Gratitude and Humility

It is that time of the year again.  It is November 17th and mine eyes can scarcely believe it.  I love the fact that our family is growing learning and maturing.  The trick is helping them do it in the right way so they can keep some perspective in a world that lacks little of it. 

Gratitude and humility are key here and it takes time and effort to cultivate these.  I am always telling my kids to think about consequences before acting.  Not just the immediate, but long term does a choice or action really provide enough benefit as a whole to justify the taking of that action.  This includes considering the resulting consequences to other people.  Having gratitude and humility helps us evaluate and consider how our choices and actions will likely affect others.  Many decisions on a daily basis likely don't require us to weigh choices other than a cursory review, however, we should still view most decisions as opportunities to make life better for others (i.e., while driving). 

As we look to make life better for ourselves we should do the same for those around us even if we have serious disagreements and frustrations.  You crush and destroy animosity by engaging and serving everyone.  It does not always work, but for those who really desire for good to prevail, they will respond. 

So, here's to our better angles this season.  Most can agree that this time of the year calls on us to exercise the human virtues that we find most ennobling and praiseworthy.  Lift another and thereby lift yourself. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas!

Be Excellent

Remember that movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?  Remember the visitors from the future?  What was it that they said?  Be excellent to each other?  Yes.  That is it.  Well, ladies and gentlemen, be excellent to each other today and if you are not being excellent (I have days were I am not being excellent to those around me) well then let's try harder the next day. 

The only way we get better is to be better to those around us.  It can be hard right now with all the anger and hate engulfing us, but we can be like those dudes in the future. Oh, and party on dudes!

General Conference and Other Stuff

This last week we were able to spend a minute or two trying to improve our lives by watching and listening to General Conference. We make it a priority every year to listen to all sessions of General Conference.  This year made it easy because it was cool and rainy.  This meant that I really had not reason to be out in the yard or doing much else. 

The talks were wonderful and the brethren and sisters seem to be telling us to become nicer and more compassionate people in face of all of the strife in our world today.  True disciples of Christ pray and look for the good in all people and reach out to help people become their best.  This especially goes for parents who are raising kids.  This is done in love and compassion and with the example of the Savior always in mind.  I struggle at times remembering this when I am tired and beat down.  The daily rigors of life require you looking to the Lord to give you guidance and hope.  There is no other way to do it--you need his hand to support you.  It is the load that our Father wisely places upon us that helps us get traction and move forward.  We can understand this and bare the burden with this knowledg-- that as a wise teacher we are under his tutelage--or we can become bitter and resentful and fall.  I look forward to reading the conference talks again. 

Being kind, loving, compassionate and respectful of all our sisters and brothers is completely out of fashion these days.  It is more of a contest to see who is tougher and can stand his or her ground.  This is usually done with the greatest amount of disrespect possible to show one's superiority in intellect and wisdom.  I have been reading in Helaman during Nephi's time in those early chapters, I see a lot of parallels to us.  We are so prideful and hard of heart, that our divisions are causing us major problems and may lead to some serious consequences.  Of course this is the opposite of what Christ teaches--we are supposed to love and reach out despite what other's actions may be.  As we are humble and obedient, what appears to be weakness to the world will become a great strength to those who conduct their lives according to the example of Christ. 

The week before conference we were able to go to Burton Lumber's Lagoon day.  We went with the Arvidsons, Carliles and Kaysville Mayers.  It was rainy and cold there as well, but we had a good time with friends and family.  Joaquin went on the Cannibal 5 times by his count.  It is fun to see him off with his friends and see him learning some independence. 

We are also finishing up football and other activities so maybe we will have a free night here and there. 

We put a TV out on the deck and the kids went out in the cold.

Bryce at Lagoon lunch.

Ice cream was the dessert.  It was so cold not even Sam wanted to touch it.

Ruby, Sam and a friend Giselle.

Red Rock Rally!

Joaquin getting some awards--lost his scout shirt.

Joaquin waiting for the play.

Laney wearing Sam's sweatshirt and a beautiful smile.

Kids built a fort during Conference.

More on Summer and School

My last post was truncate a bit because I was short on time.  This post is the follow up to that one covering the rest of summer and the beginning of school.  After church camps we headed down to southern Utah with my family to spend a few days at the Ranch.  We had not been to the Ranch for several years and our kids did not remember it. 

We were able to be there with cousins and so it made it that much more fun.  The kids really liked swimming and messing around with the old raft that was in the pond.  Hank also loved it a lot because he was free to roam.  We fished and the kids discovered a rattle snake that they did not mess with.  It was a good thing I was not there, because I have a history of messing with snakes--just ask my mom.  We also went hiking and the kids spent a bunch of time just being free from electronic devices and played outside for hours making fires, fire pits, carving sticks and playing card games like "Knock."  Joaquin and Evie got really good at Knock and stayed up playing late into the night.  It was fun to spend some time like that with our growing kids. 

We also had a flat tire while driving around the dirt roads and on the way home at Beaver.  Luckily we were not stranded and were able to us the spare tire to get back to a place to replace the tires.  That spare was really a sad tire and it is really a delicate situation when that is the only thing between you and hitch hiking back to help. 

Anyway we had a great time with family and Nana and Papa enjoying the rain storms, views, hikes, and camp fires we found out later we were not supposed to have.  Oh well, it was good experience for the kids on how to and how not to handle fire! 

A few days after we got back from the Ranch we were at it again with family, this time at Eden.  Shauna's family rented a huge house in Eden where all of their kids could come and stay together.  Again, it is nice because our kids have a bunch of cousins their ages on Shauna's side. 

Our kids more opportunity here to play with fire and I monitored from afar just because I was not that worried about big problems.  I think it is good for kids to have some time to play and think they are free from adult supervision.  We also went to Pine View reservoir a couple of days spending time on the beach and using kayaks and paddle boards to the max.  Joaquin, Ben and Luke spent all afternoon out on the paddle boards and kayaks.  It was great for them and again they were pretty much unsupervised for most of that time.  Paddle boards are really fun and require some effort so it was a good combination of work and fun.  A couple of days later John and Sandra rented a big pontoon boat that could pull skiers and tubes.  This was highlight as the kids all got to spend a bunch of time riding and swimming.  Even Sam and Kathrine where able to spend some time on the tube. 

We also had great meals and tons of smores and watched movies in the movie theater and had chances to play pool, ping pong and card games.  It was good to reconnect with family and friends. 

This all came to an end for me early because I was headed off to Pioneer Trek that week.  Our stake was going up to Martin's cove and Rocky Ridge where the Willey and Martin handcart companies experienced some of their most dire moments.  It was really an awesome trek with lots of historical context and missionaries that came along and taught us all about what happened in these sacred spots.  The one thought I really came away with was "compelling."  They were so compelled by the gospel that they gave everything.  I looked at myself and found that I needed to find that in my life.  I rededicated myself to be compelled for good in the gospel.  Jump in and let it compel me to good deeds.  This is what these people would want to see from me for their sacrifice. 

When I got home I found out the basement at flooded while I was gone, but it turned out fine and we were able to get new carpet and that has been nice.  School fired up shortly thereafter and now we have three in school.  They were all excited and a bit apprehensive, but they have been doing well and enjoying the chance to see friends again. 

Ranch cabin.  Very rustic.

Cousins.

Exploring

Making fire pits.

View up to Pink Cliffs.

Sunday morning church.

Papa's sermon and the view.

Having fun.

Hiking in Willis Creek.

Long horns.  

Looking down on Eden and Pine View.

Making the most of summer.

Not sure what is going on here.

Dave having some cookie dough.

Boating.

Joaquin on the paddle board.

My trek family at Martin's Cove.

That sunset!

Ma and Pa Sawka.

She had to use the force to get that out of there.

Kids watching TV in the garage wilst we got new carpet in the basement.

First day of school.

Fall as definitely arrive.  Football!

Time with Families

This summer has been a busy one with all of the activities both family and church.  I have not kept up with my blog posts, but here is an update on what has happened this summer.  School starts next week so this is pretty much the end of it.  It is a bit sad, but I love seeing the kids get back to learning and having a bit more direction.  Just so you know, I think they need ample free time as well, but after an entire summer of freedom it is time to get back to a bit of a schedule.

Immediately after school was out we headed to California which I have already written about.  After that I had several church activities that included Scout Camp and Girl's Camp.  Then we headed into family reunions.  We had a mini one with my family and a longer one with Shauna's.  Baby turned two in the middle of all of this. Then things ended very well with Pioneer Trek.

Both Scout Camp and Girl's camp was exciting and good for the youth.  Scout Camp was at Bear Lake this year at a Ward member's home on the lake.  I took Joaquin with me to give Shauna a break from having all of the kids.  He had a great time and is clearly going to be one of those annoying deacons in a couple of years.  We left late in the day on a Thursday and made it to the lake as the sun was going down.  We were driving on the east side of the lake when out of nowhere a deer jumped in front of the car and we smacked it good.  I was a bit shocked but it was no big deal.  Joaquin was a bit traumatized but thought it was pretty cool once he saw the reactions from the scouts.  I then realized I had a $500 deductible on the insurance and it bummed me out a bit more.

The scouts spent time on the water and in the water.  They also played a bunch of board and card games until late.  The next day we went to Minnetonka cave and enjoyed hiking around underground for a couple of hours.  We went to Le Beau's for shakes and then went back to the house to play around finishing out the camp.  It was always good to spend time with those young men and I hope they understand the commitment from their leaders, which commitment is a reflection of their testimony.

Girl's camp was a little more eventful than Scout Camp.  I went up later in the day again and was there in time to go on the overnight hike with the older girls.  We did a bit of hiking and ran right into a moose that was crossing the trail.  It was not more than 20 yards in front of us so that was exciting.  I was there with Jeremy Olsen who is everything funny and good about people and the girls love him.  He was a bit of an actor before he joined Costco so it always makes things fun around the camp fire.   The girls did start the fire with a flint and steel and we generally had a blast goofing around and taking a night hike.

The next morning we hike back to the cabins and went to the lake for a boat and canoe outing.  It was fun and I was attacked by about a dozen girls who thoroughly soaked me.  We hiked back to camp and had some free time.  I took a nap for a bit until Jeremy got me in on the skit preparation.  During this time one of the girls got really sick for various reasons and we had to take her to the hospital.  At the hospital they felt like she should be life flighted to Primary Children's Hospital.  She ended up being okay, but it was a bit scary for the girls.  Brandon and I drove down later that night and visited her and her parents at the hospital.  I got home around 2 am.

Deer Slayer.  Second deer this car has killed.

Blazing fire on Bear Lake

Minnetonka

The Scouts in the cave.

Did I say we got a dog?

Unexpected 6 mile run with my brother.

Girls learning how to start a fire.

They did it.  Here is the proof.

All of us together.

Urrr...survival shelters.  Maybe?

Sunset on night hike.

Skits

Another sunset in Sandy.  Wow.