the beast continues

I called Derek my golden boy after loosing my son Erik. Erik was so sick but lived his 10 months with all my hope and strength and love. After he died I prayed for healing for my self. After more miscarriages (even just before Christmas ) I lovingly carried Derek for the usual over 9 months ( all my kids cook a little longer in the womb). His thick blond wavy hair and healthy body were what stood out as he brought joy to my life  thus the nick name, Golden Boy!. He has continued to briing joy to many. He has compassion and openness to the uniqueness of his fellow man//women ,Along with many traits, we share a love of physical challenges,

 Here he shows  his sister Valerie his one handed pushups !

Last week Derek completed a" family and friends supported 142  plus mile ironman challenge!'Here he is near the end of the marathon part of the run,. supported by family and  friends. I biked along side to add water, food and love and encouragement. At this time he had been going for 12 hours.

Here is Jake and Derek preparing at the beginnig of the day, We paddled and kayaked alongside him in Deer Creek to protect him from boats and cheer him on. But, he was faster than we could paddle, Karina and I couldnt keep up with him! We were  wet and cold and we werent even doing the race!

Here he is after getting out of the water, A very happy swimmer!

The biking part was wet and windy and LONG. 

More love and  support. all day long

Karina and Koki finished running with Derek in the dark at the last 5 miles.

At the begiinning of the day our group supported with prayers and love for the just under 15 hour day. It was like a day in the life full of success and trials and trying to conquer and complet goals, Derek kept my nick name the goldenboy once again. 

 

Terry is 70!

Happy birthday Terry! Doug and Terry are traveling up to be with their grandkids and we are lucky to be their stop in Utah. What a time we had, We got to serve the communuity, friends and family. all in one weekend. We had great visits about family history and adventures. I got to give her my covid extras. She got to make sour dough raisin bread from Dereks starter. We got to help out my grandkids when Karina and Dan had to go to the hospital, What a wirlwind !!

Derek and Jake came over after his mts bike race in Price Utah.

Our Lund family visits are never complete without lots of good food and great stories.Lucky for us we get to see them again when they return. Happy birthday Terry, Thanks for sharing the time with us.

 

Bryce Canyon and surroundings

 Just keeping   close to home, We adventured south meeting up with our friends the Sharon n John   Call. Here is Bryce Canyon about 4 hours from our home. Although we took the slow route through route 89 and Manti . Big Rock Candy Mts and their train cars.

Mossy Cave 

We stayed in Tropic, 7 miles from Bryce and on the way to Mossy Cave. running water with a water fall  which brought water to Tropic when it was first settled by the pioneers.

Kodakcrome state park

we also biked and kayaked our way through out the area, in Pine creek and Tropic resevoirs

We had fun just hiking and being together. We really need to just enjoy the beautiful world that has been created for us , not to mention the clean air and vitamin D to keep us fortified from all the germs.

Chatterley Old sibliings at Green Lake, Mn

Every 4years Jim's siblings get together. Not even the virus stopped 

 to figure out a way to visit together , this year we met at JoLea and Lennys Lake house on the Green Lake, in Spicer Mn.

We really missed being with Jims oldest sister, Tanya, but we had a great face to face with her for over an hour, We all got a chance to share memories and stories from our times together.

Jim and his brothers working on family history.

Lenny and Jo opened up their place ,well stocked with food and toys, We had games, and sports, and lots of water activities. We each felt loved and had plenty of space to keep our social distancing as needed, I tried to keep hands clean all time time and ended up with my negative reaction to soap so by the time I left my eyes were dripping all the time, 

Family togetherness is so important. We need to help each other with feelings of love and caring, The world needs more love at this time, We need to heal. Being outside by the water is very healing for me. I am glad that we could share time together.

 

and they will teach US

Today I am making sour doe bread. just like I used to make, sometimes twice a week for 25 years, My specialty is cinnanmon raisin whole wheat. Only today is with sour doe,AND I have been RE taught by my son. YES, all my children are great cooks. Not because I taught them, at least not on purpose! Derek had to learn to fix some things that I never made, like Mac n cheese from the box. in fact, anything from a box. I never followed the directions. I would put frozen veggies in Mac n cheese or extra powdered milk and less oil in the cake, or extra raisins in the cookies and best of all  Karina thought that carob chips were chocolate chips  until she went to a birthday party. OH well!

Today is Niks birthday, here he is looking down in the middle middle of this photo. He has a hat on and it is hard to see his cute face, He is the youngest of the group of 20 that hiked Excalibur above Silver Lake. He is a great hiking, I am so glad that he is my friend and I am his grandma.

this week  I went biking with Jan  to celebrate her birthday, We went to Park City and found a barn trail. So beautiful and calm. jusr what we need at these times

Speaking of these times, I love my new idea of masking and matching. I am prepared for this next wave, at least in costume. I am still trying to prepare emotionally for social distancy and not having more adventures outside. We have many more  birthdays to celebrate, I am grateful for Jan and Nik and the love that I feel with them  They both have so many wonderful talents and stills and I love sharing time with them

the second week

Silver lake hike group, most of which reached the Excalibur sword which included a 7 mile hike with the last part  a narrow rock climbing on one side and cliff on the other. Lucky for us,we had Heber Anderson,  fire fighter leading the kids and Karina as a nurse. Jim and I only did 5 miles an used Izaak as an excuse to go down first.

We are so glad that Jaron told us about this hike. Emily, Megan and Cade also hiked with us. If you look closely you can see Kallie photo bombing in this shot!We were the first group to hike down after doing the first 5 miles.

Izaak was the youngest in our group and lucky for me, he kept me going, ( even though he did drink all my water!) After the hike I got cramps in my left inner thigh, Erik asked me how much it hurt 1 our of 10, I said 8 the first time and 9 the second. I have been eating bananas every day since!

we also hiked Battle Creek which was only 1 1/2 miles but ended with a wonderful waterfall. Our first hike was Rock canyon, the one near the Provo temple

the first activity of the week was Lagoon

the younger group went swimming with grandma

we picked berries and veggies everydaywe had a car wash and water balloon fight

we played with my kitties

we did yoga

we ate french toast on Sunday morning and pulled pork on July 4th

we had a barbeque at Jaron and Jans

Derek caring for Izaak on the hike

grandmas toys

grandpas inventions

park activities

hot tubs and picnics

we got to go to Kallies dance performance at the Covey

Layla and Karissa got their hair color tipped

hammock times

Missy and layla

goodbye Mercado famil.y. We loved having you come. We miss being with you. Victoria, with her dancing feet and successful selfies, Austin, as the skating wizard, Erik as the puzzle perfectionist, Karissa is a moving artist, Jason is the spicey master chief and  my pal Val, keeping the peace and love. We love you ALL.