Flag Football

My nephew, Isaiah McNeil, has been playing in a flag football league this summer. He is only six so there is not a league for tackle football yet. In his first game he scored two touch downs! One of the players asked the ref who won at the end of the game and she said "We are all winners here!" It is great to plant that seed early. In his first game he had a knack for showing the other team the way to their end zone. He has learned a lot over the past few weeks, including the importance of going after the flag when the other team has the ball. He also has is a good sport...he was just about to score when he pushed someone out of his way. Realizing he shouldn't do this he stopped and helped the player from the other team up...end the play. It is fun to go watch him play.

Swenson Family Camping Trip

Group photo at Silver Lake
Jennifer, as she was falling into the water.

The Swenson Family camping trip was quite the adventure as usual! We spent two nights at the Spruces campground in Big Cottonwood canyon from July 3rd-5th. Kim and Andreas came in from California. David, Pamela and their family (McKaella, Jennifer, Kjirstin, Rebekah & Rachel) drove up from Las Vegas. We had three campsites so that everyone would fit. We missed having Matthew, Casandra & Asa with us, as they did not come in from Boston. The rest of us drove up from SLC.

We had a lot of adventures and misadventures on the trip. It turns out that McKaella and Jennifer are the most accident prone this year (last year everyone it was me). Jennifer, while crossing a log with Andreas & Kjirstin, fell into the pond. We were all laughing as Jen climbed out and back onto the log. Later in the day when we were back at the river playing McKaella crossed a long and fell on the log. The crack was so loud we thought she had broken her leg but it wasn't. She did come away with a lot of scrapes and bruises. We always had to keep a close watch on the campfire with Rebekah and Rachel around. They are 2 and very curious about everything.

We went on a short hike around Silver Lake on the 4th. It was perfect for large group we had and the varying abilities. There was still snow in the shadows so a snowball fights insued. Some of the kids wanted to climb up a rock and instead of saying no some of the adults helped them up the large crack that was in the rock. I think the adults wanted to have just as much fun as the kids! By the visitor center there were 4 baby squirels that we watched for a little while. Rebekah decided she wanted to hold the squirel so she reached over the fence to pick one up. We stopped her just in time.

To see all the Photos go to my slideshow on the Kodak Gallery.

We had a great trip and were glad that so much of the family that here to experience it together. This was a trip never to be forgotten!

Innovate 80 Project

I-80 around SLC is under going reconstruction. (for those of you who don't drive through here on a regular basis). All the major bridges are being rebuilt... the cool thing is that instead of tearing down on bridge and then building a new one the build the one offsite (but close by just down the freeway) then roll the massive structure down the freeway and slide it into place. It has been pretty neat to watch these massive structure be built and know be put into place. The National Geographic Channel will feature this project in a documentary series it is working on.

Bridge being put in at Highland Drive. A street I used to use quite often but I have had to change my driving route several times due to bridge construction. It keeps me on my toes.

Girls Camp - I love it!

I just have to say that truely loved the opportunity I had to help with girls camp last week. This year the camp was held a for three days at a small camp 10 miles outside of Heber, UT. My only responsibility was to run the climbing wall. For someone who was once a camp director this was a dream come true!

The climbing wall was set up inside the dining pavillion. It was great for an afternoon climb because it kept you out of the sun. The wall is approximately 20 ft with three climbing routes. We decided to set up two of the three because we only had two belayers. Each team of girls would have 1 hour to spend at the climbing wall during their time at camp. It did not seem like a lot of time but everyone had a chance to climb. We had a chance to talk people into climbing further then they thought they could go. It was AMAZING TWO DAYS!

I need to give a shout out to a few people... Mandi Kerr - Camp Director - Thank you for asking me to be on the committee...Jenny Hunter - Activities Committee Chair - Thank you for letting me do what I do best! I loved it!... Thank you to Julie, Carson and Carol who all spent time helping belay so that everyone would be able to climb.