Lots of scouting and a relaxing walk to boot

Scout - the eagle - was part the the Eagle Scout program

It's been a very scouty week at our house.  I went to two pack meetings this week and then Paul and I attended one of his former scouts Eagle Court of Honor last night.  It was all good.  I helped judge a heptathlon at one pack meeting and helped judge pinewood derby cars at another.  I'm getting to be a regular at the meetings so they don't consider me a scary "stake visitor" anymore - I'm just someone there to be an extra pair of hands to help out.  I like that a lot better.  One of the pack meetings started pretty early and when I got done I was so excited that the sun was still up.  I nagged Paul - it didn't take much - to go and take our evening walk at Snow Canyon.  It was perfect - perfect temperature, perfectly quiet, and perfectly beautiful!  So glad we live where we can enjoy all this beauty almost in our own back yard.  We've had the flu and are finally starting to feel close to normal.  It was great to feel good enough to go for a walk again.

No cap & gown, hoopla or pictures... but a graduate nevertheless!

Just in case you haven't heard, Supe graduated on Tuesday, March 20th, from Utah State University.  He earned Bachelor's degree in history and a minor in business.  He will be finishing up this semester and then moving across the country to start a job for Epic Systems Corporation, a  health care software company,  located in Madison, Wisconsin on May 7th.

A quick blurb I found:

Recognized by the 2007 Place Rated Almanac as one of the "One of the Ten Most Livable Cities in the United States," Madison continually ranks as one of the best places to live, work and play in the United States. Built on an Isthmus between Lake Monona and Lake Mendota. (He says he might learn to sail - he's learned the St. George and Logan sports, so now on to new adventures.) Madison offers incredible natural beauty, stimulating cultural opportunities and a plethora of restaurants, shops and attractions. Healthcare is another of Madison's strengths with five general hospitals, more than 20 major medical clinics and UW-Madison's medical, nursing and pharmacy schools. Madison also boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

Doesn't sound too bad...not St. George, but not too bad.  Here's hoping planes fly Supe our way every so often and that he will eventually find a job in a more westerly vicinity.  I'm proud of him and excited about the very great job offer and opportunities it will bring, but I miss him already.  I have a hard time with the idea of him leaving the Utah nest. I have been too spoiled so far. I guess I survived Italy and Africa...Supe, tell me this is only temporary too please.  

For now...to infinity and beyond!

Spring break madness to Pito's empty nest

It seems really quiet now without our energetic company here using every waking moment to seek some adventure.  Our other Spring break adventures were quite tame, but very enjoyable.  Paul and I went up one morning and walked the old Temple Quarry Trail to check out the mileage, etc. for a possible stake primary activity.  Seeing the sun coming up over Zion and all of the historical stuff up there made for a nice morning stroll.

We spent Friday getting Paul ready for the stake camporee. They camped out and then helped at the Thunder Over Utah airshow.  Saturday Ferf and kids and Bean and I went to the airshow.  It was a really cool event despite the quirky weather and crowds.  Pretty amazing stuff.

The 6 Angels at rest

Gaige trying out some of the static display stuff

The F22 Raptor

The Osprey hovering

That thing on top of the wings is a lady!

Angels in flight patterns

USAF F-22 Raptor with P-51 Mustang flying the "Heritage Flight" celebrating 50 year spread of USAF aircraft, "classic and current".

More Angels

Acrobatic show  (not my picture)

Here she is up close.  (Not my picture)

Loved this stunt - right in front of my face!  Scaaaary! (Not my picture)

On the down side - we also spent time in Las Vegas at the Trauma center visiting a sweet friend of Supe's.  She is an outstanding young lady with a wonderful family. Such a bad way to meet such good people. We are praying for her full recovery from some very serious injuries.  It's one of those things that makes you wish you could just turn back the clock for everyone involved.

Spring Break...zip off those pant legs at last!

View of the crag from the trail head

Pine Valley Mountain view from the trail

Zion view from the trail

The crag from the upper trail

Cool stuff along the trail

Paul and a view of the crag

More close ups

More Zion Views

Tree's reservoir view from the trail

Supe and all of his buds arrived Friday night and we all stayed up too late.  After a bit of a sleep in, they went off to their climbing adventures and Paul and I went off to ours.  We decided to finally go and do the Eagle Crag hike.  We always love looking at those cool little peaks on our way to Zion and we were not disappointed.  We hiked for about 9 miles, a little past the end of the designated hike.  It was a beautiful, zip off the pant legs day.  (We zipped off about a quarter of the way up.)  We did encounter some patches of snow at the upper elevations.  The views from this hike are simply spectacular although they were hard to capture by camera.  It was a little hazy and very sunny.  It's a really nice hike that's not too extreme in ups and downs.  So glad we got out and enjoyed all that scenery.  Afterwards we drove on up to Springdale and visited an art gallery that we both like and then headed for home and dinner (left chalupas cooking in the crock-pot) with Supe and friends.  It was a great way to spend the first day of Spring Break!

Benja birthday surprise & baptism and family dinner...all in one weekend!

Friday night Ryan took Ferf to dinner for her birthday...and found the rest of us there waiting.  It was fun to have an adult get together to celebrate that great day when we added Ferf to our little (then) family.  She has been such a wonderful addition.  I even ate (and pretty much liked) some sushi as part of the fun.  Happy Birthday Ferf!  We love you!!!

All ready to get baptized!

Check out that Zader boy's funny face!

Isn't she a cutie!

Oops...blurry, but beautiful!

On Saturday we got together again for another grand "shout for joy" occasion.  Kennis (and her cousin Madi) were baptized.  It's the kind of thing that can make a grandma feel teary-eyed and proud.  Kennis is a sweetie.  We are so proud of her. It's so good to see her heading down the right path.  We love you Kennis.  Keep on CingTR. After the baptism we all went over to Ryan's sister's house for lunch.  What a fun gang to eat and visit with.

Didn't get too many pictures - just these few.

On to the next eating/visiting/celebrating get together - the family "feast of the fast over".  It was at Ferf and Ryan's this time.  We were missing Paul since he is up visiting the northern herd.  We had good food, a little more birthday for Ferf, and the little kids were so busy playing with the new little chicks outside or being Super Heroes that the older set had quite a nice (quiet) time visiting for a spell.  It was good food and good company all in one place.  Thanks for the grub and fun everybody.  See you next month.

Fun stuff along the road from Ashfork

We saw about 8 of these things in all different sizes.

Not my photograph of course.  It is a cool bridge.  

Just needed to add a few of the latest activities - Have been to two Blue & Gold Banquets for Cub Scouts and am going to one more tonight.  I'm liking this part of my calling...don't have to cook dinner!  Wished Grandma Kurtz a happy birthday Sunday evening since we would be out of town on her birthday - she's 80!.  She hadn't felt well that day and couldn't come to dinner, so we went to her later with her present.  No pictures since she wasn't looking her usual stylish self.  She was looking forward to spending the next day (her birthday) at home fielding phone calls from well wishers.  Went to Ashfork via Jacob's Lake/Flagstaff on Monday/Tuesday.  Got the last two chocolate chip cookies for dessert with our lunch at Jacob's Lake - couldn't wait for them to cook up a new batch so we could have more.  Spent the night in Williams and woke up to snow and the weather report saying we would be better off not to go back home the way we came.  We got our stone and then took the Las Vegas route home.  Had a first on the road a little way from Kingman - we saw a bunch of wild pigs - peccary - along side the road.  Wish we could have stopped and taken photos, but it wasn't a good place to pull over.  Then we got to cross the finally finished bridge for our first time at Hoover Dam on the way into Las Vegas.  We treated ourselves to lunch at Macaroni Grill and then took our rocks home so that Paul could get back for the final night of the Scout Merit Badge Pow Wow.  It's always restful to go on a rock trip and listen to #1 Ladies Detective Agency books (or others), snooze while Paul does the driving and get away from the housework that I really should have stayed home to do.