Our "girls only" backpacking trip...

We (Kaylene R. and I) decided to meet half way and take our girls on a little backpacking trip.(yes, it was very little--we picked Baker Lake in the Smoky Mtns. above Sun Valley instead of the Sawtooths. It was a 2 mile hike in--

it was Taylor's and Mary's first time,
and we wanted it to be a good experience.The day hikers that kept coming in thought we were kind of strange, but, oh well!)We had nice weather,
and the lake to ourselves from 5pm to 9am each day (we stayed 2 nights).
The girls slept in our orange tent,
and Kaylene and I shared their 2-man tent.There was swimming,

card playing, book reading, hiking,
hammock swinging, chatting, and lots of giggling.
It would have driven the guys crazy!
It was a great girl's trip!

We ended up in Ketchum yesterday at
Wise Guy's Pizza Pie
and had dessert at the Rocky Mtn. Chocolate Shop.
Can you think of a sweeter ending?

Our Big Horn Crags trip...

John and I took off Monday afternoon to the Big Horn Crags. After a long bumpy ride, we arrived at the Crags Campground, and spent the night in the back of the truck. The next morning, we got up and started into the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return.

We took the trail up Fish Fin Ridge, and hiked into Wilson and Harbor Lakes. We found a somewhat flat spot on the far side of Harbor, and set up camp (our favorite spots were gone--it was a little busy up there this last week!)
There was a terrific rain/lightening storm that night--it was a little freaky--the thunder bouncing around the mountains.When we woke up, we had to wait for our tent to dry. While we were waiting, we visited with our neighbors on the other side of the lake--a older couple from Australia (small world!).
We packed up and headed down the Water Falls trail and then the Puddin' Mtn. trail to the southern lakes. We camped at Reflection Lake Wednesday night. (We also visited Twin Coves Lake, but no good campsites) We had an excellent campsite at Reflection Lake--really flat, with a huge fallen log to set all our stuff on. John set up the hammock, and it was great for reading while he fished the lake. Thursday morning, we headed off-trail up to Echo Lake (just imagine laying here in a meadow next to a high mountain lake--a cool breeze rustling the pages of your book)...and then over to Sky High Lake. We camped there and had the whole thing to ourselves (and the 2 million mosquitoes!). John set up the hammock for me again, and we spent the evening in our headnets.Friday morning we headed out. We off-trailed down out of Sky High into a beautiful meadow. This is called Bear Grass. (cool stuff) We found the Puddin' Mtn. Trail, and started our climb, and descent, and climb, and descent, etc. It was about 11 miles back to the trailhead.We had a super time!
(despite the fact that I forgot all my lunches--so John shared. And that on Wednesday I developed my first ever heel blisters from hiking--I hiked the entire last day with bandannas instead of socks on my feet inside my boots; just to see if it would help)

Madi, Taylor, and I are meeting Kaylene, Esther, and Mary R. in the Sawtooths in 2 days to do a "girl's only" backpacking trip. So I'll be reporting back soon!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Earwigs...

(internet photo)
...have invaded our acre! Madi is sure one of them was 2" long! They are pouring out of the ground when weeds are pulled, they are hiding in our laundry baskets, they jump out at us when we least expect it. They hang from the ceiling and fall on us when we walk under them. We took some of them to Cascade with us--they were stow-aways in an open hamburger bun bag.

They are immune to the poison
John bought to spread around our house...

h e l p !

(internet artwork)
(makes all of you want
to come visit, huh?)

On their way through...

We had some visitors and kind of a little reunion here on Thursday. Terri McCarrey (from Boise) and Carrie Garner (from Rexburg) came to lunch. Terri was on her way to Mack's Inn to pick up her son Jared and his friend William from the Powell's cabin. She brought her daughter Jessica, and Carrie brought her daughter Cammie (who both are Taylor's age). She also brought her son Justin--(who did his best to survive all of these girls!). It was great fun!

Terri stopped back by on her way home last night for a popcicle and a bathroom break. We got to visit with Jared and Will. It was kind of like being back in Boise...
...which we will be visiting next week.

She's IN!

Some of you may not know, but we have been waiting and praying, and waiting and praying some more, to see if Bethany would be accepted to BYU-I. You see, BYU and BYU-I do not like students to transfer back and forth between them, and have made it quite difficult.

Especially if a student has a lot of credits.

Like Bethany.

So when she applied to transfer, she was
DENIED ADMISSION.
"Give someone else a chance"
was basically the answer she received.

Since it is rare for the admissions committee to change its mind, it has been quite a waiting game we have been playing. But with a very helpful "angel" here on earth that worked hard for her interests at this university,
she has finally been accepted.
Now she has the next few years of her life mapped out and a new plan.

We owe our Father in Heaven,
and that very special "angel" a big
thank you
--and maybe a huge ice cream cake for our "angel",
or something else with a great excess of sugar.
(We've found this to be a weakness of his!)

She starts here this fall as a world dance major;
she is on the fall/winter track.

By the way, I have been admitted as well. I will be on the winter/spring track. And, no, I don't really know what I am doing yet--I just know that it is time to finish up something I started a couple of decades ago. I am looking forward to meeting with an advisor/counselor and looking at my options...

Our Father's Day Weekend...

It's been a little rainy around here this June, but at least it hasn't been snowy (last year it snowed on June 12th!). On Friday we had the privilege of attending Brady Powell's wedding at the Rexburg Temple,

(internet photo)

and spending a little time with the Powell family and the Rogalsky's at his wedding luncheon. We sure miss our 14th ward family in Boise!

The precipitation has slowed down the last couple of days, so on Saturday we ventured out with our mountain bikes to Harriman Ranch in Island Park...

Stopping for lunch at Swan Lake (wildlife refuge) John had the camera on Saturday...Pretty impressive, huh?

Betcha didn't know he had such an "artsy" eye!

After church and a barbeque with all the kids this afternoon, John and I headed out on a Sunday drive to Cave Falls. It is just inside Yellowstone Park in the Bechler region. The entrance is just north of Ashton, on the southern border of the park. We can't get the kids to go on our Sunday drives with us. Boy, are they missing out!

Can't go without part of my
Yellowstone Park book collection...

Cave Falls middle plunge is about
15 ft high and 250 ft wide!

Can you believe that this is just
a little over an hour from our house?

Then the dark clouds start to roll in...

...and we're in the truck,
just in time to keep our rain gear dry!

Sunday drives are the best!

It's today!!! Stampede Days is here...

We passed out flyers,

tossed Tootsie Rolls,

and had mini"solo" performances along the parade route.

Then we had a final, last "hurrah!" performance
in front of Broulim's---

in the rain,

next to the hot dog stand.

Bethany was our Stampede guest performer--

she did a flamenco number,
Irish hard shoe,
and an Indian medley where
she wore bells around her ankles.

Madi did a "Numa, Numa" solo (Thanks Laura--this is all of my other clogger's favorite dance to watch; they get so excited when it is in the performance order!)

We had to squeegee the floor several times, and mop up water with towels, but all went well!

Our first dance season is officially over!

Getting ready for Stampede Days...

This weekend is

Jefferson County Stampede Days.
For Rigby, this is a pretty big deal. The celebration surrounds a rodeo that has been happening since 1928. It was originally held in Lewisville to help raise money to build a new LDS church building.
In 1939 it moved to Rigby.

Along with the rodeo, there is a parade and a celebration with booths and entertainment in the park.

Last May, I decided to start advertising to gather students for a clogging team. I tried to pick a name that would be a little different from other clogging studios in Idaho/Utah. John and I love Yellowstone Park. We now live less than 100 miles from it. So that's where the first part of the name came from.

The "clogging company" part is obvious. I didn't want to disguise what kind of dance group we are.

The last part came about because I wanted kind of a theme name. Gem Cloggers use words to name there teams like "rubies" and "diamonds." So I picked "Stampede."

Yellowstone Clogging Company STAMPEDE! or
"Yellowstone Stampede" for short.

Now I have groups called
"Stampede Rumble" and
"Stampede Thunder" and
"Stampede Storm."
I kind of like it.

So I sent out flyers in early in May. Soon after, I drove into Rigby and saw signs on all of the lamp posts in town, advertising an event I had never heard of before, and my new clogging team name--STAMPEDE DAYS!

Well, if your clogging group is called Yellowstone Stampede, it is necessary or almost required that your dancers are a part of the whole thing--don't you think. I made up my mind then and there that we would be part of Stampede Days the next time it happened. And here we are getting ready.

Much can happen in one short year...

PS--Laura, if it were not for you, none of this would be. Thank you for sharing your talent with the girls and I. Now there are new cloggers in eastern Idaho benefiting from you as well!
And, last but not least,
I finished ALVOR
(over a week ago,
sorry so slow to post),
and I LOVED it!!!
Keep working on #2...