Ulcer 100 mile ride & Jon Schmidt concert 08/08/09

Kevin and James rode the 100 mile ride in Utah County called the Ulcer. This was in preparation for the upcoming LOTOJA. I think it took them 6 hours 20 minutes. Not a bad time for that far. Love my hairdo - the wind was blowing.












Then that night we got to go to Eden to see Jon Schmidt play in concert. Kevin and I had never seen him in concert.







Good friends, good food, great music...














and Kevin doesn't even look like he rode 100 miles just a few hours before. He felt like it though. What a good sport!!

random summer '09

So summer's about over and I decided to put random photos in of things we have done.

One day everyone had been playing all day. It got to be dinnertime and they were still going strong. There's a bunch of pizza places around so that's always an option. Each kid has his own square to sit in so no one was crowded. This was a great treat for the kids.

We swam with the neighbors on the 24th of July among other days...

I'm not sure but I think Leisha actually caught that one!

and then had a barbeque and face painting

...kids of all ages were there...

...the ward overnighter (Corbin, Jackson, Porter)...

Lexi played softball at the beginning of the summer. She had a few coaches. They were able to learn how to play a little but the coaches made it really fun for them and they were so patient. I guess you have to be with a bunch of young girls. It was a dad of one of the girls on her team...

...and a brother and two of his friends. The girls had a blast. They all want to be on the same team again next season.

I guess in the spring was when we started the neighborhood garden/KOA Syracuse so this is a little behind the times. I thought it was cute!

First day of school

School started July 20 for the elementary since it is year round. Jackson is in first grade (all day) and loves his teacher. We do too! It's quiet around the house during the day with all the kids in school all day. You'd think I could get more done - NOT! Just more time to goof off. :)

Lexi is in 5th grade this year - one more year of being the big sister in school. She has a great teacher too and is excited about this year. She is in the same class with Aubrey, her friend.

Lexi and Jackson were able to get on the same track as a lot of their friends in the neighborhood. Don't they look so awake and ready for school?

And Sheisha (oops - Leisha) is in 8th grade. Brookie will miss her while she's not home to play with during the day. She and Jordann started school on August 24.










And Jordie - oooh Jordie is a big sophomore this year. GO TITANS!! It's fun to still make them get their picture taken even though they get this age.

Girls Camp 2009 - Heber Valley

Girls camp this year was on a stake level. We went up to the church owned Heber Valley Camp. There's usually a few years waiting list to get in and we were able to get in on a cancellation from another group. A LOT of work went into preparing this. It was well done for about 160 girls plus leaders. The pictures of Jordann and Leisha to the left were taken by our stake camp director who is a professional photographer. She took pictures of every one of the girls and they were used throughout the week.




The theme for the whole camp was Now is the Time... Each day there was a different thing to go along with it like the first day was ...decide who you are...




Each ward made their own flag according to a value color. Ours was white for faith. We used our ward name and came up with words for each of the letters and every girl signed it. It turned out really cute.

Another day it was Now is the Time....to prepare for the temple. Jordann was doodling in her cabin and made this. Glad we got a picture so we could bring it home. Pretty detailed!

Monday night was ward family home evening. They did a spa night with facials, pedicures and manicures. There were some crazy painted toes up there.

Sister Cook from the General Young Women was able to come up and speak to the girls on Wednesday. She talked about being virtuous and gave each person a gold ribbon for a reminder. The girls really enjoyed her. What a treat to have the General Young Women come and talk. She was so casual with the girls but still had a wonderful message. You can feel the love she has for each one of them.

Wednesday and Thursday the girls were able to go to the lake and canoe...

...or do the challenge course. There were different things on the challenge course to teach them object lessons throughout their lives. There was a zip line and yes, I did it as well as the girls. It was way fun!

There were good friends and there were new friends made. Overall it was a great time. (Thanks Dr. B and Dr. Rich for Jordann's straight teeth. Aren't they pretty?)

The last night was bishopric night and the big stake get together. They showed a video that was made of each of the pictures of the girls and video of girls talking about experiences in their lives of how their testimony has grown. It's hard to see in the picture but look to the left - that is pouring rain...the last night of all nights! Everyone was tucked underneath the pavillion to try to keep from getting wet. It was pretty cozy! I think everyone was ready to go home after the whole week of being up there. It was beautiful with deer with young ones and critters all over. We could get so close to them it was amazing. There were even a few moose spotted.

Exciting day for Leisha! 08/26/09

I know I need to catch up on things happening this summer, but this one is so fresh in my mind I need to do it now. Wednesday we let Leisha go to Salt Lake for one of our friend's Angie's wedding to help babysit for our neighbors Jared and Jill. After the ceremony they were looking for something to do with the extra time before lunch. Another neighbor, Melanie and Tally were with them and as they passed the Relief Society building Melanie wanted to stop and say hi to a mutual friend Kristen, who is the assistant to Sister Elaine Dalton, the General Young Women President. Kristen invited them up to her office and was showing them around.

As they were talking to her, and looking at both Kristen's office and Sister Dalton's office, Sister Dalton came into the office. As soon as she saw Leisha she hurried right to her and embraced her in her arms so excitedly and held her the whole time she talked. She took Leisha into her personal office and showed her the view from where she sits, which is the Salt Lake temple. As she was talking to her she told her she hoped Leisha makes that her goal in life, to be there someday. Leisha was so excited to get to have that opportunity to meet her. As we were talking about it afterward, the Thomas's and the Lords were saying it was touching to them to to see how Sister Dalton paid so much attention to Leisha and how they can tell how much she loves the Young Women of the church. As I was being told about this I felt like Leisha was not only representing herself but all the young women as they were talking about the temple. Thanks Melanie for wanting to visit Kristen and give Leisha this chance and thanks Jared and Jill for asking Leisha to help with Shelby.

Ben and Emily Wedding 07/16/09

This morning was Emily (niece) and Ben's (now newest nephew) wedding at the Bountiful temple. What a neat experience for both families. Ben's family came from Kentucky to be here. It's so neat to know that they are together for eternity. Here's some random photos of the temple.

They look so happy!

Most of the group after the temple...

Emily's family

Ben's family

Emily and Liz

Emily, Liz, and friends with Ben.

cutting the cake

the cake

Practice Ride 07/03/09

This morning Kevin and a group of guys went on a long ride from our house (Syracuse) to Mantua - about 84 or so miles. Most of them are training for "Lotoja" (Logan to Jackson Hole - about 2_ _ miles in September, but first some have the "Ultra" ride in August of 111 miles around Utah Lake.

I got to drive the support vehicle again which i really enjoy. I like to see friends and family achieve goals they have set. I caught up with them just before Brigham City and they were going strong...

Ben (Emily's fiance soon to be my nephew, aka Bemily) managed to do a high five as he went by. There were a few of those from everyone.

They were pretty happy to see the 1 mile sign. That meant the end of the big hill. But then they had to turn around and go back home.

They rode pretty close together. What a group!! Way to go Kevin, Ben, James, Vince and Kevin (yeah there were two Kevins. I'm not repeating myself). I think they all went home and took a nap after though. It was a great day to go.

Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back 2009

June 19-20 was a busy weekend. It was the Wasatch Back that weekend from Logan to Park City - about 188 miles. Yeah - we did it again. I got to be supportist again this year so I got to go too. It's easier to get the shirts you know. This year we were in the first car out of two.

Just random photos - Before the race started...

..."Car One" at the start line...don't they look awake and alert?

Our first hand-off to Car Two was at Snow Basin Resort so we got to wait a couple of hours there before continuing on.

Me and Liz while waiting for one of our runners...

Great picture of the people in our car. Jeff was missing - he was out on his night run. Jared was the videographer/entertainer going from car to car getting all the video footage, etc. No sleep there.

Now the first half of the team is done. We finished in the morning and had time for lunch and a little more rest - not sleep - before the other car came in.

Car Two - not a lot of footage right now of that part of team.

Despite the wet weather and literally running in the clouds, we finished the relay. Another year, another great team. I guess we'll try again next year. We love to go on no sleep!!