Crimson Trail Time

Last weekend it was time for our annual camping trip to Logan Canyon.  We always go the night before General Conference. 

Two of our besties, Stephanie and Scott Bauer, rode up to Logan with us that night.  We ate dinner at the Firehouse, one of our faves.  Then they got their daughter Kaylee's car and followed us up the canyon to our campsite at Guinavah in Logan Canyon.  We all sat in the trailer and chatted that night and had hot apple cider, Starbuck's style.  Then they drove back home.  Dave and I watched a couple of Seinfeld episodes before hitting the sack.

The next morning was frrrrreezing.  But we bundled up and headed out on our hikes.

I can't look at this picture without laughing.  What a nerd.  I am bundled up to the gills - a fleece vest, coat, hat and lovely red mittens.  And I was still cold.

Note to self:  stop when taking a photo and it won't be blurry.

Smack dab in the center of this photo is a wild turkey we saw sitting on the edge of the trail.

Okay, a little red leaf overdose going on here.  :)

Next year we want to hike to the wind caves. (center of photo)  If you have done this before, comment and let us know if it is worth it.

This pond was frozen over.  You can see the cracks in the ice.

I always love this amphitheater in our campground.

Dave humored me and did a little "Dancing with the Stars" for the camera.

After the hikes, General Conference was just beginning.  We listened to it while making and eating a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, eggs and sausage.  Oh and hot chocolate to warm up our bones.

We had a flat tire when we got back from the hike.  So before leaving, Dave borrowed a fellow camper's bicycle pump and pumped it up and we quickly drove down the canyon to Discount Tires in Logan to get a new tire.

We listened to the second session of conference in our truck while waiting at the tire joint.  It was a memorable little camping trip!

Red Coats

Waterfall Canyon

Valerie and Ciara Henrie invited me on a hike to Waterfall Canyon this morning.

We passed these two guys - father age 83, son age 61 on the way up.  They passed us on the way down.

Weber State in the distance.

I can't get enough hiking in this year. 

The Powerline Trail hike

Alex and I had our first "Powerline Trail hike" together when he was a sophomore in high school.  We have done it every October ever since, with the exception of when he was in Korea.  I really look forward to our time together on the mountainside each fall.

This is the northern view from the trail.

The view to the south.  The valley wasn't too smoggy.  It's been worse, that's for sure.

Looking to the east.

Willard Bay is in the distance on our hike back toward the west.  Interesting fact:  the Powerline Trail lies directly on the Wasatch Fault. 

Another happy Autumn week

Jack turned 5 this week.  He choose McDonald's for his birthday dinner with Grandpa and Grandma.  Yum.

This is what he chose for his present:  (it glows and makes Jedi light saber sounds, ha!)

Holly, Ashley and I took lunch in to Mom (and dad) for her birthday on Friday.

Friday night Dave took his 11 year old scouts on their first ever overnighter.  They can only do one a year (yay!) and their dads have to come.  They went to North Fork, which is nice as it is less than 30 minutes away.  Look how amazing the leaves are up there:

They had to do a 5 mile hike to pass off a merit badge.  Dave, ever the true scout, is the only one who wore a scout uniform.  Personally, if I never see another scout uniform in my life I would not complain.

This is the whole group, sans Dave.  How nice is that?!

Last night, in my new calling in the Stake Relief Society, we sponsored a dinner before the General women's broadcast.  We had planned on about 280 women showing up for dinner.  We based that off of last year's attendance at 250.  We had about 340 women show up.  Yikes.  We ran out of food at the very end.  We had ordered Chinese food.  The last people through the line got fried rice and the pumpkin dessert bars. And that was about it.   Better than nothing, I guess.  (pictured left to right:  me- Second Counselor, Ann Dabb - Secretary, Kelley Martin - Stake RS President, and Kathy Fessler - First Counselor.)  This picture was taken three weeks ago when we were set apart in the Stake President's office.  I still haven't been released from my ward calling in the ward Relief Society Presidency as a counselor.  (I am also  the ward choir pianist, so I have 3 callings right now) I think that may happen today, hopefully. 

 I will miss working with Kathy Coleman, Sue Allen and Danelle Hall - all amazing women.  But as we know about service in this Church:  change is always inevitable and there comes a time in every calling that we have to move on to something else.  But I always cherish the friendships I have made over the years in the various callings I have had.

Sue, Danelle, Deanne Parson (Sue's mom), Michael Ballam, me, Kathy.

We had fun making the invitations to a temple trip for the sisters.  For the activity we were going to take the train down to the Salt Lake temple so we thought we would have a picture of us on the train for the invitation.

Love these girlies!