Alaska!!!! #2

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we were able to port and go exploring inland in different cities. We had planned to do excursions at each port, two we had purchased before-hand and one we purchased as we got off the boat. This is when the high adventure fun began.

We docked in Ketchikan early on Tuesday Morning and since we didn't need to
meet our zip lining group until 10, Doug and I went shopping.  We got ourselves matching jackets
that kept us really warm during our adventure (inspired by Bobette and Jeremy who bought matching
jackets first.)

We had looked forward to our excursion of the day for months.  We were going zip lining through the tops of the
Ketchikan forest!  This is the vehicle that took us up to the top of the mountain where we began.  The road was VERY steep most of the way. Doug loved the truck. 

Getting geared up.   We wore harnesses similar to repellling.

We are standing outside the cabin listening to the instructions on how to zip.  We especially love
our little hats. 

Looking down from the platform in the tree tops.  There were 9 zip lines going from tree to tree on this excursion,
and 3 suspension bridges.  It was a little unnerving at first, but we felt safe with two separate lines attached at all times.

Bobette and I waiting our turn to do the next zip.

Walking across the first suspension bridge.  When you looked down you can see a stream
where alot of bear come to fish.  We didn't see a bear under this bridge, but we did see a lot of
dead salmon as a result of them. 

Here we are having the time of our lives!!

This is what it looks like watching our guide Kira go from one platform to another.  This was the longest
zip of the nine and we got going really fast.  I thought I was going to hit the tree so I slowed myself down,
but did it too soon and had to pull myself up to the platform backwards.  I was sore for days in my arms. 





My parting shot as I came through the trees courtesy of the  zip line company.  Woohoo!!



Doug's parting shot coming through the trees.  Nothing crazy from him, just fun!

Our zip line group from the upper left:  Richard and Tracy (we only just met them), Jeremy Green, and Doug.
Bottom left:  Garrett (our zip line guide), Jessica, Kira (our other zip guide), Bobette Green and Me. 

We LOVED zip lining in Ketchikan and spending time shopping there. Because it was the end of the season most of the shops had all the merchandise on sale for 50 to 75% off.  It was fun to shop when you can afford to pay those prices!! 

Alaska!!!! # 1

About every five years Doug and I get an incling to take off and be with each other without our adorable kids around. Last January our friend Bobette Green invited us to go on a cruise with her and her family and their spouses and we decided this is the year to go. It seemed so far away when we booked the vacation and paid our down payment back in January, and it was almost comical as Bobette and I would text each other with "only eight more months to go!" or "Only six months to go!" . Finally, after waiting nine months the week arrived and we (Bobette and Jeremy, Cliff and Lynne Barnum and Doug and I as well as her family and their spouses) made the long trip to Alaska and boarded the Holland America Cruise line in Vancouver BC to spend a week enjoying cool weather and beautiful sights of Alaska. I'll try to not give you a picture overload, but everything was so fun and exciting I want to share it all with you!! We got alot of rest, alot of food, and played hard too. I find myself daydreaming about the whole thing when I should be working or cleaning or something else.

Here we go!!! Waiting for the shuttle to take us to the airport.

Yea!  We made it onto the plane.  Security was interesting.  While I was going
through security the sparkles on my shirt set it off and I had to be frisked.
I joked with the lady that was doing the check that if she found any breast
lumps to let me know.  She assured me I was good.  Hahahah.  It was very awkward.

We flew from Las Vegas to San Fransisco, then caught another flight to Vancouver, BC.
Here we are standing in downtown Vancouver in front of a very shiny chrome blob.  We met Bobettes
family at the hotel where we were spending the night and took the train into town with them.  Vancouver is
a very beautiful city, and very clean.  There were a few homeless people on the street, but very little
trash or litter.

Here we are on the shuttle from the hotel to the cruise ship.  Our group
consisted of about 15 people.  on the left there is Cliff and Lynne Barnum, Bobettes dad Bob,
Jeremy and Bobette behind him, Pam and Rex (Bobettes sister and husband), on the left side front is Travis and Marilyn
from Rexburg, Idaho; Stacee and Doug Cox (Bobettes sister and husband); Me and Doug (who is taking the picture)
and Keri and Ron (Bobettes sister and husband). 

Here we are on the top deck of the cruise ship.  Vancouver was so beautiful!!

Lynne in the front and the rest of the group near the back having our first lunch aboard! 
It was so nice not to have to cook for myself of anyone else for a week!

Our group on the lower walking deck checking out the sights.  It was about 80ish
degrees that day in Vancouver.

Here we are after our first nice dinner standing out on the deck at sunset.  The ship was
already moving towards our first destination and the seas were calm.  It was a very romantic night.

This is a different shot of the sunset/moonrise.  Having the moon reflect off the
water like that was something I have only read about in books.  To experience it was simply
amazing.

The next morning I decided to keep it moving with a brisk walk around the deck and Doug joined me. 
He made it three laps and then started cutting through the ship to take pictures.  He would meet me on one side,
then I would continue around and he would meet me on the other side.  The more I walked, the more the fog burned off and the sunrise was amazing.  We even saw some dolphins racing the ship. 

The Monday morning sunrise burning off the fog.

Monday we were at sea all day so we spent time playing. This is Doug and Jeremy in a standoff
playing chess.  Doug and I played too, and I got a lot of help from passers-by but I still lost.  We
also played card games and ate, and explored the ship and ate, and played cards and ate. 

Monday night was our first formal night.  Doug had the camera and got a good shot
of the Barnums and me eating our soups.  The meals were amazing and so pretty I
felt guilty eating them. 

 

We had our pictures taken, but these were nice too with the moon behind us.  It was fun to dress up in things that are too fancy for church and feel elegant.  I hoped to go dancing that night but the theme was 60's music, so we walked the decks instead.

Mady is Diggin' it!!

Earlier I posted a small bit of excitement that Mady made the freshman volleyball team.  A few weeks ago I was able to get a few action shots of her during a game with Pineview High school.  She is doing great!!  She blocks, spikes and serves the ball really well.  She shares her position with her friend Lindsay and they compete in practice for the right to serve during the games.  It keeps them on their toes and working hard.  We are very proud of Mady and all her hard work. 

Mady and Alyssa blocking.

Mady setting up a serve, man she can
wop 'em!

Trading out with Lindsay.

Mady is #17, her friend Shelby Copeland is 4, and Chelsea
Cahoon is 24. 

Mady is playing two games a week and practicing every night on non-game days so look for more fabulous pictures added to this post!!  Go Tigers!!!

"Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". . .

It is that time of the year again when we scurry to find just the right shirt and pants and the coolest backpack so that we can WOW our friends on the first day of school.  For the past few weeks there has been a lot of running about, great anticipation, and a LOT more money than I had intended in order for the kids to get ready to go back to school.  And so it was, on Monday, August 15th the big day came.  One by one they were on their way.  I took Cody to the intermediate school at 7:20 because he had to be early so that he could see each one of his friends as they arrived.  Mady was the next to go at 7:45 and she choose to ride the bus on the first day, she says she is too old for her mom to take her.  Austin took off about 7:55 looking the part of a cool senior in his pick-up truck, and Dalyon and Cami rode their bikes to school in great anticipation.  I followed them a few minutes later so that I could take pictures at the school.  (I'm not ready to give up that mother privilege just yet).  After everyone was safely "tucked" in their classes, I headed to work.  I wasn't able to be home as the kids trickled in from their exciting days, but when I got home there were only good reports from each of them.  For the most part everyone is pleased with their teachers, classmates and schoolwork load.  I think it is going to be a great year!  Here are some pictures:

Cody really dressed up for the occasion.  He has been planning
what to wear for weeks and he looks very nice and handsome.  I wanted
to take the picture in front of the HIS sign, but instead he had me drive to
a corner of the parking lot where no one could see us.  Not that there was anyone there yet. . .

Mady and Austin on the first day.  Even though they are in
high school they consented to pictures.  Mady even curled
her new haircut into fun flippy style for the day.  She looks so
pretty, and Austin looks handsome.  It is hard to believe that they are old
enough to do the first day by themselves.  (sniff sniff)

Some friends came over to ride with the kids to school.  This is Malachi and
Ephriam Tait, Austin, Mady and her friend (and bus riding pal) Chelsi Cahoon. 

Cami and Dalyon are ready to head to school.  They had left once, but came
rushing back to get their sunglasses. 

Off they go!  It was a weird feeling to send them on their way and go back
in the house to finish my breakfast before I met them at the school. 

Cami has Miss Karen Christensen for her teacher in the 3rd grade.

Dalyon had Mrs. McMurray for his teacher in the 5th grade.
She specialized in technology so he is really excited for this year.
He LOVES to use gadgets. 

So here we go, plugging our noses and jumping in with both feet to a new year of school.  In some ways it is the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" as the Christmas song states, however I miss my kids and really do not enjoy the homework, and am hoping we all have a very successful year! 

Mady Makes the Volleyball Team!!!

Congratulations to Mady and all her friends who made it onto the Freshman volleyball team!  Mady is really excited to play this fall and practices everyday.  This summer she attended a volleyball camp here in Hurricane and played "Club"volleyball all last spring hoping to improve and make the team.  We are really excited for her and can't wait to cheer her on!  Way to go Mady!   I'm sure there will be plenty of pictures to come. 

Oh Rodeo, Oh Rodeo, How art Thou Rodeo?

Last weekend Cody and I traveled with my mom and my sister Vickie and her daughter Kora to Preston, Idaho for a little family reunion and that famous Preston Night Rodeo.  We left Friday morning early and did some school shopping on the way, arriving in Preston late Friday night.  We stayed with my brother Troy and his family for both Friday and Saturday nights in their 5th wheel travel trailer. The Preston Rodeo has been known to the PRCA circuit as one of the best rodeos in the west for a long time.  It is a good hometown celebration that includes three nights of parades, rodeo, sidewalk sales, chuck wagon breakfasts, and a craft show.  Every year the Preston high school alumni get together and have their reunions this weekend, and this year it was my Dads (1966) and my brothers (1986), neither of which went.  My Dad wasn't able to make it to Preston because of his work, but Mom, Vickie and I happened to walk passed the pavilion the reunion was in and got him a book of his classmates names and addresses.  (Much to Moms embarassment.) 

On Saturday morning I went down to my Aunt Irenes home to visit.  It has been a long time since I have seen her and she seems to get shorter and shorter.  It is fun to talk to her and I was able to scan some of the pictures that she had of our ancestors and years gone by.  I was also able to get a few pictures of her family group sheets and pedigree's so that we had a copy.  It was so good to visit with my dear Aunt Irene.  She is my Dads' older sister, (there are four), and the one I'm closest to. 

This is me, Aunt Irene, Mom, and Vickie at Irenes home.

Later that afternoon we went to the Rodeo parade and had a great time in the hour long parade.  Cody got to ride in the parade with my nephew Bracken, which he loved, and we got to collect as much candy as we could stand.  We even got t-shirts, chocolate milk, Frisbee's, and of course lots of advertisements to add to our candy stash. 

Vickie and I giving Troy a kiss.  There are three kids in my family,
Troy is the oldest, then me, then Vickie. 

The three of us in a non-goofy picture.

Cody and Bracken in the parade.  Bracken works for Greenline
Equipment in Preston and he is driving a John Deere something or other. 

The Rodeo was later that night.  Saturday night is always the sold out night and we were all squished into the small spaces they called seats.  It was a good rodeo with most of the cowboys riding (and scoring) and good clown acts.  After we went to the carnival which is the same one that comes down here to St. George for the fair in a few weeks. 

The clown act, notice the saddle on the back of the plane.  That
is true Air ride.

Clowns watching the bull.

Sunday morning I got a great surprise when Troy asked if I would like to ride into Strawberry canyon on his Harley with him.  I was so excited because I have been wanting to go for a ride on his bike for a long time.  The whole experience was like flying, sitting on the back of the bike, smelling the pine trees (and other smells that the dairy's produce) and winding through the tight curves.  It was a breathtaking experience. 

This is a shot I got from the back of Troys Harley.  Mink Creek is so
beautiful this year!

Vickie going for a ride with Troy.  It is so exhilarating to ride like that! 

I think a good time was held by all last weekend.  It was good to revisit our childhood home and the places that we made our memories as children.  We shared a lot of experiences, feelings, and confessions as we drove around and  visited with family.   I'm so grateful for my family and all that they have been to me and my life.

Mady's Retreat

The week of July 18-24  Mady and her friend Chelsea spent the week at Utah State University at a camp put on be Deseret Book (Time Out For Women) called Retreat for Girls.  This was Mady's second year at this camp and Chelsie's first.  It is a retreat similar to Especially for Youth, except that boys aren't allowed.  They have all kinds of activities throughout the week.  This year the theme of the retreat was "Daughters in His Kingdom"  D&C 25:1-2.  They had speakers from the "Time Out For Women" circuit come and speak to them.  Mady and Chelsea heard John Bytheway, Chad Hymas, John Hinton III, Anthony Sweat, Carmen Rasmussen, Katie Smith and Kris Belcher speak to them thoughout the week.  They had a service project where they made education folders for those in need, and made crafts as well as playing games.  Every night they had a devotional before bedtime with their counselors.  There were about 160 girls at Mady's session and they were divided up into groups of 10.  Mady's counselors nickname was Origami because she could make origami anything.  The girls always have a good time and come home with a renewed energy to live the Gospel.  Here are some fun pictures:



Top Row:  Cammie, Justice, Mady, Chelsi, McKenzie, Camille,
Bottom row:  Lindsey, Azelin, Whitney, Jessica, Taliya, Rachel.



Girls from Mady's group:  Azelin, Mady, Chelsi, and Justice.



Austin, Chelsi, Grandma Patsy, and Mady outside the Taggart
student center before the final presentation for Retreat for Girls.



Chelsi, Origami, and Mady at the reception before the closing social.
Origami was the nick-name of their counselor.

It is so nice to see that my children love each other.  Austin and his
good friend McCarty came up with us to the closing social.

For the closing song the girls held hands in a cross and sang the song
"Happily Ever After" as a group.  The group circled around the whole audience.
Everyone had tears in their eyes. 

Chelsi had never been to Idaho so we got a picture of her under the
sign.  We spent the weekend in Dayton with Grandma and Grandpa after
the RFG closing social.  It was very relaxing. 

While we were waiting for the closing social we hung out in the
USU bookstore.  Here is Austin with an "AGGIE" hat.  lol

The kids took a jeep ride up through the Dayton Basin and took their
picture at the lookout there.  This is McCarty Amy, Austin, Mady and Chelsi.