White Pine Backpacking Trip

While Brayden and I were away to youth conference, Ira took the kids, along with Kelli & Derrick and kids, on a backpacking trip.  It was about a 4 mile hike each way.   By all reports, it was a great adventure!

Myah & Emilie

Kelli & Derrick

Ira, Jarin, Kamden & Emilie

After the hike, they stopped at Tony Grove and cooled off.

It sounds like a super fun 2 days.  I want them to do a repeat when I can be part of the fun.  I'm so grateful that Ira is willing to go out and spend time with the kids, even when I can't be there to help him.

Young Women and Spring Chicks

The past five years, I would feel just a tad bad for Ira when he "had" to go to all these camps and Youth Conferences as part of being the Bishop.  He would come home so tired, and "have" to turn around and go to another one in a week or two.  Well, now that the roles have been reversed and I'm the one who "has" to go to these things, while he holds down the fort - I can tell ya that I have a few years to make up of this "torture" to be even with him! :)

Before the summer even started, and I looked at my calendar - I was exhausted even thinking about it.  And now that it's here, I am even more exhausted. BUT, I am having a lot of fun with my family and with "my girls" in Young Womens.  I just love every one of them, and the leaders I work with.  

My first big youth adventure was YW camp. Seriously SO MUCH FUN!  We went to a girls home (cabin) in the mountains by Mantua.  

Our two camp leaders worked so hard and were so much fun.  I've always admired these two, and now I do even more.

Ruth Spendlove & Nicole Zollinger

I got a new camera for Mothers DAy/my birthday.  And this was the first time I really got to play with it much.  So this is one of the pictures I took.  LOVE my new "baby"

Our theme for camp was "STAR" (Stand for Truth And Righteousness).  Our girls had the great idea to make themselves into a star - so dang cute!

Our fearless leaders on the slip and slide.  I would be the neon girl who wants to stand out in the crowd :) 

The rest of the leaders

YOUTH CONFERENCE

After camp, the next week we turned around and went to Youth Conference for 3 days.

This time Brayden was part of the group.  He wasn't real excited about having his mom there amongst all of his friends.  But hopefully he'll get over that...SOON! 

We started the adventure out with water games.  I realized that I wasn't a spring chick anymore when I ran with all my might and plopped myself onto the slip n' slide and then hurt all over!  The slip n' slide at YW camp was downhill - it didn't require much running and jumping.  This one hurt a wee bit :)

And we did a ropes course where we did things that were really challenging, but they all had a lesson to be learned.

We climbed up on this stump and fell back into the arms of our friends.  I wasn't too worried - I knew they would catch me.

But when I got to this one - I got worried.  I climbed up the pole, and when I got up there, I froze.  I wanted to climb back down.  I was wearing a harness, but I couldn't get myself to let go of the pole, then climb out on the ledge.  I finally did, and then I was really frozen.  I just couldn't jump to that ring.  I kept asking the gal holding my safety harness if she was sure she had me.  After quite some time, I finally "jumped".  I wouldn't really call it jumping. It was more like falling, but either way - it got me off the platform!  The first picture was me terrified. The second picture is how it's supposed to be done...not me obviously. :)

We went to the Manti pageant.  This is my cute girls that went.  I really love this pageant, but I have to admit that I was so tired by this point, that I slept through the pageant.  A sure sign of me not being a spring chick anymore!

Darci Olsen, Alix Crossley, Nicky, 

Megan Winklaar

Brandi Poulsen, Nicky, Anna Russak, Clarinda Little

By the end of our weekend, I think Brayden was actually warming up to me being there...a little.

We also had workshops, a fireside, testimony meeting, and of course - a dance.  Talk about spring chick...you should have seen me and the other two leaders on the dance floor.  Boy oh boy...the things we do for our girls!  They wanted us to dance with them, and dance we did!  At that point, I had no doubt left that I'm DEFINENTLY NoT a spring chick!

BOATING

Today I went boating with my Laurels.  I hadn't been water skiing since I was about their age, so this was a long shot for me.  I first tried wake boarding (like snow boarding but on water).  That was a no-go.  So I tried skiing, and got up on my first try.  It was fun, till it wasn't (make sense?).  It really was fun, but once again my bones and muscles just couldn't go as long as I once used to.  But once we pulled the tube out...I could handle that one.  It was so much fun!  I loved it, and I loved being with our girls (Annie Olsen & Clarinda Little) and facing death in the face with them! LOL

This was our boat captain - Travis Earl.  He showed us how wake boarding is meant to be done.  It was fun watching him.

Triathalon

I have wanted to do a triathalon since the first time I ran my first half marathon.  I viewed it as something I could never do (as I did the half marathon), so I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.  This year was the year to check it off my bucket list.  I am not a swimmer.  I liked biking, but had never really done it for a distance.  And running?...well, I had done it - but can't say I like it.

Anyways, my brother Shawn and I decided we were going to do it.  We signed up, and while I was at it - I signed up Ira.  He was a good sport about it and didn't train a day for it before he went to the race.  I shouldn't say not a day, I think he did go for a run once or twice before the big race day.  In the meantime, I was up at 5:30 going to the pool, and watching people swim and trying to copy them (or in some cases - trying NOT to copy them).  I would still go to Crossfit every morning, and other days I would fit in a bike ride.  Saturdays I was trying to get a run in.  It was an exhausting training, and I wasn't very consistent with it.  But I learned a lot.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to run 3.1 miles after a 12 mile bike ride and a 500 meter swim?  My legs felt numb and a thousand pounds each!  I hadn't expected that one.  I felt like I was tripping over my own feet because I couldn't really feel them.  I wonder if there's a trick to that?...I guess I'll have to study up on that.  Turns out, I REALLY like biking, and I think I could really like swimming too (if I learned the right way to swim).  I still don't like running, but I think I can tolerate it in shorter distances.  And wouldn't you know it - I LOVED the triathalon.  I want to do another...soon!  Problem is, right now I am stuck with running, because I signed up for the Top of Utah Half Marathon...AGAIN!  Why do I subject myself to such torture???  The only answers I have come up with are:

 1)I'm a bit crazy in the head

or

2) I really like feeling healthy

or

3)  All of the above!

Me, Sharli King, Amber Bradley, Shaley Davis

Me with some of my friends/family who are also a bit crazy in the head really like feeling healthy. :)

Shawn, me, Ira, Tiana

a few of my Crossfit Iota "family" after the race.

Me with my best friend after the race

Ira, Nicky, Shawn

YAY... we did it!

Zions Narrows hike

I don't have a ton to journal about this entry - because I wasn't there. I didn't even want to go, until I saw these pictures.  Now I have added it to my bucket list.  I was told that it was a harder hike than a half marathon was to run - I guess I better go see for myself if that's true!

 Ira and Brayden hiked the 17 mile?? hike through the Zions National Park Narrows hike.  My brother in law and nephew (Reece and Travis) came.  My brother and his 2 kids, (Shawn, Nathan & Tiana) went and a family from our ward (The Rupps) went. 

They said it was so much fun, so beautiful, and so exhausting. 

Reece & Travis

Brayden & Ira

Nathan, Shawn, Tiana

Brayden

Did I mention that 60% (I think that was the number they told me), is in water?  They have to wade through it and at times, swim.

The Moser family hikers

Blisters, and a not-so-happy look on his face.  Reece took on his first hiking adventure, and said he loved it. 

Yep, blisters and all - I still have this added to my bucket list.  So when do ya'll wanna go again?

Traditions in Moab

We have been on this trip to Moab for enough years now, that I feel safe to call it a tradition.  Over the years, it has changed who we have gone with - but one thing for sure...we still go and our bikes still go.  We wait all winter long until we can finally hear the roar of the engines and slide that helmet over our heads and put our thumbs to the accelerator and ...  well, it's just one of those things that I could go on and on about, cuz I just love it!  I especially love it when it's cold in Cache Valley, and we go somewhere warm and get a few "rays".  But the last few years, it has been cold there too.  OH WELL - it's still an adventure, and one which I'm on my bike.  A bad day on my 4-wheeler is better than a good day at  home. 

I think I'll have my kids wear their helmets on dates!

Ira and I with my parents. 

 My mom isn't as fond of 4-wheeling as I am, so she is a trooper to put up with us when we all love it so much.  And we bring her back unharmed every time! ;)

Besides my parents, these are two of my favorite people. 

 Marilyn and Roger Douglas. 

They are such special people to us, and are great friends.

Nothing scary about 4-wheeling in Moab, right?!  Actually, there is plenty of scary trails, but this wasn't one of them.  It was a steep hill, but we may have altered the camera just a bit.... or maybe not!???  ha ha

My three favorite men on the planet.

Just one of the trails we road on.  It shows the comparison of how small we really are, and how majestic the cliffs are.  They are so beautiful!

I love my new pink - bling, bling helmet!  We even have radios in them so we can talk to each other on the trail.  New love!

My mommy and daddy.

I loved having them both along this year. 

The next pictures aren't in Moab - but our first family outting on our bikes.

Our favorite thing is when we come across some good mud pools. 

Brayden did a great job getting some splash on this one.

Emilie on her muddy bike

Sometimes that mud puddle is more than just a puddle, and we get a surprise.  Good thing for wenches on our bikes, or that bike may still be there.

Kutie-Patootie Kamden!

I love spring 4-wheeling with the green grasses, wild flowers, and snow-capped mountains.