1000 Buckets for RICH

 We've all done our share of ice bucket challenges, but this has to top them all. 100 ice buckets all lined up for an ice bucket wave! Luckily, the rain has stopped for a moment even though it's only 62 degrees.

 Each one that participated in the challenge donated $100 to this fundraiser.

 The Lone Peak Firemen walk down the line of people pouring one ice bucket after the next. 

 The anticipation is almost as bad as the real thing...

 Buckets filled to the brim with tons of ice and water coming your way DB!

 It looked C O L D!!  He looks Freeeeezzzzing!!

 Hands up to cover the face...maybe this will help!??? This fireman sure knows how to pour slow.

Almost over - Everyone around Derek was finished and he was still getting dumped on.

Now, race for the dry towel and sweatshirt. He is dripping wet and chilled to the bone!

His face shows just how cold he really is!

All for such a GREAT cause....for Rich. He was diagnosed with ALS about a year ago and his whole neighborhood has rallied around to help him with some of the financial burden that this has placed on him and his family.

Enjoying Time up at Deer Valley

I snuck up and stayed with Derek in Deer Valley this week. My Mom and Dad were in town to help with the girls at home. Spectacular scenery surrounded us everywhere we looked. The fall colors were gorgeous!

 My morning walk down Deer Valley Drive was beautiful!

 How can the world get much more beautiful than this? I love being up in the mountains!

Derek's view from his early morning trail run.

 Derek and I ate brunch at this cafe on the lake. Sitting out on the patio was the best part. We just strolled over from our hotel.

 After breakfast we enjoyed hanging out on the patio...

...while Derek took a conference call for work. Working up here in such a pretty place has perks for me. :) I don't ever mind just sitting next to this guy as he goes about his day and I get to enjoy nature.

Really, I could just sit here all day long...

Who knew Home Depot could be so much FUN?!!

A little shopping trip with Dad seemed to take just a little longer tonight and these girls didn't mind one bit! Just look at these HAPPY faces!

 Holding, pushing, and torquing the drills turned out to be a great adventure.

 Part of drilling is getting your face expression just right. Madi's face was cracking me up! She was working that drill intently.

 Sara gave great concentration to lining up the screws perfectly and straight into the board.

Madi holds the drill with fine form, maybe this could be her new hobby? 

What a great night...and then a trip to Culver's Custard to top it off!

Fall Football - Soccer Saturday!

The white out football game against Virginia didn't disappoint although we did give them too many touchdowns. We won in the end 41-33. The game was sweltering hot. Really it felt like 100 degrees! I could rename this post Summer Football because we were sweating so bad. I'm sure the players were too!

It's so fun to sit next to the Smiths this year. Today, was Trevor's turn for the ticket with Steve.

After the football game, we raced back home to pick up these sweet five girls. We promised to take them to the Women's Soccer game against Colorado that evening. Everyone loved the quick stop at Jdawgs for a fast dinner.

 My girls love to go to Women's Soccer at BYU. They especially love to watch Annie play!

 Sara and Bri are more than happy to be here.

Soccer games have extra benefits too - like free creamery ice cream after halftime for the kids.

Lindsey, Madi and Eliza - inseparable friends!
Perfect night...
BYU won 4-0!

Fresh picked plums = fruit leather + dried plums

Since my family is not too big on eating plums right off the tree...I thought I would try to dry them. We'll see....maybe I have just come up with a healthy snack my kids might eat.

Honoring 9/11 at the BYU Game!

It's Game Time and Football Season is here!!!

The first home game of the season against Houston.

I love this time of year!

 Walking into the stadium the National Guard was getting ready for the opening activities before the kickoff. The BYU fans are pouring through the gates. Excitement is an understatement at this moment.

 A great tribute to those affected by 9/11 and to honor the men and women who serve and have served our country. It was impressive how quickly the National Guard brought this enormous flag on and off the field. Their respect and honor for it, carefully making sure it never touched the ground at all. Every football player from both teams surrounded this great symbol of our nation. I love to see patriotism displayed.
I am so proud to be an AMERICAN! 

 At the end of first quarter, we participated in a card stunt for the rest of the stadium to enjoy. Individual cards were taped to each of our chairs as we went to sit down. The cards unfolded to become poster sized cards. This display was the result: WE WILL NEVER FORGET.  My friend sitting on the other side of the stadium sent me this picture.

As soon as we were directed, we turned our posters around and this was the result of card stunt #2: RISE AND ROAR.
It turned out to look pretty amazing!

Even though this photo is dark, it shows how much the Butters' Family supports BYU! We weren't all sitting together so we met at halftime and enjoyed visiting with each other. A Big Happy Birthday to Ryan! He now shares his day with a very special patriotic time of remembrance.

Great Night! Great Game! We Won 33-25.

Windy Lake Powell 2014 - Too Many Pictures to Post

I know that summer is completely over, but there was no mention of Lake Powell on my blog this year. Derek noticed. It is one of our favorite trips and I can't leave it out for 2014. Good times are all day, everyday in this wonderful place of the world.

 The fun begins right as the houseboat drives out of the marina. 

A few crazy things happened this year...

We all drive out on the houseboat together and hook the two speed boats to the back. We tow the boats about 2.5 hours down to last chance bay. As we were driving down, the rope holding one of the boats snapped and broke. This has never happened before. Luckily, Gentry was watching up top and noticed there was only one boat instead of two. He came downstairs and told Todd. At first, Todd didn't believe him. We all checked and the boat was really gone. So, we turned the houseboat around and went searching for Todd's boat. Thankfully, Gentry noticed early because we could still see the boat way back in the channel. We got there just in time to rescue it before it hit into the rocks. Whew!

Also, the winds were extremely bad this year. Blowing at times up to 40mph. We were lucky to go out for a few hours in the morning and at night. However, during the day it was way too choppy with big white-capped waves. I was grateful that we had six anchor ropes secured to the houseboat. This year we really needed them all!

Happy faces already loving this place...

When it's Derek's turn to drive...he likes driving from the top.

These two have been best friends since they were 6 years old!

New this year: Flyboarding!!

 Madi was the first one to try from our family and she loved it!

She got the hang of it quickly and went up higher than this mom was comfortable with.

Sara intently reads the instructions so she can try fly boarding next! 

She got the porpoise form down perfectly! I thought she was very brave!

I loved this face as she shoots out of the water for the first time - WOW!

Thumbs up to go higher! After many more times of up and down...

she nails it!

Alli was the next brave one and went before Lexi and most everyone else - I didn't dare try it for three days....seemed so scary!

 Yea, Alli! Lookin' Good!

The second time up and she's already diving!

Kayli was lovin' it and screaming when she'd start to go higher!

 Chris was off the chart high! 

 He is such a great wake boarder that this came fast and easy for him to learn.

Derek worked it up so high too just on his first try. So COOL!

 After watching for three days and with a little bit of peer pressure.... I decided to give it a try!

I felt like I was way higher than these pictures show. I had a great time, but my ankles were so sore after.

Five darling teen girls!

Three moms relaxing on top of the houseboat

So Monday, we went out to the main channel to try and get a signal on our phones. No Success! Tuesday, we tried again and both of us were able to get our missionary letters from our sons. Yay! The McGary's have a son serving in Irvine, California. This day just happened to be my birthday too. So it was perfect timing to read a Happy Birthday letter to me from Jake. Really, it made my day!

Then Sara was so sweet and wrote me a birthday sign on the red rocks. Powell is a great place to celebrate your birthday!

Derek, Kayli, Chris and I went on a "HUGE" hike. With the winds blowing, it made it really intense...there is fear behind my smile.

On Top of the World - Really!

We played games...A LOT! Everyone loved Chris and Kayli's new game called 9's!

Games at night when it wasn't too windy on top.

Every girl needs to have at least one Best Friend!

The MOST people we have ever had on our boat so far. (18) Breakin' Records...It was strictly a surfing boat and there was so much weight inside that we didn't even have to even fill the tanks.

Don't forget to count these three sitting up front, too.

Singing in the wind to Alli's Guitar music!

Chris had a great time using his fishing gear.

Alli - Parker - Gentry

Our cute almost-adult daughter and her daddy!

Cliff Jumpers: Derek, Jackson, Gentry, Parker, Paris, Todd, Alli and Lexi

Wake Boarders: 

 Kayli

 Sara

 Chris 

Derek will always be the Slolam Ski Man!

These two...they are still so in love! 

 Alli pulled out Jake's mask for good memories.

 Ahhh...the mask wakeboards again!

Jake made it on the trip!! Really! He did!!

He came all suited up and stayed in his missionary attire the whole time. What a GOOD missionary, but just a little bored.  haha :)

Lexi and Alli had this great idea and it turned out awesome!!!  They ordered a Mitt Romney cutout and attached a blow up face of Jakes along with his tag. They surprised us all the first morning when we woke up. Jake was standing in the kitchen of the houseboat. Lake Powell just wasn't the same without him. He was mentioned a lot and VERY missed!