Battle Creek Trail Hike, 5/19

Battle Creek Trail is a fun hike; we really enjoyed it!  I think it's about 1/2 mile each way, and the pathway is really wide.  Essentially you follow the river up to the falls.  It's a really pretty falls.  Dogs are welcome on this hike, and we saw a few.  It was great for our kids!  At the same parking spot, there is an entrance to part of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.  We wandered on that a bit after the initial hike...it was fun, but hiking up to the falls was definitely the highlight! Go HERE to get directions.

Loved all the butterflies!

Rocky Mouth Trail 4/28

This fun little hike in Sandy was one we did twice...the first time was just Clay and the kids.  They enjoyed it enough to invite me along the second time.
The trailhead is located at 11300 South Wasatch Blvd.  It's a quick, 1/2 mile or so hike.  You park at the trailhead and then go up into a neighborhood to the actual beginning of the hike trail.

Beginning of the trail

2012 Summer Hikes

One of our "goals" for the family this summer is to do a lot of hiking.  I'd personally like to shoot for at least one a week, but of course there will be things that come up, plans that will change, etc, so I'm not specifying exactly how many hikes we're trying for.  Let's just say we want it to be a regular thing.

I've had some friends ask about good hikes, and frankly, I don't think I'm the best at determining that type of thing, but I'm going to make my best effort to show each of the hikes we do go on, share some of our experience with the said hikes, and give location info, etc...mostly so we'll have the memories, but hey, maybe it'll be helpful info too.

We've done a few hikes already, as we've been antsy to get outdoors with the nice weather.  Some hikes we've enjoyed enough to already do twice.  We're hoping to find more kid-friendly hikes that aren't too far up the canyons since it's still cold up there....so if you have any suggestions, we'd love them!

More to come...

Lucky Mom!

Yesterday was THE BEST day.

In years past, all I've wanted for Mother's Day was to take a nap.  Yesterday I did not want a nap, and I am so glad I didn't waste my day away sleeping.  Instead, I celebrated with those who made my dreams of becoming a mother come true.

Call me a sinner, but I didn't go to church yesterday.  Last year on Mother's Day, I was at church and Buddy Boy was having a tough time.  Not too bad, but he was a little ornery.  Some young men at the front of the church were also being kinda wiggly, and I thought it was funny to see.  The couple sitting directly behind my family also noticed the disruptive teenagers and the husband made a comment about it.  His wife replied, "well, at least they're not as bad as Buddy."  OUT LOUD!!!  FOR ME TO HEAR.  They compared my  then 4-year old son WITH AUTISM to the neuro-typical 16 YEAR OLDS, and insulted him.  I left church that day early with my boy and in tears.  I decided that this year I wanted to celebrate my kids, and not allow anyone to belittle them or me....

And so I took the kids on a hike instead.  It was fantastic!  We went up a little canyon that a friend took us to last week, and it was so much fun.  The post below with the two videos is of the wildlife that came to see us while we were there.  I didn't help the kids with much, if any, of the hike, and so Buddy Boy in particular had to work at it.  Munchkin was her usual in-shape, energetic self, and was proud to lead us up and down the trail.  The pride those kids felt after accomplishing the hike was so fun to see.

We were chock-full of endorphins afterwards, so we blasted some tunes on the drive home.  We enjoyed it so much that we decided to continue the music at home and we jammed and danced for an hour...which  ROCKED! (I have a video, but it's not exactly flattering of me, so I might spare you that one)

Later, we went to a local playground and had a good time running, rolling down hills, and the like.  I was exhausted by the end of the day, but oh, so happy!  I'm gonna plan a full day with the kids every Mother's Day from now on.  No more naps for me:)

Ducks at Bells Canyon

Autism Perspective Evolved

Evelyn here.

It's been almost two years ago since we were blessed with the company of the filming crew from the United States of Autism documentary.  As I read the updates on production, I can't help but go back to that day, to go over what I said and/or didn't say, and to worry that perhaps I didn't show myself and my family in the best light.

Although, I suppose a documentary isn't about giving people their best side, it's about showing people the whole picture, right?

Anyway, there is one moment that comes back to haunt me. Partially because I worry what other will think when they see the film, but mostly because my opinion on something very particular has....evolved, if you will.

I'm not going to go into details about anything I did or said the day of filming, but I will share with you an opinion I had back then...I am a Mormon, and as such, I believe in the Resurrection.  I believe that one day our bodies and spirits, if separated, will be reunited and that our bodies will be perfected.

My opinion two years ago was that one day my sweet little Buddy Boy would be resurrected, and that he would, too, be perfected, and that thought brought me hope.

I'm horrified that I ever looked at it that way, and I beg my son's forgiveness now.

Who am I to say that HE is the one in need of "perfection", in need of fixing?  What in the world possessed me to believe that hope couldn't possibly come UNTIL that day?

As I watch my son struggle with every day things, things that you and I think are so completely simple, I am amazed.  I am amazed at his dedication to work, work, and work some more to do the things that we as a society consider "appropriate", or "normal".  I am humbled by his effort to please me and make me proud.  I am touched by his moments of success and achievement.

I realize that my son is so PERFECTLY....HIM.  He's just who he is supposed to be, and he's so uniquely...HIMSELF!  People say to me all the time, "I believe God sent Buddy Boy to you because you are strong, capable, and an individual who can love and support him in his challenges."  How wrong they are.  I realize that he wasn't sent to me because I'm an incredible mom and he needs someone like me to love him.  Perhaps he was sent to me because HE is such an incredible son and I am the one who needs someone like HIM to love ME.  To teach ME.  Perhaps it is me who will be forever changed and "fixed" on that great day.  Perhaps perfection is simply more of an awakening, of a more open love and acceptance of all those around us, whether they "fit in" or not.  We all know that Christ certainly never fit in, and it didn't make Him any less perfect...


I'm not going to pretend; I still think autism SUCKS!  I still hate seeing the frustration and overload that is experienced on a regular basis.  I hate having to change diapers more than 5 years after giving birth to my youngest.  Maybe this is a perfect example of how much more acceptance I need; who knows?  In the meantime, I will enjoy being able to love, support, and appreciate my son more fully now, as he is...in all his wonderful, Buddy Boy Glory.