Trails and Races

With the school year wrapped up, first thing to do is...hike!  It's never hard to talk Eli into climbing Ensign Peak with me.

I sure adore spending time with this gentleman.

While my kids will hike with me after eight, these amazing ladies are the ones I can count on to run/walk at 5:45 in the morning.  While I may not love getting up that early, getting to chat with Sonja and Julie is totally worth it.

Isn't this rainbow stunning?  God must like the Avenues.  Plus, it happened to be Pride Week.

As much as I love hiking with someone, I'm also happy hiking alone.  One morning I had some free time, but no one could join me up Bells Canyon.  I'm so glad I went by myself!  The air was amazingly clear.

Also, the creek was roaring with all the spring runoff.  I came to see one waterfall, but got treated with falls the entire way up.

Lower Falls.

Upper Falls.

The granite rock faces are so majestic as well.

I'd hoped to hike all the way to the Upper Reservoir, but in the end there was so much snow that I lost the trail.  I found this old bridge, but it didn't lead to anywhere identifiable.

I love to hike, but I'm not postholing for miles.

Finally, my inspiration.  With permission, I took a photo of/for this octogenarian who hiked all the way to the Lower Falls.  (It's steep!)  Four decades from now, I want to be just like him.

This man inspires me as well.  As mayor of Hyde Park, Charles was forced to deal with the challenge of a community facing a severe water shortage. Hopefully this new water tank will offer better protection in the future.

Just as the lovely is this trail that Charles and Susie have helped develop.  Jason sure enjoyed getting to hike it with them while up in Logan one day for a work assignment.

Last but not least, Girls on the Run!  Or better said, Girls (and their Dads) on the Run.  Annika participated in Girls on the Run all spring.  When the time came to choose a running buddy, she wanted to run with her pa.

The big race was held at Sugarhouse Park.  With so many participants, it was more of a walk than a run, but they still had a great time.

Best Dad ever!  Real men may wear pink, but the realest men rock the unicorn headbands too.

Right now I'm missing all these folks!  Jason is at an AIA conference in Chicago, Annika and Eli are at Hummel Day Camp in Nebraska, Talia is at FSY at the University of Utah, and Brooklyn is gone all day at ISSI (Intermountain Suzuki Strings Institute) in Draper.  I can't wait for our family to be back together again.

Tying Up '21-'22

Everybody knows that December is busy, but personally I think the end of May/beginning of June is even crazier.  Here are some photos of our family's end of the year wrap-up.  First up, A'Capella.  Brooklyn and Talia both sang with West's highest auditioned choir this year, and both of them enjoyed it so much that they are planning to sing again next year.

A'Capella's musicality has grown tremendously this year as these young musicians learned to really listen and blend.  Also, I don't have a photo, but both girls performed "You Will Be Found" in an octet.  Brooklyn had a small solo, and as her Mom, I naturally cried.  As long as I'm bragging, I might as well mention how Brooklyn lettered and Talia medaled in A'Cappella as well.  I'm so proud of these gals and how hard they work!

Speaking of music, Brooklyn has been playing lots of cello as she prepares to tour France and Spain with sVs--Sotto Voce Strings. They sound amazing!  Here they are performing at their Farewell Concert, led by the fabulous Asheley Watabe.  How I wish I could be a fly on the wall in July as they perform at La Sagrada Familia!

A close-up of our focused Brooklyn.

Moving on to Eli, this handsome young man graduated from Emerson Elementary School!  Here he is receiving his diploma from his teachers Ms. Jensen and Sra. Borrell.  A precocious little soul, he's planning on  jumping straight from sixth grade into West High's ELP (Extended Learning Program).

As much as it pains me to see him move on, I know he's ready.  I suspect his inquisitive brain will thrive under the academic rigor, especially with the extra opportunities to delve into engineering and math.  Here he is proudly displaying the Sir Isaac Newton award that he was awarded for mathematical excellence in his class.

A smiling photo with his classmates.  This group has persevered together  all the way since first grade.  What an accomplishment!  If I have the names correct, there's Sofia, Sita, Evie, Ollie, James, Eli, and Hazel.

It seems appropriate to celebrate seven years of dual immersion education with some really great Mexican food.

Here's Eli celebrating again at a year-end ELP picnic, held at Fairmont Park.  Only pickle juice for these drinking games!

As for Annika, she bridged from Brownies to Juniors.  I think we need to work a little bit on our uniform, though.  The buttons are mismatched and her skort is on backwards.

That's better!

The 27th and 27th East Ward Youth celebrated the end of the year by taking a trip to the Bountiful Temple.  What a stunning evening!

Continuing the celebration with Nielsen's Frozen Custard.  I love Berkeley's smile here.

Graduating Seniors, Lydia and Paige.

Sisters.

I don't know what was said, but CC found it hilarious.  Love all these gals!

Now Annie for her last day of third grade, Too Cool for School pose.  Personally, I think she killed it.

  "We will, we will ROCK you."

In case singing Queen for the whole school wasn't fun enough, Annika LOVED the face paint at the Wasatch carnival.  It takes a lot to one-up snow cones and cotton candy, but I think this did the trick.

Our own black panther.

Last but not least, Lagoon!  Talia used some of her hard-earned crochet money to purchase a season pass.  Then, she and her great friend Danyn were kind enough to take Annika one day. 

Hurrah for summer!