Hike the Y

We hiked the Y tonight! 

Good job us keeping up a family tradition! We didn't leave as soon as I wanted, cause we were waiting for Owen to get back from a band rehearsal (he has a school Halloween music concert tomorrow). So 4pm departure turned into 5pm, and we went by to pick up Mel in Lehi, and there was traffic all along I-15 and I thought that the lighting was going to be at 7:30 based on a few years ago but I couldn't find anywhere online that officially stated the time of the lighting... They ended up doing it at like 7:15 so we missed it. We started up the trail at 6:56. Daniel invited a friend Millie, and then Owen wanted a friend, and after trying a few friends he was glad when Joseph was able to come. The Y is far away on the mountain behind us. Off we go ~

Lily had work so she missed our hike. Sophi stayed to do homework cause it's the last week of the term. Corey needed to get his temple recommend renewed, so CLS stayed in Sandy and it was MNODPK in our car plus two friends, and Hyrum drove down separately and he picked up Seth, so there was a decent Wride turn out. I was thinking we'd be ok to make it for the lighting if we started hiking by 7.  Sunset today was 7:01 pm, which meant it would be getting dark from 7:20-7:30. From looking at my Strava for last year, I recorded that it was a 30 min hike up. But then around 7:20 we saw Cosmo and a bunch of students coming down around... doh, did they light it already!?!? We couldn't see the Y yet, but we just assumed it was, and by the time it did come into view, yes it was lit. We kept a pretty good pace but didn't get to the bottom of the Y until 7:34. Oh well, but that's ok, we still made it!

Mel and Daniel were the last ones up. Mel, you win for doing this hike at 36 weeks pregnant!! Wow!

She's healthy and strong.

Ok, so for next year... (I'm putting this in my calendar...) we are going to start hiking by 6, so leave home at 4:30. We all got free BYU flashlights again this year, plus "light the Y" stickers for our water bottles, and of course there was warm cider and maple bars or glazed donuts at the trailhead after we were done with the hike. Katharine had been a bit whimpery on the hike up, but after it was done and as she started to eat her maple bar, Mel and I laughed when she chipperly said "That was fun!" A little sugar at the end to mold the memory, I'll take it. I'm glad that it makes my kids willing to hike with me, I'm know they'll be up for next year. We got home at 9:45 so it wasn't too late, and they're all getting ready for bed now. 

Other things from today - I went to the temple for 5 am initiatories, and that was when I discovered that the Jordan River Temple is closed. I took a right turn in and didn't hit the gate but did a quick U-turn out with a "darn it!" stupid me. And that is why I should set an appointment. I got online to set and appointment for when it's open again and it's closed until December 7th! What?!?! Usually it's just two weeks, not two months! I'm not sure when I can go if it's not Tuesday mornings at 5am, ugh. I gotta look at my calendar and talk to Corey to figure that out. So sad. But I'm glad that my early morning trip allowed me to see in the eastern horizon the Cheshire cat smile shaped moon and Jupiter right above it, it looked beautiful. I sent Nicole a polo on my way in and I was going to call her later today before she went to work, but I got caught in a good to-do reading to Katharine, so I did that instead and let Nicole know I'd try to call her another time. Katharine and I like to read together. 

She's my little friend. Hyrum is her friend too. He played princesses with her. He had the "Evermore" song playing from the live action movie. It makes Katharine emotional when the Beast says he is lonely... "I feel bad for the beast..." she says almost with tears. I think she's a sensitive soul like her big sister Abi.

Here's a video of one of the beast singing scenes. Hyrum is the best.