Grand Gulch

Each year Spencer invites friends from Colorado and from Utah to go on a backpacking trip. The kids look forward to it each year and completely anticipate where they will be going.  The kids have loved the experience of going on a backpacking trip.  I get left home each time to help take care of the kids left at home.  This year Spencer planned Grand Gulch down south. The kids loved it and couldn't stop talking about it and how much adventure they always have. So grateful for Spencer and the time he spends setting up fun trips for the family to go own


Asher, Crew & Passion
All the bags of the people on the trip

max's experience in the old wahlquist jr high

For the past 10 years we have had the privilege of living acroosbte street from he old wahlquist jr high. They just recently decided to tear it down and build a new Jr High.  Max went to the old school for 7th grade and then was able to go to the new one.

One day when the old school was closed max was out hanging out with his friends. They had the brilliant idea to ride their bikes over to the old school. While they were there they found a window unlocked and decided to climb through. They thought it was super cool to walk the halls and see their old territory. Lucky for us he told me about it. Little did he know that they had a video camera that was recording everything that happened as well as a system to alert the police. The police showed up 2 minutes after they got out. 

Max learned this day a lesson on trespassing and how important it is to stay out of places that are not ours.  He was truly blessed and watched over as the experience could have ended so differently 

More than I can handle (laura)

Wow this week has been tough. I struggled with pain, felt like I wanted to throw up and just ached all over the place. I tried all I could to figure out what I needed to do for the pain. I even caught myself on my run thinking I need a blessing and I need it now. Dawned on me that this was not the case. I needed to always to have a prayer asking for help as Heavenly Father truly knows what is going on and Christ Suffered more than I ever ever will.
On this particular day I wondered how in the heck I would do this and I was quietly taught by the spirit- " I won't be given more than I can handle" so what I need is faith to move on and go as I can cope with what Heavenly Father gives me. 
Although it gets challenging and my whole body aches and throbs in pain I know with God and Christ I can do this.  What would I do without the gospel?

What influence would we have if we turned from self to Savior?? (Laura)

Man the last few weeks I have really struggled with comparing or something of those sorts. We live in a time where social media is very prevelant. People post everything out there. I think Satan has known how to get at me and make me feel down with these modern day tools. The one instance I remember is my friend saying she wants to run a marathon. It made me instantly flash back and think I wasn't doing enough physically to be where I should be.  Many thoughts that made me feel down and grumpy about myself.
We went to Stake conference that night and Sister Polly Petersen said the following- "What kind of influence could we have if we turned self to Savior?".  That hike me like a ton of bricks. That is why I am struggling so much. I have focused my thoughts so much on myself with daily activities, exercise, etc that I am forgetting to turn to my Savior and to truly understand what it is I should be doing that day to help my Savior and those around.
I am so grateful to a lady who prayed for guidance to know what to say to impact those the night she spoke. I needed that to help refocus me and help me realize that I am good where I am at and that I have so much.  Such a simple impactful lesson I needed that night.

New Years Resolution (Laura)

Each Year for the new Years I like to pick words to focus on to help me improve and be better. The words I picked this year are movement and joy.  I need to always/ continually be moving towards improving and being a better person.  I need to continually be moving and working and finding joy in all situations I am found in.  Other concepts I like was by president monsoon reflecting on the ABC's of an abundant life.
A= Attitidue
B= belive in self and those around you and eternal principles
C= courage and determination to live decently

Paddle to make a difference (Laura )

Today my sister, Aimee Maughan and I got our kids on the bus and headed out paddle boarding. Lisa and I had gone a few weeks prior and couldn't have asked for better conditions. It was so calm, relaxing and amazing. I jumped on the kids yellow paddle board and we headed out. It was a bit choppy heading out but we loved it. We went to a certain point and turned around. As we headed back the winds had picked up and we were paddling against the wind and into some pretty hard waved. There were points that we felt we were going backwards more than we were even moving forward. Seemed like we were just staying in one spot and basically going now were at all. At some points I couldn't even look around and enjoy the beauty due to my fear of falling into the freezing cold water.
It finally hit me that I needed to paddle to make a difference. I couldn't be idle or take a paddle and than stand still. I need to keep moving as well as work hard to make a difference with me and the water. It made me think of life and of our challenges of kinds not listening, feeling defeated, huge trials etc...We often feel like this, like we are exerting a lot of effort and getting no where. As we got close to the edges of Willard our journey seemed to go a lot better and smoother. I did feel fatigue and tiredness as we do in our life today and realized we just need to always keep paddling in like to make a difference!

New Year Goals- Laura

Like I have mentioned before each year for New Years I like to pick words to live by for the year. The words I picked for 2014 are DEDICATION, PERSERVERANCE & SELF DISCIPLINE.
Richard Maynes- October 2013 conference talked about how he had to get in physical shape for college basketball. It took him dedication, perseverance, and self discipline get where he wanted to be.  We don't just need this physically. We have to have these three characteristics spiritually as well. We must have spiritual strength and stamina, strength to endure. Let us run with strength the endurance race placed before us with dedication, perseverance and self discipline.