The Weekend We Repelled 90 Feet Into A Giant Hole in the Ground

The Weekend We Repelled 90 Feet Into A Giant Hole in the Ground

11.20.2014

I need to begin by saying that Bron and I have been blessed with some really awesome friends.  They're the super awesome fun kind of friends that would give us the shirt off their backs if we we needed it.  And while we're each very different, we all share a love for the outdoors and a little adventure!

So for Aaron's birthday, the Horsely's invited us down to his hometown of Lund, Nevada to celebrate by exploring a humungous hole in the ground known as Whipple's Cave.  With our combined nine children in tow, we braved a snowstorm Friday night.  Thankfully, we all made it without incident.  The weather further south was crisp and clear Saturday morning.  We left the kids with Aaron's sisters for the afternoon and began our epic adventure!

It started with a 90 foot repel down into the earth.  I haven't had much experience with rock climbing/repelling; I was a bit nervous.  Okay, I let out a giant scream right before I went over the edge!  But I did it.  And it was a rush!  Then we all donned our helmets and headlamps and followed our fearless leader into the pitch black darkness.

The cavern was enormous!  The ceiling was easily forty feet high and the room just as wide.  All sorts of shapes and sizes of stalactites and stalagmites hung from the ceilings and grew from the floor; some acted like giant pillars holding up the room.  Tapping the edges lightly made a musical noise, like a xylophone.  So. Dang. Cool.

We crawled through a small opening where I had to be helped over a thirty foot deep crevice on the other side.  The hole opened up into yet another giant cavern with small water pools.  It was so uniquely pretty.  Yes, it was very dirty.  And we saw plenty of bats taking their afternoon naps.  But it was sooo much fun exploring!

And then... we had to get ourselves out.  We used ascenders to hoist ourselves back up the repel rope.  Talk about a workout!

I am so glad we braved the snowstorm and spent the weekend gallivanting through a cave with friends.  (Because honestly, what else could we have done that would've been cooler?)  There was even peach cobbler and chocolate cake!  Thanks for having a birthday, Aaron, and thanks for inviting us down to Nevada to share in a little piece of adventure from your hometown.  We'll never forget it.

And now, the pictures!  These are a combo of theirs and ours: phone, my old rebel, and point and shoot.  They don't do the trip justice, but at least you can get an idea and they help preserve our memory.

  ^^Where we parked the truck, up in the hills somewhere.^^

 ^^Amy peeking over the edge of the giant hole in the ground.^^

 ^^Repelling in.  Do I look nervous?  Because my heart was thumping pretty fast up there.^^

 ^^Entering into the dark abyss^^

 ^^The stalagmite on the right looked like it was covered in green snot.  Eeew!^^

^^We were convinced that the octopus looking thing was alive... until Bron poked it with a pocket knife.  It wasn't.  Haha.^^

^^Incredibly shaped cave formations.  We tried not to touch.^^

^^I spy a sleepy bat^^

^^Hey!  We found Golem from Lord of the Rings hiding down there!^^

^^The steep ascent back up out of the cave.^^

The triumphant couples:

 ^^Nick and Amy^^

 ^^Aaron and Amy^^

^^Bron and me^^

I hope there's a next time, Nevada!

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Monthly Photography Challenge: Night Shots

Monthly Photography Challenge: Night Shots

11.15.2014

There's even more fun, inspiration, and interpretation for this month's theme as I have teamed up with four other professional photographers who all just happen to be moms too: Alea, Lauren, Miriam, and Rachel.  I'm really excited about what these monthly challenges have suddenly turned into!  I'm not sure how long this will continue, but I'm enjoying the extra challenge of trying something new and the opportunity to get my creative juices flowing.  In fact, since attempting this month's theme, I have at least five more specific shots in my head I'd like to capture sometime this winter. 

When I first thought of night shots, I knew I wanted to capture an image of the Perrine Bridge over the Snake River Canyon.  And then I needed a picture of our local LDS temple as well, of course; it's a bright beacon in the dark!  So I grabbed my tripod and a coat and went to "work".  (Since when is photography ever work?  Haha.)  It took me several tries to hone in on the right settings, but once I found my groove, it was a lot of fun!  The most entertaining part was pressing the shutter strategically between sets of cars rushing past the temple.

 
And then the awful time change occurred.  The sun sets so early now!  But I'm trying not to complain.  The dark actually wound up being an inspiration for some in-home shots one evening.  Since my new camera has ISO that goes on for days, I knew I could embrace the grain and play with some hard light.  I'm so lucky to have such cute models willing to pose for me.

^^Watching cartoons inside the teepee.^^

^^I told Levi there was candy in the fridge.  Hehehe.^^

Now please click on over to the next talented gal in our photography circle, Lauren Jensen Photography, to see some more creative night shots.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

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All About the Week My Sister Came to Visit

All About the Week My Sister Came to Visit

11.13.2014

Let's talk about my sister!  Last week my sister, Lauren, came all the way up from southern Arizona with her two little boys, Carter and Jaxon, to enjoy some of the Autumn colors.  They stayed at our mom's house near Boise.  Naturally, I dropped everything so that my two little boys and I could be there too!  It was a full house, but a reunion probably shouldn't be any other way.  It was different this year since our mom is working full time. (We may be bona fide adults but we still need you, Mom!)  However, we still made a host of special memories.

But before I tell you about the highlights, let me be clear about some realities: four little boys ages four and under undoubtedly gave us our fair share of chaos and high-stress moments.  Like when we knew going shopping with all of them would end in disaster but we went anyway.  Levi literally laid on the tile floor of Ross kicking and screaming as I made my purchases.  I carried him out in tears (His tears or mine?  I can't remember.  Probably both.) under the stares of everyone else in the store.  Luckily, some folks wore understanding smiles.  Whew.   

Fortunately, the highs definitely out-weighed the lows.  We actually had a lot of fun!  The kids went wild one evening playing at an indoor park with tubes and ropes and ball pits alongside their Uncle Ryan (who is only ten).  We admired the blazing trees during golden hour at the park on two different afternoons.  We enjoyed gabbing the evening away with some cousins over dinner.  We explored the aquarium and touched live sting-rays and giant lizards.  Lauren and I even got to sneak away together for a few hours for some recreational shopping.  (I came home with a 9 foot Christmas tree bought at half price!  Woohoo!)  It was a full trip!

Of course, I took some pictures...

^^View of the pond at Fuller Park^^

^^Levi summed up in one photo.  I can't get over this one!^^

^^Um, isn't my sister gorgeous?  She let me snap some pictures of her when the light was just phenomenal.^^

^^Yes.  Yes, Levi came to find us with his pants down.  Haha.^^

^^I keep coming back to this photo of my sister and nephew. Carter's face is priceless! He sure loved that swing ride last week.^^

^^Levi diving head first into the pack 'n play.  Crazy kid!^^

^^Admiring the giant lizard at the aquarium!^^

^^Carter and Lauren petting the sting-rays!  They feel like wet cheese.^^

^^Jed felt brave and got his hand in the tank too!^^

^^Few things feel sweeter to me than resting with a baby on your chest.^^ 

^^Jax is the cutest nephew that ever lived.  Those big eyes slay me.  And his cheeks are like soft giant plums.  I just want to smooch on him!^^

 ^^Chips for breakfast^^

^^Our mom with her grandboys.^^

Honestly, I think my favorite parts of Lauren's visit were just getting to spend some quality time with her at home.  We stayed up one night just talking and taking ridiculous personality quizzes.   It's amazing how similar we are and yet so very different too!  And we LOVE making music together.  We practically gravitate towards the piano and violin in the front room.  I'm a little embarrassed to share this, but I promised my sister I'd compile our musical nerdiness into one short video. Our talents for music are quite different.  Lauren sings.  I play the violin.  When Lauren listens to the radio, she hears lyrics. When I listen to the radio, all I hear are notes. Thus, a little Yellowcard and Payphone for your viewing pleasure mixed with one crazy child.  It's what we do best together!  All those years of music lessons...I wonder if we make our mom proud or not?  Ha!      

I couldn't help feeling suddenly lonely and a little sad as I hugged Lauren goodbye and drove away last Friday.  Seeing each other just five, six, maybe ten days a year simply isn't enough!  I love you, Sista!  And I love the silly bond we share.

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Snapshots of Life Lately and Some Silly Anectdotes

Snapshots of Life Lately and Some Silly Anectdotes

11.06.2014

 ^^Posing with his army guy pumpkin^^

 ^^My newborn posing beanbag is good for more than just photo shoots.  It's the best place in the house to curl up and watch a movie!^^

 ^^A trip to the dentist, complete with cool dude sunglasses and some new toothbrushes.  Jed loved it!  Good news: he has a healthy mouth full of teeth.  Levi, on the other hand, stayed glued to my lap with apprehension.  Fortunately, I was wise enough not to make an appointment for him too.  But Levi did take a quick ride in the chair! 

::  With the weather turning cooler, it's time to bust out the play dough and crayons once again.  The boys often sit at the table for up to an hour each morning entertaining themselves.  They love making little men, an entire army of them!  Then they ask for my help in making "pack packs" and hats for each one.  "Walk, walk, walk!  Go to school!"  Levi sings.  Sometimes Jed's play dough guy needs a gun for hunting "terrible tigers".  It's so much fun watching their hilarious little imaginations come to life!

::  In the days after we went apple picking this Fall, I taught my two little boys the whole, "Apple Core.  Baltimore.  Who's your friend?  Me!" rhyme.  The boys were chanting it like broken records at the dinner table one night.  Naturally, I felt compelled to pull up the old Donald Duck video for them to see.  We laughed hysterically!  The boys giggled and begged to watch Donald Duck pegged with an apple over and over.  And I laughed at their laughter.  I'm so proud to be passing down my own warped sense of humor to the next generation!   

::  One evening as as I gave Jed a piggyback ride home from a neighbor's house to help keep up with two little girls on bicycles Jed blurted, "Jesus can ride his bike really fast!"  I couldn't help laughing a little.  "Yes, I think he could," I said through a smile. 

::  One night a thunderstorm blew in at bedtime.  We could all hear faint rumblings as rain pitter-pattered against the house.  "I scared," Levi shivered.  "Don't worry, Levi!" Jed reassured him.  "Jesus can stop the storm and make you feel not scared."  Oh, what a proud mommy moment!  Just a few days prior we had read the story in the New Testament about how Jesus calmed a storm just after his disciples were sure their ship would sink.  How wonderful it was to see that Jed really is soaking it all in and can even apply what he's learning to his little life!  It opened an opportunity for a little family gospel discussion right then and there.  I am convinced those few moments we spend reading scriptures at the breakfast table are the best five minutes I spend every day.

::  While showing Levi some pictures from Halloween: "We go candy picking?" Levi asked.  Like apple picking, but door to door for candy instead.  I thought it was funny.  Clever kid.  Haha.     

::  When I grabbed the fly swatter...
"No, Mom!  Don't smash my pet!"
"The fly is your pet?" I asked.
"Yeah.  Don't smash my pet!"
"Eh, you can have a new one tomorrow," I responded with a loud WHACK.
Jed took it all rather well.  He thinks he's suuuuper funny.  What a tease!

::  "He's a parrot," Bron explained to someone about how articulate Levi is.  Then a voice from our knees called, "I a parrot!"  Yes, this kid hears and repeats EVERYTHING!

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An Epic Whitecloud Mountain Biking Adventure

An Epic Whitecloud Mountain Biking Adventure

11.03.2014

Dun, dun, dun....

 ^^Redfish Lake at sunrise.^^

Waaaay back in September, Bron and a couple of his buddies took off to the Sawtooth Mountains for a 27 mile epic back country mountain biking adventure that has already gone down as a highlight of the summer.  (I'm just glad the three of them came back in one piece!  After all, they did see bear tracks.  But I'm dying to tag along next year anyway.)  The boys spent two nights camping on the shores of Redfish Lake.  Bron said that the experience was flat-out incredible; seeing a sea of stars reflected back in the glassy surface of the water gave all three of them vertigo.

 ^^Antz Basin.  10,000 feet above sea level.^^

 ^^Last of many creek crossings^^

The mountain biking ride itself was an all day venture including about 5,000 feet of vertical drop, rare views of mountain lakes, peaks, and meadows, and navigating through rock slides and numerous creek crossings.  They had a blast!  A mile and a half into the trail, the boys didn't a single other soul for the rest of the day save for a few mountain goats and deer.  The shear vast primitive ruggedness of central Idaho is awe-inspiring to behold.  Fortunately, it was all recorded via two different go pros and painstakingly compiled into one video for your viewing pleasure.  If you're short on time, I recommended jumping straight to 7:20 for a good laugh at the end.

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Halloween 2014: Nailed It

Halloween 2014: Nailed It

11.01.2014

We nailed Halloween this year!  Definitely one for the books.  As a mom, I think I have just as much fun dressing up my little boys the whole family and watching them as I did just being a kid on Halloween. I mean, just look at that handsome horse.  Hardy-har-har!  But really, it's my little boys' excitement that seals the deal for me. 

This year, both Jed and Levi understood exactly what was going on.  "We get candeee!" Levi exclaimed.  So after a few pictures in the front yard, it was off to the city park for some Trunk or Treat fun.  "I don't want to go home," Levi lamented when it was all over.  Jed and Levi practically jumped for joy when I told them we could go knocking door to door in our own neighborhood for even more candy.

Armed with some flashlights and the double stroller, we made our rounds from home to home.  I couldn't help thinking how lucky we are to be surrounded by such genuinely good people and how even more unique it is that I know most everyone's name on our end of the neighborhood; we've met at least once and some folks I interact with weekly.  I even got a good scare from one man up the street who snuck up behind me with a green mask!  Levi fisted two suckers at a time, Jed ate his weight in chocolate, and after a nice hot shower, it was the happiest of Halloweens ever.  I can't wait to do it all over again next year.         

^^The Young family, off to see the wizard!^^

^^The Nelsons: a dragon, a knight, a princess, and a horse.  That horse mask kills me.  And no, Bron couldn't see or breathe, but he was a good sport!^^

^^I borrowed this awesome vintage dress and cape from my friend Amy.  Super fun!^^

^^Candeee!^^

^^Our neighbors Jim and Janice are like an extra set of sweet grandparents to the kids.  They were spoiled rotten!^^

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