Mostly September

We found some more fun pictures from North Carolina.  Have a peak:

How we love our Durham families!!

Sept 2 - We had a wonderful 30 mile Labor Day family bike ride from Utah Lake up to Vivian Park and back with a stop for lunch on the way.  Bekah, Jose, Michael, Rob and I were there...  I wish someone had taken a picture!!  It was a wonderful day!

Sept 11-14 - I attended the Quickwater/Sky Mountain Mother's Retreat in Victor ID.  I rode up with Carrie Jolly since my dear sisters were unable to attend.....

Four days to hike, take classes, do tai chi and yoga, learn about the gospel and how to be better parents of teenagers, make and clean up healthy meals together and visit. 

I gave my first ever natural healing/herbal remedies class there.  

I think it went pretty well.

 Look at this color coordination.  I swear, there was no memo!  

Sept 15 - Stake Youth Fireside with Cousin Peter Evans.  He was inspiring and engaging.  We wish him well in his new church assignment...

Sept 20 - Evans Biography Award in Logan, UT

Here we are with Timothy Egan, New York Times Journalist.  His book is titled, Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher, and is about the life of documentary photographer Edward Curtis who chronicled the life of Native Americans at the turn of the 20th Century.  Our sweet Jane was there, as you can see.

Sept 21 - Elder Peterson turns 21!  Here is our beloved Elder Jacob Neil Peterson with his newest companion, Elder Jardine from Brigham City, Ut.  Elder Jardine is the youngest missionary in the mission as the first 18 year old to arrive - just last week, and Elder Peterson is the oldest, as this is his final transfer. We wish them well!  Something magical is sure to happen here..  

 Sept 26 and 27 - Jose and Bekah and I went on our first wintery cabin over-nighter.  We learned that we can keep warm with a good fire - and have lots of fun.  Jose wore shorts :)  This series of 9 pictures is his...

 Sept 28 - Rob and I went up to Logan for our 56 mile birthday bike ride on our new road bikes.  

Somehow this car fire doesn't seem like such tragedy with new phones, new bikes

and a new car!  Happy birthday, my dear :)

October 1 - 30 mile, City Creek Canyon bike ride with Jana.  Beautiful day!  Beautiful friend...

October 6 - We went up to the Weber while listening to conference and helped winterize the cabin between sessions.  It had snowed several inches the day before, but temps were in the 60's and it was beautiful, as you can see!

We love you all, and hope you feel the Lord's love in your life

- every day!!

Ahhhhh, August!

One of the best kept secrets of being a mother is the coveted role of Recreation Specialist.

I'm so glad my season isn't over quite yet!!

We started off the month with our long awaited, Cabin Bike Ride!

Bekah graciously dropped Joseph and me off at Jeremy Ranch where our fun began.  

 We rode to the Polar King in Oakley where we met Rebekah for our traditional, greasy lunch.

We had beautiful weather and saw lots of sun.  The final six miles up the dirt road were, predictably, torturous.  

 Take a last glimpse of our beloved yellow bikes.....

(Thanks to Bekah for these lovely cabin shots!)  

Then, from Aug 6 -  13 Bekah and I were finally off to North Carolina to be with our wonderful family!

We met the beautiful Lillian Pearl - and what a sweetie she is!!  

Lucky for us, Ben and Celeste and family also live there!!

(I had a fine photo of Ben in my phone in his long white doctor's coat....but sadly it was destroyed in the car fire.)  

 We had a fun outing for ice cream to Maple View Farm (I think that's what it's called).

We did lots of swimming at Dave and Anna's pool

And we visited the beautiful Duke campus and gardens.  

 We had an overall great time.  We were so grateful to be there!!!


 Sooooo, to our next adventure: On August 15 (Ben's birthday) the five of us (Michael included) drove to Las Vegas, NV and spent the night on our way to the beach.

Thanks to my parents, we stayed in beautiful Wyndham resorts.  Above is the night view from our room down on some of their pools below. 

glass sculpture

 The next day, the unexpected happened.  Joseph was showing us his wonderful freeway driving skills when our car engine caught on fire.  This picture was taken after running a safe distance from the acrid smoke. We were able to pull our suitcases out of the back, but the bikes, boogie boards and scooters on top were toast...as was the car!

After a 4 or 5 hour delay, we were back on our way in a white rental truck from Barstow CA.  We finished our journey to Oceanside late that night.  

At last, at the peaceful beach

 A day trip to Tijuana

 A whale watching excursion that was cut short because of boisterous waves.

 Thousand Steps Beach tide pools at low tide - awesome!

 We held onto every last whisper of our wonderful summer....

And the kids were only two days late for school :)  

 (Soaking rains the day after our return.)

                                            The Lord smiled upon our family again this summer!

We feel so grateful!

And how we also feel blessed to know and love you!