Zions 50 Mile Hike with the Young Men

This Past month, Bret and Anders went to Zions National Park with the other young men (12-18) and their leaders and some dads. They were gone monday through saturday and had hikes scheduled each day and one day of repelling. Preparation for this "once in a lifetime" opportunity began before the start of the year. There were many, many meetings of leaders (Bret and others), repelling certifications, and get in shape hikes. The result = an amazing week of determination, courage, extending one's perception of what they were able to accomplish and friendship. Anders found a new love-repelling!!! My very thoughtful and cautious Anders felt fearless and exhilarated by the repelling. While others hyperventilated at the top of repels, Anders excitedly stepped up!!! These videos are so fun and I'm excited we have them. Bret too loved the repelling. Bret has spent months running and lifting weights, feeling quite prepared for the trip, but Anders who scoffed at the idea of having to physically prepare was "like a gazelle", Bret said. It's sad when we start to feel our age. Bret laughed at the thought that he would be doing this with the last three boys in his late 40's, early 50's. We had better start preparing now!!!

Pictures are Backwards

This is the Last Day

Thursday's Repel-Birch Hallow

Getting ready for his 1st repel

Looking down from the 1st repel.

YES those are people down there!

The 1st video is from this repel

The Barracks-16 mile day 

(pictures are backwards so this is the end of the hike)

Tuesday's Hike-Orderville

They repel down this on thursday.

The 3rd video is of Bret looking back up at this rock during his repel.

The 4th video is of Anders doing the same.

Bret's not nervous in this video, he's in awe of the beauty and the power of the elements in creating these amazing structures. He kept trying to get the boys to look around them or look at particular effects the water and other elements have had on the rock over the years but they didn't seem to appreciate it as much as he did.

The Continuing Eagle Project

I am so Proud of Anders!!!  He has picked a pretty in depth Eagle Project and it is coming along nicely!  I am so disappointed I don't have pictures of the bake sale.  You would not believe how many cookies and goodies we made!!  So to start at the beginning, Anders decided to make wood shape puzzles for a children's developmental center.  It requires quite a lot of money to buy the materials so he wanted to have a bake sale.  He passed out flyers to 100+ houses and emails to family.  He offered 6 options (Reese's peanut butter cup cookies, homemade kit kat bars, coffee cake, sour cream cookies with burnt butter frosting, outrageous brownies and yum yums).  45 orders and many, many hours later, Anders had all the money he needed for his project.  Bret and Anders bought  supplies and they are now cutting the shapes.  After the shapes are cut, scout and friends will get together to sand, paint, glue and spray finish them.  It is a pretty in depth and time consuming project, but I'm so proud of how hard he has worked and the skills he has learned.  He is communicating with adults better and has learned to better organize and manage his time.  He is proud of his work and there has been some time lost as he feels he needs to perfect the puzzles.  He wants to give the children a product that is high quality.  What a great kid he is!!!!  And what a wonderfully supportive father he has!!!

Cold, Windy Fountains in Highland

Cousin Katie came to hang out with Elli and we took everyone to the relatively new fountains in Highland.  True to form this spring/summer, it was windy and cool.  They sun peeked out occasionally but everyone loved it.  I can't imagine how busy it will be on a non-windy, sunny day.  We're going to try it anyway.  They had so much fun.

Finn void of any insulation is Cold!!! Trying to warm up for another go!

Family Home Evening Dinner at the Creek

Yummy salad and fresh fruit, a creek, family, and even live music made for a fun family home evening. 

Holiday Weekend at the Ranch

Clubhouse under the stairs

My Boys!!!

Returning from a work project on the mountain.  Check out Finn's helmet that is bigger (and heavier) than he is!

Swimming in grandma's pool

A Memorable Memorial Day Weekend

For Memorial Day this year we were in Star Valley.  We had the opportunity to take a drive to the Bear Lake Valley to remember family.  We started in the small town of Laketown.  

Love this quote from JFK

This recent war memorial has Bret's grandfather's name on it (Kenneth Myers) as well as his brothers.  It is a wonderful tribute to all those in this town who have served their country.

Next we went to see Aunt Laura and visit the Laketown cemetery.  Grandma brought her pedigree chart with pictures of ancestors.  It was wonderful to be able to see faces and read grave markers and get a better understanding of the Myers family.  We also were able to recall stories of ancestors and pay tribute to their sacrifices and who they were. 

The view of Bear Lake from the cemetery

We then headed north of Bear Lake to visit Grandma Mae and Grandpa Myers.  We are standing in front of one of the trees Grandma Mae planted when her husband, Grandpa Myers past away.  What a beautiful resting place.

What a memorable day we had thinking of family and paying our respects to those who have come before us.  Just as it should be.  I know the kids were touched as well.

Girls Late Night

Anna and Elli were given an opportunity for a "late night" (no sleep-overs at our house!) this past weekend.  It made me feel horrible that Anna kept asking, "are you sure its okay mom?" and, "Are you sure it's not too much mom?"  I guess that means I'm not getting the mother of the year award this year!  I obviously have not hidden the fact that life has been a bit overwhelming lately.  Anna and Elli rode their bikes to Wal-Mart and bought (with Anna's own money from babysitting) this cute cooler and the fun glasses (plastic).  They set the basement up (sheets covering my couches due to buttery popcorn hands) for an exciting evening.  I was amazed at their creativity and they had so much fun with their adorable friends.  Although, I think my girls may have been too silly for Anna S (see picture)!  

A Friend's Party

Tait finally had a friends party.  In our family, the kids have to take turns each year having a friends party.  It helps to only have 3 a year instead of 6!  Last year was actually the year he was supposed to have a "friends party" but when we asked who he wanted to invite he kept giving us a list of older boys names.  We tried to explain to him that he needed to invite the friends that were his age but he struggled to understand why he couldn't invite all the older boys.  So we put off the party until this year.  It was a huge success.  Tait took some friends to Jump On It! 7 boys jumping on tramps and inflatable toys for an hour.  What could be better?  They came back to our house (tired!) and had cake and ice cream and opened presents.  He had so much fun, I enjoyed those cute boys and I didn't feel like I needed a huge break after.  Perfect!

Getting ready to jump all at the same time

Brothers doing what brothers do!!! Wrestling!

My Happy 6 Year Old

Tait turned 6 and I couldn't be more proud!!!  What a special boy he is!  We call him our dynamo.  He is always happy, wants to do what's right, is an incredibly hard worker and is very athletic.  He really makes me happy, especially when I see his charming smile.  We got lucky on his birthday-No Rain or Wind!  It has been a wet, windy and cold spring so far! (It snowed yesterday.  Not a light, pretty, quick spring flurry.)  We had a BBQ with Grandma and Grandpa Howard.  Tait just wanted hamburgers and hotdogs.  He got exactly what he wanted-Mariokart, a slip and slide and money to put in his saving envelope in mom's file cabinet.

Boys will be boys!


Hans does EVERYTHING in excess!

My 20 Year Reunion

I'm so disappointed that this is the only picture I have of my reunion (thanks to Jax).  We attended the family BBQ at my school during the day.  It was fun to see my friends and their families.  It's one thing to see a picture of people's kids or hear all about them but I enjoyed not only seeing their kids but watching friends interact with them.  It's not something you see in high school.  They took a great picture of our family at the BBQ that is on my school's alumni website.  I need to figure out how to get it.  The kids ate, played on the playground, decorated visors and frisbees and played soccer on the softball field that holds all kids of memories for me!!!

Later that night Bret and I went to the dinner at our school.  It really is indescribable how beautiful my school is (another thing I wish I took pictures of).  We visited and ate where I use to go to math.  They have made many changes since we've been there!  These are my friends Jackie (JAX) and Brandi.  Bret and I sat at a table with people I didn't really hang out with in high school and we had a ball.  We had great conversations about our family and all the funny things that go on as parents.  I was grateful to have those experiences with Ken and his wife Grace, Michelle, Shabnum and Yen Yen.  I also wish I had taken pictures of Bret and I.  You can say Bret cleans up nice!!!  How proud I was to be there with not only the most handsome man at the reunion but certainly the nicest and most thoughtful.  I'm always amazed at how comfortable he is in those situations and how comfortable he makes others despite his desire to be a homebody!!  I LOVE him!  Wish you could have seen him!!  By the way, the question I got quite a bit-"so you have help, right?"  I replied "No" each time but upon further thought, I should have said "Yes, my amazing husband and my older kids!"  It was such a fun opportunity to show off my love for my family.  I think it was more an eye opener for me than for anyone.  It's easy to get down on myself for not doing enough or feeling guilty for things I wish I was doing but when it comes down to it, I don't think I'm doing too bad!