What do you like about yourself?

The first question on a get to know you game at a Relief Society dinner I went to last week. Being O.C.D. I couldn't just skip it an move on to "where do you want to go on vacation" or "what's your favorite hobby." So I sat there thinking, what do you like about yourself. I complained about the question to my friend next to me and she pops out an answer in two seconds. And I thought now that's pretty cool to know yourself so well you know what you like about yourself in two seconds and it doesn't even phase you that the question was asked in the first place. So there I am with my blank paper staring back at me thinking about my life and who I am overall. Kind of like a mini life inventory right there at the R.S. dinner. Some people put down physical features. Others put down characteristics or titles like Mom. I did come up with an answer and moved on to other questions. Quickly forgetting the quiz and moving on with life. Tonight in the temple it hit me again.

What do you like about yourself?

I thought about who I am and who I want to be and thought isn't that what the gospel of Jesus Christ is about. To improve ourselves a little bit at a time until the whole package is done and we can answer with resounding, "Everything!" Not even like but love. And wouldn't it be easier to give that love to others if we know we have it and don't have to guard it or get defensive when we are asked for it. When asked it would take two seconds to say ok I've got it and here it is. It would be. My friend who popped out the answer in two seconds started trying to help me come up with what I like about myself by naming things she's noticed about me. Isn't great that we get to do the same in the gospel. We can be there to point out things to each other that we may be to blind to or scared to admit are there. And yet, how often I forget that the person who can point all this out the most is my Father in Heaven. He is just waiting for the opportunity to let us know of His love and we don't ask as often as we should. My Mom and Dad tell me they love me every time I end a conversation on the phone with them or leave their house. Why would my Father in Heaven be any different?

To end this random post I would suggest we take that opportunity a bit more often and work on being able to answer in two seconds the question, What do you like about yourself?

Cascade Springs

One of my favorite get away for a moment spots. It's just nice to sit and listen to nature. You can hear the wind move through the trees. The water starts at the top just appearing out of the mountain, cascading down small waterfalls into a pool at the bottom. I was hopping to catch the fall colors but was a bit early. I'll probably try again in a week.

San Diego

Got sick of day to day life and took off to San Diego. It was awesome to just hang out and chill. I can now add the San Diego temple to my list of temples I've been to. Went hiking of course. Not a long one but it was the first time I'd been in the mountains in southern California.

The beach of course. And yes I looked like one of those pathetic tourists with a horrid farmers tan and really shouldn't be allowed in a swimming suit. It was worth the public embarrassment to be able to walk along the beach with my feet in the water.

We went to the Mormon Battalion visitor center and it was awesome. Highly recommend it to any one who is in San Diego.
Believe it or not went shopping. Took a lot of walks and listened to the waves a lot.

I got to have dinner with Uncle Don and Aunt Robin. It was great to see them again and catch up. I got to have my first fig outside of a newton. Also my first time having Gelato. Now that is good stuff. I forgot to take a picture though. :(
Signs of a good vacation you never want to go home.

Young Women's Girls Camp

I was the Camp Director for my ward this year. We had seven girls come this year. The MIA Shalome camp is owned by the Provo and Orem Stakes so they go to the same place every year. It has A frame cabins to sleep in which don't really keep the mice or other woodland animals out. It has a pond that the girls canoe on and hiking trails all around the camp. I didn't get to go hiking or canoing as my back was killing me from packing and unpacking the van with all the stuff. I should have delegated more of that stuff. We made tie dye t-shirts before we left for camp as our shirts this year. The girls had a great time and I loved being up there with them. Our ward was the "Ultimate Waterfront Champions of the world." They played a game where ducks, which had the values on the bottom of them, were launched into the pond and the girls had to collect a full set of the Young Women Values, of which there are eight now, and bring them back to the docks. The ward with the most sets before the time was up wins. Our girls kick it on a canoe. I even learned how to make Jewelry.

My Office

I've never had one before so bear with me.

It is located in the reception area of the floor, not that anyone visits as we are closed to the public, so people walk by my office all day. I'm pretty easily distracted so I blocked the window that looks into my office with my nature pictures that used to hang in my cubical.

I don't get to look at them but I have a better view these days.

The 4th of July

Why spend money on fireworks when you can spend it on rocket engines? Time again for our annual rocket launch. I love this activity that we do every year. The kids always like it, mainly for the slides at the play ground behind us.

Aaron fixed my launcher so that it actually works every time you hit the button instead of at random times. Nothing is more anti-climatic than a count down followed by nothing, then another count down followed by more nothing.

This year's first flight rocket was the SR-71 Blackbird. And it survived the launch, ejection charge and landing.

I also once again win the award for the closest landing to the launch pad. I launched from the pad on the left (my right hand) and it landed there.

Big Bertha survived yet another launch and remains the oldest rocket in the family. It's flight path resembles Corkscrew a little more every year though.

Diamond Fork

Typical of a Loertscher family reunion/camping trip, the Bumble broke down. Good thing was that it was only just a little way out side of the camp ground and Quinn's car was totally able to pull the Bumble and the trailer to the campsite. But to bad for Quinn he broke his tow rope doing it.

The kids had a great time together...
Playing with each other in and taking all of us down to the 'Beaver Cave'...

Playing a matching game in the trailer...

Popping bubbles...

Sitting around the camp fire...

Taking 'naps' together in the trailer..

Playing with the magnifying glasses that Grandma bought for them...












Lets go for a hike! We went on the Five Water Trail up to the "Spanish Fork" hot springs.

Where we learned why it is called Diamond Fork. Note in the next picture the Diamond Back Rattle Snake. Tyler saw another one besides this one and we also saw a Gopher Snake, at least Dad thinks it was a Gopher Snake.
My nature picture of the trip. Well I guess the one of the spring was pretty good.
I also used my charcoal chimney for the first time on this camping trip. Loved it. Not to mention that the smoke cracking on the inside is awesome.

Another one bites the dust...

Yep another roommate down. Here are some pictures from Jenn's wedding. It was way fun. Both Jenn and Randy's families are awesome and I loved hanging out with them all day. I actually caught Jennifer's bouquet which was saying something as she threw it really high from the top of a stair case so it did take some effort for me to grab.

Hot Springs

Jess was in town which means that we went on another adventure. We went to the Spanish Fork Hot Springs, Three Forks is the name of the trail and I think the springs are actually called Five Falls. Anyway, we started early so Krishna could come to, she had an appointment that afternoon. Ok so we had never been to where we were going and even though I had a GPS it was the first time I really tried to use it. Which means that we hiked, through snow at points, for about an hour before we met a hunter who told us we were on the wrong trail. In my defense I had just figured that out as the numbers on the GPS went one to far in the wrong direction and I thought about this sign we passed at the trail head. I didn't remember seeing our trail name on it. When we got back to the trail head we read the sign.

Unfortunately, because we were on the wrong trail Krishina didn't have time to go with us anymore. But this was going to be attempt number three for Jess and I to go to this place and being that close we weren't going to quit. So we started on the right trail. It was a great hike. The springs were ok. I'm a bit mad at them as I slipped while crossing them and got beat up pretty bad. Totally awesome bruise on my arm that everyone at work keeps asking about. It was strange because you could be sitting in one place and have half of you in cold water and the other in totally hot water. Grand time all around.