Today

Today I got to go with these three handsome young men

Braden, Michael and Kenton

To this holy place

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

And then to this yummy place

For lunch where I enjoyed watching the three handsome young men flirt with the waitress :)

It's all really good

I also have to add that since all three of the handsome young men are blonde and blue-eyed we thought it would be fun to ask the waitress if she could tell which one was my son. She guessed right and said it was because Michael and I have the same shape of eyes.

Michael and Football

This is probably the first of many posts to come about Michael and football. His freshman year he played lacrosse, his sophomore year he played basketball, in a strange turn of events he wasn't able to play basketball his junior year. This summer he's taken up football. He's doing amazingly well for someone who hasn't played football before; but then he got his Dad's natural athletic ability. Being ambidextrous doesn't hurt either.

We left YW camp early on Friday and hurried home for a shower and then headed to Tooele where Michael was playing in a "Midnight 7 on 7" tournament. It was fun to be there and watch him and when the lost their midnight game at 1 am, we were kind of happy to be heading home.

Michael catching a bite between games


I caught him with a mouthful

Father and son discussing the games

There was an article in the Salt Lake Tribune about Timpanogos Football and Michael got his own paragraph: (too bad they spelled our name wrong:( )

The New Guy

Senior receiver Mike Rice is one player King is looking at this season to be a major part of the Timberwolves offense. Although it's his first year on the team, Rice has shown tremendous potential in both speed and agility. Although he doesn't have the varsity experience, he could be a major asset to Timpanogos if he can stay focused.

Way to go, Michael. We're looking forward to our fall on the bleachers at THS!

YW Camp 2009

9th Ward Young Women

I LOVE YW camp at Shalom!

So, I was THRILLED when I was invited to come to Shalom with the Bishop (aka My Dear Husband) this year. We left Wednesday after work and came home Friday after lunch. Every moment I was there was simply perfect.

I got to go on the Stake Hike to Lone Pine (my 10th time!) where the Stake President told all the girls about Michael sharing a Book of Mormon with another hiker when the YM were hiking King's Peak a couple of weeks ago. (A proud moment for any mother) On Friday there was a Value Hike with our ward that was spiritually uplifting and I was so happy that I was able to go and to witness the YCLs sharing their testimonies of the YW values. One of the great things about YW camp is seeing the older girls teach the younger girls.

I don't really like cooking at home, but for some reason I really like cooking at camp. I loved being around the campfire each night, seeing the Milky Way and amazing stars at night, the stake devotionals, the cabin pranks, the yummy food, being outside all the time, really ~ I just loved it all and feel so grateful that I got to go! It was fun not to be in charge and just to pitch in and help where I could and be with the wonderful YW and leaders from our ward.

Camp Shalom from Lone Pine with the snowfield in the foreground


From Lone Pine looking North along the Rim Trail

My beloved forget~me~nots

Interestingly, what was the best 48 hours of my year was the worst 48 hours for my dear husband. He really just doesn't like the out of doors. "Nature is overrated; there are bugs and dirt out there and you can't get your email." Because he is a good Bishop, he goes to YW camp, but he does not enjoy it.

For Clyda

My dear friend Clyda complained to me yesterday that she keeps checking my blog and is disappointed when it still says "Fourth of July." (I really need to get that girl on Google Reader) So I thought I'd share some things that have been on my mind.

I have been pondering on D&C 101.

v 7 ~ God tells the people that they have suffered affliction because they were slow to hearken to His voice, so He is slow to hearken to their prayers in the day of their trouble. A reminder to pray even when things are going well for us.

v 6 ~ He condemns them for: jarrings, contentions, envyings, strifes, (not Rifes :) lustful and covetous desires. A reminder to avoid all these.

~ One of my all-time favorite verses is verse 16:

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; (in place of the word Zion you can put the name of a person or the worry that you have) for all flesh is in mine hands ; be still and know that I am God.

v 22 ~ And God tells us His will: that we will call upon His name (pray) and worship Him according to the gospel (go to Church) and gather together and stand in holy places.(Church, Temple, our Homes)

This has been on my mind as I thought/worried about the people I know who are not attending church, who aren't "gathering together" to "stand in holy places" with the saints.

Then in Sacrament Meeting last week, Cory Borup taught a new word:

Peloton

A peloton is a group of cyclists who ride together in a group because they are more efficient with less individual effort as they ride together. They gain strength and speed from gathering together.

Cory compared this to our church attendance and activity ~ we gain strength when we are with others who have the same goals.

Clyda mentioned that we have lots of different pelotons that we ride with ~

our ward

our family

our friends

I have also felt that I have a peloton with the blogging world. The thoughts and insights I get from blogs make me stronger and make my journey lighter.
(Like my new Thought for the Week - from a blog I read yesterday.)

We have to choose to be a part of any peloton, and we have to take our turn being at the head ~ the person who doesn't really benefit personally, but allows the benefits for others.

It's a great analogy and a great word and I'm thankful that I can gather with my pelotons and be stronger than I could be alone.

It's all good!

P.S. Thanks for being in my peloton, Clyda!

Hike #3/09 Battlecreek Falls

Today we took a short hike to just above the falls up Battle Creek canyon.

Battle Creek

The view of Pleasant Grove looking back through Battlecreek Canyon

Me at the base of the falls with my trusty trekking poles, they make such a difference in making the hiking feel less strenuous!

Kathy, Heather and the dogs and the base of the falls

Fourth of July 2009

Happy Fourth of July!

As is our new tradition (of three years) we take advantage of the Borups inviting us to join them in their lovely spot for watching they parade. And my new tradition which includes doing the Freedom Festival 5K. This year I shaved 2 minutes of my time from last year and finished in an amazing 45 minutes. Yes, that is a 4 mph pace, which isn't bad for a fifty~one~year~old, chubby gal!

And I think it's important to look festive when you run, so I made some red,white & blue earrings last night and tied bows in my ponytail.

American Flag: Made in China?!

Please link to My Dear Husband's Blog to enjoy his take on the parade.

I love how during the parade everyone stands up three times:

1. When the flag goes by
2. When the veterans ride past
3. When the missionaries walk by

Just as it should be

I'm Blogger Famous

Well, kind of.

When I finished the 5K race I was stopped by a woman I didn't know whose face lit up when she saw me and she asked if I were Janet Rife.

ME: "Yes, . . . do I know you?"

HER: "Not really, but I feel like I know you; I follow your blog."

It turns out she is the mother of one of our missionaries, Christian Olsen.

I feel like I'm practically cjane.

Hiking #2/09 Pine Hollow

Annie and me on the Pine Hollow trail

It's my goal to take a good hike every Friday ~ or at least every other Friday.

So this week Kathy, her sister, Terry and I went to Pine Hollow. I went on this hike three years ago with the Stake YW for the 4th year backpacking trip. At the time I thought it was beautiful and would be a great day hike ~ without a backpack carrying everything one needs for sleeping in nature! I remembered correctly ~ it was the most beautiful hike I've been on! The trail leads through forest and it's a fairly gentle incline (of 2000 ft) and passes over small streams several times and opens up into a beautiful meadow. Then a short distance further you are in another higher meadow with the most gorgeous view of the back of Timpanogos:



The forget~me~nots were in bloom at the higher elevations. This little flower just makes my heart happy.

Forget~me~nots up close

Forget~me~nots from a distance ~ I love the lacy blueness

A view of wild flowers looking back down American Fork Canyon

Pine hollow

The upper meadow looking southeast

My camera was out of battery so I took these pictures with my iphone.

Garage and 72-hour Kits

Today I spent the day in my garage. Literally. I cleaned and organized all the shelves and stuff in the garage and I reviewed and renewed our 72-hour kits. It does seem like I just did that ~ and yet, in fact, I assembled the food on 11/15/2005. I know that because I had a paper in each gallon ziplock of food in each person's pack with that information. (sometimes I love me)

Here's what's on the paper:

Assembly Date: 11/15/2005
Suggested Rotation: 2 years ( rotate granola bars in 6 months)

DAY 1
Breakfast: 1 apple juice, 1 instant oatmeal, 1 granola bar
Lunch: 1 cup of soup, 1 pkg crackers, 1 fruit snack
Dinner: 1 can dinty moore stew, 1 granola bar

DAY 2
Breakfast: 1 hot chocolate, 2 granola bars
Lunch: 1 stick jerky, 1 capri sun, 1 fruit snack
Dinner: 1 instant lunch, 1 can vienna sausage

DAY 3
Breakfast: 1 hot chocolate, 1 instant oatmeal, 1 fruit snack
Lunch: 1 stick jerky, 1 apple cider mix, 1 granola bar
Dinner: 1 cup of soup, 1 pkg crackers, 1 stick jerky

Snacks: hard candy and gum

1 spoon
1 2-liter bottle of water

I don't know where I got this originally, but it all fit in one gallon ziplock bag and I had one for each person.

I did have to throw all of that food out since it was well past its expiration date, but I didn't have to replace all of it because we recently bought some Daily Bread food storage from our awesome son-in-law, Trevor Cox (you can contact him at 801-413-9895) and I just put some of the yummy freeze-dried meals in my 72-hour kits!

It feels good to be prepared!

Fun at Riverside Pool

We've had some fun times at the Riverside Country Club pool this summer. Mary and the kids have come down several times and we got to have the Parsons/Winward family a couple of times. It's great that G&G (aka Gram and Gramps) can come and just enjoy watching the kiddies play in the water.

The little kids wear life jackets which makes them basically fearless. Ayden, Sophie and McKinley have each gone off the diving board alone. Sophie got really brave last time and must have gone off the diving board at least 20 times. Trevor waits in the water to catch them, but Sophie decided she didn't need help and yelled from the board, while waving him away, "I don't need you Trebor!" Then she'd do a little pose and jump in. She looked so little jumping into the water, but she bounced right up with a smile on her face!

Sophie jumping to Trevor while Ayden looks on

Alysha and Jenny with McKinley, Sophie and Ayden

Alysha, Jenny and McKinley sharing an iphone moment

Michael and Trevor with Ayden and Sophie