their experiences throughout the trek. I think everyone involved came away with a greater appreciation for the sacrifices that were made for us by so many of the pioneers to have the blessings we so easily take for granted today. We truly have a rich heritage to live up to and I am grateful for those who have come before me and I only hope that I can make them proud with the way that I live my life. Our final task we had to conquer on the trail was crossing a small "river" that represented the pioneers struggles as they crossed the frozen Sweetwater river. It was one last task that we all had to perform together and as we reached the banks on the other side, I was sad to know that this experience was almost over. We finished out the day with lunch as a family and one final devotional so that our family could receive all their buttons. After that, it was over, with a few final hugs and a few moments of reflection, we were done with what I know will have been a life changing experience.

Let me just say one last thing. I couldn't have done this if I didn't believe. There is no way I would have left my own four kids (two of who were throwing up) to take care of someone else's teenagers for 3 days if I didn't believe in what I was doing. This gospel is such a central part of me and who I am and it is what guides and dictates my daily life. It makes me a better wife, mother, friend and person. It gives me a sense of belonging that it so much bigger than myself and most of all, it gives me the peace and comfort I need to make it in this world that sometimes seems to hard to bear. I love the fact that I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and I am grateful to the pioneer heritage that I share with every other member of this church. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and is watching down on me, and for that I will be forever grateful.

Let me start my story with a flashback to my younger and dumber days:
When I was either 16 or 17 my parents were out of town and my sister and I went to church by ourselves. Our ward met for sacrament meeting last and since we didn't have parents there we opted to sit on the back row. As we sat down, we opened our program and there in big bold letters was my name. I was the youth speaker for the day. I had no clue, (OK, maybe I had a vague recollection of being asked a while before) and I certainly wasn't prepared. My sister and I had a quick conversation during which we thought the best possible choice was for me to just go home, and that is just what I did.
Flash forward to today where I must be older and wiser;-)
Craig and I rushed in to church during the opening song (thankfully I had the presence of mind to grab a program on my way in). After the opening song & prayer, I opened the program and yep you guessed it, there in big bold letters were both of our names. Yes, Craig and I were on the program as the first two speakers in our sacrament meeting--however, this time there was no vague recollection--we simply had not been asked. Thankfully our sacrament meeting was about the pioneer trek that our stake had just finished. Craig and I were ma's and pa's and had an amazing experience with some really great young men and young women from our stake. (More to come on that later). We also had prepared 9 devotionals for the youth in our group and I was smart enough to listen to the promptings that told me to bring my binder with all the devotionals in it to church. And while the urge to turn and run was still there, we resisted and ended up giving two sacrament meeting talks that were more from the heart than anything else we have ever said over the pulpit--and for today, I know that that was good enough!

We all know that white boys can't jump, but here is proof positive that white boy's can't dance :-) Though I will say he deserves an A for effort he really did know every move he was supposed to make--he even practiced them at home. And who knows, maybe one day, he'll figure out how to get his groove on!

My little Madeline is such a sweetheart. In the past she has had a bit of a well deserved reputation of being a trouble maker, however I think she truly has shed that image in the past few months and I am so proud of her and the little girl she is becoming. She has been trying really hard lately not only to make the right choices, but also to go above and beyond in having a good attitude and being overly helpful. (The other day she asked if she could scrub my grout with a toothbrush--I of course obliged). Anyway, tonight she has been on my mind (likely because she is sick) and I thought I would take a minute to post about her. We actually took our first trip to 7-Peaks today and while it was a lot of fun, it was cut short due to Madeline's tummy troubles. She and I also had to stay home from dinner and FHE at Craig's brother's house for the same reasons. While we were enjoying our evening at home together, she really impressed me two times. First with her compassion. We were just talking and out of the blue she said, "I feel really bad that everyone else had to give up their fun and leave 7-Peaks because of me." I just thought it was really sweet that she cared enough about the other kids to worry about their feelings when she was the one who was throwing up. The second thing she did that really impressed me was that she asked me if we could have our own FHE lesson. I was in charge of the lesson for our activity at Craig's brother's house and I got that together and ready for the boys and Sarah to take with them and really didn't give another thought to having a lesson with Madeline. She not only thought about it, but asked me if we could do a lesson on prayer and we had a really sweet and tender moment that reminded me just how much my little girl is growing up and just how much I love her!

I was looking through old picture files this morning and came across this picture that I snapped sometime this spring with every intention of posting it. Since I didn't get it done then, I figured now is better than never. I believe I was putting Sarah to bed one afternoon and when I went outside, this is what I found. For me, it was one of those great moments when you feel like you're doing all right as a mother.

Before I head off to bed I wanted to make sure that I documented what has ended up being a great day. I started my morning with my favorite way to start any day--a run. I left at 6 am with a friend and drove up to run on trails. Feeling up for an adventure, we headed off on a trial we had never done before. It was beautiful--it was just the two of us on what felt like the top of the world. The first half of the run was fabulous--dirt paths, switchback trails, the strongest headwind I have ever run in and of course excellent company. The second half of the run however, topped even that. After reaching a turnaround point and feeling confident in our navigational skills, we headed back to find the main road that we had run in on. We were quite humbled to realize that we have no navigational skills. What we thought was the right road, ended up being anything but. Once we realized that, we had no choice but to chart our own course. We laughed as we followed deer trails, picked up rocks to use in defense from mountain lions, and simply ran through completely uncharted territory. It was absolutely exhilarating and the best start to a day that I've had in a long time. I felt like I was a kid again reveling in adventure and not having a care in the world. (That is not having a care in the world but the Primary activity that I was in charge of at 9:00) Thankfully we were able to find our way back to the road we were supposed to be on and finish our run with ongoing commentary of what a great object lesson this run would make.

After I got home (much later than anticipated) I quickly showered and ran off to our Primary activity--Breakfast with the Bishopric. It was such a fun activity and I think the kids and the bishopric alike all enjoyed themselves. The bishopric made us breakfast and then we played a game with them and finished up with a scavenger hunt where each member of the bishopric took time to talk to our primary children. Overall I feel really good about the activity and know that it was a great success. I am also very grateful for a bishopric that was so willing to participate and for all their work and service that they do for this ward.

Once the activity was finished, it was home for the hustle and bustle of a normal Saturday. Somehow though, the hustle and bustle died down long enough for me to enjoy an afternoon nap--a rare and very welcome event.

After my nap, I got to take a great bike ride with Ben who is so stinkin' cute on his 2-wheeler. Along the way we picked up several neighborhood friends and an invite to a BBQ party. The BBQ party was a lot of fun and it just reminded me how lucky I am to have such a great group of friends in my life :-) Finally I finished up the evening curled up on my sofa with a very good book, enjoying the peace and quiet of the silent slumber of the rest of my family.

It was a great day!