Freedom

So lately I have being failing in the fun date category and the Josie's love tank was running on low as I was informed. Especially after Sara told Josie about all the fun dates her and Jay have been going on. Thanks a lot Jay I am still waiting to hear the end of that one.

So I kept hearing what a romantic place the Independence Lakes were up South of Burley. I know too couples that actually propose marriage at this wonderful location. So I thought there had to be something magical in the water up there and to make the hike on the 4th of July eve. This would get me out of the dog house for sure and Jay would be calling me for pointers. So I arranged for Becky my sister to watch the kid so Josie and I could make this romantic trek.

It was a wonderful hike and saw beautiful country. Please refer to the pictures. Josie was even able to shoot a tree. Josie got a good laugh as I was trying to set the timer on the camera and run to get in the picture also. She said it was like the good old days when her father would do the samething. The highligt for Josie I sure was we dropped down the other side of the mountain and went to the Albion Cafe and ordered our favorite scones with rasbery butter. They are out of this world.

I hope in the end Josie had and wonderful time and she knowes that I love her very much.


A funny story on the way up the mountain. (Josie's did not think so)

As we were walking up I saw a family coming down that are members of our ward that I have been trying to reactivate. (Now Josie says I have put back their progression until I leave). This is nothing new I think it is most of the ward that is counting down the day until I am releassed or leave.

Anyway as I reconized them I yelled out "I finally found you I have hiked all this way to come hometeach you now sit down and listen". I think I got a smile out of the husband. Pretty funny maybe I will sent the story into the Ensign. What a great Idea. I will call it "High on a Mountain Top"

The Mystery of Stinging Nettle at Phantom Falls

Scooby Doo where are you??

Last week-end Josie went to youth conference up in the South Hills. We hatch this great plan to meet her up there Saturday afternoon and hike into a water fall that just out the side of a cliff from a underground spring. So the kids and I hopped into the Mystery Machine and headed up to meet up with Daphne AKA(Josie). The first mystery of the day was to find the trail head which was challenge in it self. We missed the sign the first time and end up almost all the way to Burly then we ran into "Clampits Family" which straighten us out and told us that the sign at the road was knocked down and you had to look back into the grass to see the sign. So we finally found the trail head strapped up and set out on the "Mystery of Stinging Nettle at Phantom Falls" The tail was a bit overgrow but after we handed out a few scooby snacks the team was good to go. As instructed by Daphne I took the lead to fend off any wild beast that might jump us. But don't you worry I had my loaded 9mm the only problem was I left it in the truck. As the adventure continued I started noticing a plant along the trail that has cause me some pain in the past so I thought being the leader and assuming that Josie knew what stinging nettle looked like (especially being the camp nurse for girls camp this year) I would yell to the rear watch out for the stinging nettle. Half way in on the hike there was a mutiny Daphne and Velma shutdown and decided that a calamine lotion bath was not going to be in their future any time soon. So after carrying a crying Velma up the hill. Being the diplomatic person I am no yelling of course. The mystery was solved. Along this same trail was another plant that kind of look like stinging nettle but was not. So both Daphne and Velma kept thinking they were surounded by stinging nettle. Once it was properly identified Velma was able to stop the goal of not to let a blade of grass touch her. Which was quite the challenge on the over grown trail in shorts as you can see from the pictures. In the end it was a wonderful hike and a fun family adventure. I have attached a picture of sting nettle so next time you to can solve the Mystery of the Stinging Nettle.

Sincerely,

Scooby Doo

Past the Scooby Snacks ( Bottle Caps)