A week in Alaska, day five and six...

We got to see our

"could not find nicer relatives" 
again on Sunday.

Scott and April saw a friend from Idaho too!

Everyone in the congregation at church was so welcoming. 

It amazes me how the same sweet spirit is present

no matter what ward or branch you attend. 

We got to enjoy 

one last Alaskan

ramble out yonder

on their beautiful trails.

Thanks Scott and April

for the great idea

to visit Alaska! 

It was a winner!

What just a little bit of water can do...

Thanks to Gary's hiking suggestions, 

we got to enjoy this beaut of a trail. 

It led to Lower Adams Canyon Waterfall

and I was amazed to see that 

this little bit of water...

could turn into this awesome waterfall!

There are so many analogies that come to mind 
from this little stream. 
It gives me hope of beautiful things to come.

Thanks Gary, 10/10 will do again. 

Man, I'm grateful to get to live in this place!

Happy news for Hunter...a mission call!

It happened! 

Hunter's mission call came in the mail. 

He was so fun to watch through all his anticipation! 

What a happy guy! <3

Thanks to our girlie reminding me in the nick of time, 

we got a little video of him opening the call.  

Hunter opening his mission call to the 
New Hampshire, Manchester Mission. :)

Many, many thanks to all you kind, giving, wonderful people 

who have helped him prepare 

for this next chapter in his life. 

New Hampshire here he comes!

We're all so excited for him!  =D

Breakfast on the island and General Conference favorites...

General Conference weekend started super early Saturday morning with the twigs going 

on a group date to watch the sunrise and have a picnic breakfast on Antelope Island.

Let me back up a little to explain the Mr.'s mischievous smile and not-so-threatening bb gun. 

You see, our girlie just turned "16" one week before this date. 

She's been watching her big brothers have tons of fun on dates

 for a couple years. She's the youngest, and decided to follow the counsel

 in an inspired little guide for youth called "For the strength of Youth" which says... 

"A date is a planned activity that allows a young man and a young woman to get to know each other better. It can help you learn and practice social skills, develop friendships, have wholesome fun, 

and eventually find an eternal companion. You should not date until you are at least 16 years old. When you begin dating, go with one or more additional couples. 

Developing serious relationships too early in life can limit the number of other people you meet. 

Invite your parents to become acquainted with those you date. Choose to date only those who have high moral standards and in whose company you can maintain your standards."

This was her second date in one week! 

Yup, she hit the ground running. We weren't well acquainted with her first date 

so the Mr. took pity on him but this second young man is a super guy that we know well 

so the Mr. decided he could pull out his "gun" for the rite of passage...

"father armed with his gun, meeting the young man at the door 

who's come to take out his daughter." 

What a great sport her date was!  He made the Mr.'s day!

Then they were off for the Island. 

It was cloudy so there wasn't much of a sunrise 

but they said it was still really pretty and they had a good time.  

As soon as the twigs returned from their date, we headed south 

to watch the first session of General Conference with Ty and Suzanne's family. 

Thanks for the invite guys! We love having you nearby!  :)

We made it back home just in time for the afternoon session of General Conference 

and for Hunter's soccer game.

His totally fantastic Sunday School teachers left this for him too.   :)

There were so many great conference talks, how can I even pick a favorite to share?

I can't, but here are a few of the quotes I liked and sent to our missionary, Zac (Elder Branch).

Elder Lawrence said both of these quotes in his talk. The pictures were found on instagram. 

Good stuff!!

:)

A twig at Lyman Lake...

 Our girlie loves Stake Young Womens Camp! 

The Mr. and I got to go this year as cooks. 

It's a beautiful place...

but the real beauty of the place is in the spirit and the people.

A few of us got to break away from the kitchen for an hour 

when the girls were doing their challenge courses. 

The courses are fun and "challenging" but the amazing thing 

is what happens when the challenge is over. 

The Stake Leaders asked the girls questions about the challenge 

which related perfectly to life - parables of a sort. 

The spirit was booming through the trees 

and I was biting my lip like crazy trying to keep tears from shooting out of my eyes!
I had an absolute witness that God knows me, that life is good, and that we can do this with His help.

God is good and we are his children. He loves us all.  

 :)

Mounds to rivers to floods...

The rivers and ponds that threatened our little vegetable garden plants became floods. It rained for days and rained HARD Saturday night! We were getting ready to hit the hay when that sweet warning voice of the spirit said "window wells." I asked the twigs if they'd look through the windows with a flash light into the window wells. The goal was to see rocks in the bottom of the window wells - not water!

They came back and reported no rocks in sight. Yikes! Hunter started coming up with ideas like wildfire - from tarps and buckets to siphons of all sorts! Soon, everyone was coming up with ideas, then improving on them, and a plan was hatched.

It wasn't pretty but it was in the nick of time! Water got to within 1/4 inch of coming in.

It was our own little miracle and we're beyond grateful!

Every Sunday I love hearing this beautiful prayer and partaking of the sacramental ordinance...Oh God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember Him, that they may have His Spirit to be with them, Amen.

I testify of a loving God who blesses us, His children, with His Spirit of warning, instruction, comfort, and peace.  God is good!!    :)

Blast!!

Something different is happening with the birds in our birdhouse this spring.

The pair I wrote about here came to a sad end - a little pile of feathers on the grass and lunch for some raptor . No pictures - too sad.     :(

Next came weeks of new birds trying out the birdhouse but leaving after a day or two.

I started wondering if we would go bird-less this summer when, finally, a pair of sparrows came and stayed. I totally love having a front row seat to the egg-tending process. I love listening to the chorus of hungry little cheeps coming from the birdhouse!

Just before the eggs could be laid, however, this intruder invaded our bird heaven!

What's his big deal?    I have no idea.
Is he trying to steal eggs?     Who knows?
He swoops in and screams and squawks and scares the sparrows away every day - multiple times a day.
He gracelessly bumbles down the side of the birdhouse and tries to stick his big annoying head in the opening. 
Blast!!

So the watching and hoping to hear sweet baby sparrow chirps continues...

Park Avenue, Landscape, & Navajo...

Our visit to Arches over spring break included hikes to/thru Park Avenue...

 ...Landscape Arch...

(How does that baby stay up?!)

...and Navajo Arch.

Navajo has a sweet little cave that is so easy to imagine ancient people inhabiting. Whenever I think of Anasazi or Ancient Pueblo people, I feel immense gratitude for my little home and my soft bed!!

"Everybody needs beauty...places to play in and pray in 

where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.”

 -John Muir

"We don't stop hiking because we grow old - 

we grow old because we stop hiking"

-Finis Mitchell

Hey-fun! That quote is a knock off of one of our girlie's favorite quotes! -here