Embrace the Winter

View from Saskatchewan Drive

I'm not in love with everything winter has to offer in Edmonton - at least not yet -but I really do love the snow.
I was trying to explain that to a friend yesterday - how when all those millions of tiny snowflakes find their way down from the sky they transform ordinary surroundings to something magical and other-worldy and hushed and still.
I was almost compelled to write a snow poem...
And last Saturday when it was actually only 10 below, Dad and I, courtesy of the Schneiders, discovered Strathcona Wilderness Center - a new place to cross country ski.

More reason to love the snow!

Bryce Canyon, AKA Planet X

On Saturday I had the chance to go to one of Utah's great national parks - Bryce Canyon!  I went with Andrew and two of his friends from high school, Joe and Kaylyn.  We had a really fun time!  The landscape was incredible.  Looking around, I constantly felt like we were on another planet.  The geology formations there are simply amazing.  There was a lot of snow on the ground, so there were some parts that were pretty difficult to slog through in our snow boots as we hiked 7 miles around the park, but it was beautiful, sunny weather otherwise and really an enjoyable experience over all.  Hiking is awesome!

Egypt Lake

Christmas was so much fun! I loved hanging out with everyone and that was definitely one of the best Christmas dinners in recent memory.  I talked to some of you about my back country skiing trip and I thought I would post some pictures.  I should say that these pictures are not just to show off but I have a dream that one day in the not too near future (especially since Puentes and Schneiders have taken a real liking to x-country skiing) that one day a family trip into a back country hut will become a reality.  In fact there is a hut by lake Ohara that has twenty spots in the winter which might be about right.  There is another hut close by for richer folks like Mom and Dad.  Anyways the trip was a lot of fun.

In the back country you normally don't use classic x-country skis you use these fancy alpine touring skis which allow you to secure your back heel when you go down hill.  Needless to say they are awesome .... but also extremely expensive.

The trip took us very close to Sunshine Ski resort.  The pictures are amazing.  One of my friends took his new Canon and took some amazing pictures.  We got caught in the dark a couple of times and were very tired but overall it was a good trip.  On the way out we were able to summit a mountain and ski all the way down.  The night in the shelter was amazing.  There was no wind and it was only about -8 or so.  It was super clear and there was a meteor shower.  Incredible!!  So what do you say?  Christmas in the back country in 2020???

Christmas!

 It was such a fun Christmas!! 

 I love this hilarious video of Ben dancing.

 

Uncle Spence and Rubykins

Jamming!

Marbleworks!

We 3 Kings...

The nativity!

Cousins!

Rubes and Momma

So beautiful AND yummy!

See what I mean?  Auntie Di spoiled us!~

Sleigh Ride Time!

Whee!

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling!!  AND it was fun to see Hannah!

Let's skate! Gotta get it just right!

Sunshine!  It was so nostalgic!

I loved showing off the resort to Spence!

I love how Spence and Ruby have the same head silouette going on in this one;)

Beej and Christa threw such a FUN and DELICIOUS Mexican Feast Party! :)

Christa hostessed a very fun New Year's Party :)  Here we are in the 'photo booth!'

Ma and Pa

Chocolate Tasting party!  Thanks for organizing it Rico and Rach!

Hockey!

Girl's Tea!

Snow cream!

Getting ready for church

Grandpa!

Back in L.A!  Fun trip to Cafe 50's!

But... it was so fun to be in the snow!

On Our Way Home

Hi everyone.  Happy New Year!!

It was wonderful to celebrate Christmas with all of you.  On Christmas evening Mom and I shared our thoughts with most of you (some were on kid duty) about how our trip to Israel tied in with the three elements of On Our Way Home - Prayer, Scripture Study, and Temple Attendance.

Here's a summary of those ideas:



PRAYER: Our Savior gave his great intercessory prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.  There was a very special spirit there.  
The New Testament tells us Jesus was in constant communication with his Father.  It is essential that we use prayer as he did, as the means to know his Father's will and to receive strength and guidance.

SCRIPTURES: We visited the Judean desert where Jesus fasted forty days before beginning 
his ministry and where he was tempted of Satan. The way he overcame each temptation was by quoting scripture.  Again, we would do well to follow his example, and know and study the scriptures as a means of overcoming temptation, and of gaining strength and inspiration.

TEMPLE: We visited Mount Moriah, the temple mount in Jerusalem, where Jesus and the apostles taught the people, and where Abraham came to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to the Lord.  Because of excavations that have taken us to the times of the Romans, this was the one site where it was certain that we were actually walking where Jesus walked. 

Symbolically, today the temple is where the Savior walks. The temple is a great source of strength to us, a sanctuary from the world where we can commune with the Holy Ghost.  We are promised great blessings when we attend the temple.

I pray that all of us will consider the life and teachings of the Savior in this new year, and seek to draw closer to Him.