SOUTHERN UTAH

We took a short, sweet trip to Southern Utah. We hiked Calf Creek and the slot canyons in Escalante, rode horses in Bryce Valley and then hiked the narrows and Angel's Landing in Zion National Park. We really had an incredible time visiting one of the most amazing parts of the country.

Waterfall at the end of Calf Creek.

Slot canyon near Hole in the Rock.

Raymond on Kino.

McKenzie on Snip.

Brock on Whitey.

Hiking the narrows.

McKenzie & Brock heading up the last part of Angel's Landing.

Holding on for dear life going up Angel's Landing.

WHEW! We did it.

McKenzie hiking a really narrow scary part of Angel's Landing!

2 California Condors.

"Walters's Wiggles" at Angle's Landing.

Sister Act

Wedding News

July 11, 2011 will forever more mark the date of the wedding of Alexandra Reintjes and Simon Furlong. They were married on a beautiful day at a beautifically spectacular mountain spot: The Needles at Snow Basin. It was a lovely event and was attended by family and friends who care and love for them. We wish them happiness, joy and success in their life together.

 Alexandra

Lexie

View a top The Needles at Snow Basin overlooking the Ogden Valley

Mother of the bride, Elaine, and her assistant, Anne

4th of July Celebrations

Happy 4th of July to all!  What a marvelous country we live in and grateful I am for this tremendous blessing.  We did some celebrating on every "front" from picking strawberries, working in the yard (sweat!) tearing out several old plants, eating hamburgers, corn on the cob and s'mores, of course before heading to Excelsior Park in Excelsior, Minnesota.  There we were treated (along with many thousands...exact number not known!) to a wonderful patriotic program by the Minnesota Orchestra.  We waited for the night to settle in before a great show of fireworks was set off on a barge on Lake Minnetonka.  Wowzer!  It was great.  The least great part of the day:  bumper to bumper traffic for some 40 minutes as we patiently edged our way out of town.  It made for a very end of the day (midnight), but we  did enjoy it all!

Sound of Music | Central Station Antwerp (Belgium)

This just makes me happy!

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Flash Mob - Colonial Williamsburg

Memorial Day Happenings

On Monday, May 31, 2011, we three, Kirk, Emily, and I celebrated Memorial Day by taking our bikes over to Elm Creek Park.  This is a most incredible park of some 3000 acres.  I love that some very wise and insightful people reserved this wonderful area.  There are several bike trails that loop in and around the park, a swim hole (affectionately called by us "The Beach"), X Cross Country trails and a "ski," (that's for you Utah folks!), snowboarding and tubing hill (used at appropriate times during the year).  It is just a wonderful piece of nature with varying topography to enjoy.   These are the days that I feel most fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world. We hope that you, too, did something fun and enjoyable on a day off from regular life happenings!

This is our new friend, a prehistoric snapping turtle, discovered along the bike trail.  Yikes!  Check out his claws. 

The 3 Riders
(Notice my eye patch!  I don't know why the camera put that there...strange!)
Come and join us sometime!

Maple Grove Half Marathon

Leigh, Emily and Kirk

Proud of Mom:  Lindsey, Justin, Braden and Ashleigh 

Saturday, May 13, 2011, dawned cold and rainy at about 43 degrees at 7:30am. It really never got much warmer than that either! Brrrr.
Leigh and Emily ran this even with Kirk as their support team. He would offer words of encouragement, advice and eaty things to keep them going. We think that they are marvelous for having set this goal and then to accomplish it! Hurray for them. Next year, they hope for much warmer weather (at least 50 degrees!). What's with all the running these days anyway?

Leigh

Runners beginning at Maple Grove Senior High School and this was the end, too.

Emily