Family Reunion - Klings (part 5) - Sundance

What a view! This is the backside of Mt. Timpanogas

That Wednesday, we headed back down Provo Canyon to Sundance Resort to ride up the ski lift - a bit less challenging than the previous hike. We were able to take a few family pictures (minus Dave) as this was the first time we were all together since before India.

Mom, Dad & us 4 kids - yes, my ridiculous brothers are holding hands

The whole Kling Family (minus Dave)

Going down

This was the view from the cabin when we returned.

Family Reunion - Klings (part 4) - Deer Creek Reservoir

Girls in Canoe

That next Tuesday, we drove a whopping 5 minutes South to Deer Creek Reservoir with our rented waverunners for a day at the beach. It was a fantastically beautiful day, and the waverunners were ginormous and smokin' fast, I believe Eric topped the speed charts at 57 mph. The big boys enjoyed being crazy and irresponsible as they tried to throw each other off the waverunners with great sucess. And several of us determined that the altitude does affect your reaction to sun exposure, as we were sporting painful sunburns the rest of the week, some complete with blisters. OUCH! We also loved riding in Grandpa's canoe that he has owned since 1960. Love that canoe!

My 'little' brother Adam and Z

Adorable Amanda, my niece

Sunbathing beauties

Family Reunion - Klings (part 3) - Creature Encounters

Holy Frustrating Batman! I just lost this entire post - AFTER it had been posted for over a week. How does THAT happen. I may, or may not, get to it again. Arggggg!

Family Reunion - Klings (part 2) - Stewart Falls

Grandma & Grandpa Kling with all the grandkids

The week of July 12-17 was the Kling Family Reunion in Heber City, UT. My brother had arranged for a cabin from a friend of his which turned out to be just perfect for us. We were all sad that Dave couldn't be with us, but we did our best to entertain ourselves. Monday, hiked up to Stewart Falls, on the backside of Mt. Timpanogas. It was a beautiful hike, on a beautiful day. It was another day of clear blue skies, which at this point was still a novelty and I just soaked it in, inhaling each beautiful, clear, crisp breath of blue sky with each step. It does something to the soul, to be out in the expanses of creation, something very healing and cathartic.

Checking out the beautiful scenery

Little D & Jason

Z in front of Stewart Falls

Eric & Dad

My nephew, Lance, is dwarfed by Stewart Falls

My brother Eric's family

The kids were very enthusiastic hikers, until we reached our destination, then poor little D felt he couldn't go on another step. In a moment of inspiration, I likened our hike to our lives: how each step we took was a step in life that brought us closer to our ultimate destination. Sometimes the steps were easy, sometimes they were hard, but each step in the right direction was worth it.

Some steps in life may be difficult, but if it is in the right direction, it is always worth it.

Sunday Driving

Just North of the "blowhole" on the Windward side of the Oahu

We interrupt this blog 'catch up' to report a current event. Our church doesn't start until 2:30pm each Sunday (until January), so we've been taking Sunday drives to familiarize ourselves and the kids with the island. 2 Sundays ago we drove the South and Windward sides of the island. Last week we drove the North Shore, with a stop at BYU Hawaii, and the Laie Temple Visitor Center. This is a BEAUTIFUL island, and we are very excited explore it over the next 3 years.

The Temple is undergoing some MAJOR renovation, meaning it's been completely gutted inside and has been started over again. Originally completed in 1919, it was in need of remodeling. It should be open and functioning again by July 2010.

Check out who we saw at the Laie Temple Visitor Center...

This is Mark Eubank, former meteorologist for KSL News in Salt Lake City, UT. He was on the air for over 36 years, and a staple to just about every home in the region. He and is wife are serving as the directors of the Visitor Center at the Temple. He was very excited to talk to us about Felicia (the hurricane), and hoped she didn't prove disappointing. (although it is looking like she will)

Felicia

When I woke little D up this morning for school he was sad when he realized that school hadn't been cancelled because of Felicia. As predicted, she fizzled into a depression.

A Long Time Ago... in a Land Far, Far Away...

Ximen, Maryam, Me & Christa

July 8th

When I knew when/where I'd be over the summer, I fired off an email to my friend Maryam to make a lunch date. This turned into a Girls' Overnight Out with 3 of my dearest friends from Elgin, IL, from when I was 3 years old. Maryam, Christa, Ximen and I met at the Zermatt Resort in Midway, UT (conveniently right across the street from the Homestead Resort where Dave and I went a few weeks prior). Some of us hadn't seen each other in more than 12 years! We had such a fantastic time catching up, eating delicious food, and talking into the wee hours of the morning. Friends are such an incredible blessing in life. On our way back to town, we stopped and surprised our church youth advisor from WAY BACK when we were 12, Mary Ann Smail. Thanks ladies for a wonderful time!