Actually, I can.

I sang with Preslie in sacrament meeting on Sunday.

Whew. It was terrifying! Back in June, when I got asked to sing with my daughter in church, I actually felt sick. It scared me a lot. I almost backed out. But I wanted to do it just because I was scared to do it. I wanted to prove to myself I could. I wanted to show my kids that I can do hard and scary things. The only thing holding me back is me. The morning of, my armpits sweated gallons. We did pretty good! I'm not a singer in the performing kind of way. I would have rather given a 20 minute talk or played the piano and those things still would have made me nervous. People don't know that I am actually a scaredy cat when it comes to a lot of things. I was really shy when I was young. I didn't go on a roller coaster until I was a teenager. I didn't try water skiing until I was in my 20s. Well, I'm quite friendly and I love roller coasters. Lakes still freak me out, mostly because they're cold and murky, but I always have fun when I go!

A lot of my kids have inherited my anxiety about the new and unfamiliar. But they, too have overcome a lot of their fears and I'm so happy! I payed Mack $20 this summer to cliff jump at the lake. That's a bit extreme, I know, but I wanted him to do it so he would see how fun it was and not be scared. I don't want my kids to hold themselves back from having great experiences!

This past weekend, we vacationed in Logan, Utah. We visited Willow Park Zoo, saw the Clarkston Martin Harris Pageant, hiked Tony Grove in Logan Canyon, and played at Logan Aquatic Center.

We ate a picnic lunch at Tony Grove and then began our hike. It was hot outside and a mile into it, morale was low. Quinn had fallen twice, and the rest of the kids were already "tired". I tried to stay positive and told them how fun and pretty this is, etc. I carried Quinn piggy-back some of the way. The hike to White Pine Lake was 3.8 miles, one way. We got to where the trail starts going down hill (dropping down to the lake) and Dax stayed with Quinn and Hunter and set up a hammock and chilled out while I took Preslie and Mack the rest of the way to the lake. It was another 2 miles to get there. Mack had been the most grumpy up to this point so it surprised me that he decided to push forward (I should never be surprised with this kid; he always does the opposite of what I expect). The trail dropped steeper and I carried Mack some of the way because he started to get an ingrown toenail. We got to White Pine Lake and it was glorious! Mack and Preslie got in the water, of course.

Way too cold for me! It's a mountain lake made up of melted snow, for crying out loud. We started back toward the rest of the gang and Mack was singing and having a great time, then the steep uphill hit, and his mood took a dive. We made it back to Dax and the others and started hiking the rest of the way back. Mack and I ended up running the better part of the way back to the car. The way back was so much quicker and more pleasant! A good attitude makes all the difference; something I was sure to point out to him. Mack and I sat in the car to wait for the others and the first thing he said was, "This was the best day ever." This from the kid who at one point laid down on the trail and said he wasn't going any farther. It was a great experience. Even though we ran out of water, Quinn fell down a dozen times, the kids were hot and tired, and they all thought the hike sucked at one time or another.. at the end, everyone said it was worth it.

The kids loved the Logan Aquatic Center: water slides and a high dive plus the "umbrella of doom". Can't beat a day at a water park. We headed home tired and happy.

Last weekend, I took my kids to my parents' house for my Dad's 70th birthday. My Mom and all my siblings pitched in and got him a nice spotting scope for his hunting rifle. His old scope was 40 years old and needed replaced. I'm excited for him to have a new one! This was a hard birthday for Dad because that week, his brother (my Uncle Norman) died at age 77. It hit a little too close to home for my Dad. He told me that time was slipping away too quickly. He lost his brother and his best friend. I went to the viewing with my parents and had a nice visit with my Aunt Jane. I just love her. She is one of those people that makes you feel like the most important person in the world. She and I sat in the same chair and held hands and visited about Uncle Norman and all the good times. I told her that Mack had been praying for him and her ever since we visited them back in February. She is not a religious gal, but she said that those prayers have helped her. She told me that the night before Norman died, she prayed that he wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Her sweet, unselfish prayer was answered. I can't imagine the hurt of losing my sweetheart. She and Norman have been married for 58 years.

That weekend, I had an interesting confrontation with my brother Matt and his girlfriend. I felt like I needed to stand up to him and I'm not sure why. This is another thing the old, scaredy-cat Tristie would never have done. I love my brother and I want what is best for him and his son and I think he knows that.

Preslie and Hunter got braces on Monday. It has been an adjustment with the tender teeth, thrashed up mouths, and extra long brushing and flossing.

Preslie went to Lagoon with a friend this week and we're all jealous that she got to ride Cannibal. We hit the pool twice this week. It closes for good next weekend. A new pool/rec center is being built and our beloved old pool will become its parking lot.

Quinn graduated from Upstart, her online preschool. She also decided to get brave at the pool and dunk herself under the water, something she's been terrified to do. I love it when my kids decide that they CAN do something. It's frustrating to wait for them to come around, but when they do, it's so cool!

My second grade teacher always told our class that "can't" isn't a word. She said "can't" means, "I don't want to" or "I won't". I believe her. I can do anything I want to do. I choose to do those things that are truly important, even if they are hard or scary.