Capital Reef Trip

Around the beginning of October we decided we wanted to try to get in at least one more camping trip before the weather turned too cold.  Alex and Lani had invited us a while ago to go repelling with them down at Capital Reef, so we finally found a weekend that worked for both of us.  Another couple in our ward came down as well, so it was fun getting to know them as well.

The plan was for Alex to take us on the first repel while Lani watched the two little ones, then Jared and I would watch Gavin and Eve in the afternoon so that Alex and Lani could go try out a new repel.  Unfortunately we got off to a rough start - the campsite we planned on staying at being full, trying to find a new campsite, getting set up and to bed late, and getting up late the next morning, and lots of people ahead of us doing the same repel, meant we only had time for the first repel.

I need to find out some details about this repel that we did (like the name!) But it was made up of a series of seven repels, the first two each being about 180 feet drops (I believe).  The first drop was literally through a hole in the mountain, where an arch had formed.

Me on top of the arch

You can see someone starting down... Right by the tree

Alex in his Papa Smurf hat

The Grand Canyon

At the end of September when my parents were here for a visit, they rented an RV and we took a road trip to the Grand Canyon.  Gavin called the RV a bus, and he LOVED that we got to not only drive down in the "bus", but sleep and eat in it too.  The trip started with a bit of a delay... While Gavin was helping lift bags into the RV, he fell backwards off the step and smacked his head pretty hard on the sidewalk.  After a quick trip to the InstaCare, a staple in the back of his head, and an ice cream cone later, Gavin was once again a happy boy and we were on our way.

Our drive down to the South Rim

DVDs and books to keep us entertained


Lunch stop overlooking Lake Powell and Jared flying his RC airplane

Glen Canyon Dam

The views were all amazing, but of course I'm slightly bias and think this messy face was the best view of all!

We went on lots of walks, and Gavin was such a trooper...

He just hopped up on Grandpa Ducky's shoulders when he was ready for a break

Where ever there is dirt this boy is happy

Views at sunset

We also saw lots of wildlife.

The endangered California Condor, the largest land bird in North America.

We shared our campsite with a herd of elk.  The signs on the bathroom said to stay 30 yards away from them... But with this bull and his close to 20 cows roaming the campsite, that was virtually impossible!

One afternoon my parents took Gavin so Jared and I could do a hike.  We made it about 2/3 of the way down to Indian Garden down the Bright Angel Trail.  Next trip to the Grand Canyon we'd like to have more time to make it all the way down.

View of the trail we just hiked down...and now had to hike back up

Thanks for the fun trip!

Nana & Grandpa Ducky's Visit

Back in September my parents came for a visit.  Here's a bunch of pictures from while they were in town.

Swimming at the hotel pool

Blue vs. Red 5K (which was really more like a 4K - but still fun).  I cam in 34th place overall (out of 95 participants), and 5th place for my age division

After the race started there was a Kids 1K race.  I think Gavin ran maybe 10 feet with Grandpa Ducky before he was done.  But he was a fan of the free french toast breakfast and candy after the race ended!  Here he is stuffing as much candy into his pockets as he can.

I can no longer say I never win anything in raffles.  I won a BYU cup and BYU/UofU hat

Of course there were lots of trips to the park and playing outside

BYU! BYU! BYU Cougars!

Gavin already knows his alma mater.  He's a huge fan of BYU women's soccer games, and loves chanting "BYU! BYU! BYU Cougars!" with the crowd.  The games are even more fun when he finds a stranger to play with him.  Although we can't really afford to go to all the football games, we do often go to the Wilk where there's always a crowd watching the game on TV down by the bowling alley.  So we still get to cheer (or share our frustration) with other fans.  Earlier this fall we did decide to go to one of our home games and despite the heat we had a fun time.

After the game we made a stop by 7-Eleven for slurpees!

Maple Canyon Camping Trip

Two years ago for Christmas my parents gave us a tent.  We had used it a few times, but it hasn't been until this past spring that we really started doing alot of camping.  Here are some pictures of our camping trip to Maple Canyon (about an hour east of Nephi).  Our good friends Alex and Lani are big into rock climbing and I'm really starting to love it too.  Luckily for us Alex and Lani already own all the equipment, and we've been able to go climbing with them quite a bit.

The mountains in the canyon are so crazy.  It looks like rocks stuck into concrete

I tried leading for my first time this trip!  Meaning I was the first one up the route, hooking the rope in as I went.  It was just a 5.6, so not a difficult climb, but still a little scary knowing I could fall alot further than if the rope was already set up.  

Even baby Eve and Gavin enjoyed some climbing

Jared's upside-down Spiderman moves

Gavin LOVES his Gavin sized camping chair

Good Bye 10 Hour Shifts!

One week from tomorrow I will officially be starting my new part time schedule!  Although right now I'm technically considered part time, it was only temporary until the end of the year, with alot less flexibility than my new schedule will be.  Starting next week I'll be scheduled for three 8 hour shifts a week (YAY!  No more 10 hour shifts!!!), with the option of picking up extra shifts up to 40hrs/week.  And people are always willing to give away some shifts, so if I want to work full time, I can...but don't have to!  I'm just excited to be getting done with work by 10pm instead of 12:30am!  And knowing that we will still have benefits after December is a blessing!

Simple Thought!

Rachel, my sis-in-law, posted this quote on her Facebook and I really liked it so thought I'd pass it along.

"If there were no night, we would not appreciate the day, nor could we see the stars and the vastness of the heavens. We must partake of the bitter with the sweet. There is a divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge, they purify, and thus they bless."  

James E. Faust

I don't think anyone likes to think of their adversities as blessings, but I really like how this quote gives three specific answers of how they can bless us - prepare, purge, & purify.  I also love how it talks about the adversities we encounter every day!  Gavin has reached a whole new level of the "Terrible Two's" lately - I still love him and he's still as cute as ever - but some days he tries our patience far too much.  It's hard to see his daily meltdowns as having a divine purpose, but maybe if I start trying to view these moments as Heavenly Father's way of teaching me something - how to respond, discipline, and teach Gavin - they won't leave me feeling quite so overwhelmed and frustrated!

Just so you don't think Gavin is always difficult...here are a few cute pictures of him playing at the park!

"Ready... Set..." 

"GO!!!!!!!!!"

Here Mr. Independent is telling me to go sit back on the bench - he want's no help from no one!

When he finishes crossing the bars by himself, he cheers at the other side saying, "Yay!  Did it!  Self!"

Ordinary Courage

The thought of first having a blog seemed like something I would never do.  Now I use our blog only to post about events that are going on in our lives, sharing photos and details about those events.  I never share feelings - I don't want to put that out there for everyone to see.  I don't want to be VULNERABLE.  I always look at others and think, "They make it look so simple", "They seems like the perfect parents", "How come I can't keep my house that clean?", and ON, and ON, and ON.  I was recently recommended a book: The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brené Brown, Ph.D. She is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, and has spent the past decade studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame.  I haven't even gotten a copy of her book yet, but did some digging and found her blog, 'Ordinary Courage'.  I'm excited to start reading her book and to learn more about myself and becoming a happier ME in the process.  

I'm still a little nervous about clicking "Post" for this blog, but I was encouraged by an article by Brené, Want to be happy? Stop trying to be perfect It's a great article and here are some of my favourite quotes from it:

• "Why, when we know that there's no such thing as perfect, do most of us spend an incredible amount of time and energy trying to be everything to everyone?"
• "Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be our best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it's a shield"
• "What's the greater risk? Letting go of what people think -- or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?"
• "We all need to feel worthy of belonging, and our worthiness is on the line when we feel like we are never _____ enough"
• "Worthiness doesn't have prerequisites"
• "speaking honestly and openly about who we are, about what we're feeling, and about our experiences (good and bad) is the definition of courage... It doesn't get braver than that."

Anyways!  I've gone on longer than intended!  If nothing else this has been good for me, allowing myself to vulnerability, by putting my feelings out there.

July & August Happenings

Life's been busy so I haven't had time to post in a while...but here are some (okay, a LOT) of pictures about what we've been up to in the past few busy weeks.  Enjoy!

Building forts

Family Home Evening at the Provo Temple

July 13th is National Cow Appreciation Day.  Show up at Chic-Fil-A dressed like a cow and you get a free meal!

 Another Family Home Evening at the Tracey Aviary in Salt Lake

July 24th is Pioneer Day (for those of you not from Utah).  Here are some Pioneer Day celebrations at Provo North Park right by our place

We transferred Gavin's crib into a Big Boy Bed!

A trip to Vegas for Tyler and Breanne's wedding

Playing with the pig that used to TERRIFY Gavin.  It still scares him if it's pointed at his face

Slip 'n Slide Time

Playing with his friend, Emma

Helping Daddy chop fire wood

Sometimes we build forts for Family Home Evening!

Enjoying our Pass of all Passes at Seven Peaks