Going Where Some Have Gone Before

It is hard to believe that it is almost December. We went to Ding and Dang Canyon by Goblin Valley the day after Thanksgiving. We did it the year before with Brooke, Dallin and Bryce and thought it would be fun if the weather was good, to do it again. The weather was a little cooler but great for hiking...just keep moving. We ( Kim, Wynette, Brooke, Whit and McKay ) drove down ( 3 hours almost to the minute) in the morning and began our hike around 10:30. It took us 4 hours this time compared to the three when Bryce and Dallin went...we saw no one else that time but this time there were groups of people and sometimes we waited to get through a hard spot. McKay also had us stop along the way to take fun pictures and that made it memorable. Some climbed up into holes, rappelled down, hung from trees and outcropped rocks, and did trick photography...sorta ( they didn't turn out the way we hoped). So I learned a great lesson that day. We were in a tight spot and the trail dropped pretty much straight down. It looked scary to me. The guys started using their hands and feet and straddling the trail. I thought...there is no way I can do that. Then Brooke went and followed Whit's instructions and got down no problem. I decided then, that if Brooke could do it, that maybe I could. I was nervous but went ahead and found that it was quite easy. It wasn't even scary. Wow. I have thought how many things I haven't wanted to try because they just seem plain ole hard or scary. We need to remember there is always someone to walk us through where they have gone if we just listen to them and we will probably find out that it wasn't so bad after all.

TyandNat update

Sorry that it has been so long since a TyandNat update, it has been a crazy last few months for me. Here's what we've been up to...
Sharon. Learning a lot of new words and loves playing with her "babies."
Eli. Still loves his twice a week pre-school and is continuing to work on "projects" (anything that involves taping, gluing, drawing, etc).
Nat. Starting a new art project, just finished organizing a neighborhood pie night (over 100 in attendance), just did an awesome YW evening in excellence program, and just completed physical therapy for her hip and does really cool looking exercises now.
Ty. Presented in two conferences in two months and submitted papers for two more conferences in the summer, elected President of the Learning Sciences Graduate Student Association, no longer sick and starting to run again.

We love this time of the year and look forward to having a little more family time this week. We're having another family over for Thanksgiving dinner and we'll probably gather with several families for the rivalry football game on Saturday. Since I'm way being on blogging I'll post a few pictures to catch you up to speed.

Gratitude--An Attitude

This is a picture of my missionary. He doesn't look like a missionary but that is because I like this picture of Dallin more than his missionary picture which is downstairs on the mantel. In front of Dallin is a Japanese Nativity that I got in the mail this week from Japan. It was sent to me by someone that has become a precious and dear friend and mentor. In every hard thing we encounter, there is always a silver lining if we will look for it. I was encouraged by a missionary mom in our ward to join the missionary mom group on the internet. I decided to do that and as a result, met Chris. She also has a son in Sapporo. She has had a son that served in Durban, South Africa just at the time my son Bryce was going to CapeTown South Africa. Her son fell to his death while hiking with his companions. She has walked me through the process of mourning and healing with love and encouragement.
I am grateful to see and know that God places people in our path that will grab us and take us along if we let them, to where we want to be. I hope that I can be that person for someone else. Every time I look at this beautiful Nativity from Japan and Chris, I will try to remember that desire to be what Chris has been for me, to someone else. You don't have to look far to count blessings. Happy Thanksgiving.

It Was A Monster Smash--Halloween 2009

First we went to the ward Trunk or Treat night. It was a yummy chili cook off. Some of the chilis were really hot, one was green ( not a lot of consumption on that one), and the one I ate was just right. Then because it was really really raining, we had Trunk or Treat in the hall and Primary room. I heard some families put the candy their kids got that night into a basket to hand out to Trick or Treaters the next night on Halloween. Halloween morning found us outside of Bloomington at a soccer team mate's house of Eli's. They invited the team to come out for some fun. They had toys and candy in the yard to look for and pin ball machines that didn't require quarters to play and lots of good food. We enjoyed meeting new people!
That afternoon we had a hot dog barbecue with all the neighbors and then the kids started Trick or Treating. Eli had it down! He ran ahead as we walked along and quickly amassed a small fortune in goodies. On Sunday we took Eli for a walk while Sharon was napping to a wonderful park nearby where he collected fossils. We found a lot of geodes. We looked a little out of place with our Sunday clothes but we look the same when we go out in Utah too. It was a wonderful time to visit with the kids and grandkids and we really enjoy Bloomington.