Just a few days until the Digital Scrapbook Memories Retreat. I'm feeling incredibly organized and ready! It's amazing! I still have to finish up some things for the classes which will take a lot of time, but other than that I'm about ready to pack up and go. I have so many boxes to bring. One prize I bought for each of the goodie bags at the retreat filled my Tahoe completely with exception to the drivers seat. I should have taken a picture of that.
Speaking of pictures, I REALLY want to show off the goodie bags here, but I'll be patient and show you next week after the retreat. I need to keep things a surprise.
Also, I'm really grateful that most of our retreat packages have sold out. We still have a few seats left but that is it. This year's retreat is going to be really great and even better than last year's retreat. I can't wait to take a few of the classes myself.
One of my favorite things my church teaches is that children are perfect and are guaranteed a spot in heaven if they die. Parents are also promised they can raise these children after they die. My kids are healthy and strong. I'm so grateful for that. Still, I can't imagine how depressing it would be to not have this knowledge and to think that death is the end. I'd constantly be so nervous, scared and frustrated with life. Even with this knowledge I know loosing a child would be the hardest thing someone could ever face, but at least this knowledge could give a person something to hold on to.
These top two pictures were taken two days and about ten miles apart. I just love living here. I love that one day I have my kids in shorts, then the very next day I'm skiing in fresh snow just a few miles from my house.
Sidewalk chalk is going to be the big thing at my house this year. The kids are getting really creative. Megan started drawing, then the neighborhood kids started drawing bike parking and exit signs. Next thing you know my driveway is full of bike paths drawn with chalk. It's really fun.
The picture above (taken with my iPhone) is from my last ski day of the year. It was really hard to get good pictures because it was so cloudy. As a matter of fact, the north face of Snowbird was pretty scary to ski because it was so incredibly foggy. You could barely see in front of you. I had to go really slow and follow people to make sure I didn't get into a bad area. Driving up the canyon was really scary too. I could only see 10 feet or so in front of me. Luke was going to ski with me that day. I'm so glad he didn't. Mineral Basin, where the picture was taken, was really fun to ski. I went into some more challenging areas since I didn't have Luke. It wasn't foggy on that side, but it was still really hard to see because everything was so white and it was starting to snow. All the little black dots in the picture are people trying to decide the best place to start down.
I only got to ski for 2 hours because I had other things going on that day, but it was fun while it lasted and I think it's really cool I can cruise up the mountain, ski and come home in a few hours.
Last August I took the picture below on the right with the idea in mind I would take a picture in the same area in the winter. My iPhone picture on the left isn't really great, but it's still fun to see next to the summer picture. I love that we have four distinct seasons here.
I had to take my kids to the expo I worked this weekend so I gave them a spot to sell things. Luke sold toys and Megan sold her art. Megan's sign was so cute. It's shown above but hard to see. It says "Art for Sale. 5 (cent sign)" The S and cent sign are backwards making the sign even cuter. They were both really happy to be able to sell things. Megan was there the longest. She had to be there for about 8 hours one day and was completely happy the whole time. She was very serious about her job. She sold her pictures between 3-5 cents each, but got lots of big tips. The kids made about $20 total in the end! One guy I talked to was so cute. Actually he and his friend were both great. They kept coming back to buy her pictures. One of them called his wife to tell her he bought 2 art pieces at the show and she was panicked wondering what he had done. It was so funny.
The pictures shown here weren't for the sale. I just wanted to show off what a cute little artist Megan is.
Look at this adorable little guy! Isn't he cute? It's too bad we won't be able to pinch these cheeks forever. He'll grow out of them far too soon. I'm so excited to have him here safe. I've been so worried about him. I think part of the reason is because I'm so excited for my brother to have his own son. The idea of a little Seth (my brother is Seth) running around makes me so excited. Seth was a really cute little boy and I can't wait to see this beautiful baby running around one day. So far he is big like his daddy. Let's hope the curly hair and freckles come too.
Saturday I got to participate in the Salt Lake Bike Tour which was part of the Salt Lake Marathon. Just me and 1,500 of my closest friends on bikes for 26 miles :) Actually, I was alone, but thought there has got to be some people in that mass crowd I could be friends with. It was so much fun. I wish I had something better than my iPhone to take pictures of the starting line because those pictures could have been really cool and I can't find pictures of it online anywhere! Not even from past years. It's hard to see how far back the bikes really were on the starting line.
I was really nervous for this ride because I haven't been riding my bike very much and I have never ridden this far in such a short amount of time. We had to finish in 1 hour and 45 minutes. I ended up finishing the 26 miles in 1 hour, 44 minutes, and 39 seconds! Haha! I thought that was kind of funny. I could have gone faster, but I was nervous about pacing myself since I didn't know what to expect. Overall I would say it was actually a pretty easy ride. I got a decent work out, but half of the first half of the ride was downhill. FUN!!! I loved it!!!
I loved cruising around the city I love. MY CITY! We started at the U of U and rode down into Sugarhouse right past the house I used to live in on 2700 South and 1700 East! How cool is that? We turned at my old house and went east again for a little while so I got to view all of my old stomping grounds. We rode down to 6200 South, over to Vanwinkle, then over to 500 East and up to the Gateway. Throughout the ride we also rode past or within a block of 4 of my old schools, a few of my friends neighborhoods, the neighborhood I lived in from grades 5-9, and the area Keith and I lived when we first got married.
After the ride I hung out for just a bit, then decided to ride my bike back to the starting line. By 8:30 a.m. I had ridden 30.5 miles. That felt really good. I love waking up early and doing so much before many people even wake up. I NEVER thought I could ever be a morning person, but I am now and I love it.
The kids also got to participate in the marathon. They ran a 0.62 mile children's marathon that had the same finish line as all of the adults. This means they got to run through the crowd of spectators. My kids LOVED it. They were really excited. Best of all they got medals for finishing. They were really proud of those medals.
Here they are with their friend Deigan. Deigan's dad ran the marathon in 4 hours! Incredible!
Susan Boyle, you are my hero. I'm am so impressed, amazed and inspired by you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY I know this video is doing circles on the internet, but I had to post it anyway.
Also, if you are interested in a free Digital Scrapbook Class, they are filling up quick...
We had a great trip. The best part was that Keith let me drive an entire trail. I've never asked to drive before and never minded being the passenger, but I have to admit driving was a lot of fun. I drove a fairly difficult trail. I couldn't believe the obstacles Keith was letting me drive. I kept asking if he was sure I could do it and he said, "there is no one I would rather wreck my jeep than you". Ha ha. Did I just say that was sweet? Oh my. That is really sad, but it was nice. This was the first tough obstacle I got to drive. It's so crazy tipping the nose of your vehicle over the edge of this and driving almost straight down. Pictures never seem to make it looks as crazy as it really is. I'm really driving almost straight down.
Here is a video I found on YouTube that shows off the type of stuff we do on our trip a little better. I didn't take good pictures this year, but this video shows off what we do.The video is best from 0:15 to 3:45. The video picks up speed around 1:00. After about 3:45 it's just people I dont' know and lame bumper sticker pictures.
In case you are curious... we are very concerned about respecting the land. We never go off trail. Most people are really good about respecting the land and it's very rare that you see people go off the trail. The trails take you to the most amazing remote locations you could never see otherwise. The dark tire spots you see are unfortunate but they are only where the trails are, and are extremely minor compared to the incredible amount of miles of untouched areas you can see from each trail. Keith is really concerned with land rights and keeping things nice. I'm really impressed with his efforts over the last few years. The past three years he has raised money for dumpsters and port-a-poties for Potato Salad Hill which is a big party area during spring break. He also organizes groups to go clean up the area every morning during spring break. Part of me is annoyed that he is cleaning up after the partiers but the other part of me is really impressed with what he is doing. Because he keeps that party area nice, the area has never been closed down which leaves the partiers in one spot near town rather than out in the beautiful areas we like to be. Here is a picture of the area he cleans up:
Dumb partiers. Ugh. I was so mad watching them drop all of their cigarettes on the ground knowing Keith would have to pick them up. I don't understand why it's socially acceptable to leave your cigarette butts where ever you are. Oh well.Here are a couple pictures of an area we let the kids fly their kites. If only my family would pose for me. I could have got the most amazing pictures!
Here is a picture of our family at the Castle Valley Overlook on the Porcupine Rim trail. Beautiful scenery, but we look pretty rough don't we?
It was a great trip! We even got to spend some time with our friends Trevor and Mindee who went down that weekend too. Today is Mindee's birthday. Happy Birthday Mindee! We hung out with our friends Amy and Shane on one night trail too. I'm glad we saw them when we did, but I sure wish we could have met up with them more.
Here is what is keeping me insanely busy this week... I'm really excited for this tonight! Girl’s Night Out – Digital Scrapbook Open House This Saturday, April 4th 6-9 p.m. Larry Miller Conference Center in Sandy, UT SLCC Miller Conference Center; 9750 South 300 West Sandy, UT (see map here) $5 per person
What should I expect? Mini workshops and classes will be going on throughout the entire night for all skill levels. Each class and workshop will focus on how to scrapbook using Adobe Photoshop. You can come for the entire event or for just a portion of the night.
6:00 to 7:30 Activities Beginner Class – children may attend but need to be quiet. If your kids are too loud for a class you will still have plenty of learning opportunities in the workshops. Intermediate and Slightly Advanced Workshops – You’ll have opportunities to ask questions as well as learn how to create specific layouts and hybrid projects. “Cropping Area” – If you just want to come and scrapbook, we’ll have a place for you to set up your computer.
7:30 to 9:00 Activities Slightly Advanced Class – We’ll teach you several fun Photoshop tips in this class. There will be several two minute breaks to allow you to come and go if you also want to check out the workshops during this same time. Beginner and Intermediate Workshops – Learn the basics of Adobe Photoshop and get lots of fun project ideas. “Cropping Area” – If you just want to come and scrapbook, we’ll have a place for you to set up your computer.
Do I need a computer? No, but if you bring one we will have a place for you to scrapbook.
Kids? Kids are welcome to this event and will be let in for free (14 and under). We’ll have some small $2 and 25 cent toys you can buy your kids if they need some help being quiet. We’ll also have a couple short activities for the kids to help keep them happier longer. Children MUST be with an adult at all times.
These are pictures of my friend Jennifer's beautiful twin babies. They are about 2 weeks old now. I loved taking pictures of them.
Thanks to my friend Nora, I got to spend the day skiing at Deer Valley yesterday. It is so beautiful up there. It's a really fun resort with lots of easy runs. I can definitely see why the rich flock to that area. I got to go with my friend Mindy Thygerson. We laughed the whole time. It was great! I skiied through the trees and up a bunch of different little shoot outs off the trail. I even tried some little jumps! It was so much fun!
My husband and kids spoil me :)
I have been to a LOT of extra church meetings lately as part of my church calling. My favorite was two visits to the Samoan Ward in our Stake. Part of the meetings are in English, but several speakers spoke in Samoan. They also sang in Samoan. I personally love attending church meetings in different languages because I feel like I can concentrate even harder on feeling the spirit. I love knowing that so many of us around the world believe the same things and can worship together even when we don't understand each other's languages.
I have attended some meetings in Mexico in Spanish where I didn't understand a single word and I loved that too. I believe it's important to be at church on Sunday no matter where you are.
I have one more church meeting tonight. I would be excited if I didn't feel like I had already left my kids too much the past couple weeks.
If I could be anywhere this minute I would want to be surfing somewhere warm. Anywhere. By surfing, I mean attempting to surf :)
I can't wait for the open house I'm holding this weekend. I hope you can come!
*I love all the words Megan says incorrect. I'm starting to get really emotional each time she says a word wrong because I know it's not going to last much longer. My favorite is butsept instead of except.
*I love the Jordan River Parkway! I have taken my kids there a couple times lately. They ride their bikes while I roller blade. We ride from one playground to another, then another. It's so much fun and such great exercise for the kids. I don't know how far we go but it is probably 2-4 miles and I'm so proud Megan's little legs make the journey.
*I signed up for a bike tour associated with the SLC Marathon. I'm trying to make sure I am ready for it because I need to ride 26 miles in an hour and 45 minutes. I still have no clue how possible this is because I haven't actually ridden 26 miles in at least 8 years. Keith is making fun of me for this. I've taken two long bike rides so far in the past couple weeks but my bike computer wasn't working either time. The first ride I'm guessing I went 20 miles in 2 hours. It wasn't a great test though because it was on the Jordan River Parkway and who knows how much the turns and people slowed me down. The second ride I thought my computer was working but it wasn't so I decided to do some steeper hills instead of a long ride. I went 8 miles from the Draper Park to the Draper Temple then east on Highland drive and back to the park.
*This weekend was gorgeous and I wanted to ride my bike but got to work the Scrapbook Expo instead. It's so much work preparing for those shows! Ugh! The weekend went well, and I'm glad I did it. I love meeting so many cool people and talking to so many old friends and customers.
*I get to go to the Draper Temple in a few hours to see it dedicated. I'm really excited to see what happens at a dedication. Once it's dedicated the temple is closed to the general public.
*I'm really excited for spring, but need to go skiing a few more times before I can be ready to say good bye to winter.
*My house is a disgusting mess. How did I become this person?
*My feet really hurt from standing on them so long this weekend. I've been able to relax this morning which is great.
*I can't wait for the Digital Scrapbook Memories Retreat in May. I bought tons of prizes for it and can't wait to give them away.
*I really REALLY wish I could go to a surfpark. They look so cool. We have a really fun Flowrider place nearby, but this surfpark looks extra cool.
I wish I had my camera at 7:30 this morning. The full moon was absolutely beautiful going down behind the Oquirrh Mountains this morning. The mountains were covered in snow, the moon was a stunning light peach color and the sky was a soft baby blue. I was at the top of a hill and it was still just dark enough to see all of the city lights too. Wow!!!
Thanks to some chatty boys from Miton, UT we learned about the magic forest at Sundance yesterday. It's so fun. There are 3-4 trees with faces, an owl and a magical tree with an elf. If you get off at the lift stop and go to the left, you'll be in the magic forest.
Another face... look close.
Here is the tree the elf lives in. Apparently if you knock on the door 5 times before noon an elf will come out. We weren't there in time to try, but the boys said they saw the elf so we know it has to be true :)
Here is my crazy boy skiing through the magic forest. I can't quite get him to try anything but a snowplow yet. He did ski without his edgie-wedgies for the first time though, and did a GREAT job. If you watch the video in the post below you'll see these little clips on the fronts of his skis. Those are edgie wedgies.
This is a video of Luke sking one of the flat sections of Cliff's Run at Snowbird. I am so used to turning the camera to take pictures, I turned it for this video. Oops. Tilt your head as far as you can to the right and brace yourself for motion sickness. The tough section I mentioned in this post is the cliff you see us approaching. I can't wait to take Luke hiking here in the summer.
I have never enjoyed a winter as much as this one. Everytime it snows I am so excited to look outside and see it's beauty. I have especially loved all of the days where the snow packs down on the side roads and the entire neighborhood is a gorgeous white. Today the snow was a different kind of beautiful. The thick snow flocked all of the trees and yards, but quickly melted on the sidewalks and roads. It was even more perfect because we had beautiful blue skies. Ahhhh! It's almost all melted now, but I enjoyed it while I could.
I think taking the time for winter sports has certainly helped me enjoy the winter more. I'm also enjoying this winter more because I am happier. The past few years have been frustrating, but I've been trying much much harder to find joy in everything. It's taken a lot of work to change my mindset, but after several months it's working and it feels so good.
I first saw my little almost two year old neice "S" carrying these around and laughed out loud. I think it might have been Megan's idea first but I think both girls are totally cute and creative. I love that they turned ski helmets into cradles.
ETA: I hope the title doesn't sound negative towards girls. It shouldn't since I AM a girl who loves to participate in sports. Female athletes are AMAZING!!! I just love how a little girl can turn anything "girly".
