Where did the summer go?

It has been a whirlwind summer of activity this year. With Ric back in action, he has been out just about every day on his bike in preparation for the LotoJa Sept 12th. It is a 206 mile bike ride that he has trained nonstop for. I have been busy learning to row, doing yw camp, a family reunion, visiting my mom and dad and finding time to be with family. As the end of summer approaches, I love to reminisce about all the wonderful memories. Here are the pictures that bring a smile to my face as I relive the good times again. Thanks to all my family for helping me make them. I have the best husband, kids, parents, and grandkids in the world. Top that with some great friends and I am a lucky girl. (Albeit an old one)

I survived YW Camp!

I just got home from girls camp last night. It went quite well. I was camp director and took them down the Ruby-Horsethief section of the Colorado river for 3 days. We camped at a beautiful campground the first night although some farm kids were driving their huge and extremely loud tractor/ combine around the campground from 12:00pm to 1:30 am. Between the tractor and the girls we didn't get much sleep. The trip went well considering there were 45 people on the trip in paddle rafts and kayaks. Ric, my really good friend, Nancy, and I rowed the gear boats. It was Ric first time on a raft. I was very nervous to be taking such a big group of girls on the water camping. Remember these are girls who have never done any primitive camp and roughing it to them is staying at a 3 star hotel. They had to set up their tents each evening and take them down each morning, learn how to use a groover, use propane stoves, dutch ovens and wash their own dishes( I don't think some had ever done that before). It was a huge learning curve for them but they were great. We had rain on one night but I never heard complaining even though some were cold. The morning of the first day was chaos at the put in while we found places for 49+ dry bags, 5 tables, camp kitchen gear, 4 dutch ovens, food for 45 people, groovers, firepans etc etc.etc. While rigging the boats, we realized that the boat rental company had not given us the oars to Ric's raft and the place was 2 1/2 hours back one way. Luckily, Nancy had brought 2 spare oars and I had 1 so we used those even though Ric's boat had oarlocks and ours had fulpins. Ric was a trouper for rowing the last half of the river without one clip after it popped off which meant he had to hold the oar up to as not to lose it. Crazy!!! They also didn't give us enough paddles for the kayaks. It was windy paddling down to camp, but the current was fast or we might not have made it. The first evening it rained and pretty hard. Some of the tents were wet inside and most of the girls had only brought a fleece blanket to sleep in. What happened to summer? We had one day with some swift current and some maneuvering to get our camp which was nestled in some gorgeous smooth basalt rocks. We had two little 12 year old miss the stop in their kayak, getting swept downstream, but were able to pull out at a ledge just below. While we recovered them, two other 12 year olds asked Nancy if they could take the right channel. They were told no but were goofing off and carried off by the current down the wrong side. They ended up on the tip of the island just across from camp. We had to figure out how to get them across the very swift powerful current in the river back to camp. They were scared and thinking they were going to have to spend the night on the island without food and sleeping bags. We ended up ferrying a paddle raft across (which means you paddle like crazy upstream at an angle to get across the river without being swept downstream). Ric and I paddled the kayak across to the sound of wild cheers from our group at camp. We were all so glad to be reunited. Especially one of the girl's mother who was there and beside herself with worry. It was a good life lesson for the girls. Follow your leaders and pay attention to where you are. We had great food and gorgeous scenery. We were able to land all 45 of us safely and I am so relieved for that. What an undertaking! I know that God was very involved in the experience and helped me with things I could not control. So many things could have gone wrong or been difficult, weather ( I worried about wind even more than rain since I have been on that river when my friend Nancy could not row down the river and was pinned against a bank by wind), and getting the camps we needed ( it is a non permit river so it is first come/first serve and we needed camps that could hold 45! ). So why did I do it? Yes I am crazy, but I felt that the Lord wanted these girls to do something hard for them and really get out in nature. The girls comments reflected that we accomplished that as well as had fun. It was an experience they will always remember. I am just so grateful for His help and the help of awesome friends and husband.

What is with the SNOW! We woke up to a foot of snow in the middle of April! So I guess you can only make snowmen, forts and snowcones.

Memorable Moments

Sometimes it is so hard to sit down and write down what has been happening in your life. I have to be in just the right mood. I guess I am close to it now. I was thinking about the past month and the things that I had done that I were really memorable.
I went down the Salt River in mid March. When I was asked to go down the "Salt River" in Southern Arizona, I pictured a flat sandy barren stretch with a rocky river winding through it. Boy, was I wrong! It was beautiful and amazing. I feel so lucky to be able to see such beautiful creations and to hang out with interesting and nice people. The Salt flows through a canyon as deep as the Grand Canyon in some places. It begins in a ponderosa pine forest and ends in a blooming saguaro desert. There was a place where a spring created a mineral formation which the Indians considered sacred so you couldn't stop there and a lovely camping spot along a creek. We were on the river 5 days with near perfect conditions. The water levels stayed good which was nice since it is a really rocky river and very technical. The weather was brisk on the water but warm when we landed. The fun thing about the river is all the rapids, one after another class 3 and 4. We had some heart racing moments when we had a boat throw the rower out and one near flip, but all were recovered safely.
I returned home to Nathan, Staci and the 3 boys. I love family times together What fun to get to spend time with them. We just don't see them enough. They boys are so cute and I really get a kick out of them. We spent one day at the Childrens Museum with Ashley and her three. The 6 kids are so active and love to be together. We had the best time playing with shaving cream. ( It went along with a cloud theme) It is fun to go to a place where kids just play and you can watch the craziness. There was not enough time though. Staci was spending time with her grandmother and best friend here so I decided to accompany Ric for a short trip to St George to do the Tour of ST George's 100 mile bike ride. We headed down with 4 bikes. Ric was nice enough to take me on a short ride the day before the race in the balmy spring weather. Nate who has turned into an animal rider along with Justin rode with Ric on Saturday while Ashley, her children and I made pioneer Easter Eggs with my mom. We all enjoyed the great weather, swimming, and just being together. It is wonderful that my parents are still so willing to endure us. I have included pictures of the Salt along with the museum and our ST George trip.
It has been really nice this year to have Kelsey staying with us while she teaches along with the bonus visits from Logan. I have had some fun moments with her. I have loved watching Brody, Clay's son. He is the most mellow baby. Even when Clay forgets things like formula and bottles, Brody is cool with it. I love watch Clay and Brittany with the baby. They really are enjoying parenthood.
Lastly, skiing is pretty much over for me. It has been a good year. I got my Ace 1 which is teaching kids. and met some really nice people. We kind of become a family up there and I will miss some of the joking that goes on. Kelsey called me a ski bum but I am really planning on hitting things harder next year so beware.
Now if spring will really figure out how to do spring consistently I will be happier. What is with lying out in the sun one day and having 5 inches of snow the day after. Sorry again to be so long winded but who knows when I will write again.

Endorphins are good.

Today I woke up at 3:30 am. I was having a bad dream, it was not scarey, but I was mad in the dream. So I woke up mad and I was mad that I was wide awake. So I got up and decided to make reservations for family reunion campsites. After spending about 2 1/2 hours trying to figure out which ones to pick ( there was no map on the site and little info) I gave up in frustration. I was not happy. I was supposed to go teach skiing which probably would have been standing in line waiting for a lesson. I didn't want to teach anyway since I had a lesson with 2 teenagers on Monday that left me frustrated. I get dressed and start driving...still mad about having to teach and not getting the campsites. I am mad at the radio...they are talking about putting up billboards on the Legacy highway. I call work and they say they don't need me today. Ok that is a plus but I am still grumpy. I turn around and go home and change....I will see if a workout will help. I put on my riding pants which are too tight because I eat when I am frustrated. Winter makes me grumpy and frustrated sometimes. I drive to the gym. I am still mad at the radio and all the dumb people who want to mess up the environment. I do a cycle class...I am feeling better so I make myself do a yoga class. This is my first real class in yoga...I suck! I have no balance and my muscles are way too tight.. but it is ok. I have endorphins now and I am happy. I go to the Forest Service and they help me with the campsites. Yeah....I get them all reserved. I go home and fix the broken TV. All right. It is the small things in life that make it good. Endorphins are good.

My Love, My Life, My Lee

From the first time I met Lee, I knew she could be the girl for me. In fact after our first date, I told my room mate that " I went our with this girl today and I think I could marry her!" A very short 3 weeks later could became must. I knew from the moment I knew that we should be together. And now, 32 years later we are still blazing trails with one another. Lee has made so much out of me! She gives me purpose, direction, confidence, humor, laughter, support, and her love. One of the things I have always appreciated about her is her love of learning. She has a great mind and thankfully our children have been blessed that their Mother was such the driving force of education in our home. I am so impressed with how she thinks. I often tell her she should run for public office because she has much better ideas on how to fix the issues than the ones who are supposed to be doing it! I am sure I have told my children and my children through marriage( BTW I really hate to refer to you as son's and daughters in law! I think the eternal nature of our family takes the in-law out of the equation) that their spouse should be their best friend in life. Lee is certainly mine. So my love, my life, my Lee here's to another 32 years of rivers, oceans, mountains, bikes, boats, and anything else we can find to keep us going together. I love you forever.

My Buddy, My Valentine, My Ric

My mom said, "I didn't raise my daughter to be running around and leaving her husband home!" and she is right she didn't; but she did teach me to be independent and to love life. I suppose if anyone "taught" me to take off and do my own thing it was Ric and possibly the circumstances of life. I have been lucky that I have a patient and loving husband who encourages me to be a "marine" and be all that I can be. There is no one I would rather be with than Ric but sometimes you have to "Tweek" what you want. Throughout our married life, Ric has been gone a lot (not by personal preference but with work). With one job, the kids thought the airport was where he worked since he would fly in on Saturday, go to church with us Sunday, then leave on Monday, returning on Wednesday, do his laundry, fly out again on Thurday morning, only to fly in on Saturday and repeat the whole thing again for a year. When Ric took the job with CarMax, his 6 months away from home turned into two years with him away for 2 weeks then home for a long weekend. We moved 9 times during our marriage with me selling the house 7 times while he was working at his new job in a different state. He was transferred when I was pregnant with Clay and I had to move in the third trimester and find a new OB to deliver him. Only someone who has been pregnant will know how traumatic that can be. I had 3 busy kids, was sick as a dog, and sold a house during the six months I was pregnant with Kelsey. I had to twist the doctor's arm to induce me so Ric c aneould be there for delivery and arrived home from the hospital just in time to show the house to prospective buyers. Anyway the jist is, with Ric way so much, I had to find ways to keep myself sane (yes, that is questionable but I tried). I learned to do thngs on my own if Ric couldn't be there. Now with the kids gone, it is lonely at home and I try to keep busy. I suppose it would be nicer if I loved visiting rest homes, cooking gourmet meals and volunteering in hospitals but right now I have the opportunity to run rivers, ski, hike, kayak, and travel instead of dusting. So I am on a search and research mission to locate all the places Ric and I can go after he retires or on vacation. I am lucky that he supports me in my love of adventure. He is my anchor and keeps me centered always drawing me back home. I am never happier than when we are off together or I am in his arms. I love to bother him and make him laugh. I appreciate that he loves me for who I am as irritating as that may be. He is always happy and positive. He is my better half for sure. I should log on to "iamblessed.com" because I really am.

So when Mom looks at me worriedly, I just smile and think about how fun our reunions are when I do get home from a trip. ...and I look forward to his retirement or his days off when we are together with an anticipated joy. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY RIC!

Staying busy in Winter

At the Aquarium of the Pacific Ric skiiing

Suzan and Skip at Balboa Coronado Island

Harold and I kayaking

I have been keeping busy with skiing and a trip to San Diego. I took off at the pleas of sister to come hang out with her in California. Her husband, Skip, is doing consulting down there and they are staying in a condo on the beach in Del Mar. Suzan hated being on her own so I drove down for some tourist fun. We did a nature cruise out to the Coronado Islands to see whale, sea lions and dolphins. We went to the Aquarium of the Pacific with my brother Brent's family and stopped in at the Orange County swap meet. We shopped, had lunch at a real mexican food restaurant with my sister in law Marisa and walked on the beach. I even got to go kayaking with my good paddling buddy Harold who taught me how to kayak. Skip, Suzan and I went to Balboa Park and went to the art museum, natural history museum and science museum. We had a great lunch there and the trees were actually blooming. Suzan and I visited our aunt and saw a little of Fallbrooke. It was great to be with my sister who is an amazing person even if driving in California freaks her out. (I was the Chauffeur while there.) While driving there and back, I was able to stop and visit my other brother Brian in Vegas. Becky, his wife, is a wonderful friend as well as sister in law and we had a nice lunch and shopping trip. It was nice to have a break from the snow, but this winter has been good so I am not sad to be home. Friday I went skiing with Justin my super son in law (Ashley had to get kids off to a birthday party) and Saturday I skiied with Ric. It was a beautiful sunny day with some great runs. Not a bad month!!

Christmas and the New Year

Christmas was the best. I loved having all the kids and grandkids here. It was wonderful chaos and noise and absolutely great. I had been planning costumes since April's trip to Israel and I loved the grandkids in the nativity. The snow made the backyard a playground for sledding and snowmobiling. We didn't need to go anywhere which was good since the weather was pretty blizzardy. Lots of eating and playing games and now I am 5 lbs heavier. We found time to go to the Body World exhibit which was facinating.

The New Year was exciting to me because I didn't like half of 2008 when Ric was injured. So I am looking forward to a new year and it is starting out really well with Kelsey finding a job and not only that but one close to us. She will be staying with us until Logan finishes up some work in Rexburg and sells the house. I am looking forward to her getting me organized and on top of things. She is the best motivator I know. She already found the yogurt in the fridge that dated Oct 2008 and let me know that wasn't ok. Luckily last night I found the mac and cheese box that was dated 2005....a remnant from cleaning out the cabin pantry. Yes 2009 is going to be good.... I am going to get my cupboards clean, lose weight, train for my triathalon, run rivers and have lots of kids and grandkids drop in. It is going to be great!