2021 in Review

It was another interesting year.  While life hasn't returned to normal yet (whatever that is), I'm grateful for opportunities to learn and grow and I've never been more grateful for a vaccine (actually three of them)! ;)  Highlight!  I think due in part to the loneliness and quiet of last year, as soon as I had the chance and things started to turn around, I found opportunities to get outside my house, spend time with people, and serve.  I felt inspired in April to make a few changes and have been grateful for the blessings that have come because of them.  

• I've had the chance to get to know my neighbors better as I returned to a neighborhood congregation at Church (after too many years in a variety of singles wards).  It's been a great blessing to get to know new people and to spend time with the children!  I'm inspired by their goodness and the simplicity and beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ they can learn from such a young age.  
• I have also had the wonderful opportunity of serving as an ordinance worker in the Draper Temple.  What a blessing it is to be in the temple again and serving and learning and feeling the peace of our Heavenly Father's plan and truth and power of His gospel on a regular basis!  
• I have also had the unique and enjoyable opportunity of teaching as an adjunct professor at Ensign College.  I just finished teaching an Interpersonal Communications class.  It was a lot of work, but it was wonderful!  I learned so much and am grateful for the chance to help students in their quest to become capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ.  I'm looking forward to teaching a Physical Geography class next semester. 

In addition to my full-time job, these things have filled up much of my time and I'm grateful.  It's been a blessing to be involved in meaningful work and service.  With so much that is confusing or contentious or discouraging in the world, it's nice to have things keeping me busy that I know will bring ultimate joy and peace for me and others.  I also recognize that I might need a little less busyness and stress in my life again.  It's the pendulum swing of life balance and I'm learning and working on finding that.

Here are a few other highlights from 2021:

Things I Learned

This year I've been reminded of the need to:

• come unto Christ, listen to His words, follow His Spirit, trust Him, and move forward in faith
• learn, explore, use and expand your talents, communicate, and love everyone
• be still and quiet (my pace up a hiking trail qualifies), and look for beauty and goodness
• do what you enjoy, help where you can, make sacrifices, and don't be too hard on yourself
• work hard, do your best, rest, relax, and take care of yourself

Family / Relationships
We've continued our almost weekly family Zoom calls, which has been a blessing this year!  I'm grateful for family and especially a new niece (who's darling and who I finally got to meet at Thanksgiving)!  We actually had two chances to be all together as a family this year.  We spent a week together in Sun River and Otter Rock, Oregon in July.  Highlight!  Then we were also able to get together for a few days at Thanksgiving in Highland, Utah.  I also really love my Christmas break tradition of spending time with my parents in St. George.  I'm really grateful for a loving and supportive family and chances to be together or talk to any of them any time I can.  My sister might disagree, but for me, on a stressful day, one of the best things I can do is spend some time with her kids who help put life into perspective and make me smile and laugh.

Walks and hikes with friends and family, as well as Come, Follow Me study groups via Zoom continue to be a blessing.  It was nice to get to know some people at Ensign College, particularly the students.  I was inspired by their goodness, their desire to learn, their testimonies, and their hope for the future.

Traveling
I was grateful to be back at church, the temple, and on a college campus again.  I loved getting away to Oregon and California for a couple of weeks.  And I'm still so grateful for the peace of the mountains and outdoors.  Here are some of the highlights:

• The office - Construction continues right outside my windows on Temple Square this year.  It has been fun to observe the progress, but I can't wait to see the tulips again someday!
• The mountains - I love the mountains and enjoyed time at some favorite spots and a few new ones--Willow Heights Lake, Alien Tower, Ensign Peak, Horsetail Falls, Three Falls Trail, Mount Olympus section of the Bonneville Trail, Tibble Fork, Gloria Falls, Albion Basin, Catherine Pass, Lake Mary, Dog Lake, Primrose Overlook, Snowbird Tram, Lofty Lakes Loop, Causey Reservoir, Lake Blanche, the Suspension Bridge, and the Draper trails.
• Oregon - Oregon is beautiful!  It was so much fun to explore Sun River!  What a fun little town with more bikes than cars.  It was fun to bike and hike around with the family.  Then we spent another few days on the coast at Otter Rock (driving via Sahalie Falls which was really pretty!), searching the tide pools and exploring the beaches.  It was nice to have some time to slowly drive home along the coast--Cape Kiwanda Dunes, Yachats, Heceta Lighthouse, Bandon, Gold Beach, Secret Beach, and the Samuel Boardman Scenic Area.
• California - The Redwoods are AMAZING!  This was a real highlight to see and wander through and ponder and explore these huge, awe-inspiring trees.  We went to several forests (Stout Grove, Boy Scout Tree, Fern Canyon, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Tall Trees, Avenue of the Giants, Rockefeller Grove, and the Founders Grove) and also enjoyed the sunsets and views and vineyards of Cresent City, Fort Bragg, Caspar, Mendocino Headlands, Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, the Jedediah Smith Memorial bike trail near Sacramento, and a view of Lake Tahoe and the Salt Flats while driving home.
• St. George - St. George has become the perfect place to relax and regroup between Christmas and the New Year.  I'm grateful for my parents, books, puzzles, hiking trails, and no alarm clock!

I am hoping that next year will include a little bit more traveling... hopefully a trip to Hawaii, and maybe a visit to Washington and Iceland?  We'll see.  Here's to hoping. :)

Reading
This year I loved reading and studying the Doctrine and Covenants.  It was such a blessing to be immersed in the words of God and His revelations and teachings!  These words are just as important for us as for those who wrote and lived them and preserved them for us.  I was inspired again by Joseph Smith and others who sacrificed much and had great faith in the Lord through great challenges.  They are an inspiration and I'm grateful for their important efforts to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ in this dispensation.   The blessings of the temple seemed to be an important focus of the early Saints and the Lord's teachings to them and to us.  I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple in my life and the added light and truth and peace that come from continued study.

I also read the Book of Mormon twice this year.  I love this book and how it helps me feel the Spirit and understand our Heavenly Father's constant love and His plan for His children.  

• The first time through I studied and made notes of all the invitations of the Lord to "come unto me."  Jesus Christ is constantly inviting us to come to Him.  He is there and helps and lifts and shows us the way.  What a message of comfort and peace in our day.  It's not always easy to come to Him and it requires action on our part, but it is very much an open invitation!  I think one of the most oft-repeated words in the Book of Mormon teaching us how to come to Him is repent.  The Book of Mormon is full of that invitation and it is possible because of Him.  What a hopeful and joyful reminder!  Other invitations include: pray, keep the commandments, follow the prophet, listen to His voice, believe, give thanks, remember the things He has done, forgive, rely on Him, have faith, be humble and patient and full of love, harden not our hearts, heed, feel His words, gather, see, plant, be baptized, declare truth, be obedient, endure to the end, serve God, stand steadfast, praise Him, delight in Him, choose Him, worship Him, lay aside our sins, seek Him, look forward, be meek, feast upon His love, awake, rejoice, trust, continue in diligence, ask, give, serve, wait upon Him, walk in His ways, know Him, publish peace, labor, pour out our hearts, covenant, stand as witnesses, be led by the Spirit, fast, nourish seeds with care, exercise faith, minister, look to God, take upon us His name, don’t doubt, unite strength, do good continually, fortify, cleave unto Him, turn unto Him, stop, don’t go home, return and declare His word, bury weapons of war, build on His rock, have an eye single to His glory, be one, sing praises to Him, have hope, be faithful, and be sanctified through Him.  There are just as many instances in the same scriptures of the Lord giving examples of how he's reaching out to us to show that he really means... COME!  ;)  One of my favorite verses this year was the Lord's invitation in 3 Nephi 9:14: "if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."
• The second time through I spent time studying how our Heavenly Father communicates with us (coinciding with my communications class).  It reminded me of how much He wants to communicate with us!  Heavenly Father truly wants to communicate with us.  He speaks constantly… directly to His children, inviting us to pray, introducing His Son and our Savior to minister and teach and heal, sending His Spirit to guide us, speaking to His prophets, asking them to teach and testify and record His words, sending angels, controlling the elements, sharing His gifts and power, and making and keeping promises.  We can choose to hear and heed His loving words and recognize His mercy in our lives. 

I also loved reading a number of articles about intrapersonal and interpersonal communications.  It was good to be reminded of the importance of communication in every aspect of our lives.  I learned more about perception, self-esteem, strengths, spiritual communication, listening, digital communication, emotional intelligence, nonverbal communication, relationships, communication with family, conflict resolution, and problem solving.

In addition to this study, I read 106 books. Here are some of my favorites (in no particular order, but roughly most recent read to least recent):

• Whole in Christ by Robert L. Millet
• We Cross the Bridge and It Trembled by Wendy Pearlman
• Anxiously Engaged: A Biography of M. Russell Ballard by Susan Easton Black
• Real vs. Rumor by Keith A. Erekson
• The Savior in Kirtland by Karl R. Anderson
• The Spirit of Revelation by David A. Bednar
• What the Scriptures Teach Us about Raising a Child by S. Michael Wilcox
• Beyond the Shade of the Mango Tree by Edward Dube
• A Walk in My Shoes by Ben Schilaty
• First: The Life and Faith of Emma Smith by Jennifer Reeder
• Caste: The Origins of our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson
• The Spiritual Physics of Light by Aaron D. Franklin
• Remembering Joseph by Mark L. McConkie
• Reaching for the Savior by Reyna I. Aburto
• Know Brother Joseph
• Drawing on the Powers of Heaven by Grant Von Harrison
• I Think You're Wrong, But I'm Listening by Sarah Holland
• God Will Prevail by Kery Muhlestein
• How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
• Wilford Woodruff's Witness: The Development of Temple Doctrine by Jennifer Mackley
• The Rabbit Effect by Kelly Harding
• The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel
• Leaves from My Journal by Wilford Woodruff
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• Restoration by Patrick Mason
• The Book of Lost Names by Kristen Harmel
• The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
• In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks by Richard E. Turley, Jr.
• The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
• Everything Beautiful in My Time by Jenna Bush Hager
• Legacy of Mercy #2 by Lynn Austin
• No Time Like the Future by Michael J. Fox
• I'm Still Here by Austin Brown
• Silence and Walking by Erling Kagge

Learning / Service
I'm grateful for new opportunities to learn and serve this year, and want to be more aware and intentional in focusing outward in order to help meet others' needs and give where I can. 

• Family History - During the first half of the year, when I couldn't be in the temple, I increased my indexing efforts, which was a great blessing.  I also spent time learning about and compiling some information about my ancestors, particularly learning about the first ancestors in each of my family lines who joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (all of them between 1831 in Ohio and 1883 in Switzerland).  I'm grateful for their legacy and examples and faith!  
• Temples - I have loved being back in the temple and have tried to be there as consistently as I can find an appointment available.  My weekly service as a temple worker has been a great reminder of the power and blessing of temple ordinances and covenants.
• Church - I enjoyed teaching Sunday School for the first few months of the year (all on Zoom), and then I had the chance to get to know some sweet new Relief Society sisters on the activities committee for a few months, before being called to serve in the Primary.  I haven't spent time in Primary since I was there as a kid, thirty years ago, so it's been a learning experience, but a great joy, too.  Children have a way of gladdening the heart, believing, seeing the good, and making you smile. :)
• Fitness / Nature - I walked more steps this year than last year, and explored some great new hiking trails and nature highlights, especially in the Redwoods, but otherwise I need to work on diversifying my exercise.

I'm grateful for all that I've learned this year and am looking forward to a brand new year to keep learning and growing and hopefully progressing and helping others, too.

2019 in Review

2019 was pretty great! I accomplished some goals, learned some things, grew a bit, had some fun, and also found new opportunities and direction along the way. Here are a few highlights....

Family / Relationships
I loved spending time with family this year and had quite a few chances.  

• Although I missed the spontaneous family trip to Disneyland in April, I did get to spend a weekend in Carlsbad in March with Matt's family.  
• I made a weekend trip up to Washington at the end of April to see Josh and Kirsten and the Skagit Valley tulips.  
• Many of us gathered together in Utah at the beginning of May to celebrate Grandma Morgan who passed away at the end of April.  She was and is such a blessing in my life.  I learned so much from her and will always remember her happiness, kindness, and love for everyone.  I'm glad I had so many opportunities to spend meaningful time with her in the mountains and beyond.  I miss her, but am grateful for so many happy memories together.
• The same weekend in May we celebrated Mason's baptism.  
• Cari and I (and usually Mason or any of the rest of her family that was willing) spent time hiking together in all the seasons.  Josh and Kirsten stopped by for a few days too and we went to Lake Blanche mostly together (when I could keep up).  Dad is always a willing and encouraging hiking companion when he's in town.
• Matt and Josh surprised me for my birthday and came to hike the Tetons with me and Cari and Mom and Dad.  It was a really sweet weekend.  
• I made another trip to Washington in September for Noah's baptism and Harry's blessing.  It was fun to meet the newest nephew (who is darling!!!) and spend time together in Washington (it's a great place to have two brothers). ;)  
• We all got to be together in St. George and Lehi for Thanksgiving this year.  It was really nice to all be together for a few days.  

I tried to spend a little more one-on-one time with the nieces and nephews this year.  Kayla and I went to In-N-Out to celebrate her elementary school graduation!  Kai and I had fun learning quite a few spelling words together.  Mason and I enjoyed hiking together to Lake Desolation (8 miles... he's a good little hiker!).  Hailey and I have fun doing whatever Hailey's doing.  ;)  She always makes me smile.  Noah inspired me with his football knowledge and catching.  Henri and I wrote notes together at Thanksgiving and he was my best helper with the Thanksgiving puzzle.  Charlie (or Captain America, that day) and I hiked up Rattlesnake Ridge (it was kind of a highlight to see how he'd make everyone smile).  Harry is the sweetest thing--love him!  I need to spend more time with him and am grateful for Marco Polo. ;)

I enjoyed catching up with old friends and roommates who came to town, traveling or hiking or celebrating Chinese new year with other friends, and building meaningful relationships with friends in my neighborhood that I met with regularly to study the scriptures and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I've learned and grown much at work this year and am grateful for dear friends and mentors and leaders there.  I celebrated weddings and new babies with some friends and mourned with another who lost her father suddenly.  I was grateful to be able to get together with our "Loto Taha family" in December.  Relationships truly are such a blessing and purpose of life!

Traveling 

2019 was a good year for travel!  Here are some of the adventures...

• Australia / New Zealand - This year's travel highlight was Australia and New Zealand in February. It was WONDERFUL! My friend Kat and I visited Sydney where we walked across the harbor bridge and around the harbor, including the Opera House. We took a ferry to Manly and walked around the beaches there, too. We went to church at a Tongan ward and then flew to Queenstown, New Zealand (South Island). We stayed in a great little airbnb and explored the city for a couple of days. Then we spent a couple of nights in Te Auna where we did part of the Kepler Track, and the Routeburn Track, and cruised the Milford Sound. We saw lots of sheep, waterfalls, and gorgeous landscapes. Then we flew to Melbourne where we did a temple session and drove the Great Ocean Road. We stayed in Lorne near the beginning of the road for two nights. The Twelve Apostles were quite impressive. It was a fantastic trip! I'd love to spend a lot more time in New Zealand some day.
• Carlsbad, California - I spent a nice weekend in Carlsbad while Matt's family was living there in March. It was lovely! We could walk to the beach from their house. We spent time in the tide pools, seeing the La Jolla sea lions, and walking around Torrey Pines.
• Kirkland and Snoqualmie, Washington - I made it to Washington twice this year, once at the end of April to visit Josh and Kirsten and see the tulips in Skagit Valley (BEAUTIFUL! Highlight! Must see!); and once in September for Noah's baptism and Harry's baby blessing (wonderful!).
• NORTH DAKOTA - I made it to my fiftieth state, North Dakota, over Memorial Day. It was actually very nice. My friend Melanie and I flew to Bismarck, did a temple session, looked around the state capital, and then drove to Dickinson. We walked around a little bit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and then went on to visit Devil's Tower. We attended church in Casper, Wyoming before stopping along the pioneer trail sites on the drive home--Independence Rock, Martin's Cove, 6th Crossing of the Sweetwater, and Rock Creek Hollow. These were special places I was grateful to see!
• Driggs to Jenny Lake - I celebrate my fortieth birthday hiking 23 miles from Driggs to Jenny Lake with Dad, Cari, Matt, and Josh. One of my very favorite hikes and one of the most beautiful places in the world! I've now done it four times and hope to do it again sometime in my life. Mom was a patient driver and supporter. It was a really fun day (expect for the last three miles of blisters). It was nice to spend a long weekend with my parents and siblings. I'm grateful for their support and encouragement throughout life.
• St. George - I made it to St. George twice this year, for Thanksgiving (with the whole family) and for Christmas (with Mom and Dad). It's a great place to get away to when there's time.

Reading
This year I read the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. This has been my most important reading and study this year. I've loved learning about the Savior! It has changed me. I feel like I know Him better. I want to continue to learn and focus on Him. I know He lives and loves us. I've had the chance to study with family and friends throughout the year which has helped me learn and apply even more.  

In addition to this study, I read 102 books. Here are some of my favorites (in no particular order):

• A Republic, If You Can Keep It by Neil Gorsuch
• Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Freedom in America by Luke Goodrich
• Witness for His Names by Jeffrey R. Holland
• His Holy Name by Dallin H. Oaks
• The Priesthood Power of Women by Barbara Morgan Gardner
• L. Tom Perry: An Uncommon Life, Vol. 2 by Lee Tom Perry
• The Second Mountain by David Brooks
• Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin
• From Heart to Heart by Russell M. Nelson
• The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede
• This is Where You Belong by Melody Warnick
• The Divine Center by Steven R. Covey
• Listening is An Act of Love by Dave Isay
• The Mortal Messiah, Book 4 by Bruce R, McConkie
• Crossings by Melissa Inouye
• The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
• Insights from a Prophet's Life: Russell M. Nelson by Sheri Dew
• Follow Me to Zion: Stories from the Willie Handcart Pioneers by Andrew D. Olsen
• Love Your Enemies by Arthur C. Brooks
• Daughter of Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
• The Prosperity Paradox by Clayton M. Christensen
• Learning in the Light of Faith by Henry B. Eyring
• Grace Works by Robert Millet
• Where We Belong by Lynn Austin
• Keepers of the Covenant by Lynn Austin
• Blessed by Lloyd D. Newell
• Faith is Not Blind by Bruce C. Hafen
• An Early Resurrection by Adam S. Miller
• First Principles and Ordinances by Samuel Morris Brown
• The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
• What a Friend We Have in Jesus by Chieko Okazaki
• A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner
• Handcarts to Zion by Leroy R. Hafen
• Silent Souls Weeping by Jane Clayson Johnson
• Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver
• Wishtree by Kathrine Applegate

Service / Learning / Other Exploring

• Temples - This year I attended three new temples - Melbourne Australia, Bismarck North Dakota, and Las Vegas Nevada. I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple in my life!
• Service - I was a hostess again at the Festival of Trees in December. I found a few causes to support for Christmas and want to be more involved in the community in 2020.
• Church - I have loved teaching Sunday School this year and learning about the Savior's life and teachings in the New Testament. One of the greatest blessings of my life this year has been a consistent Come, Follow Me study group.
• Fitness and Nature - I was a little more social with my fitness goals this year. For about six months of the year I was pretty consistent working out at my gym before work with a friend. I also found friends and family to take hiking quite a bit this year which was nice. I made it to Desolation Lake, the Snowbird Tram, Albion Basin, Lake Blanche, Willow Heights Lake, Driggs to Jenny Lake via Alaska Basin and Cascade Canyon, and lots of the Draper trails.

I'm grateful for another year. Life is great!

40!

I made it over the hill, 23 miles of hill, one of my favorite hills in fact.  I'm grateful for my family that helped me get there.  To be honest, thinking of turning 40 was hard for me.  My family was very sweet and helped plan something they knew I would love--hiking and being with them in one of my favorite places! ;)

With my very patient and kind mother as the driver and goodie bag party planner and best supporter, my dad and three siblings and I set out on Saturday, August 31 for an all-day hike from Driggs, Idaho to Jenny Lake, Wyoming.  This same group of five did this same hike together 15 years earlier.  It was fun to be together to do it again.  It was as great as I remembered, with just a few more blisters.  It's a beautiful walk up to the Teton Crest Trail and Alaska Basin, right past the Grand Teton, and then down Cascade Canyon into Teton National Park.

I'm grateful for thoughtful and generous parents, supportive siblings, and a kind brother-in-law and sisters-in-law who not only helped make this adventure happen, but are always so kind and supportive and loving along this whole adventure called life.  It's such a blessing to have such a fun, happy, willing, and good team helping to encourage and lift and cheer all along the way! ;)

50!!

I made it... to all 50 states in the United States of America!  I'm grateful for opportunities I've had to travel and explore and visit so many wonderful places and to live in such an incredible country!  Some of these places I saw when I was young and traveling with my parents back and forth across the country, but many of them I've seen in the last 15 years or so.  My last trip was on purpose to North Dakota... it's harder to pass through on your way somewhere.  ;)  And it was lovely!  Here are some of the highlights and my favorite things about each state (the states in bold are states I've lived in)...

• (AL) Alabama - I don't remember this family trip across the country from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982, but I did travel through. ;)
• (AK) Alaska - Anchorage, Alyeska, Seward, Denali... mountains and animals and flowers and fall in August.  I probably hiked at least 50 miles on 10 trails in a week.  STUNNING!
• (AZ) Arizona - Grand Canyon, Phoenix, Page.  I've made a few trips to and through Arizona over the years.  I think my most memorable adventure was hiking rim to rim of the Grand Canyon in 2009.  Beautiful!  I also loved my trip to Phoenix for a temple tour with Cari in 2017.
• (AR) Arkansas - I drove through the whole state across I-40 in one dry lightning storm of a night in 2012.  I should probably visit some sites off the interstate in the daylight. ;)
• (CA) California - I lived in Los Angeles for a summer as an almost one-year-old and have had many opportunities to go back... Yosemite, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, the Redwoods, Disneyland, Huntington Beach, San Diego, and Carlsbad to name a few.
• (CO) Colorado - I lived in Colorado Springs for five years (from three to eight years old).  It's where I went to kindergarten, where I was baptized, and where I spent a lot of time in the mountains with my family.  I still have a few pictures in my mind of our neighborhood, my school, and life in Colorado.  We had a view of Pike's Peak directly outside our living room window.  I've loved "America the Beautiful" ever since.
• (CT) Connecticut - I lived in Stamford, Connecticut for six months as a three-year old and I can still remember and have pictures in my head of driving through the fall leaves to get to friends' houses along the Merritt Parkway.  We picked the right six months to live in Connecticut. ;)
• (DC) - Okay, it's not official a state, but I lived there, two blocks from the Capitol, for three months, so it more than counts and is the cherry on top!  ;)  I really love Washington, D.C.!  Living within running distance of the monuments for a summer was magical!
• (DE) Delaware - I've mostly just traveled through Delaware on my way to or from other places
• (FL) Florida - This is a place I need to return to.  We passed through on our drive from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982.  
• (GA) Georgia - I visited Georgia as a little girl, but the trip I remember was in 2002 for my cousin's wedding.  We saw Stone Mountain, the Appalachian Trail, Atlanta, and Gainesville.
• (HI) Hawaii - This is home.  My growing up years from 8 to 18 were spent in Kailua on Oahu.  Paradise!  Grateful!  Yep, people do live there and we actually took FULL advantage of the beach and the mountains nearby.  "I'll never forget where I'm from." ;)
• (ID) Idaho - I've made quite a few trips through Idaho... to and from Rexburg, to and from the Tetons, to and from the PNW.  I could live and retire in Idaho... one of those mountain towns near Wyoming. ;)
• (IL) Illinois - We visited Chicago as a family on one of the hottest days of the year in 1999.  Then we went on to Carthage and Nauvoo.  It was a special trip.  I've been back to Chicago a few times since for work trips--walking around the city, attending the temple, eating pizza.  
• (IN) Indiana - My best memory of Indiana was staying with cousins in Indianapolis on my way to Washington, DC in 2010.
• (IA) Iowa - I love the Iowa cornfields.  That's what I remember about Iowa... driving for a long time... seeing the cornfields... and looking for the baseball field.  ;)
• (KS) Kansas - I remember driving across Kansas a few times, grateful the storms weren't coming our way.
• (KY) Kentucky - This is one I only saw as a kid.  I drove through with my parents in 1981.
• (LA) Louisiana - We drove through on our way from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982.
• (ME) Maine - York Beach, Maine.  We finished up a fun family trip to New York City and Boston at York Beach, Maine in 2005.
• (MD) Maryland - Kensington, Maryland was a weekly visit while I lived in D.C.  I loved being in the temple there.  One of my most memorable visits to Maryland though was visiting Fort McHenry in 1992.  I loved seeing the place where "The Star Spangled Banner" was written.
• (MA) Massachusetts - I really love Boston!  We visited when I was little and as a whole family in 2005.  I went back in 2009 and 2011 with friends.  I love the history, the Freedom Trail, Boston Common, the Charles River, Harvard, the Old North Church, Lexington and Concord.  I took the T and walked in the pouring rain to the temple in 2009.  It was a great adventure!
• (MI) Michigan - We drove through here on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.
• (MN) Minnesota - We drove through here on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.  This is on my list to return to and explore more.
• (MS) Mississippi - This was also along our drive from Connecticut to Colorado in 1982.
• (MO) Missouri - I've visited Missouri twice.  Our family visited Liberty Jail, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and Independence in 1999.  It was memorable and wonderful!  I went back again with my parents in 2012, driving from Kansas City to St. Louis.  We visited both temples, saw Truman's library, Independence, Jefferson City, the Missouri River, Columbia, and the Gateway Arch. 
• (MT) Montana - I love Montana!  Glacier National Park is one of my favorites!  We spent several days hiking around as a family in 2002.  We saw bears, drove the "Going to the Sun" road (after a great ranger talk on how it was built), and continued on to Banff and Jasper, Canada.  Beautiful!
• (NE) Nebraska - I've driven through Nebraska a number of times, but none more memorable than the drive to Lincoln in August 2010 in pouring rain.  I was grateful for the hotel hot tub that night to relax after some white knuckle driving.  I've also spent a little bit of time in Omaha and Winter Quarters.
• (NV) Nevada - I've driven through and stayed a time or two.  Family trips to and through Las Vegas in 1994 and 2015 are probably highlights, and a friend's broken down car in Primm on the way home from Disneyland is another memory.  
• (NH) New Hampshire - We stayed in Franconia, New Hampshire for a night in 2005 and hiked in the White Mountains.  It was really beautiful and steep.  Those mountains seemed rockier than the ones I'm used to out West. ;)
• (NJ) New Jersey - I've mostly just driven through New Jersey to or from New York.
• (NM) New Mexico - We visited four corners while living in Colorado and I've driven through New Mexico a few times since.  I remember driving through Albuquerque on my way back from Washington, D.C. to Utah in 2012.
• (NY) New York - I really like New York!  I love the countryside and the city... Buffalo, Palmyra, New York City, Manhattan, Central Park, the Upper West Side, the Brooklyn Bridge.  Our family trip in 2005 to the city and Palmyra were great!  I made trips back to the city in 2011, 2017, and 2018.  I visited Palmyra for the Palmyra Pageant in 2011.  I visited Buffalo and Niagara Falls in 2012.  
• (NC) North Carolina - North Carolina is a big state.  I drove across the whole state in a day in February 2012 when moving to Utah from Washington, D.C., but not before spending a wonderful Presidents' Day weekend in the Outer Banks.  Beautiful!
• (ND) North Dakota - State #50 was a fun adventure.  I flew to Bismarck with a friend, visited the temple and the state capitol building before driving on to Dickinson and then visiting part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  This is really a beautiful state and I've heard the sunflowers are incredible a little later in the year. ;)
• (OH) Ohio - I'd driven across Ohio a couple of times, but I flew to Cleveland in August 2012 to meet my parents who were traveling slowly across the country.  While my dad rode his bike, I spent the day in Kirtland with my mom.  It was wonderful!  We also saw Lake Erie and continued on to Buffalo and Niagara Falls.  This was a neat trip!
• (OK) Oklahoma - I drove across Oklahoma and I-40 in February 2012.
• (OR) Oregon - I really love Oregon.  Oregon is probably the state I've visited the most without ever living in.  It feels like another home, party because both of my brother's married girls from Oregon, so I've attended two weddings in the Portland Temple and had fun side trips each time.  We visited Bend, Eugene, Aloha.  I spent a week traveling along the whole Oregon Coast in 2008 which was beautiful!  I traveled back to Portland for work for a week in March 2011.  I love the bookstore, the rose garden, and the greenery. ;)
• (PA) Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania is really a historic and beautiful!  I've visited several times.  We visited Gettysburg as a family when I was little and again in 1992.  I returned to Gettysburg in 2009 and also visited Philadelphia.  We visited the Susquehanna River in 2005.  This is one of the most special places I've ever visited.  We spent a lot of time there (not only because we lost the car keys for a bit, but because it was so peaceful).  I spent a week in a small resort just outside of Uniontown in 2011 for work.  We visited one of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes there.  I returned to Philadelphia and the Susquehanna River and Priesthood Restoration Site in 2016 with some friends which was wonderful.  Philadelphia is full of wonderful history.  I loved visiting Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal, and the Schuylkill River.
• (RI) Rhode Island - We drove through Rhode Island in 2005 as a family.
• (SC) South Carolina - This was another home for three months as a child.  We lived in Lancaster.  I don't remember much, but my parents enjoyed the experience.
• (SD) South Dakota - We drove through here on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.
• (TN) Tennessee - Tennessee is a long state.  I drove all the way across it one night in February 2012.
• (TX) Texas - Texas is a big state.  I think I made some other trips and probably need to make more, but my most recent and memorable trip was finally stopping in Amarillo to sleep after driving all the way from North Carolina while moving across the country. ;)
• (UT) Utah - I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I lived my first two years in Provo while my dad was in graduate school and then six more years in Provo for my own college years.  I've now lived and worked in Salt Lake City for another twelve years, so that's a total of 20 years (or half my life) in Utah, through a variety of times and experiences.  I really do love Utah, the mountains, the people, the seasons, the school opportunities, the work opportunities, and it's where family is generally, so it's got my heart. ;)
• (VT) Vermont - We visited Sharon, Vermont (the birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith) as a family in 2005.  This was a beautiful and peaceful place!
• (VA) Virginia - I lived in Crystal City, Virginia for 18 months.  This is a special place.  I was still in running distance to the Washington, D.C. monuments.  Virginia and D.C. is where I learned to love to run.  I spent a lot of time on the metro and walking around the Crystal City area, along the Mount Vernon Trail, and even over to the Pentagon.
• (WA) Washington - I really love Washington!  I lived in Everett for a few months as a two-year-old, but learned to say Mukilteo. ;)  I've been back to visit many, many times and am grateful for family that lives just outside of Seattle and gets me back there often.  It's beautiful!  Some of my favorites include Olympic National Park, the San Juan Islands, Skagit Valley, Mount Rainier, the North Cascades, Pike's Market, Kerry Park, and Snoqualmie Falls.
• (WV) West Virginia - We visited Harper's Ferry in 1992.
• (WI) Wisconsin - We drove through Wisconsin on our way from Washington to Connecticut in 1982.
• (WY) Wyoming - I really love Wyoming--the Tetons, the Wind Rivers, Farson, Devil's Tower, Martin's Cove, the 6th Crossing of the Sweetwater, Rock Creek Hollow, Star Valley.  It's kind of amazing!

Explore. Dream. Discover.  There's more to see and explore, but I'm grateful for opportunities that have allowed me to see and enjoy so much of our wonderful country and look forward to seeing and learning more!

(Some day I'll have to go back and pick a favorite picture from every state, but for now here are a few I have handy on my phone from a few recent travels.)

2017 Highlights

2017 was a great year!  I worked towards some of my goals - I tried to simplify, pray, express gratitude, build relationships, learn, travel, serve, read, hike/exercise, and I think there was a little more purpose and light.  Here are a few more specifics and highlights of the year....

Traveling

• St. George - I made it to St. George twice this year - President's Day weekend and Thanksgiving.  It was nice to relax and spend time with my parents.  This year included hiking in and around Snow Canyon; biking the river trail and into Zion's National Park on Thanksgiving - really fun; putting up Christmas decorations and watching Hallmark movies (two of my favorite things); and the temple.
• Phoenix - Cari and I went on a first ever sisters' trip.  It was really fun!  We spent Easter weekend in Phoenix attending the three temples in that city (Mesa, Phoenix, and Gilbert), watching the Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant, and hiking most of Camelback Mountain.  It was a great weekend and fun new tradition (I hope)!
• Kansas City to St. Louis - I spent a long weekend meeting up with Mom and Dad on part of their cross country trip.  I got to drive across Missouri with them.  I flew into Kansas City and we attended the Kansas City Temple, visited the Independence Visitors' Center and the Harry Truman Library.  Then we got to visit Sedalia and head on to Jefferson City for a couple of nights.  We stayed near the state capitol building and explored that as well as the path along the Missouri River (which was extremely high and muddy this May) and the MKT Trail in Columbia.  We watched a few tornado clouds along the way, too, which was kind of exciting!  (We're not in Kansas anymore.)  Then we made our way to St. Louis.  We biked part of the Katy Trail in St. Charles, attended the St. Louis Temple, saw the St. Louis Arch, and walked across part of the famous Eads Bridge.  It was really fun to explore Missouri and spend time with my parents.
• San Diego, Oahu, and The Big Island - The big trip this year was to Hawaii and it was wonderful!  We met as an immediate family and spouses on the Big Island for a week.  Some of the highlights included Waipio Valley, our own private beach (with manta rays and sea urchins), Pu'uhonua O'Hanaunau, swimming/kayaking with the dolphins at Kealakekua Bay, sunset at Kahaluu Beach and Makalawena Beach, Punaluu Black Sand Beach with the turtles, Volcanoes National Park, waterfalls of Hilo, Saddle Road, the Waikaloa, Pololu Valley, Kailua-Kona town walking, and the Kona Hawaii Temple.  I left a few days early to stop in San Diego where I visited the San Diego Temple and the Mormon Battalion Historic Site and the sea lions at La Jolla.  Then I got to visit Oahu for a couple of days to do all my favorite things - sunrise at Lanikai, hike to the bunker, run the beach from the boat ramp to the rock, swim at Kalama Beach, Kailua pool, Makapuu, hike to the lighthouse, Kokohead Stairs, and friends at church in the Keolu Ward.  It was a wonderful trip!
• New York City - It was a real highlight to spend Christmas weekend with Matt and Megan and their family in New York City.  It was rainy and freezing but wonderful!  I walked nearly 50 miles while I was there from Times Square, to the Upper West Side and all the "You've Got Mail" sites, to Riverside Church and Columbia University, to Central Park (and the Columbus Circle Holiday Market), to the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Wall Street, the Freedom Tower, Washington Square Park, Soho, Greenwich, the Flatiron Building, to Bryant Park, the Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall (and the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular), the High Line, Chelsea Market, Christmas Eve Children's Nativity Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church, the Lincoln Center and to Church/the Temple.  It was fun to see the city all decorated for Christmas and to explore, but the best part was spending time with Matt's family.  Some of my favorite things - scootering around town and the Bryant Park "race track" (even in the cold and rain), learning about all the subways, finding all the best parks and bagels and books, watching and singing Star Wars, racing cars, putting together puzzles, acting out the nativity, eating chocolate and all of Megan's delicious dishes, praying, playing, and just talking and being together. :)

Reading
I read 90 books this year, plus the Book of Mormon twice.  The first time through I studied about love and charity - and it's FULL of love!  ;)  The second time through I studied about Jesus Christ, his names/titles, his words, his characteristics, and his mission - I learned a lot about our Heavenly Father, as well, and our Savior's mission and love.  Truly the Book of Mormon is a testament of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation, our purpose here on earth.  I'm grateful for it and know it's the word of God.  This was a wonderful experience and I hope to continue this focus as I read the Old Testament next year!  I also read much of the Doctrine and Covenants, and about 1,100 General Conference talks (from 1983 to 2001).  I'm grateful for chances to learn and study.  

Here were some of my favorites books of 2017: 

• Seek This Jesus by Neill F. Marriott
• That We May Be One: A Gay Mormon's Perspective on Faith & Family by Tom Christofferson
• One by One by David A. Bednar
• Be Thou An Example by Gordon B. Hinckley
• Changed Through His Grace by Brad Wilcox
• Worth the Wrestle by Sheri Dew
• Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt by Patrick Q. Mason
• Love Kindness: Discover the Power of a Forgotten Christian Virtue by Barry H. Corey
• Let God Love You: why we don't, how we can by Wendy Ulrich
• Loveable: Embracing What Is Truest About You, So You Can Truly Embrace Your Life by Kelly Flanagan
• Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist
• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
• Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson by Gordon S. Wood
• Joseph Smith: The Prophet and Seer by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel
• How We Got the Book of Mormon by Richard E. Turley, Jr.
• The Inevitable Apostasy and the Promised Restoration by Tad R. Callister
• The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-Day Saint Women's History by Jill Mulvay Derr
• At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women by Jennifer Reeder
• The Witness of Women: Firsthand Experiences and Testimonies from the Restoration by Janiece Johnson
• QB: My Life Behind the Spiral by Steve Young
• An Unseen Angel: A Mother's Story of Faith, Hope and Healing after Sandy Hook by Alissa Parker
• Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry
• Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
• The Girl With Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story by Hyeonseo Lee
• A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming
• The Lightless Sky: A Twelve-Year-Old Refugee's Harrowing Escape from Afghanistan and His Extraordinary Journey Across Half the World by Gulwali Passarlay
• The Boy Who Spoke to the Earth by Chris Burkard

Service / Learning / Other Exploring

• Temples - This year (in addition to the weekly temple visits here in the Salt Lake valley) I attended six new temples - Mesa Arizona, Phoenix Arizona, Gilbert Arizona, Kansas City Missouri, St. Louis Missouri, and San Diego California.  I'm grateful for the blessings of the temple in my life!
• Service - I finished my weekly teaching at the ESLC in May, but have filled in as a sub a few times and still enjoy being a part of the community and learning with the sweet refugees.  I also helped at a Mother's Day event for homeless women in May, and was a hostess again at the Festival of Trees in November.  I also started to develop a giving strategy, setting aside some money that I'd like to give each year to worthy causes to help make a difference for good in the world and community.
• Church - I was involved in my ward this year and got to know a lot of people, mostly through visiting teaching and missionary outreach - we had two baptism this year.  I also enjoyed our ward choir and a chance to sing in an interfaith concert in April.
• Fitness and Nature - I ran the American Fork Half Marathon in June (my new favorite half - I might have to do it again).  I also spent a good amount of time hiking and in nature - my happy place!  I tried to bring along friends and family a few more times this year, which was fun.  Some of the highlights include Lake Blanche, Red Pine Lake, White Pine Lake, the Snowbird Tram, Willow Heights Lake, Dog Lake, Cecret Lake, Albion Basin, Lakes Mary, Martha, and Catherine, Bell Canyon, The Living Room, and lots of other adventures in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons and the Draper trails.  I'm grateful for our Heavenly Father's beautiful creations and how being out in them helps me feel close to Him!  
• Relationships - This year I tried to focus more on individual relationships with family, friends, and everyone around me.  I don't know that I made it to my goal of 365 thank you notes, but I was more conscious of goodness and blessings around me and tried to express that any chance I got to friends and strangers.
• Other Events - I finished up as our BYU MPA class rep this year, but not before I had the chance to help out with some presentation reviews for the EMPA graduating class, and attend our yearly board meeting.  I also attended our yearly picnic and an Education Week fireside which was nice.  The best MPA related news this year though, was a Loto Taha reunion - it was so fun to spend time with my first team of great friends!  A couple of other fun events - I don't see many movies, but this year I did really enjoy La La Land (by myself on Valentine's Day - kind of great!) and Wonder.  I also loved seeing the Nutcracker, hearing the Christmas concert at the Cathedral of Madeline, and taking a tour of the Provo MTC's new addition - brought back so many sweet memories!  

Life is great!

Dance!

Everyone should have the opportunity to attend a dance recital for children ages 3-9.  So cute!  There is something so sweet to learn by watching these cute and talented and courageous and open and vulnerable kids.  I was struck by the humility, the confidence, the fun, the desire they had to learn and to be themselves.  Wouldn't it be great if we could all hold on to that throughout our lives and never lose that desire to learn, and try new things, and perform.  I hope you dance!  :)

2014 in Review

It's been a pretty great year!  I'm grateful for the adventures, opportunities, blessings, and lessons learned in 2014.  It wasn't a perfect year.  I have much to improve and learn and change, but based on the goals I set for myself I'm happy about my progress.  Here are some of the highlights:

Study:  I'm still working on the best way to organize a gospel studying journal (probably electronically), but I have enjoyed reading the Book of Mormon, learning from Joseph Fielding Smith and the Gospel Principles manuals, with some study of the Old Testament, and various topics as the need and interest and inspiration has come.  I also decided to start studying all of the General Conference talks since I was born.  I'm trying to keep a list of favorite talks and quotes and hope that will grow into more organization and inspiration in 2015.

On a somewhat related note...Reading:  This hasn't been on my list of goals the last several years because it's not a problem - I love to read and might spend too much time reading.  :)  I read 60 books this year.  See my Goodreads profile for all of book reviews and ratings, but some of my favorites this year were:

• Little Princes:  One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan
• Leaving Microsoft to Change the World:  An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children by John Wood
• An Invisible Thread:  The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, A Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny by Laura Schroff
• Covenant Hearts:  Marriage and the Joy of Human Love by Bruce C. Hafen
• Strengthening Our Families:  An In-Depth Look at the Proclamation on the Family by David C. Dollahite
• 52 Life-Changing Questions from the Book of Mormon by Brad Wilcox and John Hilton III
• The Continuous Conversion:  God Isn't Just Proving Us, He's Improving Us by Brad Wilcox
• Becoming His:  A Daily Journey Towards Discipleship by Emily Freeman
• Let It Go:  A True Story of Tragedy and Forgiveness by Chris Williams
• Heaven is Here:  An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy by Stephanie Nielson
• Focused:  Staying on Track, One Choice at a Time by Noelle Pikus-Pace
• Divine Signatures:  The Confirming Hand of God by Gerald N. Lund
• On Earth As It Is In Heaven by Jeffrey R. Holland and Patricia T. Holland 
• Not My Will, but Thine by Neal A. Maxwell
• I Will Lead You Along:  The Life of Henry B. Eyring by Robert I. Eaton and Henry J. Eyring
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Teaching the Gospel:  I LOVE my calling as a ward missionary.  I need to do it much better, in fact I don't know that I've done very well, but it is something that's on my mind a lot and I am grateful for the opportunity it gives me to spend time with the sister missionaries, know the investigators and reach out to those who need a friend.  I think it's kind of what the gospel is all about.  I did love the opportunity to be a part of two really wonderful baptisms this year - a golden girl in our ward and my sweet niece.  I'd say that's a pretty good year and I want to do better next year.  :)

Service:  So, I still haven't found a consistent place to volunteer in the community, but I have been involved and am grateful for those chances.  Some of my favorites this year - learning about the candidates and serving as a delegate at the Salt Lake County Convention on April 12, ushering at the Lamb of God during Easter, helping grandmothers, attending the temple, serving at a community Thanksgiving dinner in St. George, making donations to several organizations and a local Sub for Santa effort, and hostessing at the Festival of Trees.  I want to do better next year.

Sleep:  I need to sleep more.  I didn't do great with my goal of an 11:00 pm bed time this year, but at least it was rarely past midnight.  I want to be more consistently early to bed, early to rise next year.  :)

Running:  I feel great about my running this year.  I ran my second marathon, the Utah Valley Marathon on June 14, down Provo Canyon finishing right next to the under-construction Provo City Center Temple.  Two weeks later I participated in my first team relay that I really quite enjoyed - the Wasatch Back on June 27, 28.  Avon Pass was a bit muddy this year and I didn't know my teammates ahead of time, but we had a great time.  It was beautiful and I think I kind of like relays - it's a fun way to see beautiful places, get to know people, and exercise.  :)  I'm inspired to do more next year.

Music:  I feel like music was an important part of my life this year, although I didn't find a consistent group to sing with.  I appreciated music :) from performances of the Lamb of God, the Utah Symphony, the Tabernacle Choir, and lots of Pandora, particularly at Christmas.  I sang with our ward choir and the Priesthood Department choir a few times this year, all of which were very meaningful.  I signed up to sing with a group that was cancelled - hopefully that will be something I can be a part this Easter.  I am grateful for music.  It truly blesses and enriches and inspires my life.

Language:  I took a Spanish class.  It was great and quite fun!  I had lots of people willing to help me practice.  I really do need to learn Spanish and my goal next year needs to be to learn, not just take a class.  :)  The basics were very helpful though and made me more excited to try.  Apparently other languages besides Asian languages can be fun, too.  :)

Travel:  Travel is always a highlight of life!  This year I had several really great trips:
* Portland for Josh and Kirsten's wedding on May 2 with a weekend stopover in Snoqualmie and Seattle - HIGHLIGHT!
* Washington DC for Sarah and Brian's wedding on May 24 with a Memorial Day run around all of the monuments.  I love DC!  It was fun to be back.
* Alaska in August was AMAZING!
* St. George is growing on me.  I kind of like it.  I made three trips there this year - Pioneer Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I'm glad for the time it gives me to drive and think and enjoy the open space.  I love the hiking in Zion (good thing I got there on Christmas Eve!).

Relationships:  I feel good about my progress in building relationships this year.  I love living close to family and feel like those relationships have been sweeter the last couple of years - with parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces and nephews.  I had a couple of fun sleepovers with the niece and nephews and was a part of many large and small family gatherings that are a blessing in my life.  I am grateful for good friends that I keep in touch with from previous life experiences and good opportunities I've had to make new friends at work, and at church, and in the community this year.  I'm learning who I am, gaining more confidence, and learning how to love others better.  I am reminded that life is all about the relationships and how we treat and love and serve each other.  I want to do better.

A few other highlights that don't fit into these categories....time together reflecting on grandpa Morgan's life, a new nephew, some nice runs and walks around City Creek Canyon, lots of beautiful fall leaves, a baby luau, all of the family together for a week in October, hiking Timp, lots of Christmas lights at Temple Square, a job that I love, and lots of pictures.  I'm grateful for the blessings and opportunities life brings and look forward to 2015.... :)