Overnighter

The girls are back from their overnighter. Their leaders sent some pics. It looks like they had a good group, this one of all the girls hiking in I think (based on the clothes my girls all had on last night)...

Still hiking in...

And this morning. 

Packed up and ready to head back to the cars and get home for a shower.

They said it was fine. They didn't like peeing in the open woods. Lily said she didn't love how fast they hiked. It was a 4 mile hike and she said she was kinda dying. They loved laughing with their friends though. I went on a hike of my own this morning. I went further up the up the Little Cottonwood Canyon left lateral moraine than I did last time (June 6). Hiked over a mile up, 2.91 miles total, 1,356 feet elevation gain, 1 hour 23 min. I stopped to turn around shortly after I reach a spot, past a peak that was right on the ridge, where I could see both canyons! LCC on my north, and Bells Canyon on my south. This pic is looking west at the peak where I crossed to see both sides. It was fun.

Came back down via the north slope trail stairs. I have yet to hike back down the moraine. I try to avoid it cause it's so steep! Back at home, I mowed the lawn. 

Joseph Eliza and Mary were out in nature this weekend as well. They spent the weekend at a beautiful spot 90 minutes away from Columbus called Hocking Hills Stake Park, a place called Ash Cave. It looks amazing!

Mary was amazed!

Aww we miss Mary! 

We are excited for when they come out in a few weeks for the Hibbert and Wride reunions (Hibberts in Bear Lake, Wrides in Park City). After Park City, Joseph and Eliza will be blessing Mary in our ward on Aug 3. Ethan and Bella are blessing Alvin here at our home tomorrow after church. We are trying to get the house nice enough for when we have all that company here: Bella's siblings, cousins, parents, aunt and uncle etc, plus Wride extended family and my parents and Corey's dad. Beka and Matt are able to come late, but that's it for my siblings, it will be nice though. We're going to have lots of fruit and veggies and salads, I've been making ice cause I forgot to pick it up at Costco. We cleaned up the back patio so that looks much improved. It's good to have company come over now and then so you give your house a good cleaning!

Girls Gone, Silver Lake

Corey and I did a 7am bike ride in Corner Canyon this morning. We did CLARKS. It was my choice. I hated it, but it was good. I hadn't done it in long enough that I forgot how horrible it was, long enough to me to feel like trying and once we got on the trail it was too late to go back. Total ride was 5.08 miles, did it in 45 minutes. I got a 2nd best for the climb from the bridge to bench (1.08 in 16:29) so that is good. 

The young women in our neighborhood are all up the canyon for a backpacking over nighter tonight. They parked somewhere up Big Cottonwood Canyon and are hiking up to Desolation lake, where they will camp for the night. Abi, Lily, Sophi and Natalie did a good job mostly getting ready on their own. I helped them find backpacks to borrow yesterday and then today Abi came to Costco with me to get them food. Abi, Sophi, and Natalie are having the same meals (bagles and cream cheese for dinner and breakfast) and a generous helping of snacks and junk food for their trail lunch tomorrow. Lily is having something different and more healthy: food storage freeze dried meals from downstairs. She'll be having chicken dumplings and stroganoff and some hummus and veggies for her trail lunch. Good job Lily. She's been doing good with eating healthy. I shall strive to follow her lead. After our trip to Costco, I said I'd braid their hair, but instead I went bouldering at 3pm (cause I knew I wouldn't be able to later tonight with all my girls/sitters gone...) so then I barely made it back in time to drive them over, let alone braid their hair. I hurried and braided Lily's and Natalie's. Sophi and Abi said they'd be ok with ponytails. Lily didn't love the look, but wanted it for practical reasons. I drove them over to the church at 4. Lily was hiding her face to not allow me to take pics of her.

Natalie, Abi and Sophi ready to go. Have fun!

I was inspired by the girls getting up into the mountains, and so I decided I'd take ODPK up to Silver Lake for a walk around the boardwalk trail. I told Corey of our plan and he drove up after work and met us there. We saw fish, living and dead, in the water. The boys were more intrigued by the dead ones. "Look at that one! It doesn't have a head!!!" 

As we got to the west side of the lake, which was in the shadow of the mountain, the mosquitos were sooo horrible. 

Some people turned around, we pushed through but were flailing our arms smacking ourselves and each other to kill them. Owen was telling me something when I saw one land on his forehead, and I looked at him intently in the face and I walked toward him and smacked it dead. He thought I was listening... nope "You had a mosquito..." "Ow..." haha. We also formed a line formation with each person watching their front and the back of the person in front of them. The bites weren't too bad, but I should keep bug spray in the car. Near where the mosquito swarms attacked the most, the kids were excited to climb up this big slab! 

Made them feel like they were able to get above them a little bit. Peter felt a little scared at the top and called for help. I went up to guide him and he found his way off without much intervention. Good job Pete! So it was fun. We saw our friends Monica and Rob on a walk around the lake. They are our friends that lived down the street from us at the Crosswood house and our boys played with each other a lot. I remember Hyrum and Travis esp being good friends. They moved into this house while they built a new home, and they were here for a year while we were in Chile, and their house finished right when we moved back. Just looking back at old pics... I should really clean up the front yard, yikes. Anyway, it was perfect and miraculous timing. Rob had been up there fishing and she was doing walking laps. It was so fun to see them and catch up on their kids. She offered to take a photo of all of us. 

No date night tonight - we going to head to bed soon. We might try to go out tomorrow. 

Salt Flats Trip

Mel, Abi, Lily, Sophi, and Natalie spent last night camping out at the Salt Flats.

I said they could take the van. Mel asked if it would be ok cause she was hoping for a car that gets better gas mileage than hers. They picked up Costa Vida burritos for dinner and also picked up bagels and cream cheese for breakfast in the morning. I'm not sure what this discarded garbage shrine is, but it looks like Abi added to it and professed her love/crush to the world.

Natalie, Mel, and Lily. 

Mel and Lily had planned to do this trip on Lily's birthday/Monday night, but then Mel changed plans cause Christian invited her to a game with his family. I'm glad they still made it happen. Sun setting... time to get ready for bed. They had flash lights but didn't have a fire.

Mel says it took her a bit to fall asleep, she was nervous about people driving fast on the flats in the dark and running them over. She isn't totally used to being "the adult" and knowing that if anything went wrong, she had to fix it. 

But the girls had fun and each were able to take some instagram worthy pics for their collections.

We figured they'd be back early, cause when you camp, you get up with the sun.

This was their home sweet home last night.

Doesn't look too bad. Probably didn't have any mosquitos! Here at home, I enjoyed a slow morning. Katharine starting talking to her baby doll early this morning as the sun was just starting rise. Her little voice woke me up and melted my heart. She started to sing "You're my pretty baby ~ You're my pretty baby..." and then she told her baby how cute she was and  was giggling. I smiled as I laid there, and I wanted to get my phone to record what she was saying, but it was across the room and I thought it might ruin the moment if she saw me go get it. So she sang her baby to sleep and when I woke up I saw this. 

Isn't that the CUTEST THING EVER!?!?

I shared with the older kids that first pic of her and Joseph said "I've seen that somewhere before"

Peter came in and joined Katharine. She started to wake up and he sang a song to her. Cute kids. 

Then Peter and I spent the morning (like 4-5 hours) rebuilding Katharine's birthday lego set. Most of the time was looking for pieces. We ultimately found all the pieces except for like 5. Lucifer and Gus are still missing and a few pieces to the castle that we can make adjustments for, and we did. Also I was a little sad that not all of the pieces were the originals that were new and shiny - some were similar pieces from older sets that are not shiny, some with bite marks. Peter let me know that he had taken a lot of the pieces for his "family" house that he was working on. I told him I'd need them back. He was ok with that, and said he'd make a new one. The kitchen he made was very good. We took a picture of it, and then he was good to break it down a little and start a new one. 

Peter and I worked with what we had and we finally had it done around noon. This low window shelf in our bedroom has become her new lego play station. 

So I didn't exercise today cause I was playing legos. Probably a good thing to do with my little kids now and then. After the girls got home they all crashed so since they were kinda still gone/out of comission, it was good to just play with Peter and Katharine. They did some Rush Hour too.

Probably a good thing to do with my little kids now and then. After the girls got home they all crashed so since they were kinda still gone/out of commission, it was good to just play with Peter and Katharine. They are cute.

Wesley is 20!!

Happy birthday to Elder Wride in Texas!

His comps and the members there took good care of him. He texted me this pic yesterday -

"My comp Elder Cannon bought me some birthday sushi. Reminded me of you :)" awww... yes, getting Wesley sushi for his bday was a tradition for a few years. Sushi reminds me of Wesley too. We'll have some ready for his lunch when he gets home from his mission in January. (Just 6 months away!!) A member in Texas sent me a video of them singing happy birthday to Wes. 

And they made him a cake with a pringles mustache on Wes, and on the cake. Some inside joke I guess?

Wesley called on Monday cause it was pday and he was able to call again today. We sure love that kid! Although I guess he's not a kid anymore??? He's TWENTY YEARS OLD!!! Childhood has fled, he's been an adult for two years, and it's getting more permanent each year. Soon he'll be sporting a 'stache like Hyrum!

So that was about it for excitement today. Just been a chill day at home with kid's playing. They've all been into the Discovery Toys game of Rush Hour this week. Katharine likes Otrio. 

Peter posed for the pic - 

K saw him, then she posed, trying to see me as she turned herself around, silly.

Lily had a "Zero Fatalities" class tonight. I was a little tired for the first 15 min, and I was looking at the clock like I was in Owen's trumpet lesson, trying to stay awake. I had to watch the online call with her for an hour. After the first 15 min I woke up a bit - they shared some hard stories. It made me not want to ever use my phone while I'm driving. The hour of time kinda messed up my tentative plans though, cause the girls had YW. Corey came home at 7:30 and he was on the phone with Joseph, so I was able to sneak off for a quick ride, I drove to the trailhead, started ride at 8:12, just up to techy, did that two times, and then it was too dark, had to go slow on the ride home. We didn't go this morning cause we went to the temple. It's been good to be able to go to the temple together without the rush of school mornings taking over the schedule. We've still been trying to get to bed at a decent time, but it's getting later each night. Gotta shoot for 9:30 so we can be in bed at 10:30. When we shoot for 10, bedtime turns to 11pm, which is what it is now. 

Two Wins

I had a lazy morning today. I pushed real hard with exercise yesterday (canyon hike/jog, top rope and bouldering, and a bike ride to the ruins) so I was content to just chill a bit today. Katharine got in bed with me again. She's so pretty. Both of her hands were up above her head - 

She must be riding a roller coaster in her dreams. Cute little profile. 

Today was a first in potty training for K - she got used the potty successfully twice. Until today, it had only been once in the morning, but today she got one mid-day, mostly by herself. Still had two accidents, but I didn't have any messes to clean up (one was a mystery in the basement, possible that her pants and socks caught it all) the other one was right before Corey and I went to go climb. We were pulling out of the driveway and she had gone out to the front porch by herself to seek some privacy and made a mess there, yay, not on the carpet.

Corey and I did a 9pm climb at the Ft Union Momentum. Listened to Stick of Joseph while we climbed. Corey wasn't worried about trying to get 8 in, I wanted to, so I hurried and did two in a row a few times, first time climbing the route that he just did, then trying a hard one next to it (so I wouldn't have to switch ropes). Felt pretty good when I got about half way up on a 5.11b and a 5.10d. A 5.10a we did was pretty much impossible. Maybe if I try it fresh next time. I've been pretty consistent in being able to do 5.10 a's b's and c's, so we'll have to find out who set that route and avoid his work! 

Owen and Daniel were gone at Camp Tracy today with some neighborhood friends. Peter was a little sad to be left behind, but he was so sweet playing with Katharine today. Lately they've been making "forts" in the kitchen just by moving all the chairs, stools, and benches around. Having lunch in their house. 

Then they have a slice of pb&j, I always write their initial in it. And always serve Katharine's food on a pink plate, and Peter's on green or blue, NOT pink. He won't accept food or beverage on a pink plate or cup. Peter spent a lot of time today working on this cute underwater lego set. I loved his scuba diver that was holding onto a clear lego that made it look like he was swimming, and the fish were attached to a clear lego pieces too, so that they could be swimming in the water. 

Peter's used clear legos like this before, to make his ninja lego's look like they are jumping high in the air as they fight. I'm very impressed with his creativity.

Lily is 16!

Happy Birthday to Lily! This young lady is sweet sixteen years old. She just finished Driver's Ed last week (yay) and has her permit. She's looking forward to getting her license in November (Nov 12 to be exact). School has been out, except not for us for the past three weeks - we've still had to get her to Skyline every day at 9, but not today. We stayed up a little too late last night, thus when Wesley called at 7am it felt waaay too early, but he wanted to be the first to wish Lily a happy birthday. His comp clapping, Wesley shouting over and over again "Happy Birthday Lily!!! HaPPY BiRTHDaY!!!!" 

I was actually awake downstairs attempting to read. Mel was in Abi and Lily's bedroom, so she put the phone up on Lily's bed so they could wake her up, which they did.

After that, Corey went on a ride, then I caught up to him and went on a hike/jog alongside him (sorry to slow you down sweetie). We came home to find that Owen made Lily and everyone a pancake and bacon breakfast. 

Then Lily opened her one present from us - a custom book embosser. 

It says "From the Library of Lilian Wride" and has her initials in the middle. Then Corey went to work, then Lily and I went climbing, and Mel came along too. Me belaying Mel. 

We did that from like 12:30 - 2:30 at Ft Union - Bouldering and then top rope with Lily and Mel... Lily belayed me for a Yellow 5.10b, then I did the Red 5.11b that I tried last time - I only took 2 rests! AND I didn’t touch any other colors! Last time I took 3 rests and touched one other color, so yay for getting better! The kids were trying to be patient as they waited for grandma to come by. Natalie made a cake. When my mom came, the kids were ready!

A card from my mom, a book that Lily requested (The Grandest Game) and some lego roses. 

Natalie started to cut and serve up the cake as soon as my mom came, and without waiting for Lily's bday pic, so we had her put candles in her slice, then we sang to her. 

And her bday ended with hanging out with a neighbor and then being kidnapped by some friends. I went for a ride cause the temperature was so perfect I had to get out again, 5:50pm ride from home to ruins, techy, and dirty sprint/half fish tail. My Strava didn't start until 1st bridge, so strava says I got 9.89 miles and 1 hour 10 min, but I think actually 12 miles, 1 hour 40 min. I got all of techy and set new PR there at 2:58 (previous record 3:01, woo!) So I came home and kids were good here. We let Lily stay out late, Abi is going to go pick her up so that Corey and I can go to bed now. I told Lily that Abi would leave here at 11:30. The girls have been waiting by watching more of "Business Proposal" - some 2022 Korean romance netflix series that they got into over the weekend when the girls went to Park City with Corey, which they found after they looked up more stuff with Ahn Hyo-seop, who is Jinu in KPop Demon Hunters, who DIES at the end of that show which made Lily Sophi Natalie and Daniel all cry as they watched that with Lily's friends who were here Friday night as a little bday party for her. So now they are all into Korean shows. So they are downstairs watching another episode of Business Proposal, then they'll go get Lily. I hope it's been a good birthday for her. 

Training K or Bust!

It is time. Corey has wanted Katharine potty trained for a while. I haven't really cared. I know she's smart enough, she's just lazy, and I have been lazy too. Before our weekend trip to St. George, I told Corey that I will train her, but only if we get the carpets cleaned this year. He agreed. I haven't scheduled it yet, but I plan to have them cleaned during Park City when everyone is gone. That used to be an annual tradition, but sadly has not happened the past 3 years. Let me see... they were done in 2018, 2019, 2020, and ugh that's all I can find! Have we not done it since 2020!?!? Not sure why I've been thinking it's only 3 years that we've missed, maybe it's been 4... so not in 2021, 22, 23, 24, but it will be done in 2025. Maybe I stopped washing carpet during the Park City week in 2021 cause that was the first year I fully embraced biking in Park City? Haha and I didn't want to miss out. Our First experiment with bike rides was in 2020, then we've been getting more hardcore each year since then. But I will take a day off this year if it means getting clean carpets while the kids are all gone. It will be good. I'm impressed the carpets look decent at all considering all they've been put through these past few years. Ok. So we are in agreement: time to train K and get the carpets clean.

So we were gone in St. George over Sunday and Monday night. I told Mel I would not leave K in underwear for her, cause that just wouldn't be nice when she was doing us a favor to babysit. K, you get diapers for a few more days, but we're starting when I get back! True to my word, we got back Tuesday afternoon and so yesterday morning, I sat her on the potty after she woke up. She was dry, and she's dry most every morning, so let's get this first one out of the way to know how it's supposed to happen. Kathairne sat for an hour, but nothing. I let her get off from sitting and put her in a thick training pants and some pink Bluey underwear. Katharine was not thrilled about it. She wanted a diaper. She went and got a diaper and followed me around wanting me to put it on. Nope, I'm sorry sweetie! It's time for you to face your first great trial of growing up. No more peeing wherever you want whenever you want. She was sad. We sat on the stairs and cried about it for a bit. 

I sent a video to her siblings, asking for their prayers for K as she faces this first great step in overcoming the natural man. You can do this K! (and I can do it too!) She wouldn't wear the underwear at first but eventually relented and put it on, since I wouldn't do the diaper. Yesterday I ended up cleaning up four #1 messes and one #2, none of it was very bad. Did three loads of laundry. I did it willingly and with a cheerful attitude. She'll figure this out. 

I was just looking back at the blog - potty training for this girl started when I first introduced the idea in August 2024, gosh has it been a year?? That was when we got the potty cleaned up and set out in our bathroom and I had her try sitting in September. She welcomed it as an excuse to get free candy and an hour of screen time. But now it's getting real. Accidents all day yesterday and no success, but guess what happened this morning!! Katharine, show us what happened!

And there she is pointing at a very full toddler toilet! If you zoom in you'll see a very high water line. I think she probably didn't fully release all her #1 yesterday (prob a little stressed and unable to fully relax) but this morning she sat and sat and I made oatmeal and lunch for Corey and right after they left (Corey taking Lily to Drivers ed, her last day of class, yay) I heard Katharine call from upstairs that she did it! And SHE DID!!! I think she relaxed enough that she peed all the pee from yesterday. I am SO glad that that wasn't all let go on the carpet somewhere, cause that would have been a lot. We are so proud of you Katharine! Let's keep it up! Go team.