I kicked it on Half Dome!

What an AMAZING weekend I was able to have! I HIKED TO HALF DOME AND WAS THE FIRST ONE ON TOP OUT OF MY SEVEN HIKING BUDDIES! It was the most challenging but rewarding thing I have done(besides having a marriage and 3 children). I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to do this with the people that I did it with. I met 7 amazing new friends that I hope to always have in my life after this weekend.


The courageous crew!
Kristina, Dawna, Ari, Barbara, Dave, Sophie, and Lori
Forever Friends!



About to head up the Mistrail! Feeling good and ready to climb!



3/4 done and haven't hit my wall yet!! Look at that view!!

This was a little scary but I tried not to think about what I was about to do! If I did, I might have turned around!



Right before this picture was taken, I had experienced a mini panic attack. It was so daunting to me. I made it all the way to this point and was not sure if I could do the cables. I said a prayer in my heart and forged ahead. It was really scary to climb these things, but was grateful to Jillian Micheals for preparing my arms for the hardest upper body workout! This picture does not do the cables justice, but it gives you an idea what I had to climb! INTENSE is all I have to say!


WE MADE IT! 4 1/2 HOURS! Still alive which to me was the true miracle!! Now I just have to get my guts together for the hike down!


Can you see me? I am the one sitting down because there was no way that I could have gotten any closer than this! What a great shot. I had no idea that it would look this cool!


The sweetest girls! Sophie and Lori. I love these girls!

The whole group reunited!


We were so lucky to be able to witness the renewal of vowes for Dave and Barbara! We found this make shift alter which was perfect for the occasion! Sweet moments shared!




Tired and exhilarated from our day! Half Dome was right behind us! We were there only hours before!! YEAHHHHH! We did it!

Half Dome, here I come!

I have been married to Sean for nine years and every year his family would go camping in Yosemite. We always hiked with his family and in the beginning I hated it. I couldn't understand that people do this for fun! But, nine splendid years later, I am finally ready to head up to the beast of Half Dome which is a 17 mile hike all up hill and with cables! Sean has gone and loved it, so I am going to go with a couple of ladies I met a couple of years ago in Park City. I am not really nervous. I feel like I will be able to do it, but that whole cable thing, I feel a little sick about. I just hope I am alive to tell the tale! Can't wait to spend the day in nature and hopefully get some much needed pondering and alone time. Solitude is what I seek! Solitude with a lot of steps! What do they say?? The joy is in the journey! Here's hoping!!

Half Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in northeastern Mariposa County, California, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley — possibly Yosemite's most familiar rock formation. The granite crest rises more than 4,737 ft (1,444 m) above the valley floor.

Oh School, Where art Thou??

So, school has not started and I am going a little crazy. Don't get me wrong. There is something magical about not having any pressures of school for another couple of weeks and sitting around in your pj's ALL day. But, I am feeling the need for some routine. Sean thinks that I am going to be hating myself when school does come around and I will be wishing for this idle time. Isn't that always the way. The grass being greener and all. I think I am always a victim to this way of thinking.
I have tried to keep myself productive though during this time. I have made a goal to organize one area of my home everyday. It is something that I have never really had time for, but now that I do, I have no excuses. I have so far done a few cupboards in my kitchen and the kids room is clutter free. I have really been stressing to them about a cleaner home brings the spirit. My heart almost burst when I was reading on the coach when I overheard Elijah telling Jules that he had to clean up his blocks before he played with her. That is always the most gratifying when you finally see something sink in!
Julianna has been on her game lately. Listening has never been a strong attribute,but she is finally seeing that listening gets her much more than being in trouble all the time. We have been getting along famously and I am enjoying the girl she is growing up to be. Both of my older two play so well together that it has left me thinking that having them closer together is such a blessing. They are the best of friends and always are building each other up! As I see them together, I do feel a little guilty about Lyla not having that bosom buddy.
So, I have decided through much thought and prayer that Sean and I are going to have another baby. It has been so hard to know if this is something I can do again. I told myself after Lyla that I would never want to be pregnant again, but I had such an amazing experience at the Temple as I sought the Lord for an answer whether my family was complete. After that experience, the trials started coming and I wondered if I could do this. It is so hard to have faith when you know and decide something but all the worldly pressures of money and expectations fall on your shoulders. It has been a really tough experience and I still don't feel like the trial of my faith is over, but I know one thing is that Heavenly Father knows who I am and he knows what I have experienced. I can't deny it nor would I want to. I just have to keep close so that my eternal perspective far outweighs my earthy trials.
I love being a mom and I am learning more about myself in this time of my life than any other!