A Utah Family Travel Writer's Adventures with Altitude
I’m not sure when the tradition started but Jamie has been going to lunch with our neighbor Darrin for a number of years when I’m sure the deep mysteries of the kingdom are discussed.
One day as they were leaving, our neighbor Angella observed “do you know who you remind me of? The two goofy guys in the car in the Sonic commercials.”
And so what did those goofy guys do? They went to Sonic for lunch this week.
And judging by Sonic’s blooper reel, Angella pretty much nailed her observation.
This post is in honor of my lovely children who get along pretty well the majority of the time.
And when they do have altercations, they’re rarely physical and mostly verbal with the occasional threat.
Except for when they’re at our ward’s Summer Olympic Games when a mom friend told me they were full-on beating up each other on the grass, complete with hair-pulling and pushing.
Next time, the story will be they are in training for Greek Wrestling.
An Open Letter from Fat Kitty Voicing His Displeasure About Getting Booted During Our House’s Multiple Showings
One day I was snuggling up to my human friends. It was snowy and cold when Human Mother told Human Sister to take me across the street to Grandma Jean’s house.
I don’t like field trips. The only time I like to leave is when I sneak away and I never go far.
The Human Family left me with this stranger with only my blanket and food.
Grandma Jean has two cats. They cornered and sniffed me.
I do not like to be sniffed. Warning: Do not go anywhere near my butt.
I hid under Grandma Jean’s bed for the entire two hours.
When Human Mother and Father came to get me, I would not move for The Betrayers. Betrayer #1 took the broom and poked me until I came out.
That was Day From Hell #1.
The next Day From Hell was even worse because hell was moving.
I think it was called a car and I was in it.
The humans took me to their friend’s fancy house to lock me in their laundry room while they were out of town.
They had a key and the security code but not the instructions how to do it.
The security alarm sounded.
I freaked out and kindly requested to go back to Grandma Jean’s with the butt-sniffing cats.
The cops came.
Human Father held up his arms in the air, holding the key as evidence they were not burglars
The police did not understand my distress signal I sent revealing they are, in actuality, cat burglars.
We drove home and I went to another neighbor’s where I’ve spent lots of time the last few weeks.
I sit on the stairs glaring at the door until my humans come get me.
FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, SELL YOUR HOUSE AND STOP REHOMING YOUR CAT.
The End.
Love,
Fat Kitty
Dear Hadley,
Turning 12 is a big year! You will be leaving Primary (the children’s organization at church) and joining the ranks of Young Women as you start start middle school in a completely new state. This isn’t for the faint of heart but if you’ve shown me anything during sixth grade, it’s that you will prevail.
Following your hellacious year of minimal learning at your previous school, you have risen to the challenge with your awesomely supportive teacher, Mrs. McLean. You started in the lowest reading group and rose to the highest, something your teacher says has never seen happen.
During our latest parent-teacher, I wish I could have recorded her glowing report of your fun personality, your growth in learning the computer, becoming a beautiful writer, improving your spelling and how you’ve become a sponge for learning. She pulled you aside to tell you that you are the most improved in writing and reading in the class and maybe even your whole grade. Sure, you’ll always struggle in certain areas (MATH) but my gosh, you’ve proven when you set your mind to something, you can do it! You’re fun, well-liked but not caught up in the girl drama at school so here’s for hoping you stay far, far away from that.
Sixth grade was the year of climbing and conquering mountains–and I’m not just talking about Mount Sherman, your first 14er last summer. You have the most wonderful friends while making new ones along the way. Last summer, you thrived at Camp Chief Ouray, learned to surf at the lakehouse in B.C., skied your first double-black diamond run at Sunlight Mountain Resort and had the time of your life at Outdoor Lab Windy Peak for a week with your class. You were nominated by your teachers to attend High Achieving Week for the arts at Mount Evans Outdoor Lab in June and you are thrilled to share that incredible experience with two of your besties, Alex and Ellie.
Falconry
Our obsession with The Broadmoor continues and you fell in love with Falconry as well as conquered their zipline course at Seven Falls while channeling your inner Merida in archery. We are thrilled to be able to spend Memorial Day there and I’m sure you will out-eat us all at their famous brunch. You are a girl of many talents and carb-stuffing without gaining weight is one of yours (embrace that gift while you have it).
I’m so proud you finished your Faith in God award in Primary and will attend not one but two Young Women Girl’s Camps this summer: One in Colorado and the other in our new ward. Though you were sad when we told you about our move to Midway, you have fully embraced this new adventure and are designing your new room. During our visit to Midway over Spring Break, you were fortunate to be able to meet the girls during a YW sleepover and fit right in. You were hopeful our move meant you could finally quit piano (nice job on your first duet with your brother) so I had a good laugh when, upon meeting our new neighbor, we learned she would be delighted to teach piano. You call that being cursed. I call that serendipity!
You continue to grow in the arts and you can make anything beautiful. You love painting with acrylic paints on canvas and your new hobby is an expensive one. Fortunately now that you’re 12 you can start babysitting, an occupation not exactly endearing to you because, like me, you’re “not exactly a baby person.” But don’t worry–there are plenty of babysitting opps without babies and I have no doubt once you get paid for the first time, you’ll never look back. And neither will your painting obsession.
Today is the last day of school and you are delighted to spend the morning in the park with your sixth grade friends playing games and signing yearbooks. This afternoon, we will have a Gallery on the Go painting party and your main gift that you requested is a pair of UGGS. And by main, I mean only. Have you seen the cost of those things?
I’m more of an “experience” giver vs. material possessions so as a special birthday experience, I pulled you out of school early last week to go to the Ritz-Carlton Denver where you were delighted to indulge in your first ever spa day, complete with a facial, mani and pedi. I had to stifle my laughter during your facial because you take after your dad who relishes every blissful moment when he gets a massage. When I asked what you thought of your first facial as you still relaxed on the massage table, you groggily announced, ”I feel heavy.” I replied, ”Heavy? Do you mean from all the blankets?” ”No, Mom. Heavy like gravity is pulling me down telling me not to move ever again.” My apologies to your future husband that your spa obsession started at such an early age.
First 14er!
We’ve had plenty of amazing adventures this year: Previewing “Season of the Force” at Disneyland, doing the Kids Adventure Games where you were a mountain biking, rappelling, ziplining, slip ‘n sliding fool, countless hikes and awesome local roadtrips. Though you resist going on our regular hikes and walks (it’s a tween thing?) you are the one who gets lost in the wonder of it all the moment you set foot on the trail. I hope you’ll always love the outdoors and know that your Heavenly Father loves you and that with His help, you can accomplish anything.
In sixth grade, every child is spotlighted during a week of the year. As a part of that, parents are given the option to write a letter to be read aloud in class, the prospect of which mortified you but further solidified my resolve to do it.
March 17, 2016
Dear Hadley,
Despite the fact that you threatened me if I dared submit a letter in honor of your shining star, here I am because I am a risk taker.
Sixth grade has been wonderful as you transferred back to Vanderhoof, had the best teacher ever (wink, wink) and made some awesome friends. I’ve admired your hard work in so many areas–from getting caught up on your schoolwork to climbing your first 14,000-foot peak to skiing your first double-black diamond run to finally landing a front flip on the trampoline (this is such a relief after we’ve all endured many years of your sorry-excuse-for-a-somersault).
As you know, I have been writing you a letter on every birthday since you were born. Now that you’re in sixth grade, I thought I’d highlight a few of my favorite moments from your earlier years that I documented in those letters.
Pre-birth. You have been controlling us from the womb. It was 10 days before my due date and Dad was stressed about work. He told you “Hadley, if you’re born tomorrow, I will buy you a car on your 16th birthday.” The next morning, I went into early labor, you made my water break in very public Booth No. 3 at Einstein Bros. Bagels at noon (thanks for that) and you were born that night by 11 p.m.
Age 2. You were a child prodigy when it came to dancing and singing at story-time at the library. Your favorites included “Shake Your Sillies Out” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” the latter of which you knew by heart. The younger children watched you in awe and just to be nice, you often went over and forcibly “helped” them do the actions. Because they were obviously too dumb to figure it out for themselves.
Age 4. You have a bright, spirited personality and keep us laughing every single day. You are beloved by your preschool teachers and would have had an incident-free year if you had not tackled your classmate Cooper a few weeks ago, who in your defense, hit you over the head with a large loaf of plastic bread. This was your first look at how carbs can be dangerous.
9News Segment
Age 6. One of my very favorite memories of you ever was on our mother-daughter trip to Puerto Rico. In the evenings at our hotel, you loved to hit the dance floor. You’ve inherited my lack of rhythm but that did not hold you back. Hair and arms flailing, you rocked out to the music, causing everyone around you to stop and marvel.
Another mom on the trip tried to urge her reluctant daughter to join you. “But I can never look as good as Hadley out there!” she protested. I looked at her incredulously. She obviously wasn’t really seeing you.
Or was she?
Through her eyes, you were a self-confident, hilarious and fearless girl who didn’t care what you looked like or what anyone thought of you. You were simply lost in the moment and living it to the very fullest you knew how. This quality is what makes you special…and unstoppable. Whether you someday conquer Everest or if you’re dancing by yourself, one thing is certain: you will always fly.
Love,
Muzz Buzz Buzzy Buzz Buzzy Buzz Boo
P.S. For a stroll down memory lane, read letters for your 11th birthday, 10th, 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and your birth story.
Summiting strenuous Ha Ling
Kids Adventure Games
Camping at Brainard Lake
Halloween Party
Maxwell Falls hike
Lake Louise, Canada
Waterton Lakes National Park
Disneyland
First place!
12th Birthday Spa Day at the Ritz
The last few weeks have been incredibly stressful [not] selling our house with delays on the permit to build our new one (while feeling frustratingly in limbo), my Mom’s rapidly declining health, financial worries, graduation parties (for dear friends’ kids Jordan, Aidan, Erin and Whitney), Hadley’s Sixth Grade Continuation, her YW New Beginnings and birthday bash, a going-away party, helping at a wedding reception and so much more.
Yesterday, I just needed to get away so I grabbed my bike and, despite foreboding skies, headed up to Boulder. When I arrived at my trailhead, I thought I was going to blow a gasket when I saw the parking area now requires a $5 fee. Welcome to Boulder: the land of incredible vistas, pot-smokers, liberals and where you pay to play. I debated turning around right then but reminded myself YOU NEED THIS so sucked it up.
During that 1.5-hour ride along the Dowdy Draw Trail and Community Ditch network, my mind and attitude started to shift.
1) It’s OK to dismount and hike the technical sections, even when there are others around you who are smoothly navigating them.
2) When the rain comes, it doesn’t always pour so hold off on seeking shelter. Sometimes patience is the answer. This, too shall pass.
3) A difference in perspective makes all the difference. As does reading this inspiring/sobering story Please Let Me Have Him One More Day in the parking lot after my ride.
In desperation, I said a silent prayer. I pled with my Father in Heaven to help me feel comfort and find peace. Then, right at that moment everything in my mind went quiet. The chaos in my head subsided as I clearly heard the reminder that the Lord has blessed us with everything in our lives… EVERYTHING, including those special chubby-cheeked linebacker sized babies! All that he asks in return is that we be willing to sacrifice whatever he may ask of us. Are we willing to sacrifice to follow His will for us?… I felt as if the Savior was sitting right beside me. Not as a friend and colleague, but as a much wiser and older brother who knows much more than I. He was offering to help me through this. He was not going to force me to believe and become One with His plan, but instead he was offering it to me. Offering me the choice to join in his embrace and completely turn my life over to him, including whatever obstacles I might face … or I could try to do it on my own.
4) The light will come. As I slowly climbed up the Greenbelt Plateau back to my car, the clouds parted and I was rewarded with green velvet, a profusion of wildflowers and sunshine gold.
May has been a blur. Between house showings, endless cleaning, rain, rain and more rain, we’re so ready to be done with selling this house and school. I’ll get into the drama of selling our house later but here are a few of our happenings:
I had a memorable Mother’s Day with breakfast in bed, our traditional pie at church, Jamie’s delicious pulled pork burger and a walk at Prospect Park where children were forbidden to complain. And by “children,” I mean Hadley who, without fail, is always resistant to our walks but then is the one who loves it the very most. This time around, she went crazy documenting everything with my iPhone and vowed to paint the gorgeous scenery.
The kids’ final piano recital with their longtime teacher Sister Mauger was bittersweet. For me, that is. For Jamie, it is a torturous experience to sit listening to other people’s kids for 1.5 hours.
They both did a great job, most impressively during their first duet ever. I didn’t record their actual performance (they did awesome) but here is a sampling of them practicing the week prior, complete with my finger and a fat cat. Can’t beat that!
I was on the committee to throw an awesome Summer Olympic-themed party…in overcast 50-degree weather. We still had a blast playing volleyball, tug-of-war, discus, rhythmic gymnastics, 50-meter dash, the limbo, croquet, bocce ball and the list goes on. It was a success–thanks to all the tremendous people in our ward!
A few weeks ago, Bode announced he was trying out for the school talent show, something that surprised yet delighted me. He played his piano recital song, In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg and nailed it.
I wish I could say the same about the rest of the kids, many of whom proved it to be an “Untalent Show” (yes, comedy acts, I’m talking about you) but it was a fun night of silliness. Really, my only stressful moment was when the kids went on stage for a final bow. Bode started behind everyone, and then moved his way to the front. And then to center stage. I held my breath because, for one dreadful moment, I feared he was going to do a few break dancing moves. And let us be clear: his moves are not ready to go public. 
I’ve never been so relieved to see a kid jump off the stage.
Bode’s friend Nicky and his family came to support him. We grabbed Hadley’s friend Alex and went to Bliss frozen yogurt after to celebrate and play games. 
I entitle this picture: Hyped up on sugar and fame.
I looooooove Field Day, primarily because it used to be one of my favorite days of the year as a kid. Though neither of mine are athletic superstars, it is so fun to see them compete and triumph in their own circles.
The good: All the fun events, the kids’ awesome long jump performances and lunching after at Beau Jo’s with Hadley’s friends.
Winning his heat
The bad:
Evil sixth graders. In an effort to relive the glory days, I participated in the Kids vs. Parents tug-of-war. I was one step away from victory when those little buggers let go of the rope, sending the grown-ups spiraling backward. I slammed my head–hard–on the ground and ended up with a lovely head injury.
The Evil Ones
And yes, getting hurt at your child’s field day is as pathetic as it sounds.
Farewell, Glory Years.
I do the majority of the cooking in our family while Jamie is the grill master and the kids are expert eaters. I periodically involve them in the creation process but during busy weeknights, it’s usually just easier to do it myself. But now that they’re 9 and 11, I’ve had the nagging feeling I need to give them a more advanced skill set than grilled cheese sandwiches.
Enter: Uncorked Kitchen, where a cooking class meets dinner party meets family bonding.
Denver has a smattering of cooking schools and classes for adults and kids but very rarely do they involve the whole family. Uncorked Kitchen aims to please with their new Family Day Out, a unique hands-on dining experience where parents and kids get to be a part of the creation process of their meal from prep to plate. And believe me, the plate part is very, very delicious.
The kids: learned to make Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce, Phad Thai, Bacon and Sweet Potato Banh Mi and Coconut Ice Cream with Pineapple ‘Boats.’
Me: Set my paper towel on fire.
It’s probably best to leave it to the professionals.
========
(Bode at the Fun Run)
We’re on the homestretch for school, which wraps next week. Which means we’ve been cramming in parties, recitals and so many events.
The kids participated in our school’s fun run where they run as many laps as they can, raising money. The sixth graders were paired with the kindergartners. Hadley saw our cute neighbor boy Dylan and decided to help him out.
“He started out really really fast…and then he kept going. In the end, he beat me by two laps.”
“Wait. Are you telling me, you got BEATEN BY A KINDERGARTNER?”
“He says he’s the fastest kid in the class.”
You know you’re out of shape when…
One of the fantastic things I’ve loved about living in Skyline Estates is the network of trails that run from our backyard down to Stenger Soccer Complex along Van Bibber Creek all the way to Van Bibber Open Space. I’ve spent hundreds of hours walking, running, biking and roller-blading the 1.5-mile trail and dirt paths through this wetlands habitat for waterfowl, amphibians and insects.
And young boys on a Friday night.
A few weeks ago, Bode’s besties Nicky and his brother Vinnie were hanging out at our house. Our plan was to bike to the 7-Eleven a few miles away but along the way, Bode suggested we stop in one of our favorite haunts in Van Bibber. The boys were game.
Now, something you should know about these boys: their parents run three of our town’s most successful pizza joints but they’re not really outdoorsy. Bode’s friendship with them involves hanging out around the neighborhood, playing video games, having killer lemonade stands and biking.
“This is the farthest I’ve ever been on my bike,” Vinnie observed when we were about a mile from his house. That kid was in for an adventure. When we arrived at our secret spot, we hopped off our bikes and Bode and Vinnie immediately jumped into the creek and it was so rewarding to see Vinnie come alive like I’ve never seen him before. “This is so much better than 7-Eleven! Let’s stay here!” And stay there we did.
It was the best boy’s night ever as we climbed trees, jumped streams, played with sticks, found a decomposing animal and explored to our heart’s content. And not to be forgotten: Snips and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails.
It’s what little boys are made of.
I grew up biking to my elementary school and junior high and it’s full of the wonderful memories you’d expect. Friends meeting at my house. Riding together. Using the crossing guard across Acadia Drive. Freedom, independence.
I wish my kids were raised the same way but they’re not. Our house is far enough away that it’s just not convenient to bike to school and there’s a pretty major road to cross without adequate sidewalks on the other side.
Plus, we have a nice bus that picks them up.
Plus, the only other time we biked to school when the kids were much younger, it was a bit of a disaster when Hadley forgot her backpack, we needed to go back home, start over and the whole three-mile ride took us about a half hour. And I won’t mention the ride home up up up the big hill leading to our house.
When the kids excitedly told me about Bike to School day, I was game and told them I’d make a big breakfast. But as the consummate party planner, it can never end there. “What if I invited our neighbors the Kings, Scultzs and Rays over and we then biked together?” And so Bike to School Day turned into a big ‘ol neighborhood pancake breakfast.
Because apparently I’ll take any excuse to throw a party. And a special shout-out to Angella for cooking up the equivalent of a hog.
As as biked, we collected friends along the way. The kids raced at top speeds and I found myself trying to keep up while keeping an eye on my friends’ boys who were going a bit slower.
And who couuld blame them. We had to course-correct the kids twice and the second time, they took the wrong bridge so we slugged through the grass at Stenger Soccer Complex.
We arrived early at school, high-fiving Principal Martin. As we locked everything up, it was so much fun to see all the kids arriving on bikes. That is one of the things I love about Vanderhoof Elementary School and our community. When you plan an event, people show up in droves. 
The weather was so gorgeous, I couldn’t resist going on a two-hour ride of my own along the Ralston Creek Trail to Tucker Lake.
My love runs deep for this place we’ve been blessed to call home.
During breakfast, one of my neighbors raved, “This is so much fun! We need to make this a tradition!”
[Insert elephant in the room who is ruining everything by moving.]
Here’s for our best ever first (and last) annual Bike to School Day.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. Learn More