Saturday, May 23, 2015

Only Begin


This mantra is so helpful to me.  It seems the hardest part of any difficult project is just getting started.  This mantra is attributed to John Shaw Billings who must have lived by this mantra as he founded the first comprehensive library of medicine.  Now that was a big project!  "Only begin" is so comforting to me:  I don't have to do the whole thing right now; just begin.  Often when I get started, then I want to finish and do finish, but it helps me to tell myself that I don't HAVE to complete it right now, ONLY BEGIN.

For other mantras, click here.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Capitol Reef Camping Trip

Last weekend, we had a wonderful camping vacation with the Prince and Cameron families.  Ken and I left on Friday morning and went through Panguitch and stopped at Ruby's Inn (where we honeymooned) for lunch. We both had the Flat Iron Steak.  It is so yummy.   We then went on a highway we've never traveled, out through Antimony.  You can't tell it in this picture, but it was snowing HARD on that lonely highway.  These beautiful lilacs were in a little town called Loa.  



 We stayed in an RV park that had little cabins- at least ours was little.  The kids and I named it the "Dollhouse."  


Taken from the door.  There was really only room for the bed.  But it was fine.  They brought in a heater and we slept comfortably. 
It was cold and windy, but the kids had a great time playing together.

Gabriella

Caleb
The others had larger four-man cabins

Jaron

 Poor little Kenny was not feeling well, so Saturday morning after we had breakfast, Michelle and Brian took him to Instacare.  Mommy instincts were correct- he had a double ear infection.  They started him on antibiotics.  While they were away, we played with the kids.  I brought the parachute.


The kids fed carrots to our next door "neigh"bor.


Hannah had to demonstrate her new awesome crawling skills.  She's our little miracle baby.

Lily Kay found a happy home on Grandpa's lap and stayed there for about an hour.

Hannah and Blake
Lily Kay

Hiking in Capital Reef








That evening, we went out to dinner at a nice restaurant with a beautiful view- The Rimrock.  The kids were amazingly good.  They used their best restaurant manners.  

Well, all except Hannah.  She doesn't know restaurant manners yet.  But she was pretty good, too.  I don't think we disturbed anyone.

This was the view from the restaurant windows.  I know!


I told my family this chair was the tipping point for me.  I had to weigh the inconveniences of camping with the joy of being with family- about equal.  But this chair was the tipping point that got me to come.  I love this camping chair.


The marshmallow roast that evening was cold and windy, but a booming success!



Gabby was so proud to have roasted her own marshmallows.







Poor little Kenny didn't feel too well that evening, but he was much better by morning.


Ken was champion marshmallow roaster.  Perfection!
We enjoyed the three hour block at church in Torrey on Sunday morning.  Ken and I left after church and lunch (hot dog roast) on Sunday so we could get back to work in the temple on Monday.  The rest stayed until Monday afternoon.  Michelle and Brian stopped on their way home Monday evening and had dinner with us.
We came home a different way than we went out.  We went over the Hog's Back just south of the town of Boulder, which is just an amazing road.  The pictures don't do it justice.  You are on a ridge with valley on either side.  It's just beautiful!

It was a fun weekend!  Thank you Camerons and Princes!  We missed you Mackrorys- a lot!