Yellowstone Creek

On the way to Yellowstone...

This picture doesn't do justice, but if you look closely there is a range of mountains in the distance; it's the Tetons. We stopped to catch the view and to let the kids wiggle, and they did.

Over the two days, we did a lot of driving and it was sweet to see Marley and Sitani look after their brother. All of the cousins were kind and willing to share with each other, not like these chipmunks we observed fighting over their acorn...or something like that.

Mom and Alisha were reunited, post her graduation exodus to Washington last Spring and got to spend hours driving together, just the two of them. This is them being silly, reflective and having fun over breakfast.

Mesa Falls

Elijah, Sitani & Marley Sugie

Mama Sugie getting some baby love.

Mika, Dalynn and Ember on hip.

Tesh and the Falls

I used to be an amateur waterfall hunter, if you will, when I lived in Portland. A good friend and I would take long Sunday afternoon drives with our waterfall book to search out every last one of them; to say "we've been there, done that. Check." It was the best of memories to have of life in Portland. This is an ode of sorts to those days.

I hadn't thought of Idaho as having waterfalls (at least compared to Oregon and the Great Northwest). We'll here's a pretty impressive one Dad showed me last year. Mom and I took Alisha, Kristi, Dalynn and kids by there on our trek up to Yellowstone this weekend.

Enjoy the pictures!

The Woodhouse Girls & Baby Jordan

I've been adopted.

This family in our ward, the Woodhouse's have taken me out to shoot my first gun, and had me over a handful of times to be with them and their kids.

Last night, David (the dad) called and said, "My wife is going crazy." (They have a newborn and a quiver full...) "Can you come over and stay with the girls while I take her out?" I'm like YES! Time with these kids... Love it.

We went for a summer evening walk. I hoisted Jordan on the baby carrier. Ever helpful Mariah took turns with Grace to push baby Rose in the stroller. When one was pushing, the other was busy taking pictures with my camera of our neighborhood. Look what they found.

Irish Princess Grace -

Her crown even says Irish Princess. She wore it all evening. I gotta get me one.

Baby Rose

Content just to be outside and with her sisters.

Helpful Mariah

She's gorgeous. She thinks of what needs to be done. She offers to help. She fed the baby. She pushed Rose. She made sure Grace got a turn. She's growing into a fine young lady. Couldn't have done it with out her!

Brigham City is Getting a Temple

After we came home from seeing Will and Jenni at the race I made the last leg of the trip back to Orem to return Sitani to his parents, which they were grateful for. (Thanks, guys for letting us enjoy him! He's a good traveler and helper.)

I moseyed home through Ogden, staying a night at Wolf Creek, just me, myself and my ever packed travel bags. It was quiet and refreshing. I took a long hot bath, read scriptures, wrote in my journal and zoned out.

I then drove to Logan to see Grandma for a few minutes, stopping at this temple construction site first. It's really coming along...reminds me a bit of SLC, only modern. I thought you'd like to see a picture. Cool, huh?

Will's 100 Western States Ultra-Marathon

In June Mom, Dad, Sitani and I went to Lake Tahoe area to see Will take off on the Western States 100 mile ultra-marathon. This was his 2nd 100 miler, but the first time in this race. It's a lottery draw to see who get's in and he got picked! People come from all over the world to run through the Sierra's. It's one of the oldest ultra's around.

He left at 5 am and ran all day. He met up with his pacer and ran throught he night.

We met them along the route for quick hellos and good job cheers.

Like I said, quick. They were in and out.

This was Sitani's first big trip with Grandma & Grandpa. Let's just say he got to go to McDonald's more than once.

The ever supportive and loving wife, Jenni with baby Taylor.

Jenni is an all-around gem. She was busy making our "crew" shirts, running last minute errands, juggling babies, naps an everything else that goes with the spouse role. We love her for being such a great mom to her boys and wife to our brother Will.

Look what Sitani found at the gas station. Hello Uncle Mark! Wish you were here...

Making Blackberry Pie with Omaei & Kalani

Uncle Mark and Aunt Peggy brought the girls up for a weekend visit. I got them for the day while they did a session in the new Rexburg Temple. We kept busy in the kitchen with some of my best recipies. Yum, blackberry pie.

(We're not sure how Kalani got so much flour on herself.)

Omaei was recently baptized. I got to speak at her baptism, a highlight for me. Here she stirs the chicken enchilada makings.






These two sisters are close. I enjoyed spending time with them. It will be fun to watch them as they grow into young ladies.

Bambourgh Castle, England

Apparetently Bambourgh Castle is reported to be haunted. There are several stories of ghost encounters. One of the daughters of a nobleman committed suicide at a young age by jumping off the outerwall when she was forbidden to marry her love. There's more to the story than that but she has beem reported to be seen on the grounds and has been heard crying in the hallways. It was a little spooky at times. I found myself checking corners and getting nervous when the others went ahead of me on the self guided tour... So unlike me.

The lighting wasn't very good for pictures but I took some anyway of the tapesties, french furniture and other luxuries of their day, including a fridge.

View of Grace's Island from the castle.

Gracie Darling is a story of a young Lighthouse Keeper's teen daughter who rows out to a shipwreck in all heroics during a violent storm. She saves the lives of a few dozen people. She has gone down in history as a true English legend.