This last weekend was AMAZING. And because I'm on phones all day at work and couldn't really tell my coworkers about it without Multiple interruptions, I'm going to tell you, dear reader, what made the weekend so great.

1. Brycen and I went to St. George. The weather was gorgeous.
2. On the way there Brycen and I continued our newly adopted (and loved) tradition of me reading out-loud as he drives. We're working through the final book in the Midnighters series by Scott Westerfield.
3. "Camping" in Cedar City. Camping AKA staying in a hotel. We tend to leave too late on our trips and we're forever setting tents up in the dark. This time we bailed, which I was not opposed to.
4. Climbing! We left early the next morning to meet up with friends Cedric and CJ in St. George to climb at Black Rock. Somehow both CJ and I were without our climbing shoes, but thanks to sharing friends (who are foot-fungus free) we still got some good climbs in. I really surprised myself by how well I did, considering how scared I got on our last climbing trip. And I even got to practice catching Brycen on a (planned) lead fall.
5. Scuba diving! This may have been the highlight of the trip. We got fitted up and set out to Sand Hollow Reservoir. On the way we took a jeeping side-trip that started out as an accident and ended up as an adventure.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Brycen asked me.
"Oh yes, I remember reading that road name on google maps." Just then, the road I made him take turned from asphalt to dirt. "Huh, that's weird. Or maybe not."
We couldn't imagine trucks hauling boats to a reservoir on this dirt road, and so decided I must've gotten it wrong. Regardless, we stuck to the road for pure curiosity if it eventually would dump us on some side of the reservoir. Well- that's why I voted to stick with it. Brycen voted to stick with it because 1)it was rocky and 2) we have a jeep. It's his new favorite toy.
The road ended unceremoniously by breaking off into smaller footpaths and some four-wheeler paths that were too steep for us, so we turned around and got back on the (right) road to the reservoir.
Setting up our gear and jumping into our wetsuits, we waded out into the water (a bit nervously, I admit). When we got in deep enough that we could swim we decided it was time to descend. We let the air out of our BCs and.... floated. Despite the weight belts we both wore, it wasn't enough to let us actually explore the floor below us. Had we really paid all that money just to come out for a swim in a bunch of ridiculous-looking gear?
Laughing, we waded back onto shore and loaded our BCs with huge and heavy rocks; hoping to win our battle against buoyancy. Although Brycen was a bit unbalanced by the lopsided weight, it worked and we could finally descend.
And oh, it was magical. Curious little fish came out from the ground-cover plants, and a couple big ones just stared at us, wholly unafraid. I could've touched one that I had a staring contest with. (don't have staring contests with fish- they don't have eyelids).
I turned to look at the surface of the water, which I couldn't distinguish from the sky at that depth, and delightfully watched the bubbles I breathed ascend in their little bubbly dance. It was so neat to be able to see God's creations under the water and to appreciate that there is so much that I've never even seen before! I loved every minute of it.
We swam on, Brycen gliding adeptly through the water. Me, bouncing from ground to surface as I struggled to gain neutral buoyancy.
Oh no! I'm sinking too fast! *fill up with air
Oh no! I'm rising too fast! *let air out
Oh no!...
It's definitely a talent I'm working on.
Brycen, using his navigation skills, guided us to a plane that had been sunk for diver's exploration. As we descended at an angle, our breath caught for a second at the sight of a boot glimpsed through the plane's open cabin. We hadn't expected it to be occupied by the dummy we found there.
And that, was scuba diving. On with the list!
6. Jeeping! On our way to my parent's condo where we and my family would be staying that night, we took another dirt path nearby and did some more jeeping. Being out in that desert made me wonder if Jeeping isn't similar to what pioneers experienced bouncing along in a covered wagon. Except faster. And with padded seats.
7. Movie night with the family! When my family all arrived, we had dinner together and it was fun just to hang out with my parents and brothers.
8. St. George Marathon! I didn't make the lottery this year, so I wasn't running, but my Dad was and so my family went to cheer him on. I found out a couple months ago that my friend Rachel was heading a group of volunteers at the finish line, so I jumped at the chance to volunteer with her and see the St. George Marathon in a new light.
It. Was. So. Cool.
I've always been impressed with the St. George Marathon, with the caliber of race they put on and how most of it is completely manned by volunteers. Hundreds of people- just there to help out and make sure the runners have a good run. To be in that group was an honor. For most of my time, I was at the finish line, helping by unwrapping packages that held damp and cool towelettes. I'd unwrap 3 dozen or so, filling a bucket, then a girl scout that was handing them out to the runners would pull that bucket and replace it with an empty one. It sounds completely unglamorous, but it's truly an inspiration to see all of those runners pass through (except my Dad, somehow he slipped through without me noticing) and how completely grateful they are for something so simple as a damp towel. But then again, I've been there, and I know how good that towel feels (little piece of heaven!), and for my friend Sara, it's one of her favorite parts of finishing a run. Eventually I switched out one of the girl scouts and got to hand out the towels. So fun to talk with them and have them laugh at my lame jokes. (Wet towelette! You gotta look good for all those photos!) Yes, it takes being delirious after miles of running for people to laugh at my jokes.
Anyway, it was a neat experience, and if by some seriously misguided fortune I do not make the lottery this year, I will volunteer again next year. (Attention St. George Marathon officials: If you are reading this, please do not purposefully exclude me from running next year just so I will volunteer. Thank you.)
9. Conference! We watched conference with friends Cedric, Jen and CJ this year (and played games, and slacklined, and ate delicious cookies in between). The men who lead this church are truly inspired. They do speak truth, and they do speak God's will, warnings, and love to us. I love conference and I look forward to it every six months because it totally recharges me with a desire to do God's will and live His ways. Love. It.
This conference I especially loved Pres. Monson's and Elder Holland's talks about gratitude. So marvelous. President Monson said that gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues, and that is true. Nothing changes attitudes and bad days quicker than recognizing the good things in life and expressing gratitude for them.

end.