One million ladies

With the old ladies gone for Mondays, we haven't had enough for a full VB game on Mondays, but we did get to do a skills lab with Kailan and some of my YW friends, which was pretty fun. This week was an in-betweener for gym workouts (and so will next week), but we did some work at least. 

Glassing. 

Roger had the best birthday ever. We met for dinner with his BFF and spouse - Collin & Tiana at Texas Roadhouse. Then we got free bullets at Sportsman's (for my hunt, you get 1 box of lead-free bullets gratuit from someone who wants to save the condors). Then we opened his gifts. Which he loved. Including new radios, which he knew about. And a few things he didn't.

Hoboing around in the cold AM.

The YW painted pumpkins this week and I went to hang out. Which was good, because I'm the only one with a key to the closet besides the President, who doesn't come. But she actually did come tonight (late) and pointed out this fun fact. 

Dumb snek. 

Rog left Thursday after work to go set up camp in 12B. I had 1-2 patients on Friday that I was waiting on, but finally by noon was cleared to get out of there. We had a fun time hunting, even if it was mostly scouting and also frigid. 

So many does. 

Over the 3 days of hunting, we probably saw a couple hundred does (which doesn't help me), but we're expecting more bucks to migrate in by next weekend (and a bunch of hunters to leave after settling for dinky 2-points). We're also hoping Carol will find a good one to kill before we get back up there on Wednesday so there's less competitive drama (even though we legit weren't really hunting this weekend). 

October. Wk3. 2023.

I was still recovering from Rainbow Bridge (mentally) and that nauseating sickness Roger and I had (physically) so we did a lot of sleeping in and less going to the gym. Which was fine for both of us. I did play volleyball (subbing for the old ladies, with some drama I was not happy about) and a few quick sessions with weights. 

The YW made bath bombs together and did some planning for the future. Sometimes, it is like pulling teeth honestly. But so is working with adult leaders tbh.

We did CFM study together and went to BWs with Stu and Kristin on Thursday for half off wings. That was Roger's favorite part.  

Coming in clutch. 

Saturday, I went down to Cenita's early bday dinner while Rog went to his family's game day adventures. I tried a little shopping while in PHX and found nothing that I wanted. I had a great time with Cenita & Co - including huge and delicious steaks by Bryan, homemade rolls by Kris, and street corn, mashed potatoes, and jalapeño poppers on the sides. We watched John Wick 3 (refreshing for the finale) and had some great convo and company. I drove home late to be back by about 1230. 

Rainbow Bridge

 About the time I was playing VB on Monday night, I started to feel pretty nauseous. 

2 trees.

I still helped Rog pick up his old green Tacoma from Carol's house so he could sell it (WHICH HE DID).

red rocks.

But I also was up most of the night trying (successfully) not to puke. The rest of the week, I lived off of minimal calories because I only felt ok and not sick if I didn't have anything in my stomach for it to curdle. 

another valley.

But that also meant I slept most of the time and skipped the gym. Again. 

another valley.

I still made Rog some stuffed peppers and had CFM study. We didn't have any other commitments this week, which was pretty nice. I also got to read a bit and film/edit some YT vids for my PT study channel, which is still getting really good feedback. 

I had to hike to the top to see all these valleys. 

We picked up meat from the butcher on Friday and delivered it to Sam and Kory and Jeff on our way to Page. Rog picked me up some kombucha, which was 10/10 for curing stomach issues. And we went to bed. 

Owl Arch.

Unfortunately, Rog had survived my strep and stomach ailments until now, did not pass through untouched. He woke up in the middle of Friday night with a few visits from the double-headed dragon, as he calls it. And for most of the next day, he was tired and sick.

surprise valley. 

Which meant that he missed our hike. We got free permits to go hike Rainbow Bridge, an advertised 13-mile trek on the reservation down and back up canyons to get to the country's largest natural bridge (as opposed to an arch, which doesn't have to cover water). 

Me on top of a mountain. 

We woke up early to be dropped off - Stu, Stu, Hannah, Linn, and a friend named Karlin who spends his days backpacking and trip planning for the wealthy. We took the first 10 miles leisurely and stopped for a perfect view of the eclipse since we were super close to center line. Karlin was estimating the trip to take 14 miles to the bridge, then another 1.5 miles to our pickup location. About mile 12, the Stus were helping the girls - who were hurting from the VERY rough terrain, and Karlin decided he and I needed to hustle to make sure our ride knew everyone would be late. 

Another one. 

So we hustled the last estimate 2 miles, which was actually close to 5 per my GPS tracker. Karlin was increasingly irritated, but kept assuring me that Echo Camp (the penultimate canyon) was just around the bend. It was not. 

By the time we did get to the bridge, it was dusk and I didn't care and also I had to still hustle to notify our ride. Karlin stayed behind at a tricky turn that it would be hard to see in the dark so the rest of the group wouldn't miss it. Stu ran ahead and dropped bags with Karlin and then carried his sister for the last while. I hung out at the boat dock (the other way to get to the bridge) with our ride. 

Post eclipse.

I wasn't incredibly tired, but my knees hurt and I was irritated at being bamboozled about the hike. I also did the whole thing on the fuel of 1.5 gallons of water, electrolytes, 1.5 protein bars, and 10 pringles - and weirdly felt really good about it. 

The  bridge. 

I was 2 hours late and everyone else arrived 4 hours later than expected. Which made for a night boat ride back to Page with Stu's friend and a really nice sleep later. I'm still sleepy. 

I wish that I cared more about it at this point of the hike. 

Aspens 2023

Back at it again with the workouts & VB on Monday. It was fun to have Logan come back and play with us for an evening, but we'll have trouble getting enough people in the next few weeks I think since the old ladies are playing city league Mondays. 

Yellow aspens. 

Tuesday we started our new tradition of weekly Come Follow Me studies in an effort to get these celestial knees. Still working on daily family scrips, but I got the personal stuff down, thanks to a soap box from Matt Seeley a while back. 

The YW presidency is still figuring stuff out for upcoming activities, and our scheduled event fell through, so we made some last minute choices. Mine was making applesauce and planning the next few activities out so this doesn't happen again on a week that I'm in charge. 

Past: daughter of cups (creative spirit)
Present: 8 of swords (surrounded by obstacles)
Future: 7 of wands (out of the obstacles)

I got a last minute invite from Kailan for a group she meets with monthly - where they have local vendors on some theme come and give spiels and little free gifts. This month was Hocus Pocus themed and she had an extra ticket. So I met up for some free herbs to put under my pillow and a little embroidered ghost pin and a bath bomb. I paid less attention to the actual purpose of the vendors, but it was fun to get free stuff and do some of their activities. 

I got a 5' chair massage. And I got my current spirit animal - a Fox, which apparently means I can tell when I'm being lied to (by my patients, every day, lol). I got a light tarot reading and some chamomile tea. And I got a raiki energy reading? Cleansing? I don't know. The lady said I was very grounded and needed to stretch my left hip. 

The aspens turning.

Rog & I went on a temple date after he went hunting Saturday morning. (He shot an elk earlier in the week, but not good enough apparently). We did 50 baptisms/confirmations since the other people scheduled at the same time as us were late. Then we got some snacks and were going to hunt but it was too rainy and windy. So we went to Sportsman's instead and bought some things we were needing. 

Our stake conf was in the afternoon, so we went on an early morning hike in the aspens (per tradition). It was really good timing honestly. And then Roger gave the prayer at stake conference for the 5th year in a row. 

GC 2k23 October Edition

Not a great week for me. Had strep. Still worked, but with mad PPE. Stressed out with some personal stuff that had me going crazy and not sleeping for several days. I went to the gym a couple times only to dissipate some of the rage. It didn't work and I couldn't walk, so not my best coping mechanism. I was really looking forward to general conference and thought maybe I could squeeze a Friday temple day in, but then I had a few surprise patients pop up on the schedule. 

When I said 'pig', I meant 'wild boar'. 

That said, I had a great start to GC. I made bread and snuggled in my blankets reading between sessions and went through a box of tissues and a spittoon. And the messages just eased my mind a bit about things going on, even though nothing was really fixed. 

The good news is that Roger had a great week. He left unexpectedly early on Tuesday to go pig hunting with some friends and his dad in Texas. The logistics and planning of the trip were not handled well, but that wasn't Roger's job. Anyhow, he had a blast and they brought home 6 piggies to split up between 4 of them (Rog and his dad both got 2, so proud). 

Roger's piggies. 

He was also home much earlier than expected. 1am Sunday morning. Which was good, because I was mad the trip overlapped with pajama church. We had a nice sleep in together and he made me some bacon and eggs and I made him some hot chocolate and toast and we enjoyed the messages together. 

Here's the summary if you missed it:

• We are children of God - loved, equals, with a purpose, and we are His. See the people behind their titles and our prejudices. Invite, but don't chase after or lower your standards to meet others.  
• We need each other to make it to exaltation - where you will live in a place, and with people, and in a body you are comfortable with and merit. 
• Make covenants ASAP (not "when I'm perfect) and keep them (tithing, taking care of family, accepting callings, service). This makes things easier & brings peace. 
• Seek revelation (to get it: temple often, have good friends, testify, be okay with unexpected answers and timeframes, respond quickly, live in accordance with prophets/God). Bad things happen to everyone - pray for comfort and peace. 

Honestly, for most of conference, I sit through and think I'm doing fairly well with a few minor adjustments to make and that was true of this until my boy Russ shared his thoughts. And when I tell you he had the fear of God in me saying that each kingdom comes with a different level of body. No way I'm settling for telestial knees, you know? Miss me with those terrestrial hormones, I am sick of it. What a motivation.