.snow and hard floors.

With the crappy weather outside my window today, I thought perhaps would be a good time to lay some pictures down from this past weekend. It was Youth Conference in our ward...that's right Youth Conference. We like to go against the norm in our ward...and it paid off fabulously this year. We spent the weekend up at Aspen Grove above Sundance and it was bEaUtiFUl!!


The lodge had these fabulous common rooms with huge decks on the back that looked out into the winter wonderland.

The kids were taking it all in before dinner.


Apparently kids eat their salad and ice cream all at the same time. Yummy!!


I didn't get too many photos of the team building activities, seeing as I was participating. But here is one of my group and our TaLL freestanding tower.

After our team building activities we headed to bed...where I promptly did not fall asleep. I dearly miss those days where I could sleep anywhere and in any position. One night didn't kill me, but I've been paying for it since.

Here the kids are learning a little bit about standards.


...and quilting quilts for Haiti.

Onto the snow... Roy and Bro. Morgan cross country skiing (I'm sure Bro. M made it some type of competition)

Some of the snowshoeing group (McKenna, B. Pelligrino, Makayla, Emma, and B)

Lynsay and Emma were my morning companions. We saw....lots of SNoW (go figure). Here they are on the roof of a cabin.

We did a lot of jumping.

It's great having Roy in Young Mens. I get to hang out with the kid all the time in our callings!

Emma and I doing a little tromping (pictures by Lyns)

More jumping
Miss Emma and I having a fabulously wonderful time in the snow. Did I mention there was a lot of it. So beautiful!
I think after this weekend though, I'm officially ready for spring to make it's way into UT.

.your hair is everywhere.

After a year and some change of growing my hair out...I finally gave out. You see, long hair isn't my thing. I was telling Jill you have to have the personality to do the long hair look, and I just don't have it. Long hair had it's advantages, mainly lots of full on ponytails, but the bad definitely out weighed the good for me.

So here's one last look at the long locks of strawberry blonde:


That mangy mane of hair has been chopped into something I can dig and deal:


So that was my experiment with long hair (even though my length may have only qualified for medium to long). It was fun, but there really was no hesitation or emotion when those locks hit the ground. Happy am I!

.its a beautiful thing.

It doesn't take much for you to have things re-confirmed to you. It's so easy to be distracted by the world around us and to feel disillusioned by confusion and pain, but underneath it all, God remains unchanged. He is there in such real ways...in ways that you individually know and understand if you let yourself be still and listen. It's a beautiful, and powerful thing to realize that God is completely and intimately aware of who you are. And perhaps that's why I'm grateful for the barriers that God puts in my path. It's when I'm feeling my lowest about myself that God opens the door a little bit and says, "I know you and I love you!" It's a fabulous thing, and one I have a desire to feel constantly.

.small kids, big kids, kids that climb on rocks.

This past weekend was spent in the presence of 5 very energetic children ranging in age for 1-11. To say it was easy would be an understatement, but being with "The Hoard" does guarantee a good time. Here is just a few of the adventures that filled the weekend.

"Breakfast" Tillman digging into some goodness

Bed-headed Sullivan grinning his morning grin

"Jumping"

Grace, T, and Jupiter the space donkey giving the tramp a good going over even in the depths of winter.

I love that this picture is all legs and arms!

"Art "

Just a sampling of Grace's beautiful work

"Reading"Sully and his books, the kid can't get enough

"Epic Battles"Noble donning his battle attireDarth RoyThere is just something about uncle Roy coming after you with his bundle of rope that is irresistible.

"Car singing"

You can't tell in the pic, but these kids know how to groove when the tunes are on in the car...they were a bit camera shy at first (check out Sully's shifty eyes...classic!)

"Park Time"

Battle of wits between Jessie and Roy at the tic-tac-toe board

Sully kickin' it in the swing

"a little of whatever"

Noble told me how comfortable these dress up shoes were and I couldn't resist.

All in all it was a good weekend some other highlights included:

-Roy taking the chaos, and possible the fun, out of Apples to Apples. The kids were all yelling over each other (which I imagine is part of the fun for them) when Roy demanded order. Each child was given their time to argue and rebuttal...hilarious to watch Roy control the table so well.

-Rice King

-Snuggle time with Sully

-Realizing that Roy is indeed amazing at entertaining children

-"The Rock" episode

-Sunday walks with Grace's doll and out of control Jupiter

-Movie nights (try finding a movie all 5 want to watch...nearly impossible)

This I now know, we can take on 5 anytime!

still in its original packaging

Monday's can sometimes bring happy surprises. Some background perhaps...we have a single room up stairs at work where we put everything in; filing, vacuums, computers, old CD players, golf clubs, and various other office equipment. This room is a veritable black hole...things go in, but never come out.

Recently however, the room has been purged! And behold my arm rests in the original packaging were found. I've worked here for 3 years and never realized my chair had the possibility. I love my chair, but now I love it even more. I'm now capable of lounging with even more LoUngE... if that's even possible!

In update news, we just returned from a weekend with my sisters 5 kids, aptly named "The Hoard". It was a great accident free weekend, but I'll give more info with pics when I have some more time. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy some more chair lounging!

maiden voyage

When Saturdays are open (as they so rarely are), and the air is nasty and thick with polution, we try to find ourselvs out and up to cleaner air. We trudged our way through yellowfork canyon on saturday taking my new snow shoes on their maiden run. It was so nice to get out of the inversion in the valley and do something outside. It cleared our minds and hopefully our lungs as well.

Roy's amazing skills and form

Looking a little surley, but also happy to be outside!

So as much as I'm looking forward to some spring, we might as well enjoy what we have at the moment.

.good for the soul.

i'm digging this new tune! Thanks jojo.

love me some dave matthews

.stars are dancin on the water here tonight, its good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight.