Cub Lake at RMNP

Elevation 8,080


Super easy hike!
Beautiful scenery!

We sat and watched an Elk harem being bossed around

by a Bull Elk or "boy elk" as we call 'em--

he was a big guy

and the kids enjoyed the show.

Mr W told the kids all about Elk

and their life habits

even their family habits...

which are not anything like

ours...

they mate and some may never meet again.

Which, if I think about it is probably how alot of people live their lives,
so never mind.

The elk were everywhere!

In the campground,

on the Golf course in town

walking around like they

own the place!

We also saw a garter snake

that was just a foot long

but as well have been 12 feet long

to Ari...she wanted no part in it!

Joseph saw a Bald Eagle

and Ari swears she saw a brown bear--

we've never seen a bear at the park

but this is Bear Country.

It was FREE ENTRY DAY

at the Park

so you can imagine

how busy it was...

the trails not so much

but definitely the cars of people!

Most just parked by the side of the road

to watch the Elk bugle.

How can you come here

and just sit in the car?

Get out! Walk around! Breathe in that clean mountain air!

So, make plans to come next year!

You won't be dissappointed!

They even have flushing toilets

and running water!

You can buy firewood

and

POPSICLES

at each campground!

There's a Junior Ranger badge

that the kids can earn

and there's different presentations

by the Park Rangers!

There are horse trails, bike trails,

back country hiking and camping

fishing and even snow-shoeing trails!

Alluvial Fan Falls @ Rocky Mountain National Park

One of our most fav places at the Park is right here at Alluvial Fan Falls...it was created after the Lawn Lake Flood in 1982...the dam burst and took down boulders, trees and flooded Estes Park...leaving behind this amazing alluvial fan. Now people come from all over to climb the falls, picnic--there was even a wedding going on while we were there Saturday. The backdrop is gorgeous, really. And the kids love playing down below.

Daisie climbed to the farthest edge she could of the falls and then came down and soaked her feet in the freezing mountain waters.

Ari & Joseph didn't want to be left out...so their shoes hit the shore too.

Can you even think of anything better to do

on a Sunny Fall day

in the mountains?

Do you love where you live?

What kind of things are you and your family doing

to celebrate the change of seasons?

We Get By With a Little Help

As I watched my family this weekend

help out our brother, Deano,

I was struck with the thought,

"How do other moms teach their kids to be unselfish?"

I don't know how I would do that without Dean.

In the middle of the night

Daisie woke me up to say

"Dean has to go to the bathroom."

I opened my eyes to see her standing at the door

with Dean dressed in his coat, his shoes on

--obviously she had done this for him

without any prompting from me or Dad.

Then she led him out of the tent

into the pitch black forest

and down the road with a flashlight

towards the campsite bathrooms.

I looked at my watch

2:00 AM.

When we invite Dean to go Camping

with us we know

we will not be hiking

to great heights or exploring unfamiliar trails.

We know it will be a different

kind of camping trip.

Our trip will be slower

more deliberate

as we have to take into consideration

Dean's physical limitations.

We love Dean

and while we might think

that WE are the ones taking him along--

In the end,

it is Dean

who is guiding us,

on this journey--

and the heights

are loftier

and grander

than we can imagine

and the trail is

majestic.

p.s. it was really windy, so the sound is crummy

Fall in the Rockies

Fall in the Rockies...
With my family...


Do I really need words?

more pics and stories to come...it was a fab weekend!

LDS TEMPLES

Temples. For those not of my faith, I am often asked about the Latter-Day Saint Temples that dot the earth. When I first joined the Church at age 16, back in 1978, there were 21 temples. The newest one at the time was the Washington, DC temple. Today, there are 130 Temples worldwide, and 8 under construction.
The first time I went to the Temple, it was in Mesa Arizona. I didn't know what to expect. Upon entering, I was greeted by a temple worker who simply said, "Welcome to the Temple." But the feelings I felt made it seem like he had said, "Welcome Home."
My husband and I have served as temple workers in the Denver temple for 2 years. It remains a sweet memory and sacred to my heart. I received so much more than I ever gave in that calling.
My friends and family who are not LDS wonder why they cannot enter in...I tell them that unless they have prepared to enter in, the experience of it would not be as sweet. Preparation for such a special sacred experience does not come overnight. It comes through living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and becoming acquainted with the Holy Ghost in your every day life. The Temple is a House of Learning of the highest order. Someone unprepared might bring with them a cup to be filled, while they should have brought a bucket...so great are the blessings that are poured out in His teachings.
I love the Temple.
Here's a taste of what the Temple is all about...enjoy!

Broken Things

This song and message fills my heart with Hope. I share it here for those who also need a little hope, wherever you are, whoever you are...it's for all of us.

Blessings

SCENTSY Time!!!

The temps are dropping
the first snow has fallen
and I'm thinkin' all things
Fall!
The thing I love about this time of year
is the smells of the season!
Warm apple Cider
Cinnamon
Bayberry
Yummy spices
So to kick off this wonderful time
of Year,
I'm offerring free products
from my Scentsy collection!
If you're ready to fill your home with
wonderful scents of the season

Go to my Scentsy website and place an Order today!
www.scentsy.com/daybreak

When you've placed your order there, email me and I'll send you a gift of a scentsy 6-pc brick for free!

You'll love the products so much, I know you'll want to buy some as gifts!

Place your order by September 26th and receive a 2nd surprise!

Dancing With the Stars

Dancing with the Stars.
I've not been a fan
before Now.

Sure, I've tuned in
and out
once in awhile
usually later in the season.

Only because my
Mr Wonderful would rather
have his eyes poked out
than watch ballroom dancing.
Montana Mountain Man
and all that he is.

But then I had a reason
to demand my
Dancing With the Stars
last night.

Donny.
oh yeah.
I totally forgot about him
Monday night
and then totally remembered him
last night.
The remote was mine,
all mine.

But it was Ladies' Night--
and what first caught my eye
was Macy Gray.
Now that was funny.
She has no friends.
If she did,
they woulda told her
to stick to singing.
She was awful...
slugging around
no form no energy
little grace.
How can you be
Macy Gray
and have no friends?

Then what really made me a
FAN
this year
was the moment
Kelly Osbourne came into view.
I've never been her fan.
I'm not into grungy
loud
obnoxious teenagers.
But her transformation
was beautiful.
I cried like I was her
Mother.
So proud of her.
Seeing her glide across the floor
so graceful
and she was Beaming!
If I voted on these reality shows
I'd Vote for Kelly all the way.
Sure some of the other Ladies
may have better technique
longer legs
more confidence
but Kelly's heart was
Wide Open
and that was worth my
Vote.

Well done, Kelly, well done!

I hope Donny is on his best game
then it'll make it more fun for me.

What about YOU? Who did you like?

I Googled Myself!

As I was "googling" someone else,
the thought came:
"Google Yourself!"
And I typed out my Blogging Name
Momza
in that little space.

Is it true?
Am I really the only Momza
in the Blogger-verse?

I'm not an original anything.
Not really.
I just float in and out
of the shadows
nearly a wallflower
at best.

And yet, to my surprise
there I was
GOOGLE knows
Me.
And now I'm feeling
nekkid--
exposed
to the world outside
of
Bloggerville.

Can I
Un-Google my self?

Have you Googled
Yourself?
Go do it now
and come back
and share what it says--
is it You?

Freaky stuff this
WWW.

Rainy with Snow Above 8000 Feet--sure...

My beautiful morning glories... Dakota the crazy-woman resident Lab

Covered in...what's this???

Snow Baby!

Bring it ON!

Can't even see the foothills this morning! Love. It.

The Aspens are still green for-cryin-outloud!

Today's the First Day of Fall...

I'm so glad the Weatherman

was wrong again today;

"Rainy with Snow above 8000 elevations..."

unhunh. yep. sure. whateva.

How To Wake A Bee

Good Morning Merry Sunshine!
No need to rise so soon!

Birds and Bees and Butterflies,


Always Sleep 'til Noon!

Wake Up! Wake Up!

You Sleepy-head

Get up! Get up!

Get outta bed!

Thought for the Day...

Thou Shalt Not Whine.

Balancing our Passions with our Goals

First, I'm a Woman.
Then, I'm a Wife.
And intertwined with that~
I'm a Mother.

It is a delicate dance
that I attempt to do
sometimes I step on toes
often I trip over my own
feet...
I observe more experienced women
who seem to move
with grace and precision
as if they've been dancing this dance
for a million years...
I take heart that someday
my moves will be as graceful.

As a Woman
I have to take care of
my physical needs
My emotional stability (which is easier on somedays than others!)
Develop my talents
Pursue my passions
Follow God's plan
for me...among other things.

As a Wife
I am a Companion
and Helpmeet~
Find and stick to a Path
for my
Goal of Eternal Marriage
and making the journey
worthwhile and fulfilling...
among other things.

As a Mother
I am caregiver
nurturer
shoe-finder
nose-wiper
education-encourager
touchy-feely- hugger-smiler
funny-bone- finder
porridge-making
Mama Bear...
among other things.

I was reading one day
this Article by
a girl named Rebecca--
the daughter of a famous
Feminist,
Alice Walker.

The question was asked of
Rebecca:
What was it like being the Daughter of Alice Walker?
"lonely."
She replied.

Perspective is worth Gold.

Listening to Neil A. Maxwell
he said,
"When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men of the peacemaking of women in home and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses? When the surf of the centuries has made the great pyramids so much sand, the everlasting family will still be standing, because it is a celestial institution, formed outside telestial time."

Read more: http://www.gaia.com/quotes/Neal_Maxwell?page=7#ixzz0RNoqaISL

Balance.

Rebecca's Mother spoke to the Masses
about finding your SELF
being true to your SELF
and Rebecca's Mother lived no lie.
She found herself and stopped.
She was true to herself.
I wonder if it was worth the cost?

For more of Rebecca's story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1021293/How-mothers-fanatical-feminist-views-tore-apart-daughter-The-Color-Purple-author.html

Balance = Peace

How do you balance your interests/ passions and your goals? What's the best advice you've received or given to other women about balance?

Does God really give us more than we can handle?

I don't have alot I want to write today...so I put up 2 other posts I've written days ago...then took them down again.
So this is what it's come down to:

The sky is blue today after a rainy yesterday.
Snow is atop Pikes Peak...
which makes my smiler muscles
SMILE
and prompts me to pull my favorite sweaters
out of the back of the closet
towards the front.

Trials keep a comin'
but I made up my mind
to let Peace reside...
Someone said "God won't give you more
than you can handle."
I disagree.
That's exactly what He does...
He gives you more than you can
handle
ON YOUR OWN.

Father in Heaven
gives us/allows us
to have trials that
drop us to our knees
so He can show us
Who He is
and
Who We are
and
together with Him
We stand.

Otherwise, what would we need Him
for at all?

And that's it.

Fill In The Blank

One thing I am going to do for MYSELF today is........

Circle of Women...

I have been enjoying these Sister Bloggers for some time now, but this last couple of weeks, I've been living vicariously thru them as they both welcomed new grandchildren into their families.

Their posts are so wonderful, I hope they don't mind that I am sharing them OUTLOUD on my blog too...

Merry Misadventures of a Matriarchal Madwoman

Circle of Sisterhood

As I was witnessing my daughter giving birth last week, I had a profound moment.

Circled around her, as she was struggling to bring forth life, were her husband, her nurses, her doctor, her sister and her mom.

The thought came crystal clear to me that all of those individuals, except for her husband, were women.

We were a circle of sisters, literally surrounding her with love, encouragement, empathy and strength to accomplish her difficult task.

It seemed as if my mind opened, looking to the past, as a circle of sisters surrounded one of their own during her travail, encouraging her, wiping her brow, tending to her needs and encircling her with love and support. I could see my grandmothers, my great-grandmothers and beyond gathering around one of their own to inspire and assist during one of life's most important events.

We were adding link in that long chain of sisterhood that has been going for centuries.

Penetrating to the depths of my being was the realization how much we girls need each other. We have a unique bond like no other; sisters, daughters, mothers, and girlfriends.

May we always circle each other with love, encouragement, support and strength.


interestingly enough, as I was working on this post, TL came in to proudly show me his "wound" received yesterday while paintballing yesterday with a bunch of business associates. Don't ask.

Quite a contrast.


http://marilynmomof7.blogspot.com/2009/09/as-i-was-witnessing-my-daughter-giving.html

Happiness is a Choice

Oh Baby!

Wow! There is just nothing like having your very own offspring (in this case a son) have his very own offspring to make you feel like a brand new person. Maybe it is because new life that springs forth from your bloodline is allowing a little bit of you to live on and on and on. Anywho, that is how I am feeling today. My newest tiny newborn grandbaby is doing BETTER and BETTER and I am so happy and grateful for that.

It is an interesting thing to be part of, this idea of generation after generation continuing on in an unbroken string. I truly do think that I will live forever, which in effect part of me will. And as I contemplate the beautiful grandchildren I have been blessed with, it is truly the best part of me that will live on.

With each new little one, comes that opportunity to try harder, to love with no conditions, to see through innocent eyes. A fresh start is ours to be had. What an adventure life is, what a gift to be enjoyed.

Who says you can't turn back the clock. Each new addition to my family makes me feel younger and invigorated and very alive. And if my kids keep up the pace, who knows, I just may live forever!

http://rbseely.blogspot.com/2009/09/oh-baby.html


* I love associating with Women who are on the same path that I am on, only a little further ahead of me...their example and wisdom is invaluable in my life. I so appreciate their generosity in sharing their experiences. Thanks to Marilyn and Roxanne!

No Ordinary Baby Shower!

This is for all of the family and friends who don't get to see Danielle on a regular basis. 31 weeks pg...we went shopping for a cute maternity dress. She liked this one, but needed to find a top to wear under it, or over it...still got it, but I don't know if she's found a top to go with it yet. But isn't she just cute? Her Baby Shower was Saturday night, so the girlies and I went up early
that day and hung out in Golden.

Best sandwiches in town! Golden is just such a quaint town...lots to see and do!











Mr. Idaho's educational institution....

They live on Campus housing...this is a community center where we had the shower...



Okay...this is no ordinary Baby Shower Game...it was Jeopardy and I got more wrong than I got right!! Seriously, I stunk at it! The hostess really dug up some interesting facts about babies.

Dani in the kitchen with Katie--the chef & hostess....piping fresh cream onto those delicious cheese cakes freshly-made! She also made fettucine alfredo, pasta & pesto sauce, foccacia bread, and a huge salad.

She topped those with fresh raspberries! yum.

Ari by the gift table...3 couples went in together and got the swing, stroller and carseat combo!

Amazing! How sweet is that?

Some of her friends...

My girlies

Okay this is where it got ridiculous...I'm off to the side taking pics of Dani and gifts...


But watch for the two gals behind her...

the blonde starts it....






















I was laughing so hard, I could barely focus the camera!


Dani & her friends...she is one of 4 married, the only pregnant one. These gals were so fun and thoughtful!