Winter Ascent of Mt. Borah

This is Shawn & Brothers Paul & Jared ...Weeze didn't go on this adventure
Enjoy!

Last week, Paul, Jared, and I went for a walk on Mt Borah. These are a few pics I took. I don't have Jared's yet, but thought I'd send a few out so you could see the fun we had. It was worthwhile doing, but as Paul and Jared had to listen to me complain, I'm not as much for the suffering as I used to be. I like the skills and adrenaline rush of using them, but I like them offset with time to eat, drink, and rest.

As practice for future, larger expeditions, we pulled a sled for about 1/2 hour. Paul's pulling in this picture. It pulled well on easy terrain like in this picture, but we left it when the terrain was not so nice, which is the rest of this hike.

For those that know the route, this is between the gnarly tree where we often take a break and a picture, heading straight up to the top of treeline. Even with snowshoes we'd sink to our knees, and without it was even worse. This is Shawn. It took hours to cover this short section of the route.

This is Jared. He just downclimbed the snowy rocks you see, which is the end of Chicken-Out-Ridge, and is now making his way across the snow bridge. It is a LONG way down both sides.

This is Jared again, now on the summit pyramid, just about to the summit ridge. The summit is still several hundred yards to the left (and higher). You can see by the way he's standing above me how steep it was. This is the opposite side of the pyramid from where the normal trail goes in the summer. Nothing looked easy for the final push to the top so we decided to try it here and it was difficult and slow going. It was largely rock slabs covered with snow and not as many holds as we'd hoped. We used our ice axes alot to drag through the snow, hopefully hook some 1/4" protrusion and pull ourselves up another foot. We later descended the "normal" route. If we did it again, still don't know which way we'd go up. Neither was easy.

Give me those sad eyes Rascal

Well, how does this go?

Rascal has found a new home. With much thought and sacrafice on the kids part and mine, we now will have a much happier Daddy and in the end, a much happier Rascal. He departed this afternoon at 2pm back to Idaho...kinda funny--Nampa, ID. Close to his orgin. He is going to a 14 year old who is dog crazy and is ready to spoil him with love. And let his sleep in her bed and just be loved to death. That's the only way I was going to let him go...not the pound. So, just keep Dallin, me and Sierra in your doggie thoughts and we will all be good. And Shawn isn't evil here everyone, he has struggled with the dog for years and when I was in a threatening mood it went like this, "Fine, toss him out now!!!" Well, we talked and talked and he didn't want to be the bad guy in the kids eyes, ( I was already ok with him going to a new home, I needed a happy Shawn). So he was like, "Don't get rid of him if all they want is another dog..." Shawn is climbing Mt. Borah now in Idaho and I told him before he left that Rascal may not be here when he come home. He was still thinking if this was the best thing...it is. Just accept the sacrifice and we will all be good.

Oh pets, man, they are cute, you try and train them, they disobey, they come back for love, and then in the end, you cry when they leave.

We're good, but this is a bit hard.

YEA!!! I got it back!

And note to self...don't delete all the HTLM things when I change backgrounds.
I was using Thecutestblogontheblock.com site and now I don't see the free backgrounds. Am I just not seeing it ...anyone please if ya know something I don't.

Also, I added a few gadgets..hope they make things more interesting.

And I started working in the mornings now...8:30-12:30. Now I feel like a part-time worker...a big 17hours a week now...all goes for that dreaded mortgage ya know!

Dang!

Great! I messed up my blog! So I'll be back with hopefully a new playlist and other gadets. MAN!

Christmas 2008---is just great! Rockin Great!

Samuel & his sweet ride

Hyrum and his new sled

Sister sweetie and the new Skates

GO COWBOYS!!!!!!!!!

and the Cereal....

excellent!

Merry, Merry to one and all.

Here are a few of the excited faces on that magical morning.

And here's one of the Best ones! ROCKBAND! The kids had to figure out what was in this gift from Santa with a Crypotgram...oh, Santa is a creative genius!

And here's our family's favorite

The Nirvana song--In Bloom

Mississippi Queen--Mom's favorite

Dead or Alive--Shawn's fav.

We'll be going on our first World Tour so be on the lookout...tickets will be available.

Our Winterwonderland---Herriman style

Hey all, here's a lot of snow that fell Christmas eve and throughout the day on Christmas day. We, of course, had to try out the new sled we got for Christmas...in a blizzard. We came home from being snow beaten and dug out the driveway...way more than a 2 person job. Samuel even learned how to earn money shoveling snow...the others were forced into servitude.

enjoy

Think of Christmas, Think of Snow, Think of Santa

HO! HO! HO!

Merry Christmas to one and all with the warmest of holiday wishes to each and everyone of you cool blog/email people. And thank you for letting us electronically send greetings this year...ya know...the budget cuts and all are a good reason to be thrifty. Just gather the family around the glow of the computer to catchup with the Becks.

Where to begin, and what to share???? With some inspiration from some Christmas letters, I think I'll take my thoughts from them.

What book or story do you like to read right now?

Shawn--Hawaii

Weeze--Breaking Dawn

Dallin---reading stinks

Sierra--Fablehaven

Hyrum & Samuel---Magic Tree house

What was you favorite movie this year?

Shawn--seen a bunch and can't decide

Weeze---will be the newest Harry Potter....(Twilight was good )

Dallin--Batman and Ironman

Sierra--Prince Caspain

Hyrum--Wall-E

Samuel--Kung Fu Panda

What is your favorite candy?

Shawn--All and everything Chocolate

Weeze--gum

Dallin--skittles

Sierra--Butterfinger, skittles, snickers

Hyrum--airheads

Samuel--gum

What is something that really makes you laugh?

Shawn--the Get Smart movie where he shoots himself with mini-crossbow

Weeze-the Sonic commercials where the punch sound at the end

Dallin--Chuck Norris Jokes

Chuck Norris doesn't sleep...he waits

The BoogieMan checks his closet for Chuck Norris

Superman wears Chuck Norris underwear.

Sierra--being tickled by Dad only

Hyrum--Gas, toots, the toilet functions in general

Samuel--being tickled

What you you like to be when you grow up?

Shawn--that one guy who gets to make all the decisions

Weeze--that awesome mom

Dallin--Travis Pastrana part 2

Sierra-- something that involves books

Hyrum--drive monster trucks

Samuel--Paleontologist

What is the most fun thing you did with your family this year?

Shawn--dirt biking with Jared--outstanding!

Weeze--re-hiking Utah's highpoint--Kings peak with Dallin

Dallin--Hiking Lone Peak---that awesome mountain outside our backdoor

Sierra--going to Idaho and playing with the cousins and friends

Hyrum--Zions Nat. Park---all the hiking and playing in the river

Samuel--taking the canoe at Utah Lake

You all can check out some of these fun things on the blog with the pictures and write ups. We love to share with you all and we absolutely LOVE hearing from you all. Email and put your new addresses in your letters so we all can stay up to date...isn't that why we all do Christmas letters really?

Hi Everybody,

This is our Thanksgiving adventure! After chowing down with the April and the fabulous family, we decided we had wanted to go see a southern Utah park in the winter. We had not yet been to Bryce Canyon National Park so that became the choice. We didn't do much investigating beforehand. The park is situated between 7000 ft to over 9000 ft. Only about 3/4 of it was open because they were still clearing the snow off the roads from the previous storm for the remaining 1/4. That said, the weather was nice. Teens at night and 30s during the day with sun all day and incredible stars at night. Here are a few pictures.

It's sometimes surprising how different the National Parks are in southern Utah. They are located so close together yet are featured differently. Geologically, Bryce Canyon is the highest, then Zions is below it and then the Grand Canyon is at the bottom, meaning that the bottom layer of Bryce Canyon is the top layer of Zions, and the same with Zions and Grand Canyon. There has been some upheaval and shifting so parts of Zions are higher than Bryce now, but its layers belong below Bryce.

The main feature that Bryce Canyon is know for are the Hoodoos, pronounced just like it looks, a made up word just for these features and a variant of voodoo. Their formation story is similar to the arches and natural bridges but turns out looking a little different.

Samuel and Hyrum making a snowman at camp.

Hiking the Hat Shop trail. This is only about 200 yards into it and already ours are the only tracks. We went the entire 1 1/2 miles (each way). We called Hyrum 'TB' for TrailBreaker because he liked to lead the way. The kids were impressed with how used the trail looked after we went in and came out and though that others might follow now.

Hyrum above the Hoodoos we are about to drop down into

Dallin and Hyrum

Staying warm in tent with propane heater. Taking the canvas tent was part of the plan to keep everyone happy. We'd all gather and read and play games at night then we'd shut the heater off and half of us would go crawl in the other tent.

Sierra and Samuel hiking down Navajo Trail in between hoodoos.

Whole family (except Weeze taking pic) where hoodoos get close together.

Can you tell it's cold?

This is how the house looks for 2008 season!

ps Shawn wrote this as an email to his family then I posted it to the blog.

The New Family Pictures!

Shaw & Weeze---married 16 years ya know! WowThat's the Super D as we like to call him...Dallin to you all...14 and so cool!

This is our lovely Sweet Bean...the Sierra. She's the seventh grade reader gal.My Rummy, the cutest boy in the world, we present the Hyrum

Silly Samuel, boy, he is flashing that "I'm ultra cute" smile isn't he?

Hey all, here is my crack at taking the family photos! Enjoy!

Utah studies & Hyrum

Hey, it's the Hyrum and his 4th grade Utah Studies program and project. He sang a bunch of cute songs about Utah, the first Indians, explorers, Golden Spike, Pioneers and all the Utah counties. He made this killer float project about Kane county. And it's great because we've been to Lake Powell and lots of the stuff in Kane county. That's what we love to hear when the teacher asks if anyone has been here is the class and he can raise his hand. We just went to Promontory Point also, so we are clicking off those great Utah landmarks!

Wow, I know we are a few days late on this one, but you all just have to see the coolest Mummy costume ever! Well, with the thanks of YouTube, I was able to pull off the easiest mummy I think in the history of me making costumes. So Hyrum wins for the best classic costume at our house, followed up by Samuel or LINK from Super Smash Brothers video game as the best Character from a video game award. And yes, that would be chocolate around his face...and that's not part of the costume. How great is that?

Happy Halloween!

Here are the 5 Tribe + Forbes Family Trick-or Treat! Forbes: Jessica=pumpkin patch, Tristan=Recycled costume, Anna= Princess, Connor- Nija.
Flitton-Tribe= Kellis=nija, Garrett-Ptranadon (with the ultimate weggie), Isaac=the Count (Ha! Ha! HA!), Margaret-Susanna= Diamond heart Barbie Princess, Vingia-Grace=Puppy, and mom= Santa---only 52 days!!! I know----SCARY!!!!!!!
(Scott was the nice photographer---we was dressed up as a fisherman.

I also wanted to post a picture of my cute 5th grade crew! They are amazing! My new Lt.--Lt. Miller, has learned the ropes and fits right in! Happy Halloween everyone!

family photos!

We did our family pictures. I thought that you might like to take a look at them If you want the pass word, just write to me and you can see all of them. The kids did such a great job that Tiff (the photographer) put them on the website...you'll get to see a glimpse.

http://www.specialfocusphotography.org

Happy Halloween Decorating Time!

Hey, Alison, you prodded me to take pictures of my own Halloweenie house. We are the most Halloweenie on the block. So much fun! And we grew all the pumpkins too! And the corn! Well, I have to say, the pumpkin costumes are the best!

enjoy!

Piano Recital for everyone!

Hey, it's the yearly recital this year and Shawn and Sierra played a duet called Mourning Doves. Hyrum played Rain Song. My Samuel didn't play in the recital seeing that he's only been in lessons for 4 weeks...but he like it which took 2 years of talking him into lessons!

I couldn't download Sierra's piece....I've got to figure out how to compress the video on the camera.

The Hyrum's Birthday! He's 10

Wow, my little Rummy is 10. And isn't he just the cutest thing? We had a great party up at the only pool with an indoor high dive and low diving board! They just aren't in every pool any more. Well, we had a super time and now our family birthdays are over for the year...give me a 7 mo. break. Now the question is what do you want to be for Halloween?

My HYRUM

Isn't he a cutie? Well, after telling us he couldn't see the numbers for the Hymns at church, I figured that this bug would be needing a bit of correction. And he also is in the braces process...hum, what else can we throw his way?

Samuel's Month--Baptism and Birthday Party

Samuel is 8! We planned a great day for my youngest kid. We started out the day with his baptism, which his grandparents from Idaho and in Salt Lake got to be apart of, along with his fun Flitton cousins. Shawn was just thrilled to be baptising his youngest kido. We broke the newest member of our bishopric in style with a less that super reverent baptism, but the Holy Ghost was delivered and I hope that Samuel will remember his baptism day. We then had a 2 second BBQ, because Samuel really wanted to play in his first soccer game. In all, there were 3 soccer games and 1 football game to coordinate along with the baptism, bbq, & birthday party. And Samuel's team won so that was great! Then it was time for the birthday party. Samuel and his 5 guest + 5 cousins, + 1 neighborhood

hood friend for Hyrum = one loud and yelling party. I always wonder, about the egg toss time, if I ever want to do another party again! Shawn saved the egg toss explanation and I had a chill time-out, then before I knew it, it was time to sing Happy birthday, open present and kindly send all the screaming kids home. Peace, breathe in and out! All in all, the 6th of September will be a day hardly forgotten and hardly repeatable.

I have a broken ARM!

What does the infamous skate park and track break have in common???? Well, someone is gonna get hurt and that someone just turned out to be my Samuel. And he did an awesome trick to boot! Well, I was watching the boys at the skate park, and writing my grocery list at the same time...multitasking as usual. And I saw Samuel's bike popping out of the big bowl a couple of times. I though he was just trying to see if his bike could go up the side. I wrote down a few more items and I glanced back and there was my Samuel sitting on top of his bike on top of the bowl. HOW DID YOU DO THAT? Well, he proceeded to show me again, and no that's not when he broke the arm. After several more successful pops out of the bowl, we video's it on the phone and sent it to dad. Very cool. Then about 20 minutes later, I hear, "Hey kid, are you OK?" That the sign to everyone in the skate park that something bad just went down...and that was my Samuel going down. HE basically slipped off his pedal and slid back down the bowl and put his arm and crunch. Well, it's a small buckle fracture, 3 weeks in a cast and he's good. This is my first broken arm since Dallin's round of 4 in a row. Seemed like it was that time again.