Fall break 2018 part 2

Thursday we headed to Grand Teton National Park.  Ever since we moved to Utah and started exploring beyond the Wasatch front, we've become big fans of national park.  They are always worth it.

I love going to the gift shops in the visitor centers.  You come across gems like this legendary classic.  (Although Mark pointed out it is THE legendary classic.)

There were lots of signs around with warnings about avoiding bear attacks.  They were very effective in scaring me but not very effective in clearing up what to do in the face of an attack.  Sometimes you play dead and sometimes you fight back and sometimes you use your bear spray.  It depends on if the bear is attacking you or approaching you or stalking you.  I think if I saw a bear up close, I would not have the presence of mind to decide what the bear was doing.

Also I don't have bear spray.

But I did have these two:

And that mountain!  I'm telling you, I took a lot of pictures of it.  It was just so beautiful.  I think if you grew up next to that mountain, you would be ruined for any other mountains for the rest of your life.

This is Jenny Lake.  The water was crystal clear.

Adam, of course, saw a remote looking dirt road and turned down it.  I, of course, kept telling him not to.  We came across a sign that said it was not for cars.

Just try telling someone who owns a Subaru something like that.

Owning a Subaru changes people.

We were rewarded after the jostling almost-but-not-quite-a-road by this:

This is Jackson Lake and we had this little corner of it all to ourselves.

It had burned somewhat recently and here Mark is inspecting a burned tree.  I loved all the tiny Christmas trees that were cropping up all over where it had previously burned.

Here are just three more of the many pictures I took of the mountains.  They were just stunning and I kept thinking that if I took one more picture it would capture them, but I'm not sure it did.

That is Jackson Lake in the distance, the side opposite where we were before.

Another dirt road yielded a close up viewing of a herd of bison.

Also, we drove to "Mormon Row" which was settled by pioneers.  The buildings were no longer in use but still in good condition and in a picturesque spot.

Adam had me pose by the corner of the barn for a picture.  "Why me?" I asked.  "How about I take your picture?"

"You're wearing a flannel shirt," he said.  "You could run for 4-H president."

So that's always a good back up plan (except I might be too old).

When Adam and Mark were there last summer for their scout high adventure, they saw a moose.  Despite our best efforts, we did not see any moose.

We drove back for another night in Afton, tired and happy and with our eyes full of magnificent vistas.

Until next time, Grand Teton National Park.

Fall break 2018 part 1

Marianne texted me Thursday:

The fact that she jumped immediately to I must be dying because I hadn't blogged proves that we're sisters.

In case you didn't already think so.

(One time someone asked if we were twins because we look alike.  We sort of look alike.  She's 5 inches taller than I am.  Another time someone asked us if Adam and Robert were brothers.  What?!?  Are you looking at us?!?)

I wasn't dying though.

It was fall break (still is, in fact) and we were out gallivanting.

Because I took more pictures than anyone would want to see in a single blog post sitting, I'll stretch it out to a few blog posts.

Adam and Mark and I left Wednesday after school.  We drove through lovely rural Utah, then Wyoming, then Utah, then Wyoming, then Idaho and then Wyoming.

I talked to Braeden on the phone and he wondered if we were suffering from indecision.

No, that was just the road we were on.

We listened to a new to us podcast, by Malcolm Gladwell.  I'm a fan.

We landed in Star Valley, Wyoming.  Having grown up in Starr Valley, Nevada, it seemed to me like all the signs were spelled wrong.

The last harrowing bit of the trip was in the dark and we saw a lot of deer and thankfully didn't hit any of them.

It was stressful.

The Star Valley temple was a welcome sight (it's pretty + it meant that we were almost done with the game of frogger we were playing with the deer).

We stayed in lovely Afton, WY, home of the world's largest arch made of elk horns.

I didn't take a picture, but here's one from the internet:

source

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures....

Christmas shopping

I've been doing some.  Emma is hands down the easiest person I shop for.  I find everything I think she would like.  Adam is less easy.  The problem with that man is that he doesn't get that excited about gifts.  So, if you're wondering why I'm worrying about it if he doesn't care that much, it's not about him OK?  It's about me.

And I want to get him gifts.

Good ones.

As for me, I told my family what I want.

How had I never heard of this book?!?

I overheard some 4th grade teachers talking about how the 4th grade girls love unicorns and love this book.

I now have an ID badge with my unflattering school picture on it.  One of the 4th grade girls saw it and said, "Your first name is Thelma?!?  Like the unicorn?"

I could tell she respected me just a little more.

Thelma the Unicorn kind of has crazy eyes, but I'm not going to hold that against her.  I don't know her life.  (I haven't read the book.  This is why I need it for a Christmas present.)

Another night another concert

Mark's choir concert was last night.

Pleasant Grove High School choir concerts are the hottest ticket in town (except I wish they sold tickets).  There's no way everyone's getting in.  I decided it would be smart to stay when I dropped Mark off at 6:00.  Other parents had the same idea but they didn't open the doors until 6:30.  The principal was there, shepherding people around and trying to get us to line up.  There were lots of tense and aggressive parents jockeying for position.

I was just hoping to get there early, find a seat and read my book.

I texted about the situation and Braeden texted back:

So I felt like I had a mandate to hold my position.

They finally opened the doors and the mad dash was on.  They told us not to save seats but literally everyone (including me) was saving seats.  Later, when they weren't letting anyone else in, they said, "If you have a seat saved, text that person so they can tell the people at the door to let them in because they have a seat."

So it was don't-save-seats-but-we-know-everyone-saved-seats situation.

I was exhausted by the time the concert started.

It was a Halloween concert, which isn't my favorite (or even in the top ten).

I did, however, enjoy the Men's Choir.

Here they are singing "Grim Grinning Ghosts."

They sang "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and had two fiddlers come and play which was pretty awesome.  Here they are with hats donned for the song:

About this time, a man directly in front of me held up his cell phone (in front of my face) to video the song.  I hadn't said anything when he clambered in 45 minutes late in the middle of a song.  I hadn't said anything when he pulled out a sandwich and started munching it.  I hadn't said anything when he was loudly crinkling his water bottle.  (There are big signs outside the auditorium that read NO FOOD OR DRINK.)

But when he put his phone in front of my face, World's Okayest Mom did become World's Craziest.  I grabbed his arm and said, "I can't see."

He looked shocked.

And lowered his arm.

My very favorite part of the whole concert was when the Women's Choir sang, "I'm in Love with a Monster" and the Men's Choir answered with "We May Not Be Vampires (But We're Still Men!)."

It was a hilarious song and they nailed it.

Here they are singing their final song.  I can't remember the name....

I love how serious Mark looks.

After, we went to Kneader's.  Braeden and Emma said they knew the guy working at the counter.  "He's Vanessa's friend Ben, so he's our friend," Braeden said.

They chatted with him, we ordered, then he brought us an extra chocolate croissant.  He said, "We have extra breakfast pastries."

The takeaway is that it pays to know Vanessa's friends.

It made me happy to watch Mark and it made me happy that he had a good time performing.  He's not 100% sold on being in choir but he does like to sing.

And I like to watch him (so much so that I'll grab the arm of the indecorous lout in front of me if necessary).

Spectacular!

Friday night Adam and I went to the BYU Spectacular!  Excitement about going built throughout the week with Emma texting us where she was going to be standing so we could find her more easily.  They performed both Thursday and Friday night.  Thursday night, I got this from Stephanie:

Only made me more excited.

It was in conjunction with Homecoming week and I loved the big sign on campus which read, "Welcome Home!"

Because BYU does feel a little like home.

(Except for parts they've changed, but it's fine.  I'm adjusting.)

BYU Women's Chorus, or Wo Cho as Emma has started calling it, was performing.  Colbie Caillat, David Archuleta, the Cougarettes, Living Legends, Synthesis, Syncopation, Vocal Point and Young Ambassadors all performed too.

(I was mostly there for Women's Chorus.)

But also, I love Colbie Caillat.  And David Archuleta brought the house down with his version of "Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me."  Just wow.

We were at the tippy top of the Marriott Center but we were able to keep track of where Emma was and we were also able to take a whole bunch of not great pictures. (Kind of the way I blog--not great pictures.  Oh?  You noticed?)

This is the opener:  "Brighter Than the Sun."  I've conveniently circled Emma.

This is Colbie Caillat and Women's Chorus singing "Try."  Emma's there on the second row (you'll just have to trust me).

Here's a shot Adam captured of her on the big screen:

We just had to take what we could get....

Emma's not in this picture but it was lovely when the Marriott Center was lit up with cell phones while David Archuleta sang "Shine a Light."

Women's Chorus sang "This is Me" from The Greatest Showman.  They sang it at their concert too and it makes me get a little choked up.  Listening to my glorious girl and about 170 other girls powerfully sing:

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me

It just gets me.

They were supposed to wear something that reflected their personality.  She was going to wear jeans and her The World Awaits t-shirt because the girl wants to travel, but mentioned to her friend (who happens to be VP of Wo Cho) that she may wear her Winnie the Pooh costume.  Emma, the vice president, told Emma, the daughter, DO IT!

So she did.

(Side note:  When Adam and I were at BYU, every other girl was named Jen.  Now the place is full of Emmas.  I kind of like it since I like the name!)

The best part of Winnie the Pooh is that Emma was super easy to spot.  She's right there in the middle.

This is on the big screen:

Emma said backstage people would come up to her and want a hug from Winnie the Pooh.  (And I don't blame them because Emma gives great hugs.)

This is the finale with EVERYBODY.  They were singing "Walking on Sunshine".

I loved every minute of it.

After, Emma was radiant and elated.  We went to a very late dinner and enjoyed hearing all about her adventure.

I'm so grateful for good experiences for our children.

(And I'm grateful when I get to watch.)

Grateful Friday

Maybe it's because I love weather.

Maybe it's because I spend at least 45 minutes outside now when I'm at work so I notice things more.

Maybe it's because I have big windows.

I don't know, but I'm grateful for the sky.

I love the way it changes and I love the way it stays the same.  It won't be rushed and no one can boss it around.  I love that no matter how bright and glaring the sun is, it will be dark.  I love that no matter how dark and ominous the night, it will be day.

I love dramatic clouds and brilliant sunsets and piercing blue with jet trails and soft misty gray.

It's all splendid variety and constancy up there everyday and all we have to do is look up!

Motherhood

President Nelson talked about mothers when he addressed the women of the church last Saturday night.  I loved when he said:  Through the years, whenever I have been asked why I chose to become a medical doctor, my answer has always been the same: “Because I could not choose to be a mother.”

I'm grateful I get to be a mother.

I can't imagine the hole in my life without Braeden and Emma and Mark.   They make life happy and scary and vivid and colorful and entertaining.  How I love those kids!  I think part of the jarring part of me starting to work outside our home is that my plan has always been to be a mother.  It's just what I wanted to do.

A few days ago I was listening to Emily P. Freeman's podcast (which I love).  She talked about the value of mothers--not just mothers who physically give birth, but how the world needs the nurturing love of mothers everywhere.

Yesterday at recess, I wrapped my arms around three different sobbing children.  (It was an intense recess!) Throughout the day I tied lot of shoelaces and I pushed kindergartners on swings.  I talked a child down from a tantrum and kept a child from ripping up his paper.  I untangled two sort of impressive knots.  I cajoled and reminded and steeled my patience so I could keep my voice even when a certain darling would not stay in her chair.

Sometimes working in a school is an awful lot like being a mother.

President Nelson said, "Every woman is a mother by virtue of her eternal divine destiny."

Whether I'm amongst the children I gave birth to or anywhere in the world, motherhood is the role I was destined to play.  (Just ask President Nelson.)