A Sight From Space

Monday, July 28, 2008

Sometimes I make exceptions to the Family Home Evening Rule--I once heard it said by Elder David Bednar himself in person to my face that the time to start having family home evening is not when you are giving birth to your child on the birthing table. Each young single adult and single adult (as well as those who are married) should have family home evening all the time. It is a higher law and we should practice it. But--my new ward hasn't done activities that have caught me so much--being a teacher I have a fine line when I am in teacher mode as to how much energy this body of mine will exert at night and some things just aren't for me. So--when I found out my new ward was swimming this week--I wasn't really in a mood for it this time. My old ward was going to Kennecot Copper Mines--something I have been wanting to do! SO--Linda and I decided it was time to hang out with the old ward.

A ton of people showed up for this activity and we drove out to the mines. You can get in by the car full (it costs $5 a car) and drive up to the mines and look out and see what is going on from ground level (instead of my favorite above level). They also have a musem full of info on the mine and the things that Kennecot has done for the area. You can even watch a movie. It was fun! I learned a lot about mining and what things they do get out of Kennecot--even some gold!

The view out there is beautiful and they can see it from space. Sadly--the mountain is torn up--but Kennecot does do things to restore the land back to the way it was before. I think they are a wonderful company and are trying to do their part to help us advance. I didn't realize all the different things we use copper for before that--but thank goodness for Kennecot.

If you are in Utah and want something fun to do--you should check out the mines. Plan a few hours because you'll want a few to look at the exhibits and to see the mine. I didn't have enough time when we were there....I'm such a learning nerd! I love it!

And by the way--I still plan to go to my new ward for FHE, but, I think that learning expereinces top play time--and I once heard Elder Bednar also say to my face that it is important for me as a teacher to teach others to love learning--I need to share that passion I have of learning with others!!!

Hiking Big Mountain

Saturday Evening, July 26, 2008

Have you ever heard the Mormon Pioneer stories about the trail. Well--Big Mountain has it's place in pioneer history. It is a beautiful mountain--big. And once you get to the top--you get a great view of the valley down bellow.

I decided that for the 24th of July it would be fun to organize a group to hike part of the Mormon Trail. After researching about the trail we would hike...this is part of what I found out:


The hike up Big Mountain is not dangerous but might be too strenuous for some. The distance is 4.2 miles. Elevation begins about 6,100 feet and climbs to 7,400 feet. The grade varies between mostly 4 and a stretch at the end of about 8 percent. Swales and rust marks easily identify the route the whole way. Tree canopy will provide shade at least half the time. A small stream runs the length of the hike and will be crossed numerous times, but is almost always dry after July, though there is water at the beaver dams and two or three logs that need to be crossed. The steepest part of the hike is at the end. The only exits on the trail are at the top and bottom and no way to get emergency vehicles into the area, so the hike must be completed. There has never been development on this section of the trail, so you get to see why it took the Donner Party four days to make a trail to the summit and where they made it. Athletic shoes are fine. Participants need to hydrate themselves.


Because some of the people in our group weren't ready for a 9 mile hike--we decided to hike it backwards--starting at Big Mountain and hiking down to Mormon Flats. Mormon Flats is an important part of church history because it is part of the Utah Wars. On the sides of the hills you can still see the rock fortifications that the pioneers built for protection.

So--we began our hike (we left my Jeep at the top and took Allison's car to the bottom so we could have cars to transport us.). All who came were Angie and Irene (my roommates), Sarah (my friend from Riverview 7th ward!), and Allison and her friends Nate and Jeremy. We started our hike and made it down in great time. Along the way there were several beautiful nature shots.

At the end--we stopped and had a dinner picnic. Jeremy decided to take on his responisbility as "the man" and carve our watermelon for us. We ate and then we realized how late it was. Allison and I headed back up the mountain in her car to get my Jeep.

On the way back--I was driving and enjoying it (it is one of my most favorite drives in all of Utah...) and I was just cruising along (keep in mind I've driven this a ton--I know the road)...when all of a sudden...I had to brake! I looked out and there was a huge deer crossing my path. Fortunately--I missed her, but unfortunately, the truck going the other way slammed into her. It was one of the loudest thuds I've ever heard in my life--and my heart was pounding just as loud.

Eventually Allison and I made it back to the group and we drove back by the scene of the accident just to make sure everyone was safe. The deer had been cleared away by then and no one was there.

I am so lucky that someone was looking out for me last night--I've had a few close calls in my life and that one scared me to death--I think my car would have suffered more than me--but, it would have scared me.

But--I would recommend this hike to anyone wanting a good hike. I'll even go with you...just keep an eye out for those deer.

This Is The Place

Thursday, July 24, 2008--Pioneer Day!

I find it interesting that half the city of Salt Lake stops to commemorate and celebrate Pioneer Day! I didn't have to work today--but my roommates did. I guess that's how it goes. But, since I didn't have to work--my friend Allison and I decided to go experience "pioneer life."

We decided to go this afternoon to This Is The Place Heritage Park and play. It was fun--and I enjoyed learning about the pioneers. The way they lived when they got here to the great valley was very creative and they were able to make so much out of what they had. This city has grown so much from them. We stopped for a few minutes and watched what it would be like in a pioneer classroom. Those kids had to show respect or they were punished in crazy ways! If I did what they did--I could see me getting into trouble.

We also went to the ZCMI General Store and there we had some fun. They have a hat shop upstairs and we had some fun trying out some hats--you can decide which one you think is better.


After that, we wandered some more and looked at the houses and saw all the antiques and different things. They have done a nice job reenacting what pioneer life was like. I think I decided had I been a pioneer--they may have killed me off because I probably would have complained about how hot it was and wearing the layers of petticoat and skirt. I think though that I actually may have liked the walking and seeing new places everyday. It would have been fun to see the world--and to say you did it by foot is amazing. I am grateful for my pioneer heritage though and thinking about the pioneers today has reminded me about my great great great grandfather Zebedee Coltrin who came with the pioneers in the wagon trains. He was an amazing man...I also come from a great pioneer heritage. My mother is a convert to the church and has made pioneer history for my family. I am so lucky to have my mom!


The world needs pioneers--people who are willing to go and do new things to make life better. I hope in some way I can have pioneering experiences in my own life and make life better for me and others that I meet. Thanks to all of you who have been examples of this to me in my life!

Jared

Monday, July 21, 2008

Jared is my hero today! Somehow I got sticky gum on the carpet of my car and he was able to get it out! This is not the first time that Jared has gotten spots out of my car! He is amazing!

We were looking at my blog tonight and he said, "Amy, I'm on there, right?" I stared and looked at him blankly--no he isn't. I just started this a couple weeks ago--I haven't hung out with Jared for a while...

So I told him that we need to go make a new memory so I can add it to my blog--but our schedules are busy for the next few weeks so it may not happen just yet. So I told Jared that in the meantime, I would put some from our last trip together on...so here is an old memory.

January 26, 2008
Jared and I took a really long drive on this day. We called it the Mood Ring Extravaganza because I had just gotten a mood ring and it went through a variety of colors on the whole drive. Jared is from Nevada and so he's not as familiar with all the fun roads in Utah--and he and I both have driving in common. We both love to do it! He drives a Toyota 4 Runner so he and I enjoy the "off roading" capabilities we both have. Another commonality that we both have is we love to take pictures! (Although Jared is much better at it than me...he's really good!). Here's some samples of his work!

We drove down through Provo Canyon first, and then we drove up to Sundance, followed by a quick photo-op of the snow and the mountains (keep in mind we are reliving a January memory right now...), and then we drove through Heber and Park City and on to a favorite drive of mine out by the Mormon Trail. It was fun and we saw a ton of snow! And my Jeep did a great job handling the snow....



I'm glad I have another friend who loves driving as much as I do--only problem is these darn gas prices! They'll be the end of me and my Jeep! Jared's and my next plan is for me to show him another new fun road to drive on and then a serious day of detailing our cars--we both need a new wax job and a good carpet clean in mine...I'm grateful I have a friend who will clean the car with me! Thanks Jared!!!

My First Rodeo

Saturday, July 19, 2008

I have a list of firsts in my life--and I just added a new one--my first rodeo. Ironically I have lived in Blackfoot, Idaho--home of the Eastern Idaho State Fair--that I've been to every year since I was born--and I still haven't been to a rodeo until I lived in Draper, Utah. My roommate Linda and I hadn't been to a rodeo before, so Angie, Merrill, and Allison decided it was our time to go.

I got decked out because I wanted to look the part. I think I succeeded--cept I don't have boots! I was in flip flops! I can't bare to lock up my little toes--they need to breath...maybe someday I'll invest in boots though...we'll see...


I never really knew what to expect so much except for the animals and the horses and such. But--the events ended up being entertaining and I think I followed. One of my favorites was the "wild cow milking" along with the bull riding. I will admit--there were moments I had to cover my eyes because those animals scare me! (If you haven't heard my horse story--you need to talk to me about horses!).



Ultimately my favorite part had nothing to do with the rodeo. I love fireworks! And Draper had some for Draper Days that we watched after the rodeo was finished. I think it's fantastic that we associate fireworks with Neil Diamond as well--watch my clip and see! July is a fantastic month because I love that we can watch the pretty fire spots in the sky. My friend Josh once said, "The Fourth of July is a real man's holiday because you get to blow things up!"



Regardless...the rodeo was good and I would probably go again. I don't think I will ever be a participant, but observing was good. One question I had after was this: What would those horses and animals do if us humans just left them alone? Some of them are trained so well? Would they still be as fast or quick as they are? Or would they just eat grass and run free in the fields?

Cultural Fine Dining #1--Fongs

Saturday, July 19, 2008
How many of you from my days in Rexburg or your own days up north remember Fongs? Well--I sure do! My friend Allison and I were overjoyed when we drove down 12300 S in Draper the other day and saw a restaurant that said Fongs. We decided we needed to eat there...

So--today we decided before the rodeo to go to dinner there. Angie came with us and our friend Merrill also joined us. This Chinese restaurant had no connection to the Fongs in Rexburg besides the fact that it was Chinese. But--this was definietly fine dining compared to Rexburg. The menu prices were expesive--reasonable--but expensive. Huge plates of food range from $9.50 a plate to $16.00 a plate (unless you get the Peking Duck--that was $28).

Angie ordered the Walnut Shrimp--it was "melt in your mouth" delcious. I ordered the mandarin chicken--it had the perfect amount of kick to it and it was on crispy wontons. Merrill ordered the pepper steak--it is the one being served by the waiter Kyle and the worker above--it came on a sizzle plate! And Allison ordered the beef--it was delcious and had a sweet flavor to it.


Angie has a way of making friends with the cultural restaurants I've been to--and it happened again. We met Fong--the owner--and he was very nice. We also met the dish washer--and he brought us out a free key chain so we could remember Fongs. Our waiter Kyle was great and gave fantastic suggestions. The food was delicious and looked beautiful on the plate.

In all--it was a great fine dining experience. We are putting it on our list of restaurants to go to...If you are in Draper--and craving Chinese--you should give it a try...

Draper Days

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Today I had the fun opportunity to babysit for my friends Cindy and Grant. They have three kids--Jimmy, Suzy, and Eva. I've taken care of them a few times and each time we go and have some fun. With this weekend being Draper Days, I thought it would be fun to take the kids to Draper Park and see the excitement.

When we got to the park--there was so much going on--but it ended up being fun! We started out by checking out the reptiles and then we found the blow up party things--the big slide was the ultimate favorite. We also had snow cones and found some fun games to do at the children's area (those were free! Way to go Draper--cheap prizes and crafts that didn't cost a thing!)

On the way out...we passed the ponies. They had asked to ride them on the way in--but I told the kids that we needed to make smart choices with our money and that we should look to see what we wanted to spend it on first. We still had enough left to ride the ponies on the way out--and how could I tell that little face no! Eva has a face for getting what she wants!




Even though I don't have my own kids--I'm grateful for the opportunities I have to spend time with other children! I'm also grateful for the chances to return kids! But--it is fun to have the chance to spend time with God's choice spirits--how blessed I am to be in education and see how wonderful they are. Thanks Cindy for letting me experience life with them!

The Last Hurrah!

July 16, 2008
Linda and I decided to have one last day of fun since we have to go back to work tomorrow...we woke up to an overcast day and it was perfect for our plan. We decided to hike up to the caves at Timpanogos and go on the tour. The hike is very steep, so having the sun blocked was perfect--Linda had never been there before--this was my third time--and I think I learned more from this trip than previous ones.


As we hiked up, we saw many beautiful sights and we had the chance to look down at the world below us. They give you plenty of time to hike up--we made it in a little less than an hour. Which meant we had time to wait. But--as we waited, we got to look at more information about Timpanogos and think about the fault lines that were around us...


As our group was ready to enter--we met our tour guide. She was great and talked on a level Linda and I understood--there were a few kids in our group and she was good for them as well. She was good at explaining how caves form...I got a video of her description so you can hear it...

I'll link pictures of inside the cave so you can see if you recognize any cave parts.

One of my favorite parts of the cave is the heart of Timpanogos. It is a beautiful 2 ton stalactite that hangs within the caves. There are many features of the cave that I love--especially how everything seems to revert back to food. But, it's amazing to me how beautiful it all really is.

In all--I think this was one of my favorite trips to the caves because our tour guide was great. She knew a lot and she made it interesting--she used good questioning tactics. I think each tour guide has been swell--but I think I learned more this time...and I enjoyed hearing her rendition of the legend of Mt. Timpanogos.


After our trip, we took the long way home exploring the road to Midway and then we drove back through Provo Canyon. Fortunately we have friends in Provo--so we were able to rest our aching bodies (this was our 3rd hike this week...) on the hammock. It was relaxing--we almost fell asleep. I am so glad that Linda is adventurous like I am and I have a buddy to go do these fun things with! It will be sad when I am back in school for the long 9 weeks ahead--she doesn't go back for about 5 more...

The Hike Day!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Linda and I decided to go for a hike yesterday! It was an excellent idea because I only have 3 more days until I go back to work...ugh...so Linda and I are planning to live it up as much as we can....

We decided to get up at our leisure yesterday and go hiking in the Alpine Loop.We decided to visit Cascade Springs first because I'd never been there before.

As we wandered around--the water was beautiful and refreshing. Water is one of my favorite of God's creations and I love to see it--but even more so, I love to play in it. Unfortunately we can't play in the water there...which is probably good for the beauty of nature...



After that we tried to hike somewhere else around the Sundance area--but we couldn't find the trail we were looking for. So we just wandered and saw the quaking aspens--another of my favorite of God's creations--they are my favorite tree because they are remarkable. (Learn more about the aspen trees here: Aspen Wikipedia).


We also had some great views of Timpanogos and of the horrible dark dirt. I was wearing some roll up capris and my legs were filthy! I had to climb into the river to wash them off...



Linda and I have plans to continue hiking some more the rest of this week and to go exploring more...plus we also are setting a goal to maybe hike Timp later this summer. If anyone wants to join us--let us know!

Sam The Dog

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Sam the dog belongs to my friend Dave. Dave has been gone to Washington DC this summer working, so my friend Chase--who lives with Dave--has had the privilege of taking care of Sam. At the beginning of the summer--Sam would run away and make everyone look all over for him. But, through some discipline and training, Sam has been staying at home more now and not running away.


Dave's house has great access to the Provo River and Sam loves the river. I had the chance on Sunday to play with Sam some in the river. He loves to chase things in the river--especially sticks or wood. I happened to only have rocks to throw to him, but he loves to run after those as well. He also would dry himself on Chase while he was laying in the hammock. He would run underneath of Chase and make the hammock rock back and forth--meanwhile getting Chase wet as well.

Blogger: Amy's Adventures - Edit Post "Sam The Dog"

After we played in the water--we also had the chance to jump on the trampoline--or more so Chase bounced me all over the trampoline...he's found it fun to see how high he can bounce me--it is a game for him--not so much for me though...

Devon came over as well and I promised him I would put his picture on my blog--so here's to Dev!


But--this post is dedicated to Sam the dog...and Chase for training him some. Sam has come a long way from when I first met him--he even will obey the command "sit". Sam really is becoming a "good dog"!