Good family fun.

Yesterday I took the family to Payson Lakes for a day trip. There was no camping just a drive up there for the day. It was a lot of fun. We did some fishing but did not catch much. However the worst day fishing is better then the best day working so it all worked out good.

we set up our stuff on a nice little line of the shore and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. We also did a peach cobbler that was really good. But hey how is cobbler ever bad.

The raft was a big hit. I got a good workout rowing the thing all over the lake and today I can feel the muscles I used. I took this shot is of Lisa and our niece in the boat having a nice ride.

Here we have me and 2 of my nieces going out for a ride.

Krislyn wanted to roast a marshmallow so when we were done with the coals from the cobbler she put a marshmallow on a stick and roasted it over the coals. She ended up standing in the coals and melting the bottom of her shoes. We asked her about it and she said "Yeah my feet were getting a little hot."

Adam and his cousin Kyle out on the raft.

I would recommend this trip to just about anyone. It is about a hour and 20 minutes drive and lots of fun. In order to get there you go south on I-15 to the payson exit. You will see a flying J as you go under the freeway. The road you are on is Main St. Take it about a mile to 100 north and take a left. Take that about a half mile to 600 East. The intersection of 100 north and 600 east is on a little hill. Turn right on 600 East which I think has a sign that says Mount Nebo scenic Loop. Take this about 12 miles up the mountain to the turnoff for the lake. The first turnout takes you to the lakes and the second one takes you to the camp grounds. It is a pretty place and makes for excellent camping as well. It cost $7 for a day permit per vehicle. I would also recommend taking your bathing suit. It is a little over 7,000 feet and on a warm day you will want to go for a swim.

Timpanogos Cave

I had a first last week. I hiked up to Mt. Timpanogos Cave with Lisa's sisters family and my family. All together it was pretty cool. We started at the bottom and it seemed to be OK. It was a little steep but nothing I could not handle. I put Krislyn up on my shoulders as she was not moving very fast. About half way up it got steep. I was packing a 37 pound kid and it was hot. By the time we reached the top I was beat. I have had friends and family tell me it was no big deal and in the end it was just a good workout, but it was not as easy as it had been made out to be. The other issue is I do not do heights very well so I had to always look up and never down.

The cave itself was great. I used to explore caves as a kid in the hills behind us but they were never like this. I find it amazing that those places exist. It was an adventure that I would recommend to anyone. Just make sure you do not have a problem with heavy exercise. By the time we got to the bottom we were pooped but glad to have gone. When we got to the bottom Lisa and Krislyn had the following conversation.

Lisa: "Krislyn, was that fun?"

Krislyn: "Yes but my pants are wet."

Lisa: (Alarmed) "Did you pee your pants."

Krislyn: " No it is just Dads sweat."

Everyone: "Gross!"

Hey, when you ride a horse without a saddle for a 1500 foot gain your going to get wet. At least she got a ride up the mountain.

The results are in!

I was logging into my email this morning and found an article on yahoo health. You can read it by clicking here. Isn't it amazing! Now I know how Lisa has stayed looking so good for so many years. After having 5 kids she looks like a hot mama all because she does her house work. Maybe I should take up vacuming and laundry.

Memory lane.

Not many people who know me know much about where I grew up. My aunt posted a picture on her blog that brought back a bunch of memories and so I thought I would share it. In the picture you see my Uncle Merts looking at my grandparent's and my dad's graves. However a little bit further you see the farm, orchard and hills I lived in and worked on as a kid.

You can see the sprinkler system with the yellow hood on it that we had to move morning and night. We had some lines without wheels that you had to move by hand but luckly we had these ones that made it so much easier. A little further you see a bunch of trees that made up the orchard. It was here that I became a fresh fruit snob and now I can't pick up an apple or peach from the grocerie store without having a cardboard taste well up in my mouth. There was nothing like going out on a crisp fall morning and picking an apple from the tree for me and one for my horse. You would bite into it and it would fill your soul with joy. Yes I am broken but until you experiance such things you have no idea. The hills go on for miles and miles to the left and me and my brothers hiked through them endlessly on foot and on my horse. It was a good life and unfortunatly it takes being away from it to realize how good it was. So if you are ever driving through Bloomfield, New Mexico just head south toward Albaqurque and turn east at the first chance after you cross the San Juan river. Take that road about 6 to 8 miles until you see the sighn that says LDS FARM and you are where I grew up. Go up to the farm house and tell them that James Stock said that the best apples in the hole world are grown on the 2nd tree from the north and west and see if they will give you one. Then come tell me about it.

New Phone number

Lisa and I have a new phone number. Our old one no longer works. We decided to make a switch to vonage. The new number is:

801-653-1451

My second Love.

I love Lisa first and formost. I cherrish her and the kids above all other things. However, the close second is my garden. Every day I walk in the door, give Lisa a kiss and then I head out the back door to the garden. I am seeing everything in full swing. The peas are forming pods, the carrots, onions and lettuce are pushing through and begining to grow fast. The watermellons and cantalope are sprouted and potatoes are big and green. It is without question the best garden ever. I am most excited about the 42 sweet corn plants. If each plant gave me 4 ears that would be 168 ears of sweetcorn! The only thing I have not planted is squash. I decided that since everyone else grows squash and has so much they can't give it away I would not plant any.

The exciting thing is my salad. I have 12 spinich plants and we have been having a spinich salad almost ervery night. I just go out and pick some leaves off each day and throw them in. I am so excited to get some peas on my salad from the garden. That will be awsome! Any time anyone wants to come see me show off my garden just come on over. Just a word of warning. Lisa is jelouse of all the attention I shower on the garden so it might not be a great