October 2

I was trying to post every week.  It's been a while this time.  Shoot!

Last weekend I went with a group of 5 ladies to hike Mt. St Helens.  We made it 1/3 to 1/2 of the way to the top and turned around.  It was windy, snowing and very foggy.  We debated about seeing how far we could make it, but heard from other hikers that it was colder and foggier up a head.  We decided to cut the hike short and went back to the cabin to shower and relax.  We then headed to Vancouver, WA and saw a movie and went to Ikea in Portland.  We had time the next day to do a cool hike on the way home in the Columbia river Gorge.  It was a very fun, relaxing trip.  I talked and laughed more than I ever do.  It was awesome to be able to be spontaneous and not have to worry about kids and everything.  I definitely want to hike that mountain another time.  Hopefully in the next couple of years I get up there again.

Kirk was an awesome dad.  He took the kids to Boise to his cousin Cody's wedding while I was gone.  They left Friday morning and Scott drove with them.  They met up with his parents for lunch and then Kirk watched our kids and Jex (Scott's boy) during the sealing.  They played and swam and drove home Saturday afternoon.

This weekend was conference.  Katie and Jason Scott came to visit with their kids.  We have known them for a long time.  We each have 3 kids all within a few months of each other.  They have a great time playing and we all love talking together.  Kirk and Jason went fishing on Saturday.  Conference was great.  I learned that I need to learn more about repentance and the atonement.  I need to focus on having joy each day.  I need to be more concerned with what Heavenly Father thinks of me and less on what other people think of me.  I need to try to be more loving, kind, unselfish, patient and forgiving.  I cannot change other people, but I can change myself and ultimately, that is what matters.  How I act and treat others.  I had several moments through the weekend when I felt the spirit and knew that what they were saying was true.  I did not hear most of the talks in their entirety, but I heard pieces of all of them.  Our kids were very excited every time an apostle talked.  They would get a treat if they sat still for a few minutes and listened.  It was a fun weekend.