Stanley Lake Camping Trip

I have tried doing this post a few times but there have been issues with blogger uploading the photos. So I will try again!

Stanley Lake in the morning

The last weekend in June Mike and I headed up to Stanley for a camping trip. We have not really been able to go camping for the last 3 years since Mike has either had to work or have classes on Saturday so this was a nice treat. Stanley Lake was beautiful. The Sawtooths above the lake were so majestic. Stanley is a special place for me. Many of the family camping trips during my childhood were at Stanley Lake.

Mike enjoyed a lot of fishing, even though the fish weren't biting. He was pretty bummed when the very next Tuesday they dumped 7000 fish into the lake.

I enjoyed taking photos that are a little different than I have taken before. Here are a few of my favorites.

We had a great time. We were pretty surprised how many people don't do "real" camping anymore. So many trailers with generators and plasma TVs and everything in them....CRAZY!

We hope to be able to get the entire family together next year for a reunion camping trip up in Stanley.

The CMT Awards

This week, my friend Sarah and I went to Nashville for the CMT Music Awards. We had a BLAST! We arrived Monday around 3 pm. After checking into the hotel and getting a little relaxation in we headed to Historic Broadway.

Then we ate at the Hard Rock Cafe! That was fun.

We went to the pool that night and got to see Shawn Johnson in the fitness area (although we were not sure it was her at that point). The next morning we ate at the hotel (next to Terry Fator (I hope that name is right)) for breakfast the next morning and then rode in the elevator with Shawn Johnson. We then went to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

Afterwards we walked a little more of Broadway, and then, exhausted from the heat and humidity came back to the hotel to rest and luckily we got there before the big thunderstorm and rain came in. Then we got ready and headed to the show.

The show was AWESOME! Sugarland performed with the B52s and Taylor Swift performed with Def Leopard. Yes, I made it on TV for a few seconds as well!

Wednesday, after a small problem with the rental car (that ended up scoring us the car for free) we went to Pancake Pantry to eat....YUMMY! and then to the GORGEOUS Opryland Hotel. (3 indoor gardens)

Unfortunately, after that, it was time to go to the hotel to catch the shuttle and go to the airport to go home. It was a lot of fun and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to go.

If you want to see more photos, check out my face book. I will be adding them all on there and already have TONS of the Awards show.

5 Days and Counting.....

I am very excited. My trip to Nashville is next week! WOOHOO! My friend, Sarah, flies in on Sunday the 14th. We leave early Monday morning to go to Nashville and don't come back until LATE Wednesday evening. We found out we are going to be right in front of the stage in the "Mosh Pit" (is there such a thing at a country concert?). We also received free passes to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. We get to stay at a super nice hotel as well!
Bill Engvall is hosting...I LOVE HIM! He is hilarious! Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith and more for the performers. It is going to be the concert of a lifetime. There are more Performers than categories for the awards.
Everyone go to CMT.COM to vote for your picks. This is the only fan-voted awards show in country music so go vote TODAY!
Of course I will be taking TONS of pictures and will post all about it when I get back.

A Gospel Sharing Home

Mike and I know the importance of a Gospel Sharing home. These types of homes influenced Mike coming back to church. So we have tried to make ours a Gospel-sharing home. Often times though I feel like we are failing, due to the lack of acceptance by our friends and family. Then today, two things happened that made me realize we are doing what we should. The first is that my mother-in-law knocked on our door today at 10:45 dressed and ready to go to church. She only went to Sacrament but it is a start.

The second is that when we went to church, this quote was on the front of the ward bulletin. It is by Elder M Russell Ballard:

"A Gospel-sharing home is not defined by whether or
not people join the church as a result of our contact with them. Our opportunity
and responsibility are to care, to share, to testify, to invite, and then to
allow individuals to decide for themselves."

This quote touched me very much and let me know I was doing everything I needed to do. I pray that we all will take the time to share with those that come into our home. We just need to remember that everyone has their free-agency and that we can only do so much. The rest is up to the Spirit and the person.

5 Things To Be Happy About

I really like to read some of the tidbits in the Redbook magazine. Especially their 5 things to be happy about right now. So I thought I would make my own list.

1. The smell of neighborhood BBQs filling the air
2. Summer Thunderstorms
3. S'mores, both traditional and frozen ones (ask me if you want to know how to make them)
4. Camping trips at the last minute
5. Recognizing the sound of the ice cream truck, even though you won't be running out to find it.