County Fair

The Zion County Fair is coming up in a couple weeks!
Who knew we’d still be living here?
I honestly thought we’d be gone by the end of June.

*sigh*

Last year, Scooter and I submitted a few pictures in the Photo Competition
and actually won a couple ribbons!
It was our first time to present entries in a fair and we were so excited.
I won a BLUE RIBBON (woot)
and my budding photographer, who had just gotten a new camera for his birthday,
won TWO THIRD PLACE RIBBONS! (woot woot!)

We decided – since we’re still here –
WHY NOT SUBMIT A COUPLE PHOTOS AGAIN?

So we culled through our photos and picked a couple of our favorites.
I just sent them off to the printer.
We’ll get them matted or framed and then
cross our fingers
that the judges like them as much as we do!

(I’m pretty sure the judges are going to LOVE Scooter’s submissions!)

Scooter’s Photos:
(I had to put the black band on these to make them fit into an 8x10 format.
It’s so weird that when you take a photo with a digital camera, it doesn’t automatically fit into a nice neat 8x10 or 5x7.
You have to use tricky cropping, or in this case, a band on top and bottom.
If I cropped these particular pictures down to an 8x10, we would have lost valuable parts of the scene
and I wanted the judges to see everything Scooter saw in the camera lens.
I’m pretty sure the band will be hidden inside the frame/mat and won’t be easily seen.)

My submissions:

(Honestly, if we don’t win a ribbon,
IT’S OKAY!
We have fun taking pictures!)

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“Oh, I’m not with these guys.
I’m with the pigging competition down in the pavilion
AND I’M GOING TO WIN THAT BLUE RIBBON!”
                                                                – Lenny in “That Thing You Do”

We’re Going Boating…NO MATTER WHAT!

Our boat’s name is
MAKING MEMORIES
and I think it’s lived up to it’s name quite well.
Over the years we’ve had some GREAT times on the water!

Sadly, boating time is almost non-existent these days.
Flynn lives 450 miles away, so he can’t just show up in an evening to go out on the lake.

I refuse to tow the darn thing
-OR-
back it down the dock
-OR-
hook it up to the back of the rig
so that means we don’t go out without him.
(I would like to say, however, that I am TOTALLY competent in backing the boat off the trailer,
driving the boat [i.e. towing tubes and boarders]
as well as loading it on the trailer. There are a lot of women who don’t do that part!)

2011 Boating Time = Once. Uno. Singular. = Much Sadness

2012 Boating Time = Once (so far) = Probably the most Memory Making boating experience to date.

We picked a Saturday Flynn was going to be home and decided we were going to go.
We watched the weather forecast.
It started out okay… something like 20% chance of thunder storms with temps in the mid 80’s.

As the days progressed, the forecast kept changing.
30% chance of storms…
40% chance…
Temps dropping to low 80’s.

The day before we were supposed to go we checked and
the forecast had changed to 60% chance of thunder storms with the temps hovering around 79°.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
At that moment, it was 93° with clear blue skies!

I was nervous about going and tried to cancel the trip.
Everyone else said, ‘WE’RE GOING!’
Even though I claim our family is NOT a democracy and I’m in charge,
I guess it really is and I’m not.
I was out voted.

We picked up Shack, Little Miss Doolittle and Gratia
and drove to the Reservoir.
(Stinky had to work.)

We pulled in the parking lot while it was raining buckets,
and the other boaters were loading up their boats to leave.
We got some strange looks to be sure, while we took the cover off and started loading our gear in.

Once we got the boat backed down the ramp, next to the dock, I tried lowering the prop.
It didn’t move.
At all.
The battery was dead.

So, we pulled the boat out and back up to the parking lot and found out the wires connecting the battery to the boat were disconnected, which left the battery completely without charge for months,
which meant it was in a deep, deep coma.

Thankfully, some super nice people
(who were just as crazy as us, since they still had their boat in the water and were heading back out into the lake)
offered a jump start from their boat to ours.

We ‘jumped’ on that opportunity! (ha)
Guess what?
The boat started right up!
It was a medical miracle!
Woo hoo!
The clouds parted and the rain went away for a minute,
so we headed out to the lake
(staying close to the dock in case there was trouble).

I will admit, it was a blast.
We inflated the tube and put Beast in it.
He’s NEVER been on a boat before and we were ready to show him a good time!
(Poor Belle had to work, so she missed out.)
You can see the storm surrounding the lake in these pictures.
Especially the second picture.You should be able to see mountains behind Beast and Gratia!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, those clouds finally caught up to us.
There was a LOT of rain!
But, the water was smooth, there was no lightning, so we kept going.

Have you ever boated in POUNDING RAIN?
Can you say,
OUCH?!?!

Oh my heavens!
I wore my sunglasses, trying to protect my eyes so I could see.
Didn’t work.
I just had to cup my hands over my eyes and squint.

Those of us in the boat were as wet as the two in the tube.
Shack, bless her heart, came prepared and brought
RAIN PONCHOS!
How hilarious is that?
Rain ponchos on a boat?
Well, mock all you want. They helped!

(How flattering is this? NEVER take photos from underneath!
Shack, as always, is BEAUTIFUL!)

The rain came and went
but the wind stayed calmed and we always watched the skies for lightning.
We agreed that the first sign of it, we’d head back in.

It was a beautiful day even though we didn’t need sunscreen.

This is one of the sights we enjoyed. This is a homemade sailboat. Don’t you love the red sails?

All of a sudden,
WHAM!
BAM!
The wind came howling in!
And then we saw it!
LIGHTNING!

Gah!
Time to head for shore!

Flynn, who was in the tube, noticed that the sailboat guy looked like he was in trouble.
Good Flynn.
I was so focused on getting our own boat safely in, I failed to notice the other boats on the lake.
Flynn is SO GOOD at thinking of others!
Instead of heading to the dock, I turned back around and drove back to the middle of the lake.
I prayed – hard – that we’d be safe since we were trying to help/rescue someone in need.

As we approached the sailboat, the man stood up and waved his arms.
He most definitely was in distress!
The wind was blowing so strong, he had to bring his sails down and (ironically enough)
the battery for his small engine was DEAD.
He was drifting, and at the mercy of Mother Nature.
And it seemed like she was extremely angry!

He threw us a rope and, towing him, we were finally able to head for shore.
Yes, I was still praying.
The wind was blowing so hard.
If we’ve been in the boat in wind/surf like that, I don’t remember.
The waves were crashing over the bow of the boat.
We were soaking wet, not from the rain this time, but the actual lake.

Getting the boats to the dock was a chore!
I missed it the first time.
The wind was too strong.
So I had to head back out into the lake for another try.
This time, I swung far out and let the wind just push us next to the dock.
Those same good Samaritans that gave us the jump were still there
and helped hold our boat in place while Flynn and Beast jumped off and helped the
sailboat get under control.

Pretty soon, the dock was crowded with people helping others.
Beast stayed at the dock to help the sailboat and another boat that was docking.
Flynn sprinted to the car so we could get our boat on the trailer and out of the water.
More boats were frantically coming in and trying to dock.
I wasn’t the only one that had to turn around and try again.
It was AMAZING and INSPIRING watching
about 15 people – all strangers—work on that dock,
assisting the few crazies that had chosen to stay out on the lake that day.

Thankfully, no one was hurt
and as far as I know, none of the boats were damaged either!

Thus ends one of the most memorable boating days we’ve spent in
Making Memories.
I’m so glad she lived up to her name!

And, next time we go boating…
I will remember that even if I don’t plan on getting in the water,
I should wear a swim suit and take a towel (or a rain poncho).
Because staying in the boat is NOT a guarantee of staying dry!!

Hello…?

Hi! I’d like to reintroduce myself….

This is Betty here.
As in: Betty No-Show.
As in: Betty Where Are you?
As in: Betty Vanished.

Sheesh.

I, apparently, have taken an unauthorized leave of absence from my blog, seeing how the last post I wrote was about Memorial Day…

I have written – in my head of course – at least 5 different posts,
which would be one post a week if you’re counting how many weeks I’ve been absent.
Of course they’ve been stimulating and interesting,
incredibly well written and captivating.

Every single post.

Unfortunately,
Now that I’m sitting here at the computer,
I can’t remember a single one.

Apparently,
I’ve been busy.
I complain that I have no life… but the life I have must keep me busy enough to keep me away from here.
And that makes me sad.
I like blogging.
I like writing my thoughts down.
I like trying to be creative,
and keep the blog from turning too boring.

I will admit I’m working on an important writing.
Something that has been gnawing on my mind for a long time.
It’s something that I feel very strongly about.
It’s not light hearted, or funny.
It’s important enough to me that I want to do some research about it.
I want to study it out and even pray about it.
I don’t want to sound foolish or flippant or fanatical.
So, be prepared.
Consider yourself warned.
It might get heavy here…
for just one post!

Until then, I guess the question is:
WHAT HAS KEPT YOU SO BUSY THAT YOU HAVEN’T HAD TIME TO WRITE?

Well…
The short answer would be:

Life.
Life has kept me busy.

Scooter and I have been on the road.
Driving down that “beautiful” Interstate between East of Nowhere and Zion
with an occasional stop at my parent’s cabin.
Do you call it the Freeway?
We call it the FREEZEWAY!
(Even though it’s STINKIN’ HOT on that road!)
And one day, we’re going to be able to take a drive
and go somewhere off that beaten path.
When will that be?
We still don’t know!
We still don’t have a definite move date.
Our life is still in LIMBO!
(However, Flynn’s interview with the other hospital is THIS WEEK!
It’s been such a long time since his first interview with the recruiter…
the two weeks we were supposed to wait turned into two months!
We’re very excited and are praying that he’ll do well enough to progress to the next stage!
Please pray for us as well!)

I have decided the best way to record the time is through photos.
I’ll try to keep them to a minimum and only do the highlights.
Because – I’ll be honest – I’ve taken about 600 photos since the beginning of June.
I think I have a problem.
Do they have a 12 step program for people with cameras?

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Do you see this picture?
Can you believe how lucky I am?
I got to meet one of the coolest ladies in the world!
Yvonne and her family came to our great state to pick up her missionary son
who was serving faithfully in the SE corner of our state.
Yvonne and I have been blogging friends for… gosh…. forever?
We first met about the time Scooter got to help President Monson with the
Cornerstone Ceremony at the dedication of our new temple –
which was in 2008.
She has been such an inspiration to me throughout the years.
She is one of those people who boosts people up and is leaving the world a better place
through her actions and her kind words.
I was so grateful that we could finally meet (10 feet away from that same Cornerstone)!
And you know what?
She’s as kind and gracious and WONDERFUL in person as she is on her blog!
Thanks, Yvonne!

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There’s been a little time to spend with friends….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we can’t forget Scooter’s second Pinewood Derby!
It’s hard building a car when your Dad lives 450 miles away!
But between us visiting Flynn -- and Flynn visiting us -- with a stop at the cabin
(where all the wood working tools are)
they got it done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scooter has been on a Harry Potter kick this summer and he
decided to make his Derby car a
Hogwarts Express.
Very clever, eh?

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I was so excited to watch our town’s fireworks from the hill. I wanted to practice using my camera in manual mode.
Yes, we were HUGELY disappointed when they started the firework show BEFORE the sun went down
and they only lasted 13 minutes.
The show was OVER before the sun finished setting!
This is as good as it got!

So we put the camera on Manual and had fun anyway!
At a more appropriate hour for fireworks.

And my Dad?
Well, he just was happy to hang out!

******************************
We explored a state park 60 miles east of East of Nowhere
(is that a tongue twister or what?)
It’s not landscape like we’re used to,
but it was stunning in it’s own way.
And beautiful!
And HOT!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a new experience:

 

 

 

 

 

 

While on a hike, we ran across these tracks.
Can you guess what they are?
MOUNTAIN LION!!
Woo hoo!
I might actually get to achieve my goal of seeing a Mountain Lion in the wild!

And Scooter practiced his own photography skills.
I think he did a pretty good job!

And he, of course, loved climbing on all the rocks.

One last picture of the State Park.
(Are you even still with me?)
I call these rocks
The Alien Twins.

You know how you always see old homesteads in fields in the Western States?
They’re usually old barns or old one room shacks.
I was so surprised to drive past this “mansion.”
I wonder what the history/story of this building is…?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now, I believe we’re fairly caught up on the summer.
Sheesh this was an overload, wasn’t it?
From here on out, I can
a) write more often
or
b) take less pictures.

Hmm…..
Which option shall I choose?

(As always, feel free to click on a picture to get a larger, clearer view)