~SMILE, YOUR ON JOEY'S CAMERA~

This little fellow was hiding, well, I should say that he was holding very still...When I started to edit this picture, I found him! Nice to get little surprises!

~SEPTEMBER AFTERNOONS~

It was Stake Conference today so we had the whole afternoon to enjoy.  We are usually in meetings until about 4:30 on Sundays so this was a rare occasion to take advantage of an invitation from Garett and Lisa to get out and see FALL!!!

We loaded everyone into Lisa car, including Wrath and headed to Sundance.  How I love Sundance. Have I ever mentioned that before?  It is just as beautiful in the Spring, Summer and Fall as it is in the WINTER!!!

Here are just a few  of the pictures that I took...I think I had a total of 91 in the two short hours we were gone.  I LOVE digital!

 Charly had to "push" her jogger...Fortunately she grew tired of that pretty fast!

 Gar and Charly by the waterfall

 Charly standing in the water which was COLD!

 Not much water coming over the top but, still pretty!

 Yes!  These are some of my favorite ski slopes!!

 I love aspen :)

 Gar, Lis and Charly

 Couldn't resist. 

 Steve and Wrath.

 Looking down on Aspen Grove.

 We made it!

 The leaves looked different depending on which way the light hit them.

My favorite...the "watermelon bust".

~RUNNING'S FOR THE DOG~

My running partner.

I built this Caren at the end of my run uphill today. I am wondering how long it will take until someone knocks it down. I needed to do something while I caught my breath and before I started the downhill.  It was a beautiful morning after the rain the night before. The canyon always smells so good after a rain.  The mornings are getting rather cool and before long I will be wishing the warm weather back again...How I love the fall!

~HOLD ON~

Sometimes life gives us interesting ways to get through the rough spots, and it is usually during these times that we find or, re-connect with some of our best friends who have that "way" of reminding us: "Hold on", I will help you through.

~OUTSIDE THE BOX~

I am  obsessed with "B's" at the moment...Bali, Bora, Bora, Belize, bed, boredom, I think I need a vacation. I know I need a vacation but, with that being said, there will not be one on the horizon for now.  I thought that I could perhaps persuade even shame Steve into taking a couple of weeks and thousands of dollars and just sitting in the sand with an ice cold drink in our hand but, my charm has gotten weak and my good sense seems to kick in at about the time we sit down to book airline tickets...Why do we have to get so cautious as we get older? I remember times (not many, but a few) when we did things just for the pure pleasure of doing it. I think that the word that we used   w  a   y   back then was SPONTANEOUS. What happened to our spontaneity? Has that blanket of common sense and cautious spending taken over so much that we no longer even enjoy a whim now and then?  How sad. How responsible  but still, how sad.

There are lots of things about becoming an adult that I absolutely love, there are many things about my "golden years" that I truly do look forward to but, the child that still lives in my soul makes it extremely difficult to accept being responsible all the time.  It is a good thing that I had parents that taught me that making choices held consequences and that sometimes it is just easier to be responsible... Can't say that the whole Eat, Love, Pray thing doesn't sound enticing even intriguing but seriously, who does that...

I received an email from my dear friend from Africa a few days ago. He is living in France now in a small cottage with a garden that he works in day in and day out. He sent me some pictures  and I have to say that while the cottage is indeed in France, it looks very much like many of the summer homes I have seen here. The garden is beautiful but, if I worked in mine day in and day out it would be too. Perhaps I need to pause and be grateful for what there is around me all the time instead of always thinking that I need to go to far away places to "fill my cup".  The other night as the wild fires burned I walked outside just as the sun was beginning to set. With all the smoke in the air the sunsets have been absolutely breathtaking. This picture really doesn't do it justice but, my point being...I just had to step outside...

~ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?~

Happy 4th of July!!!

The 4th of July has never been my most favorite holiday, it is always SO hot and everyone knows how much this "winter girl" likes the heat :)  But, I have to say that having a son with a birthday on the 4th of July has made it even more reason for celebration.  I wanted to have a BBQ with the family and was thinking of something fun to do for the little ones.  I sent Steve and Clark to the store to find a slip and slide ( you know the one that you lay on the grass, hook the hose to and let the kids run and slide on...) A simple little water slide to  keep them entertained and cool.  WELL, this is what they came home with!

My advise to anyone reading this is: NEVER send two overgrown boys to the store with your debit card in search for a  toy...

Bella  (John & Lore)

Charly (Garett and Lisa)

Ruby (Sky & Christina)

Maddison (John & Lore)

Whitney ( John & Lore)

Abigail (Clark & Cami)

Emma (Clark & Cami)

Cole (John & Lore)

SO worth it!

~DAD~

Nancy sent me this picture of Dad the other day and I just had to share!  Isn't he handsome! I swear, the guy just gets better looking everyday! Mom knew what she was doing!

Dad is the hardest working, honest, thoughtful, happy person I know.  He always has been. I remember very few times in my life when he was ever upset...Maybe once or twice with a couple of sons and the weather but not even that lasted long.  Never with me...I was perfect in his eyes. Still am.  Being the only girl has it's privileges :)  I didn't know until I was older just how much I had him wrapped around my finger, if I had, I surely would have taken advantage of it more in my teenage years!  I say that but I know that I could have NEVER done anything that would have made my dad upset with me because you see, as much as I want to think that I had him wrapped around my finger it was really the opposite. There wasn't ANYTHING I would not do for him...Still isn't.  He is my rock in this world of never ending ups and downs, my hero, because every little girl needs one,  and the home to my heart.