Sunday Adventures

Well, yesterday was quite an adventure. I haven't been to our ward in 3 weeks due to illness and a week of general conference, so I was quite looking forward to church yesterday. As Paul and I got ready I said to him "hey, we should go up to the mountains today after church." He thought that was a good idea, so we were trying to hash out details (like leaving straight from church since it doesn't get out until 2:00), and then of course, dinner details, but ran out of time. We just got ready for church and headed over thinking we would figure things out as they came.

We got all the way to the church building to discover an empty parking lot. Turns out yesterday was stake conference! lol We had no idea. Since I didn't go to church last week, and the week before was conference, I hadn't heard. Paul did go to church last week, but missed the beginning of sacrament meeting when they must've mentioned it, I'm sure, and then also missed priesthood because the bishop called him in to extend a calling. Hmm, oops. So, we'd already missed half of conference and our stake center is a ways across town so I figured by the time we got there, there would only be 45 minutes left, if that. Though we probably should've gone just to hear our stake presidency at least, we decided to just take the opportunity to go up to the mountains instead.

It started out great. We had a great time exploring and seeing new things, since I haven't been on this side of the mountain much (if ever). We found this meadow on a dirt road. It was called Big Stump Meadow or something? I can't remember for sure. It used to be a logging place. Anyway, kind of looks like a tree graveyard huh?






Here, Paul was trying to get Keith to put his feet together so he could put him in a hole. Keith didn't bite.

We made a loop that went past Hume Lake, which was beautiful. Unfortunately I didn't have the batteries for my camera, so I didn't get many pictures, and the ones that I did get were a real struggle. Anywho, on the way back we decided to try this other dirt road . . . which turned out not to have been such a great idea. Just when we decided we should turn around there was a big pop/poof and then steam billowing out from under the hood. Oops . . . that can't be good. And it wasn't. Our radiator blew . . . literally. Pretty much the whole side blew out. Water wouldn't even stay in it for a little while. It just went right through. It took us 3 long hours to get home, and hopefully we didn't do any permanent damage to the engine.

It was still a nice day, and since I'd already prepared dinner to shove into the oven first thing when we got home, and we didn't get home until after 7:00 I already have dinner prepared for tonight! The whole thing wasn't really stressful (for me . . . Paul didn't handle it quite as well) as much as it was tiring and tedious having to stop constantly to let the engine cool and try to push water through to cool it down. And wouldn't you know it, the one week we needed Paul's dad to come help us out he and Paul's mom are on their way up to Sacramento. Paul says it probably would've happened anyway, but I still feel responsible for suggesting the road. In my defense when we first started on it, it was paved and I would've turned around long before he did!

Anyhow, just briefly, on a different note, check it out! Grass is starting to grow! It's only been a week and there it is, growing all over! We thought it would take at least 2 to see anything. I'm so excited. (I hope you can see it in the picture)