Designed for Adventure, Engineered to last

Well, last weekend proved to be a good workout on any level. The family came over those crazy mountains for family reunion.

Thursday we decided to go to the sand dunes at 2pm in the afternoon. hmm. That was our first mistake. The second was that Alyssa and I wore flip flops. That sand got in our shoes and was HOT. Dad said it was probably about 140 degrees. AWESOME. But it was fun to do a little jumping off sand cliffs. I lost one of my flip flops when the 3 of us younger kiddos jumped and ran down the hill. Dad took off his socks and let me wear them so that I wouldn't burn my feet. I looked stylish! Dad is forever doing stuff like that for us. Saves us!

Friday night I headed out to reunion after work. Saturday Dad, Caidin, Lance, Mandy, Aunt Mary and Uncle Nolan, and Uncle David went for a little 2 mile jaunt up the steep side of a hill. It was awesome. And a workout... Sunday was the last day of reunion and we headed off to camp at Granite for the night with the Nielsons.

Waterfall on our hike. Rainbow after it stopped raining. Beautiful.We holed up in the tent trailer when it started raining and played some games until some of us went on a hike and had some beautiful picture taking opportunities. Our family had the traditional mountain stew and huddled around the campfire with the Nielsons chatting it up.

Get the Hiking Habit with the Quest for Solitude

The Tetons
Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Before Hike - we look so chipper. Do we know what is ahead of us?

Just below Inspiration Point

Monday morning was "THE HIKE" that would forever brand itself into our memories. I mean. This was THE initiation into the Cheney family. If you didn't do it, you're out! Haha. I've finally been accepted ;) at least that's the joke. But we definitely had our mind set on finishing that hike.

LAKE SOLITUDE
ELEVATION 9,035 FEET
TOTAL MILEAGE = 20.2

That met the requirements for Caidin's 20mile hike in order to recieve his hiking merit badge (with a few additional hikes). That met my requirements for amazing bragging rights. That met Stuart's promise to go hiking with me this summer. And it met my dad's requirements of "I'm still not too old to do this!"

Like I said. We had it in our minds that come rain or shine we were going to finish what we started. When turning around was mentioned even in joking I just thought, "WHAT?! And admit defeat to the mountain? HA! We'll show it!"

I think we only survived by having faith in the "Sunshine after the rain" cause it poured. And it also did some hailing. As well as some sun shinin' - for about 30 seconds.

Trail started at String Lake, wrapped partially around Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, then up Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude. We had a beautiful vista at Inspiration Point, and Hidden Falls was gorgeous. Cascade Canyon was breath taking when I wasn't squinting my eyes to keep the rain out ;).

On our way up we saw a bull moose about 50 feet from the trail (I could totally be wrong about how far away, but I'm bad at judging distances) not close enough to touch, but close enough to be worried if he decided to move our way. On the way back down we saw two cows and a calf in the exact same spot. Lets just say that I barely looked at them, afraid they would sense my presence and poring eyes, and kept walking as if my life depended on it. Oh wait, it probably did.

It was the most amazing hiking trip I've ever been on.

Only had to change my socks twice. (dang - look at my calf)
And I got to wear a poncho. (dang those socks are sexy)
And Spend time with the boys, my homeslices. This is us after conquering the mountain.
Grateful I went. Reminds me how beautiful the world is. And how I'll raise my children, in the mountains away from deprived society ;) haha.

I am proud to say that I hiked 20.2 miles in one day and was not nearly as sore as I thought I would be. Although it was a new experience for my knees. Can't wait to do it again!

As dad said "Memorable - of course. Worth it - you bet!!"

You can check out ALL the pictures from the hike here. And hopefully I'll be putting some of reunion and camping with the Nielsons on here too.

http://picasaweb.google.com/BeautifulBlooms09/2009QuestForSolitude?authkey=Gv1sRgCIrN_IqgxqvanwE#

<3 <3 <3 <3

another day, another thought

So, I'm sure its a mixture of a lot of things. The emotions always hit the hardest when you're hungry, stressed, tired, and the list could go on. But seriously. Everyday this week my thoughts cannot be turned off. I don't know what to do! I don't know what I want to do about it. I love replaying my memories and remembering good times with people. But on that same foot, I don't know how healthy it is for me. Why is it that on my hardest days my ipod or the radio or even pandora all conspire against me and play love songs? honestly. its ridiculous. even at this moment pandora is playing "Rumor has it...you love me too". Ha. OR NOT. And every little dang thing has some kind of a connection with my past that makes it a little less enjoyable, knowing what it could've been like. lame.

I shouldn't hold on any more waiting for yesterday. I know that. But I can't make myself do it. Everytime I've gone on a date I've come home knowing that I'm not ready to move on yet. I come home from hanging out with people and I'm just like "wow, not ready for that scene yet." Is it mental? Like could I tell myself day in and day out "you're over it, you're over him" and it would happen? I don't want to. oh I don't want to. Now look whats been gone and done.

This song was playing on Pandora. Haha. story of my life for the past 4 weeks. And it has been a LONG month.

Sometimes a song can touch a nerve
That takes me back to you
When I pick up my old guitar
And I play your favorite tune
Every now and then, some little thing
I've buried comes bubblin' up
And once in a while, you feel close enough to touch

I miss you a little since you've been gone
A few little memories keep hangin' on
I miss you a little, I guess you could say
A little too much, a little too often
A little more every day

When I go by our old house
I pretend that you're still there
Waitin' for me on the porch
But there's just an empty chair
Wish I could see you just one more time
Before I drive away
So I could stop and go inside, and say

I miss you a little since you've been gone
A few little memories keep hangin' on
I miss you a little, I guess you could say
A little too much, a little too often
A little more every day
A little too much, a little too often
A little more every day


my life is such a mess, just like my room. And i have white glove tomorrow. yippee! 6am wake up call, here I come!

The good news is that I get to see my family in a few days and then its party party party and reunion time and its going to be a blast! Now I just have to convince Alyssa that she really DOES want to stay in Rexburg with me for the 7 weeks before school starts.

Sorry to vent. Poor Tessa got all this and WAY more. Oh, thank goodness for roomies!

<3

DEMOLITION DERBY

Heck Yes! An event to show off my redneck/white trash appreciation!

This is the first Demolition Derby I've ever been to and I practically had to beg my roommates to come, but it was dang fun to be there. There is definitely a different ummm.... dress code at these kinds of events.

I felt right at home, minus the fact that I was dressed appropriately, wasn't smoking, and didn't show off my intelligence with a potty mouth. I didn't have on a mini skirt and climb over a rail. Nor did I roll up my capris and bobbi pin them to stay in place. Ok, like for reals. I thought some of the kids in MY hometown were rednecks. But Idaho has them pegged...

I know I shouldn't judge, I just really was surprised to see some of the things I did. But it was a great bonding night with roomies, we went to the demo. derby, Burger King, the Dunes (first time I've ever been out there) and watched Madea Goes to Jail. Haha. What a night!

Its a Flash Flood Adventure

Who would you have a flash flood with?
I guess my answer is my roommates...

For the 4th of July we headed to Inkom, Idaho, the hometown of my roommate Kari. It started raining Saturday and I was excited because I love that sound. Then it started to hail like none other and I was a little thrown off with how loud it was against the windows and roof. After about 2.5 hours I looked out the window to see that the little stream that meandered under their bridge had become a 'raging river of death' - to the bridge. We hustled down there and watched the bridge collapse. It was ridiculous.

Sunday they canceled church and asked everyone to help clean up after the storm. One of the homes in the ward had water and mud fill their basement so completely that there was only about 6 inches from the water level to the roof in the basement. How crazy! We spent 6 hours helping clean up - hauling ruined belongings out of the basement door, lifting buckets of mud, insulation and plywood, their food storage and Christmas decorations. I can't believe so much stuff came out of there.

So it wasn't quite the weekend we were planning on having, but it was a good experience none the less. I've never seen anything like it!

In order to get out we drove our cars through a field to their neighbor's bridge.