Smith Family Ice Cream Scoop: Saturday Vacation

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Saturday Vacation

What good is a Saturday without a little vacation to go with it? We decided to drive to Dinosaur National Monument to get out of the house for awhile, and to spend time together. (Brandon wasn't on call... miracle of miracles... although he STILL got direct calls from his rigs that only like him.) I took a lot of pictures... so it was a fun day for me!

I think they were trying to see if they could break through the snow here. Tyler was cold for some reason (it was actually quite warm--about 45 degrees), so he wore Brandon's coat. (Just in case you thought Tyler's arms grew to amazingly weird proportions!)

Aubrey is usually my shadow, but she had her own shadow following her around yesterday. We are still in shock about how much she has grown up. At her swim meet awhile ago the boys wouldn't believe that the girl I pointed out was Aubrey, because she was "too tall".

Cooper is my favorite person to take pictures of. Aubrey usually turns away and hides her face, and Tyler always cheeses for the camera. Cooper doesn't care what I'm doing, so I get a lot of natural shots.

One time, when I got out of the truck to take a picture, Brandon thought it would be funny to honk the horn (I was right in front of the truck). I jumped about a mile, and I think everyone in the car giggled for a good 10 minutes after that. I'll sacrifice my dignity for a good laugh every once in awhile, I guess. ;)

This is what you get when you make faces at the camera, and complain about me taking pictures of you.

I love my cute freckly boy. And I love his ears.

The colors are just amazing... the sky was so blue, the rocks so red... it was a perfect day.

Cooper likes to take his gun along with him wherever he goes. I don't know what he's planning on hunting, but it makes him happy.

Oh, deer! Look what we found here!

Split Mountain is one of my favorite places here. It's so beautiful and amazing!

This is a picture of a puddle. I'm not even kidding! There were some really cool reflections in a puddle on the road, and I probably would have never noticed, except I was trying to take pictures of "reflections" for the photography blog I'm part of.

Here's a parting shot of the puddle. I'm never going to pass up a good puddle again! It was so much fun to take pictures of! Ah, I love our Saturdays together.

11 comments:

haley said...: YOUR PICTURES LOOK AWESOME. WHAT CAMERA DID YOU END UP GETTING?; 8:00 PM
Mindy said...: Thanks, Haley! Brandon got me a Nikon D90 for Christmas.; 10:15 PM
Brenda said...: Lots of pretty pictures! I like the picture you have for your blog header, too.; 10:21 PM
Holly said...: I can't believe how much Coop looks like Brandon in that picture. I never notices the "smith" in him before.; 11:28 PM
Jason said...: Looks like you had fun, and you got lots of neat pictures.; 1:25 AM
Janice {Run Far} said...: as always.. great pics... you are a rock star.; 8:36 AM
Mindy said...: Holly, I don't know how you missed the Smith in Cooper. He's always looked just like Brandon. :); 8:56 AM
Alison said...: That looks like fun. It makes me want to pack up my kids and go for a drive...then I remember they are 3 and would have jumped in all those pretty reflective puddles!!! Cute pictures!; 9:41 AM
Shell said...: Hi Mindy! I came across your blog by accident, but was happy to see you again. You have a very beautiful family, and I love the pictures that you share.; 11:07 AM
Marci said...: i love that you guys go have fun doing such simple things...what an awesome family you have. those puddle pictures are fantastically cool!!; 9:07 PM
V and Co. said...: love your pictures mindy i mean "trouble"; 5:35 PM

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To Do Today

* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.
* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.
* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.
* First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.
* You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ.
* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.
* Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church.
* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.
* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.
* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.
* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.
* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.
* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.
* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.
* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.
* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.
* You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.
* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.
* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.
* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

from "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit by F. Enzio Busche