1600 Pages Later

Everyone has trials, challenges and faces crap on a daily basis. It’s looking for the positive in the hard times, the rainbow in the cloud, or making the best of a bad situation that helps us to try harder. Why not turn the problem into a good thing by using the energy invested to benefit your life. It could be a gift to ones self.

A year ago as I read the account of President Spencer W. Kimball’s reasons for reading the Bible, I decided to take the challenge in my fifty-fifth year and read the Old and New Testaments. I began, with advice that if one chapter was read per day, it could be completed within a year. Forty five days into the reading and with the calculations I made it would take three years to complete the goal. Therefore, I increased to three pages per day. Every morning upon waking at 3, 4 or 5 a.m. (this was my chronic problem), I would pull out the scriptures, read the allotted pages then go back to sleep (my blessing). With June 1st as my end date, the last few months I read five pages per day. I am happy to announce the mission is completed. What did I learn? Many great things about the creation, obedience, love, trust, Christ, commandments, promises and blessings were the most important to name a few. Mostly, I want to set goals to achieve more great things.

Sherman's Peak

Jed and I went to Nounan to visit his grandma Friday night and we hiked to the top of Sherman's Peak. It was a lot of fun. We drove up Skinner canyon a bit in his grandma's pickup and then we both got on a dirt bike and rode up to the base of the hike. (murderbike is more like it - I kept thinking of how I might just have to bail off the bike at certain spots of the ride. I was also concerned about breaking my arm, or neck for that matter!) We hiked up to the peak and I thought that I was going to simply DIE. (I think I'm in okay shape. I've been exercising regularly for a while now, but to no avail. I think my heart was about to beat right out of my chest!) It was worth it when we got to the top - we could see Soda Springs, Nounan and Georgetown; we could even see Bear Lake in the distance. There were so many colorful wildflowers all around. Down was a bit of an easier hike, but I think I may get blisters on some of my toes. While riding the dirt bike down, I got hit in the forehead by a huge bug - it thankfully didn't leave a splat on my forehead!

fhe ideas

So, I've been thinking a lot recently about Family Home Evening. I'm lousy at it, and I'm thinking of trying to do a better job. Lousy as in perhaps have had one fhe since Sarah was born. It was a totally awesome one, though, if I do say so myself. Jenn and I chatted about the family home evening thing recently, and I told her I would come up with some ideas. Here's what I've got so far:

• help the kids make family trees (This is the one I did fairly recently with Sarah. She really enjoyed it. We used pictures I had on the computer of different family members and cut them out into little squares which we then glued onto a clipart tree on a piece of paper. We talked about who each person is and how she is related to them back to like her great grandparents. Now that I think about it it would have been easy to carry this over for a few weeks telling her some stories about each person or reading her their testimonies or something like that.
• focus on different prophets and tell stories about them or important things about them--both modern and ancient (show pictures and start with President Monson, talk about what a prophet is, etc.)
• make a gratitude tree (This could obviously be done close to Thanksgiving and could be as elaborate or as simple as you wanted to make it. It could also be started during a fhe and carried on throughout the week or even throughout the month of November.)
• using the gospel art kit, pick a picture a week and tell the story about it (You could pick the picture before-hand or let a child choose the picture and try to remember the story on the fly--it's written on the back, I think.)
  
• talk about tithing, have them pay tithing, fill out slip, etc.
• talk about faith, read the scripture in Alma about the seed, plant a seed, and watch it grow (and hope that you have a green thumb)
• talk about missionary work--tell your own experiences, show nametag or other mission paraphernalia or pictures, talk about the mission experiences of someone else in the family, talk about how you can be missionaries now even when you are young, encourage them to do one thing during the week to share the gospel with someone around them
• stories about the pioneers
• talk about the temple and go take a walk outside your local temple if you have one; talk about how your family can be together forever
  
• http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/lds/resources/index.html This website, although I haven't looked at it in great detail, seemed to have some good stuff.
• If all else fails, play some games (red light, green light; mother, may I?; don't eat pete; board games; no bears are out tonight; etc.) Most of the point is being together as a family, and games are a great way to do that.
  

Neither Hide Nor Hair

So, I believe that Jennifer has NEVER posted anything on the blog. Jenn, Even DAD has posted something! C'mon! What's the deal? Now, I believe that Jenn and Mike have a computer. Although Jennifer is busy busy with three boys, if there's time for scrapbooking, there's gotta be time for blogging. We all know that there are many things going in their lives, but we don't know what for we have neither seen hide nor hair of them on the blog! I would like to see a post: something, anything! Otherwise it's hard for the rest of us to know that you still exist.

Eating Healthy- Veggies are Free

Vegetables-- Eat at least 3 helpings per day or as many as you can. During the summer harvests utilize those great gardens. Find out who has one and see if you can pick anything they have. As of Friday the Vawdrey garden is going to be open for business, since Lowell & LuVera are touring in Scandinavia for 17 days. You can bet we will be eating zuchinni, corn,tomatoes and peppers 24/7 per their invitation. That's right breakfast, lunch & dinner. Muffins, casserole, salsa, stuffed, steamed, grilled and so on. Anyone wanting some let me know & I will get extra for you.

Dark greens are the best, zucchini, green beans, peas, broccoli, peppers, lettuce and spinach. When they are on sale at the stores or a farmers market, buy and eat them every day. (Broccoli @ $.50-75 pr lb., peppers 3/00, lettuce/spinach $1. are good prices) Out of season watch for frozen food sales. (16oz up to $1.)

If you are dieting, the Weight Watchers diet says most veggies are free. That would be no points which includes all green ones. You may eat 10 baby carrots before they count. Corn is out. Eat up.

Thirty is Not That Old Anymore

When you’re a kid, thirty seems so far away especially if your parents say they're that old. Then as a teen it is like twice your age. Along the way you get busy with mission, school and easing into adulthood, pretty soon there it is just a few months away. Before you know it one day you wake up & BINGO! You are thirty.

That is probably how Jed is feeling today. Yeah, thirty! Oh, it isn’t so bad when you are two times his age. Thinking back you’ll say, ‘Wow such a long time ago. I was good looking and so fit then.’ Yeah, that would be Jed, now. Good looking and fit. Twenty nine was a tough year; but he made it through and has a great future.

He likes concerts, fishing, hunting and movies. He doesn’t like messes, peaches, or annoying kids. Who does? He is great with computers, finding good deals and getting his yard in shape. He is not demanding but is in demand, when his expertise is needed.

Jed, we hope you have a great birthday and year. We love you.

The Midnight Hike of Pal's Revere

Let me tell you a story, one that is so dear. It is the midnight hike of Dad, Jory, Heather & Mom Revere. We caught a few winks, filled our jugs and assembled head gear. Leaving at midnight, we headed for American Fork Canyon’s rear. Finding the last parking spot, we did cheer as we started up the trail with the sky so clear. Jory & Heather sped forward fording streams, snow fields and rock cliffs without fear. We waddled behind as if we’d drunk beer.

Dad pooped out half way with his legs wobbly and queer. I trudged on, lost my way, heard sounds and thought a bear was near. Hooking up with a group, we hiked on past an edge quite sheer; but I got behind again, because they ran after a deer. Soon a school principle sitting on a switch back did appear, saying he was finished for this year. I urged a gal chilled from the snow, her eyes full of tear. So we forged on toward the top & made it our career. At sunrise we stepped on Timpanogos' Saddle shouting, “We’re here!!”

Jory, at the peak with his face all a smear, kept watching & listening for us, with his ear. He curled up for a 2 hour snooze not realizing we were done with this cruise. We hiked eight to sixteen miles up and back. With aches & pains we’re now getting back on track. See a few pictures Al took and there you have it, our Friday full moon hiking habit. PS.I posted these photos on KSL.