Day 15,16,17

Saturday - Mom & I went with one of her friends to American Quilting in Orem. Mom & I both read a blog by someone who works there - so it was fun. It's a pretty good quilt store. Saturday afternoon Andy & family came over. Sunday Rob, Katie, Lincoln & Sawyer came over. I made Pizza on a stick and we just hung out and talked. I now know what Lincoln & Sawyer both want for their birthdays in Sept. Monday was too hot for me so I ran errands (or non errands that became necessary) I spent some money at the Church Distribution center (recommend only section), Deseret Book/Mormon Handicraft/Lion House Pantry (lunch) and then I drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon for the first time. Then I finally finished the project I'm working on for my friend Julie in NorCal!!!!!! Next up - BYU Family History Conference.

Happy Pioneer Day!!! (Day 13,14)

Today is Pioneer Day - the best state holiday in the world! What other state can give you an extra day off in the summer and allows fireworks? Today is the day that the Mormon Pioneers finally made it to the Salt Lake Valley. Mom & I watched the Days of 47 Parade, gave ourselves facials, went to Walmart, watched Bones & Nascar Racing (Kyle's in the lead in the truck race as I write). We've hidden in the basement trying to stay cool. Yesterday I went to Walmart and Mike & Crew came over for a visit. Dad is hiking in the Uintahs with the llamas.

Day 10, 11, 12

Well - I've been hanging out at my parents for the past few days. Monday I made a trip to Walmart. Tuesday I went and saw the new Harry Potter movie. Wednesday I drove to Delta, Utah to see my grandparents.

Day 9 - Utah

I probably won't post every day now - just every couple of days. Today I sat and laid around in the basement of my parent's house. I was really sore this morning, but my back seems to be better tonight. We'll see if I can sleep tonight and then spend one more day sitting around. Today I wore my new Kyle Busch shirt courtesy of the Miller family for my birthday.

Day 8 - Rexburg to West Jordan, UT

Finally I'm based in one place. My back is still killing me, but I'm hoping with stationary rest my back will relax and heal. The drive from Rexburg was pretty quick. My brothers Mike & Andy brought their family up to my parents' place for a family dinner. I felt pretty lame and stupid being stuck in a chair and not able to get up or take care of things for myself. I hate feeling like I'm the bossy older sister making them do things for me because I'm too lazy to do it for myself. I have no pictures today because I couldn't really move - maybe I'll take a picture of my generic Icy/Hot patches and add it tomorrow. I watched the NASCAR Camping World Truck race and now I'm watching Kyle Busch lead the Nationwide race. Hopefully it will end with him leading!

Day 7 - Dillon to Rexburg

I left the beautiful views from Bob & Sue Briggs' home in Dillon.

I went out to lunch with the Briggs clan and then headed down the highway to Rexburg to catch up with my Uncle Matt, Aunt Jane and boys. My cousin Dallis is at girls camp. Matt & Jane drove me around Rexburg and then took me to one of their Craigo's Pizza restaurants for dinner. Afterwards I got to watch my cousins Ben & Carson race their BMX bikes. Carson got second place in his group. Tomorrow I head to my parents for the next two weeks!

Day 6 - Dillon and the No. 1 Ladies Quilt Shop

Thursday we hung around Dillon. We went to a quilt shop and then had fresh squeezed lemonade. That night the Briggs family had family pictures and Anne, Lisa, & I worked on sewing the binding on Lisa's t-shirt quilt. For dinner we had hobo dogs (don't ask), blue cheese hamburgers and fresh corn. Emma & Cody helped husk the corn - a great job for kids living in Nebraska (Cornhuskers).

Day 5 - Missoula

Today the whole gang headed to Missoula, MT. This is where Anne grew up. I met more of her extended family. We had lunch at Hoagieville (Anne's favorite place to eat in Missoula), rode/watched the Carousel, and then headed to an afternoon of water play at Splash Montana. I only have pictures of the carousel. We came back to Dillon late last night!

Lisa

Anne & Cody

Road Trip - Day 4 - Dillon, MT & Bannack

Today was a hang around morning (I couldn't not get up!). During the afternoon we went on field trips. Our group chose to go to Bannack - the first territorial capital of Montana. It's a state park and basically a ghost town. You can roam through most of the buildings. It started as a gold rush town. Here's some pictures of the day - these are three of Anne's children - Lisa, Emma & Cody (in order of birth - so you can figure out which one is which). I even allowed a picture of me to sneak in there. Tomorrow is our big trip to Missoula!

Road Trip - Day three - My Birthday - Kallispel to Dillon, MT

Today I am old - 36. I spent my day driving from Kallispel in northern Montana to Dillon, Montana in the southern part of MT about 2 hours from Idaho Falls. Dillon is where one of my good friends from BYU's parents live. She is here with her kids visiting her parents and I got invited to come and crash the party for a few days.

As I was driving I stopped in a town for some lunch (name has escaped me - since Amy & Abbie called and sang Happy Birthday to me). The gas station is surrounded by these fake plastic palm trees in different colors - it was so weird I had to take a picture.

Anne's parents live on a beautiful piece of land on the edge of Butte. The kids rode 4 wheelers before we went to Anne's grandparents for dinner. The kids sang happy birthday a billion times and we also had a cake for me. It was really nice!

Road Trip - Day Two - Glacier National Park

Today I got up very early so I could get to Glacier National Park. My goal was to drive the Going to the Sun Road. This is a very famous road and includes a drive on basically a ledge up the side of some mountains to the Continental Divide. The drive was beautiful. My back is still giving me some problems so I didn't take any hikes, but I did stop and get some pictures. I also drove into Many Glaciers and then returned driving along the edge of the park. Babb, MT is now the farthest point north I have ever been! I had so many pictures, I made them into a video:

Road Trip Day 1 - Home-Kallispel, MT

It's been a long day -can you tell from the look on my face? Sometime on Thursday I messed up a few muscles in my back. I spent most of yesterday in pain while trying to pack and finish errands. While still in a lot of pain this morning I got in my car and began driving. I drove across Washington and took a detour to visit a famous quilt store - the Buggy Barn - the owners design fabric and patterns and they always have cute stuff on their website - I don't recommend an in person visit, unless you already live there - plus you have to drive down a dirt/gravel road for 1 1/2 miles (my new car and my back did not like it!). Once I connected back up with I-90 I drove through Idaho and then took a scenic route to Kallispel, MT. As I came down the hill/mt there was Flathead Lake.

Flathead Lake is very well known to me - I've never been there until today, but I've seen plenty of pictures, drawings, and even a map because my friend Anne's family has a place on the lake and it's her most favorite place in the whole world. So I felt like I was greeted by a familiar sight.

I guess sitting in the same position most of the day has been good for my back, even though it hurt all during the drive it's feeling better now.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Glacier National Park and either drive or ride the shuttle on the Going to the Sun Road!

"I believe that it (the declaring of independence) will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival, It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other..."
John Adams

"You can't be a full participant in our democracy if you don't know our history."
David McCullough

"The American Constitution is the greatest governing document, and at some 7,000 words, just about the shortest. "
Stephen Ambrose

This is my favorite day of the year. While I have always appreciated the sacrifices made so this country could be free, until I started teaching U.S. History and researching more and more about it, I never truly understood what that meant. Now I can't even begin to think about the sacrifices for my freedom without becoming emotional. Every year I've taught American history I've tried to make sure that my students understand, even if it's only in a small way, the sacrifices made on their behalf. I hope that lesson will be with them always!