26 years ago walking out of Utah Valley Hospital and looking up on Y mountain, I was amazed at the blaze of color on that hillside! (when I had gone in just a couple days earlier to deliver our first baby (Clark), it was just beginning to turn) It was fantastic--all ablaze! I have associated that sight every year with Clark's birth. I love when nature ties things together. It makes me feel so connected to mother earth.

This Year we spent the day (September 28) in San Francisco with Clark. The videos are a small recap (unfortunately the camera man was always on video--playing with his new phone--so no still photos.)

Clark and I --victims to Brian and his new iPhone...

Golden Gate Bridge!

Dinner on the Wharf-LOTS of fresh crab!--couldn't get enough...

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of." Benjamin Franklin

Our time was well spent.

FINALLY an email from elder gill...

hey mom!
i am so sorry i missed two weeks in a row. last week was my last pday with the ysa branch so i didnt have a lot of time of emails and stuff and now im in ottawa. yesterday we started playing ultimate on the lawn of parlaiment and you know how hard it is for me to stop playing frisbee... anyway, i am sorry. i justed wanted to send you a quick email to let you know i am ok and you dont need to call the mission home! thanks! love
elder gill

Ottawa!

Autumn is the most beautiful of seasons in Ottawa. The days are generally clear and crisp, and the forests around the city shimmer with colours of gold and red.(from the tourism site)

HOW LUCKY THAT ELDER GILL GETS TO FINISH OUT HIS MISSION HERE!

This is Parliament-- where Elder Gill was playing frisbee and couldn't get to a computer for the email home..."call the mission home"...pff!

When the river freezes over, this becomes the longest ice skating rink in the world.

COLIN HEADS OUT...

As Colin begins his move away from us and heads down the path to Kentucky, we realize the bitter/sweet feelings that come with serving a mission:

the bitter: we will miss his constant sweetness, quirky, nonsensical humor, his stick-to-it-iveness, his willingness to help no matter what, his "I will go and do" positive attitude, his cooking skills...well..um..yep, his cooking skills, his amazing drive at anything physical (and the true blue uniform) and his gentle, selfless, goodness. Yes, especially his goodness.

the sweet: we look forward to his weekly emails! (with all the details!), the experience he will gain, the service he will render, the spiritual growth, the joy the gospel brings, the blessings that come with sending a son on a mission, the experience of sharing in his sharing the gospel, the family prayers in his behalf.

just one or two more times to draft behind a cougar...then he is out the door!

ROASTING MARSHMALLOWS

AMY AND HER FRIENDS ON ONE OF THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER FIND A COZY MOMENT TO PASS AROUND MARSHMALLOWS AND HAVE SOME "GIRL TALK."