Pinch Myself

Sometimes I need to pinch myself to see if it's all still real. It's been four years now since I moved from California to Kaysville to work for the Family History Department of the Church (now known by most as FamilySearch.org). I had no idea the opportunities that would come my way - and on such a regular basis. A little over a year ago, I took on a new role in our department managing communications for our Family History Library-FamilySearch Support Division. It was a new position, so I've had a chance to handcraft it, which has left lots of room for the imagination and a bit of a study in self-motivation and time management!

The Recognition Rocks! program we launched in February has taken off with lots of enthusiasm throughout the division, much to my surprise and joy. It's been wonderful to see so many managers learn to love to say thanks to their staff in so many new ways. And for months now, there's been a lot of work going into our new division intranet site. I'm having fun learning new things about web design and new tools to improve the look and feel of our pages. Incorporating additional blogs and wikis to our site will enliven the experience and interaction even more. Involving a multi-lingual audience worldwide is also a unique challenge that's still in the works. The website, always constantly in motion, keeps me open to ideas as to how to keep it fresh and new, so I'm always on the lookout for news articles to report on and take pictures for. Recently, I've interviewed one former member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy who was also recently released as the Logan Temple President, another interview with the upcoming new president of the Stockholm, Sweeden Temple, and yesterday I attended an offsite meeting at the home of one of my coworkers which is also the former pioneer home of the first mayor of Salt Lake City with many original handcarts, wagons, blacksmith tools, farming tools, woodworking tools and books including original hymnals from the early LDS pioneers that settled in the valley. I never imagined having these kinds of opportunities when I left California, but what a treat it's been.


A new news vehicle that I'll be practicing with next week is called "NewsReel" - video news segments like the ones you see on TV. We're creating our own studio in the Family History Library where we can film them. For some segments, we'll use a tool called MediaSite that we've been using a lot for our online training for our research consultants and missionaries. I'll also get to try classic in-person interviews with newsmakers, so that will be fun too!

I'm enjoying those types of unique blessings, along with the close proximity of so many temples. Emily and I were able to attend the new Draper Temple last Thursday night. Every corner was gorgeous - especially the celestial room. The Bountiful Temple is just 10 minutes away from my home, the Salt Lake Temple just steps away from my office, and the Draper Temple just a quarter mile from Emily's house. From the terrace you can see two other temples - Jordan River and the new Oquirrh Mountain just across the freeway. Amazing!

Saturday, Top of the Mountain, I Think it was the Fourth of July!

I've lived in Utah now for four years (still can't believe this California girl's still here!) and it's only been this year that I've ventured out to take advantage of the hiking trails in Utah's granite-filled canyons. I've driven through them many times with out-of-town guests, but never hiked into one till this year. Awesome. Kevin and Emily Sherman and their family invited me to hike up Bell Canyon (to the south of Little Cottonwood Canyon where the famous Granite Mountain Records Vault is located) during Memorial Day weekend. It was a real uphill climb initially, but the rest of it was rather relaxing and covered with trees.

Well, that got me interested in more hikes. So, this past July 4th weekend, we ventured out to the Red Pine Canyon just off of the Little Cottonwood Canyon. The trail scales up the side of one canyon, around the mountain and then up and around to the top where the Red Pine Lake is found at an elevation of almost 10,000 feet - a 2,000-foot climb for us! The mountainside is covered with Aspen trees, pine trees (were' not sure which kind, but not the California redwoods), lots of brush, wildflowers, freshwater creeks and tons and tons of beautiful granite - white, grey and red. I brought home a few samples! We took the Sherman kids (Nial, Leith and India) with us on Friday and made it about half way, taking approx 3 hours round trip. We decided to head back up the next day just us adults, hoping to make it to the top to see the lake. After a 2.5 hour strenuous hike through a rocky trail and many snow embankments, WE MADE IT! It is no wonder there is so much snow melt coming down in the creeks, coz there is a ton of snow still at the top. The lake was a pretty green. It was quiet and peaceful. We managed to stay for about 15-20 minutes to catch our breath and eat a few bites of lunch, then we were on our way back down (another 2.5 hours) to prepare for a Fourth of July BBQ (Sherman's backyard) and fireworks at Thanksgiving Point.

Not sure how we lasted the rest of the day - we must have gotten a second wind. All in all, it was a beautiful two days of hiking, sight-seeing, relaxing with good friends and good food (Kevin's BBQing, Emily's cooking, in-person bagpipe serenades and my homemade raspberry pies seem to make a good combination these days!).

High on the Mountain Top

I Love My Family!

Ariana - This Grandbaby Makes 3!!

(At about 4:00 a.m. I told the attending nurse that I now had 3 grandkids - an almost 3 year old, a 3 month old, and now a 3 hours old!)

We've been a little busy this week with family all together for Thanksgiving and with new little Ariana! She was born in Sacramento at 12:54 a.m. on 3 Dec 2008 (yawn - wow, that was a long morning!). She was 7 lbs. 10 oz with lots of dark Peruvian hair!! She came just 1 hr 54 minutes after we arrived at the hospital. The first doctor (Dr. Zimmerman) who checked Karla almost didn't admit her - said she was in the "ver early stages of labor" and that she should go take a long walk around the halls and he'd "check back in a few hours." We never saw him again! Dr. Young (a female OB) was able to do the honors instead. Karla went F-A-S-T!!! (might have been due to the oregano tea her mom in Peru suggested she drink earlier that day!) Here are a few photos from the week.

A Tale of Taylor

Little Taylor Patrick Greene was born two months ago on August 27, 2008, weighing in at 8 lbs. 8 oz., and arriving three weeks early via c-section. Janea called me about 10:00 that morning from Manteca telling me her doctor was going to induce her and that she was on her way to the hospital. At first, I thought she was pulling my leg! No doubt, I was on a plane within three hours (thank you Delta!). Don't you know, I took the train to work that day!

After 24 hours of labor with little results, and a high BP, Dr. Magh decided that it was time to deliver! Within about 30 minutes, proud dad Jared exited the operating room with a not-so-little gorgeous boy in his arms. I was able to spend the next 2.5 weeks with Janea in her recovery and her first weeks as a new mother. Her instincts have been wonderful, I'm so very proud of her and Jared both.

Taylor will soon have a little girl cousin. Three before the end of the year! Wow!! I love being a grandma!!

Pageant Pics

Last year, my neighbor and friend, Emily Peterson, asked me to be a judge for the Miss Kaysville-Fruit Heights Scholarship Pageant. Never having done any pageants before, I took the challenge and went for it. What fun! We chose Kristalyn Boseman as the Outstanding Teen and she was wonderful!!

This year, Emily asked me to come back and be on the committee again - this time we planned the whole pageant - right down to the last balloon. The girls were great and it was even more fun this time around. I was so amazed as I listened to the girls during their panel interviews and asked myself: "Was I that sharp when I was their age?" Yipes. This year we crowned Kelsi Einfeldt as the Miss and she'll be great. Her little sister McKenna was chosen as second runner-up for the Teen crown.

Ashley, Eryn, Jami, Kylie, Kelsi, Maura, Sarah (2008 Outstanding Teen), Kristalyn (2007 Outstanding Teen) and Haley (2007 Miss). All wonderful girls!! It was fun to learn so much from them!

The 5-0 Tahoe Trip

Turning the big 5-0 actually turned out to be fun. I worried too much about it. Celebrating by hanging out on the South Shore beach of Lake Tahoe probably helped! Our Fireside Lodge B&B provided free bikes, so the Jareds and I peddaled a mile away to the lake while the pregnant girls drove the car. Little Calvin looks pretty cozy there in my arms - he was done with the water and the sun by that time. While Jared, Karla, Jared and Janea were buliding a fire on the BBQ for our sea-side dinner (delicious hobo packs prepared by Janea), I relaxed with Calvin and just took in the scenery as the sun was going down and things settled down on the lake. I could hardly have asked for a more beautiful setting.

Another day we took the kyacks out to the lake and the boys and I decided to "go out to the deep end" of the lake. This photo from Friday night looks pretty calm, but it was quite busy on Saturday - speed boat buzzy by constantly. We even buried Jared in the sand! It was a picture-perfect getaway.

July 4th ala Utah

On my day off work, I put in a 3 hour shift at the FamilySearch booth in Provo in the 100 degree heat! Ughhh. On my way north, stopped for gas ($3.99/gal), and a cold drink and frozen popcicle - but everything in the cooler was chocolate, so I picked up a drumstick which I thought would be the less of the evils. Got in the car (still 95+ temp) to drive to Draper when I realized the whole drumstick was chocolate! OMGosh! I had to eat it or it would melt all over my car! I was forced to eat chocolate after 30+ years of abstinance. I was beside myself. =(

Had a yummy BBQ at Kevin & Emily Sherman's house then we headed down to Thanksgiving Point (just north of Provo, Utah) - lots of kids, frizbees, blankets, munchies and yes, smoke from all those sparklers! This was indeed the most modest 4th of July I've experienced in my life. No beer or bare pot bellies! One of the pluses of living in Utah. Enjoyed a few hours under the sun with threats of T-storms (that never came) with the Sherman and McGill clans -- followed by a half hour of an amazing fireworks' display. The drive out of the park took as long as the fireworks did! Enjoyed by all nontheless. Here's a shot of Nyle Sherman - all aglow and India Sherman with the McGill's youngest.

What a Sweetheart!

I love being a grandma! Calvin is so cute I could just eat him up!