Another hike, an era comes to an end, and cooking for the masses

A few weeks ago I went on another hike with the Likin Hikin ladies- this time to Old Ephraims grave. I  have wanted to do this hike for awhile now, so was happy to be able to go.  The weather was perfect- cooler than usual and overcast for most of the time.  And the wildflowers were out in full force and so beautiful.  There is an amazing sink hole along the way that you have to wonder what caused it and how long it's been there.  It was a relatively easy 12 mile hike and I enjoyed the company and scenery very much.  It was interesting to learn more about the capture of Old Ephraim (a giant grizzly bear) as Nan read us the story while we ate our sack lunch.  A very enjoyable day!

 A day I had very much anticipated came on July 15th at 12:10 a.m. as I attended the midnight movie in Ogden of HARRY POTTER and the Deathly Hallows part 2 with Kylee, Jake and Cam.  I was more than a little sad that this movie means the END of all Harry Potter movies.  I had a severe case of depression for the next several days, and it was just starting to get better when we went to see it again Friday night, and the depression started all over again!  To say I'm a devoted fan of Harry Potter doesn't really explain how much I've loved the books and movies over the past 10 years.  It's been so fun and rewarding to read the books and watch the movies together with my family and anticipate each new book and movie.  I have no understanding or comprehension of people who aren't fans.  Needless to say, the movie exceeded my expectations and I'm just happy I love rereading books and rewatching movies.  Goodbye Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and all the other wonderful characters I've loved, hated and mourned over the years.

 In January, Mike and I were asked by a counselor in our stake presidency to be in charge of the food for our stakes (and 3 other stakes) APTC July 18-21.  APTC stands for Aaronic Priesthood Training Camp, and it's held annually for boys going into their senior year of high school and for boys who just graduated (who serve as the leaders for the younger boys).  It's like a mini-MTC experience while camping.  Since this program was started 10 years ago, we've heard so many amazing stories about how much the young men learn and are affected positively by it, so we were looking forward to our boys having that experience too.  Since Mike and I have practically no experience cooking for large groups of people, (we were told to plan on feeding 120 people, with 250 on parents night) to say were were overwhelmed would be an understatement.  We were happy when our friends the Lesters were called to help us, along with 2 other couples we didn't know.  Over the past several months, Mike and I have spent hours and hours figuring out the menu and equipment, how much to buy, where to buy it, and when to order it.  There were many areas of guesswork and cluelessness. It somehow all came together, and on Monday morning, we were ready to roll.  What helped immensely was  having plenty of cooking equipment (borrowed from a man in one of the stakes who lent us his trailer full of every piece of equipment you can imagine) and a refrigerated trailer so we didn't have to mess with coolers or making a bunch of trips into Logan to pick up food for each meal. We also had a nice, fully functional kitchen to cook in, plus a big covered pavilion with 25 picnic tables to serve in.  The whole experience was awesome as somehow the preparation for every meal was mostly stress free, and we had almost exactly the right amount of food (including seconds and thirds) for each meal.  It was amazing to be at the camp (and especially great to be there with Jake and his friends) and feel of the spirit there.  The spirit the boys felt was so strong that during the two testimony meetings we got to hear, most were crying when expressing their feelings and testimony.  It was amazing to witness.  I'm so grateful we had this opportunity, and for the help of the other couples with the cooking.  We had a lot of fun together, and it was great to spend 3 1/2 days with Mike plus the months of planning it together.

Besides three meals a day, we also prepared a 10:30 p.m. snack each night.  One night it was scones, and we had 10 pans of rolls rising to fry the 500 scones that the boys consumed and wished for more. I've never seen anything like what mealtime was like when 100 boys descended upon the food like vultures who hadn't eaten for a week. . . It really was incredible!

 One morning the boys spent having fun playing about 5 different team building/cooperation type games.  Walking around taking these pictures may have been the only thing I did for the whole time besides cooking, cleaning and preparing for the next meal!

A carnival, accident, hike, holiday, and a birthday

 We attended the most creative carnival theme party at the Skeens on June 24th to celebrate Jamie's 40th birthday, Daniel's 14th birthday, and the arrival of the Lake's for their summer visit.  There was much to see and do, including cute carnival type games for the little kids, and Minute-to-win it and rifle shooting for the adults.  There were even cotton candy, popcorn and snow cone machines.  It was a lot of fun to hang out with the Skeens, Lakes, Caspersons, Petersens, Searles and Ericksons.

 The next night (Saturday)  Mike and I went back to the Skeens to play some cards and visit with everyone.  We'd only been there about 45 minutes when we get a call from Cam.  He said he thought he broke his arm falling off a rip stick at a friends house.  Mike told him it was probably fine, that we'd look at it when we got home and perhaps take him into the doctor on Monday.  A few minutes later, his friends Dad called  to say that he thought it was broken and we probably should come and take him to the emergency room.  So, that's what we did, arriving there at 10:30.  Our friend and Orthopedic Surgeon Keith Nelson came (along with his son Chase, who is Cam's friend) to take care of it.  Since Keith had to set it back into place, and that wouldn't be pleasant to be awake for, he put Cam under "conscious sedation."  Cam was pretty happy about that.  He has to wear a cast above the elbow for 4 weeks, then hopefully it will be healed enough to wear one below the elbow for another 3-4 weeks.    So baseball season is over a few weeks early, as is early morning football conditioning.   Why do these things always have to happen to Cam??

 I went on a lovely Friday morning hike last week with the "likin hikin" ladies- most of whom live in my stake.  They're a group of gals who get together every Friday morning in the summer to hike, and every Friday in the winter to snow shoe.  I enjoyed going with them, hiking somewhere new, and getting to know women I didn't know. I may have to make this a tradition.

 On Monday, July 4th, we had a great day.  Mike and I started off the day with an awesome bike ride with Cody and Sara to Smithfield Canyon and back. It was a great ride.  They stayed for breakfast along with their boys and Ann, and Ky and Brody.  Brody was in Logan for a little over 24 hours between selling in Oklahoma and going to Africa for school.  Needless to say, Kylee was a happy girl.  We then went to the Skeens to ride on their new Polaris RZR.  Ky and Brody went with the boys, then Mike and I went with the boys for almost 2 hours while they each got to drive.  They were in heaven.

 Ky and Brody hung out with Brody's fam the rest of the day, Jake went to work, so Cam got more driving experience by driving me and Mike up Logan Canyon to Tony Grove so we could check out all the snow that is still on the ground there. It was amazing!  July 4th, and Cam was sledding and having a snowball fight with his parents!  It was incredible.  Half the lake still has ice on it! 

 Today for Ann's birthday, she invited me, Carol, and Jamie to ride over to Liberty with her in the RZR, and have lunch at "Eats of Eden."  The first half of the drive was lovely-  then it started to rain...and it didn't stop until we were 10 minutes from home several hours later. . . Luckily we stopped at the Liberty house and found some sleeping bags and blankets left in the bunk house so we could bundle up.  It's July 5th people!  We shouldn't be playing in the snow and having to wear a sleeping bag to go for a drive!  Maybe it will warm up by August?  I'm really not complaining.  I love the diversity that is Cache Valley!