Fast times

Ev and I just returned from our first rafting trip since we did it when our kids were young. This time was with a student group, an interesting experience with a bunch of free-spirited 'river people'. We camped and rafted down the Colorado River from before the confluence with the Green down through Cataract Canyon and ending up at Hite at the start of Lake Powell. It was cold and wet, but exciting and fun.

Bonding times

I have been very lucky lately to have gotten to spend some 'bonding time' with my kids/grandkids. My last blogs show my trip to Austin. I have also gotten to go hiking with Rae in the mountains we love. That has always been one of our favorite activities - "I like to hike!" It is a great time to get away and talk about things that are close to our hearts: family, future plans and dreams. The outdoors and the exercise always leave us feeling renewed and invigorated.

I have also gotten to spend a lot of time with Kris, Ben and Em. We have gone on hikes as well out our back door with our little 'Hiker in Training' and our Glacier Jr Ranger. You'll have to ask Kris about our hike with Ben, he remembers having a great time; it was quite interesting. Em is a real go-getter with her head ahead of her feet at times and Ben keeps us entertained.

Au Revoir Austin, Contd

It was hard to leave the little family behind, but so good to look forward to the next visit. I can't wait to see Lareine crawling great guns and really getting into mischief. Won't she have fun with her cousins.

Au Revoir Austin

I wanted to include more pics from my trip so you can see what a great time we had and all we accomplished.

Lareine really captured my heart and it brought back so many memories of when I was in that position, a young mom having so much fun with each of my children as they went through those exciting times when each day brought some new discovery and they wanted nothing more than being with the ones they love (besides eating, sleeping, and playing). It was really fun to relive those days for just a little while. Thanks to Beth and Reid for letting me have such a precious little window into their lives.

Austin Bound

I had a great trip to Austin to visit the new Texans. I got to play to my hearts content with Little Lily, my little sweetheart. We wrestled, played peekaboo, read stories, snuggled went on walks/runs and had a fantastic time. To say the least, we bonded.

I loved getting to visit with Beth and Reid and help them get just a little more settled in. We worked on projects: curtains, pillows, painting walls and even some alterations. We talked and laughed and talked and cried and had the best time. We ate well: Mr Gatti's pizza, Texas barbeque, cheesecake and a great roast beef, potatoes and carrots Sunday dinner. I got to go to Institute and Church with them and be there when Beth got her new calling. I got to see Lareine get so excited every time her Dad came home.

We went to a UT tailgate party all attired in burnt orange, gras a Beth and Reid. We went swimming at their apt pool, Lareine and I went twice and Beth got to come along once. I got Lareine to myself when I got to babysit and we had play time, swim time, bath time and bed time.

Glacier Pk Anniversary Trip Finale

In the morning (Thurs) Larry & Gail took us to see their log cabin under construction on the west side of Driggs up in the trees, overlooking the Tetons on the east - magnificent. We can't wait to come back and see it further along. From there we headed home taking all the scenic routes and arriving home that night back to our empty nest. Though Russ did come home to stay that night and a couple more, till he actually moved into his apt by UVSC.

Glacier Pk Anniversary Trip Continued

Continuing our trip. Monday we drove up the east side of Glacier and got our first view of Grizzley Bears, a mom and cub nibbling on a tree by the side of the road (pic 1). Before I could get our camera set up they were not as close so the pic is hard to see. It got pretty rainy and windy so we got in out of the storm at Many Glacier Lodge right on a beautiful lake with peaks surrounding it, really amazing. From there we hiked up to Apekuni Falls (pic 2). the fall cascading down into the river that was full of sparkling multicolored rocks. We went back through St Mary's and again ate at the little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Jack's Cafe/World Famous Pies and this time we had to try the pies - we highly recommend them. We stayed @ the Rising Sun Motor Inn on the Going to the Sun Road and saw an amazing sunset (pic 3).





Tuesday was the big day that I had been looking forward to. We woke up to patches of clouds but the rain had subsided. However, going back across the Going to the Sun Road was another memorable experience. We got up @ 6:00 to get there early enough to catch our horsebackride so the tops of the mountains were still shrouded in misty clouds. So at times we could barely see in front of us; Ev said it actually kept him from seeing the drop-off so it wasn't as scary (plus we were on the inside on the way back for most of the ride). Due to the mist our drive took longer than expected, but we made it in time to get breakfast and catch our ride. The horses were different, shall we say; they were a cross between a quarterhorse and a Clydesdale. They were transportation and kept us fresh for the hike out in the morning. The trip up was a tour through the habitats in the park starting with Pacific Northwest rainforest with Cedars draped with moss and dense undergrowth, through pines and Aspen, to steep rocky ledges of rockslides, tundra, and mountain goats. Still several miles from our destination we got our first view of the Sperry Chalet (reachable only on foot or horesback) sitting on a ridge with a sheer drop off across the valley from us. (pic 4)





Upon arrival we investigated the area and local wildlife (pic 5) and relaxed 'on top of the world.' Our dinner there was sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings prepared on propane stoves/ovens and served by propane lamp light.





The next morning was the start of another full day: up early for breakfast and the hike back out the 6.5 mi back to McDonald Lake Lodge and to our car to head home. We took a different route home past Flathead Lake and through Idaho to Driggs to meet TX neighbors Larry & Gail & Grant and stay overnight with them.

Travellogue to continue with next posting.

Empty Nesters for real

We have really become 'empty-nesters' this week. Russ moved out into his own apartment in Orem and will be going to UVSC (now UVU) and working. It is a great thing, but marks the end of one era and the beginning of another. He bought his own car, Rachel and Chris' former vehicle, an old Honda Civic and is paying for his own living expenses. He will be seeing what independence and responsibility really means. Sunday family dinners take on new significance as we look forward to his return with the rest of our children/grandchildren.

As noted in my last post, as well as on Beth's and Rachel's blogs, it is also the end of another era with Beth and Reid's move to Austin, TX for grad school. These past few years we had the joy of a little window in time with all our children close by and have enjoyed the richness of regular family gatherings and associations. We have had the opportunity of being around to see the courtship and marriage of Beth and Rae, to be there for the birth of Ben, Emily, and Lareine, to help with moves and illnesses, to have the support in tough times, and to have the joy of seeing our children and grandchildren on a weekly basis. The memories and bonds provide a richness to our lives that is hard to describe. As such, this time has been sweet and has allowed us the opportunities to forge strengthened bonds of love and support that will make the new adventures both easier and harder. Easier because that love and support continues despite the distance and allows for different forms of expression. But harder because it's hard to give hugs over the internet (obviously that is the next needed development needed in cyberspace).

I do miss Beth and Reid and especially little Lareine Lilly, though obviously she has acquired other adoring fans, from early reports from Austin. I am grateful for emails, blogs and cell phones. I am especially grateful for airplanes, airline miles, a flexible work schedule, and a supportive husband, which means that I get to go to Austin next month to visit and help Beth with some projects to make their place, 'no place like home'.

Ev and I kicked off this time of being just the 2 of us again with a grand 30th wedding anniversary adventure to Glacier Natl Park on the Montana/Canadian border. It was a wonderful trip. We enjoyed each day:

We left Friday night after Chris' graduation gala (under tent). We got as far as Pocatello, Idaho and stayed at the Cottontree Inn - really the best accommodations of the trip, where we later found out Beth and Reid had gone for their honeymoon.

Saturday we continued our drive to Glacier enjoying the vistas, the company, and the time to relax and just be together. Glacier was a little disappointing at first as it was very smoky that first night and next day due to some fires in the surrounding area. We started our stay at Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier , which is actually outside the park. It was built by the railroad to encourage rail travel and was rustic to say the least. We could hear the conversations of people in the next room like there were no walls and the bed left us a little sore in the morning. But it was an adventure, which was why we chose Glacier.

Sunday we found that the closest church was over an hour away so we continued our adventure and had our own meeting. We drove around the southern tip of the park to West Glacier and Lake McDonald Lodge and hiked to a lake and on the Trail to the Cedars. We were amazed to see that part of Glacier as more similar to the Pacific Northwest, very green with dense growth and more humid climate, compared to East Glacier which is much more arid (on opposite sides of the Rocky Mtns). It also has tremendous variety in the geology with older layers being pushed up in proximity to much younger layers. The rocks were beautiful, striking greens and reds and pinks and oranges with the riverbeds a sparkling aray of color. Then the most amazing and frightening part of the trip was a drive called the Going to the Sun Road. It was an old road parts of which were in disrepair and in the process of being fixed. It is the one road through the park that connects East and West Glacier over the Rocky Mountain divide. A large section is sheer cliffs up on one side and sheer clffs down on the other with a low rock wall that in some sections had fallen off. Knowing Ev, you can imagine the high anxiety as well as the amazement at the vistas. As we crossed over the top of the divide we got our first view of mountain goats and big horn sheep. We topped of the day with dinner at a great little hole in the wall place in St Mary's, Jim would have loved it, and stayed one more night at Glacier Park Lodge.

Travelogue will continue with next post.

This is my first post

We were able to get all the family together for dinner while Ev's mom was in town! It was a bon voyage for Beth and Reid as they are heading out to Austin-- happy and sad times!