A Century of Sanctuary

Why am I still posting summer stuff? 1) because this blog is a partial attempt to document our lives and I am still documenting and 2) I am slow!

This is about the end of the summer stuff however - one more post at some point about our wedding bands.

Em and C with the Zion tunnel stick. We always hope for either

no wait at the tunnel or the stick!

Things you might have overheard if you hung-out with us this summer...


Palmerduck!

Hey buddy, you need to put down the knife!

Blind-y and Complain-y (Nertz)

Lesson Learned

Kaibab Squirrel

? Pants (ask Em or C)

Is that bird dead?

They are MY shoes

The guy in HR said what?

Nobody should have to live in poo for a month... (Planet Earth DVD)

Torsion

Hit Me

Where is the train?

Zion NP was celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. I loved that their theme was:

"A Century of Sanctuary"

The word sanctuary means a sacred or holy place, a place of refuge. We are privileged to spend our summers nearby and have truly found sanctuary there. We come home refreshed and renewed. It truly is a sanctuary for us.

End of The Road

Em and I closed things down - and she (mostly) hung in there with me!

It was a lot of work and I missed all of the extra hands that are usually there.

Craig and Cara went home early to prepare for a tonsillectomy.

Pics of E...

1) taking out the trash

2) reaching for a couple of aluminum cans that rolled into the back of the trunk

(we always stop in LaVerkin and dump a copious

number of cans into the scout collection bin)
I go crazy every summer with the lack of recycling

in Utah - perhaps fodder for another post?!


3) eating like a queen at Mickey D's while meeting up with Kristy!

Summer Sunset

More than ever before I hated to see this summer stay come to an end.

It was the perfect combination of family and friends.

My View and What I Do!

Early mornings are one of my favorite times at the cabin. I love slipping outside when everyone is still asleep and sitting on the deck. It is shaded and cool, and there is almost always a bit of a breeze.

My view

What I do...



Most mornings found me with:

• a book (reading Germinal, by Emile Zola for book group),
• my phone (just to keep track of the time - no cell service),
• the house phone in case someone calls
• the remote so that I can listen to music on the deck
• a knitting project*
• a copy of the Book of Mormon
• notebook - prepping for early-morning seminary

*Delicious yarn and pattern, found at this fun shop in Kanab
- thanks V for spotting it and telling me about it!)

It's a big backyard!

Menu Falls

Named because a picture of the falls

was on the cover of the original Zion Lodge menu.

One evening we drove into the canyon for a small-group guided tour of the valley's flora, fauna, and geology. To be honest, Kristy and I were more interested in the Ranger's personal life story We know she came as an intern, she is getting her MA in education, she is engaged/married to another ranger - people, enough with the questions about the geological formations in the park - ask how she met her husband.

The back of our bus and Em - reminding you that

squirrels are vicious wild animals!!!

Have I mentioned I Heart GC

The Grand Canyon

as viewed from Cape Royale (North Rim).

The best view of the canyon from either rim in my opinion

(which is knowledgeable, educated, irrefutable and humble).

Special thanks to R&V&D for braving the drive...

We really are a ways from civilization!


We Will Remember:

*Harry Potter

*Tri-Tip and Grilled Corn

*Dominoes

*R&R

*Being pulled over?!

Family Fun

The Family Fun without pictures:

Surprise Visit D&E, M&B

Janes Family Reunion - Thanks, Linda!

Superb Accommodations - Thanks, Mom and Dad

Much Golfing

Much Pounce

Only Happy-Ending Movies

This post would be longer but without pictures

I am missing 1,000's of words!

(...if a picture truly is worth a thousand words...)

Brotherly Love

Lagoon '09

The Many Faces of Cara

Family Fun!

Must finish summer post(s)...

381 Miles + One Long Day =

Family Picnic + Temple Open House + Wedding Reception

Family picnic at Liberty Park right before Shauna was whisked away to the airport. I'm not sure what happened to all of the other photos. Apparently I was only interested in documenting the fact that Alicia, Bub, Miriam and Regan were in attendance?!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House - apologies to anyone who might have seen me trying to change out of jeans into a dress in the parking lot. Hopefully my well positioned posterity outside of the car was enough to hide my posterior. Did I mention that it was HOT and I thought I was going to have a coronary. As soon as I sat down in the "pre-open-house-tent" I felt a feeling of calm wash over me - it might have been the fact that there were industrial-size fans and cold water! In reality it was more than that - I actually started tearing up before the video even started. I love the temple!

The tour was self-guided and not very crowded. It was beautiful - the wood trim, the murals, the paintings, and the fabrics were gorgeous. Thanks to Elisa for telling us about the glass medallions. My favorite was all of the upholstery fabrics - very modern - I refrained from touching although I wanted to. The interior design reminded me of a home - appropriate don't you think. Sweet to sit in the sealing room with our girls.

Love the pic of Craig pondering the mysteries of life :)

The day was far from over when we went to a wedding reception for a young man from our home ward. It was fun to see him, his family and his bride. None of my pictures of the happy couple turned out. The only picture that did turn out was with a family from the ward that moved west a couple of years ago. It was such a treat to see them and to get caught up - if only a little :)


I quick detour to Syracuse, dinner with more family and a drive north finished off our long day!