Weekend around the house

We had a pretty calm week end visiting with the Weavers and having our monthly family dinner.  We put it off for a week so that everyone could visit with Juge and Lance on their way home from their trip to Lance's family vacation to their cabin and Lake Powell.  They were pretty beat so we just hung out around the house mostly and enjoyed the chance to see how much Sarai has been growing into a cute, chubby, smiley little baby.  We did bust in on Weed's ward Primary water party and  we also made it down for a ride on the new carousel at the Town Square.  Today everyone brought great food to the family dinner and we had fun visiting and measuring people for African shirts that Supe is having made for us.  It's good to get the gang together.  Thanks to everyone for the good food and good time!

4th of July fun!

Paul and I attended the ward flag raising and breakfast at the church - tradition for the 4th.  After that we drove up by Kolob reservoir to check out a possible future family camp site.  Some people in our ward own property up there and said they rent it out for things like that.  It's a really nice place.

The waterfall and stream, the lake and the stream running on the Blake's property.

 After lunch and resting up we got together with Moss, Christie and Brendon and the Borrowmans (Ryan had to work) and drove up to that little lake that is sometimes full up by New Harmony.  This year it is really full.  We took our canoe and Moss' raft for some water fun and a picnic.  There were some other people with the same idea there.  They had jet skis, but other than that we had the place to ourselves.  We had a lot of fun paddling around and then Paul and Moss paddled and towed (in Moss' raft) all of us and the picnic stuff across the lake to a spot where we ate our picnic.  Afterwards they did it again taking us all back to the other side.  While we were loading up we saw these really dumb guys (drunk we think) get their truck and horse trailer stuck in the middle of the road that the lake has covered up.  They rode their horses across first to see how deep it was (up to their bellies) and then decided to drive across with the horses in the trailer.  They must have slid a little off the road and pretty soon they were good and stuck and had to get the horses back out and ride them out of the water.  When we left, they still hadn't figured out how to get the truck and trailer out of the water.  There was another way to drive out without going through the water at all.  REALLY DUMB!  For the evening we just watched a movie and some of the fireworks. It was a fun 4th!

Shooting Star Creek (falls), Bartizan Arch and Anderson Valley

We have been making good use of the time off since I got done with summer school.  Friday we went up to Cedar Breaks and did a really neat hike to a triple water fall and a triple arch (there is one more tiny opening on the arch that isn't shown in the pictures).  I have had this hike in my file for a long time and we thought it would be a nice time to do it. The rangers at Cedar Breaks said we are the first ones to go out there this year.  It's one of those that they don't really tell you about, but we had the directions.  They were all excited to see our pictures when we got back.  Its only 4.5 miles out there, but towards the end you just kind of have to follow Bo Beck's directions and hope you get it right.  The waterfall was so amazing because there is so much water this year.  The arch it equally amazing and the scenery all the way there is a grand view of the breaks.  There was still snow on the trail and it was good eating!  The wild flowers are just beginning to come out up there. We also drove over to Mammoth Springs and it is really gushing this year because of the heavy snow.  While there we realized that we had lost the camera somewhere after the hike. We went back to Cedar Breaks to see if we could find it.  One of the rangers said he was excited to take the hike himself after seeing our pictures and was kind enough to take a few and e-mail them to us. We were pretty bummed about losing the camera - we think we set it on the truck toolbox while taking off packs and then drove off without picking it up.  Super shucks.  At least I had downloaded everything from before the hike the night before. 

Had a nice 4th of July surprise - while cleaning out the truck for the next adventure, we found the camera buried under the seat.  Neither one of us knows how it got there, but we were happy to have it and our pictures back!  That ranger did take some nice pictures too, so we are keeping his on here as well as adding these.  Oops!

    

The stream by the Browse Guard Station was running very high. It was hard to get across it to get to the trail on the other side.

One part of the trail was just covered with Sego Lilies - our state flower.

The cabin still stands.

We washed and cooled our feet here!

Amazing views all the way up!

Firecracker Penstemon and Blue Lupine.  There was also lots of White Lupine and Skyrocket and we did see some white and crimson Columbine too along with a lot of others that we don't know the names of yet. 

Paul doing the dirty work.  At least it was shady.

Saturday we took my phone camera (not real great quality) in hand and hiked from the sequoia tree at the Browse Guard station up to Anderson Valley.  That is one tough hike!  It was beautiful with wild flowers blooming everywhere.  The old cabin made it through the heavy snows.  It must be very well-built.  There wasn't any snow left up there, but the stream was running pretty heavy.  There were a lot of downed trees that made hiking a little rough with lots of going around or over them to stay with the trail.  Then on the way back down the rough road, we got a flat tire.  It was a nice day, but we were really beat by the time we got done with it. 

Pre-Kindergarten summer school 2011 - it was fun and now it's done!

 I got to help again this year with the pre-kindergarten summer school program.  We had two classes - Monday/Wednesday and a Tuesday/Thursday groups of 16 kids.  With all the vacationing going on, we usually had 12 or 13 kids most of the time.  I worked with a cute, brand new teacher and a really fun Spanish lady.  The last week of class I was in charge because the teacher had to attend meetings.  That was fun too.  I had had time to observe and we pretty much just kept it up with a little bit of extra fun stuff thrown in for the last days for each class.  I'm not getting rich at this job, but it is fun and rewarding.

Poulsen Family Reunion & Happy Birthday!

I celebrated my birthday this year in Idaho at the Poulsen family reunion.  My mom and sister were going and since we didn't know hardly anyone else that would be there we decided this would be a good time to go (the first time ever) and meet some of the relatives, visit with my mom and sister and see some beautiful country all at the same time.  It ended up being a quick, but delightful trip.  We left on Wednesday, June 22nd, right after I got done with summer school. 

We found a beautiful camp spot up Logan Canyon that night and then drove up the rest of the way to Salmon, via Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.  We stopped for just a little bit a Yellowstone to stretch our legs a little.

We spent Thursday night in Salmon at the same motel as my mom and sister.  Friday morning we headed out to the reunion spot.  Most people weren't arriving until that evening, so Paul and I set up our tent and then we all went back  in to Salmon and visited the Sacajawea Interpretive Center that is on the land where my mom's family lived when she was growing up.  It was very interesting and one of the presenters was so excited to interview one of the actual family members who could tell him a bit about how the place used to be.  The only thing left now is an old chicken coop that they got a grant to refurbish as a "historic outbuilding."  

After a birthday lunch and visiting some of the old landmarks that are still there from when my mom grew up, we went back out and joined the reunion for dinner and visiting.  What a fun group of people and a very well organized reunion.  While visiting with one of the cousins who owns the land where the reunion is held he told us about a placer gold mining operation that they lease out on the land.  The next day the other cousin, hearing about Paul's interest, arranged to take us up to observe the operation at work.  It was really interesting.  We had a good time hanging out, visiting and eating and getting to know some of the Idaho cousins.  Saturday evening we had to say our goodbyes and went back to the motel in Salmon so we could get and early start on the long drive home the next day.

 We took a different route home and enjoyed some more beautiful scenery.  It was a fun trip!

Genghis on peach patrol

In the bottom left picture he's licking his chops just thinking about the birds he might snag!

Genghis is doing a pretty good job of keeping watch over our peaches this year.  If he could just be out all the time I don't think the birds would get much of any chance at them.  He has a little spot just barely big enough where he lays in wait for any feathered snack that might come his way.

Happy June birthdays & Father's Day

What a nice week end!  Jay, Brynn and Madi came down to join the week end fun which started on Friday evening with dinner and visiting with Moss and Christie and Brenden. Jay couldn't wait for Moss to open his birthday present so he did and they had fun playing with min helicopters. Saturday morning we went to the samples sale at the Kelty factory and picked up some good deals and then took a walk up on T-Bone Mesa.  Then Lou and Bryan and family (Afton is getting cuter all the time, but not ready to leave mom's care too much yet) arrived and Moss and Christie rejoined us for more visiting and Moss got to open another present early - pedals for his new bike which they then installed.  He was pretty excited about that.  Then there was a bit more helicoptering until the Borrowmans, Smiths and G'ma Kurtz came over and we had dinner out back and then opened all the rest of the birthday and Father's Day presents.  It was lots of fun!  I think the most loved present would have to be the one the kids put together for Paul, a book of remembrances about time he spent with them growing up, and Weed made a beautiful pencil drawing of Paul for the cover. Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful gifts and especially for that highlight gift.   Later those that could stay a bit longer did and played Phase Ten (which Bryan/Bonnie won - Bonnie may have ignorantly cheated to do it). Sunday we got to have Jay and Brynn and Madi go to church with us - Madi stole the hearts of all the back row ladies in Relief Society.  Then while Bonnie did the typing we chatted with Supe and Paul and Jay, with the able assistance of Brynn, made their own Father's Day dinner.  It was SOOOO good!  Then it was time to say good bye again.  Madi felt good enough during this visit (she has always been under the weather on other visits) that we got to enjoy her cute little personality and even some snugly hugs.  We got to visit with Juge and Bean via phone which finished the goodness.  As usual, the only thing that could have been better would have been if those that couldn't be here could have been here (and if the chili had been more tasty - we'll work on that for next time).  I think that "no empty chairs" thing is something we all will enjoy later - even more than we do now!

(Oops - we goofed and didn't get any pics of Bonnie & Derek doing the birthday thing.)

A week of this and that

Our week started out with going to a free concert in the park for FHE.  It was really fun just sitting in a shady spot and listening as Kerry Christensen, a world class yodeler, put on a nice show.  There were lots of people there.  He did lots of yodeling while playing his accordion, of course, but also played an alpine horn and a zither.  It was really cool hearing those neat instruments.

On Thursday evening we went to the art talk at the St. George Art Museum and listened to Amado Pena talk about his exhibit (top floor) which was quite interesting if a little long, and also enjoyed the Minerva Teichert and Rembrandt works exhibits up there too. The ground level exhibit of southwestern landscapes by Charles Thomas is really nice also.  Afterwards we went for a walk up on the Red Hill and saw a cute little arch and also went up the Narrow slot for a ways until we didn't want to scramble around to go further.

 Friday morning we took Wayne Stucki on the vortex hike up by Sand Cove so he would know where to go when taking the scouts on a hike up there.

It was 64 degrees and overcast - perfect hiking weather.  We ate our breakfasts at the top and met up with some people from the Biggest Loser place who came up just shortly after we got there.  Its been a fun week of this and that.

Kaibab camping and Grand Canyon hiking...and Jacob's Lake cookies!

Our camp spot

We are pretty spoiled I guess, but we just have to take advantage of the chance to get out during camping season.  After our nice camp out last weekend, we decided we would do it again.  Friday after getting things done, we took off to find a camp spot over in the Kaibab on one of the many dirt roads that filter through it.  There are so many that it's kind of hard to pick. We found a nice spot among the aspen, fir and spruce.  We didn't see anyone else the whole time we were there.  Paul cooked up a nice dinner and we went for a long evening walk and then came back and watched True Grit sitting out in the cool forest air.  After a great night's sleep and tasty breakfast we decided to use our new park pass again and went the few more miles over to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We had only the day, so we picked a hike we could do and then drive home in time to get to bed.  The Widforss trail is a 10 miler that goes out to Widforss Point which is a very nice overlook.  There's a little interpretive guide for the first half of the trail that was informative and there is a picnic table at the point, so we lunched there.  It was a really nice hike on a good trail.  There weren't many people there compared to the rest of the canyon.  

Widforss Trail and water stations at South Kaibab trail head and North Rim Administration Office

We also went over to the main lodge and Kaibab trail head area and checked out a few of the water stations that we put in last winter to see how the looked all finished up.  They turned out well and people are making good use of them.  I even washed my feet at one of them.  They were pretty dirty after the hike and I wanted to wear my flip flops without that black ankle line of dirt showing!  We stopped in at Jacob's Lake and had some good food and cookies for dinner. After that it was time to head for the hogan. Only wish we would have had one more night to camp out. 

Desert, alpine & family fun!

It was another enjoyable weekend.  We decided to just load up and go camping on Friday night.  We went out to the old stone quarry between St. George and Leeds on that very rough road between the two.  It was a perfect night, so we just slept under the stars.  We ate dinner before we left and just came home for breakfast in the morning, so it was quick packing up and setting up.  We had a little time to hike around before dark and were able to harvest a few yucca poles to make some walking sticks.  They are hard to find, especially ones that aren't bug eaten, so we counted that a bonus.  We took the laptop and watched Rabbit Hole which is a sad/good drama (some laughs too) movie that we both enjoyed and then piled into our comfy sleeping bag for a good starlit and fresh air to breath night's sleep.  In the morning we weren't really interested in heading home for breakfast until we had gone down and hiked for a while in Cottonwood Canyon (we had looked down on it the evening before and knew we couldn't leave without some time there).  The stream was full and sounded so nice from up above and in the canyon.  We did lots of back and forth across it during our stroll and loved it all!  

After coming home for a quick breakfast, we loaded up lunch and our coats and took off for the high country on Cedar Mountain with a stop by at Lou and Bryan's to drop of some stuff and say "Hi" to them.  We wanted to go and check out the site for G'ma's b-day bash.  The road got bad after a bit and we left the car and hiked (we had planned on this) off to find the place.  There is still snow and water everywhere and lots of mudslides/trees down from the big snow of the winter. We saw lots of crazy snow sculptures. In a few places lower down we saw just touches of aspen leaves coming out.  We sort of walked past the place we should have turned off to head to the campsite (no sign on the main road about it) and had a nice hike and then back tracked and found it, explored it and sloshed back to the car.  Then we drove home through Zion - thanks for the pass everybody!   

Oh, one evening earlier in the week we took another evening walk in Snow Canyon (found out the pass was actually good for another month) and did the unthinkable and went off trail in the canyon behind the sand dunes.  It's really cool!  We were lucky that the ranger we ran in to on the way back to our car didn't see us out there!

Genghis didn't get to go, be he got some relaxation in before we left. 

To finish off the week end, we had our "feast of the fast over family dinner" at Moss and Christie's house.  I am so glad we decided to do this and thanks to everyone for taking turns hosting.  It is a blast hanging out and visiting and the food is always so good.  The kids are great - forgot to take a picture of the older ones because they just played together so well we didn't even know they were there! One other thing that was great was that we got to chat with Supe (in Africa) and hear more about his adventures there.  It was fun to get more details about everything he's doing and what its like over there.   It was another one of those hard to beat it weeks. :O)