Pre-Evac Week for Pole Creek

Just saying that there are a billion new posts below. I realize there are very few readers for this blog anymore but I like it for its record keeping so enjoy if you're still here. 

When we got back from Colorado there was a lot of chatter about the fires coming closer but nothing that was making any of the canyon veterans worry so we were not too worried. Sunday night, though, the fire jumped Hwy 6 and they put us on pre-evac and my heart pounded out of my chest!

It was truly a rush packing our house that night; having weird debates in my head whether this was stupid and premature and overreacting or serious and too slow; getting so caught up in the sorting of things that I would forget I wasn't just dejunking but that there were hungry flames headed my way; wondering whether insurance (did we even have any? Yes, we found out we did, but oh my) would cover this or that and whether it would be worth it to re-buy it after a fire if it didn't; stopping to think what my neighbors were doing and if they needed help; going out to check on Billy's progress in the garage and hearing everyone a-bustle at 2am; being grateful there's only 4 of us and we've only lived 30 years so we don't actually have that much stuff worth saving (even though we have an excessive amount of stuff in our lives); pushing back thoughts about a black hillside and a pile of ashes to show for my trail and my brand new kitchen (dramatic, yes, but these thoughts do come!); happily discovering that in an emergency my spotty cell service, booster internet and landline were plenty sufficient to keep me updated; falling asleep wondering if we'd be woken up to an evacuation call. 

Well, we weren't and truthfully the pre-evac probably came only because we were attached to the road that eventually led to the fire and because that road would be the only way out for 300 families if we did get evacuated but it resulted in a very weird week of half living in my house/out of a suitcase, half living out of my car and all the time living on the internet looking for updates and praying for a safe canyon. 

I climbed my trail that first morning because wouldn't you? 

And we just kept packed and waited...and waited...and waited...and nothing happened. So we decided to live a normal week, as normal as we could. 

Some days were better than others and I would know that there was no real danger but sometimes those smoke clouds would look awfully close!

On Saturday I hiked/ran Powerhouse mountain with Kim and Jared to try and glimpse the flames but it was too smoky. Eerily smoky...

And then when we went back to our house there were firefighters everywhere, in our yard seeing where they could set up sprinkler lines and whacking out brush and cutting down trees. That made it seem a little closer, especially since by then I had pretty much assumed we were out of danger. 

We and a lot of our ward friends posted signs up and down the canyon road for the firefighters. They were so nice and I wish I had asked them to take a picture with Truman cus he thought they were cool. 

Our stake president asked us to fast on Sunday and it was so cool. We all fasted and then we broke our fast and went to sit on the coach and then it started raining!!! Our prayers and fastings were truly answered and that was a big confidence booster for even my most worried neighbors. 

And as of 6 minutes ago, we are officially off pre-evac. Haha the fire is still active but they have 140 miles of it contained and our line hasn't moved for several days so I guess they think we are safe! Phew! What a weird experience!

And it is good fall time with harvest in Meemaw's garden (my is already frozen dead) and beautiful leaves and good fall running. 

Even though a lot of beautiful, nostalgic, favorite places are crisped I am very grateful the most beautiful, nostalgic, favorite place of my canyon home is not! The firefighters are truly champions. 

Barr Camp!

Billy had a transition between jobs that left him with a free weekend so we took off to celebrate all birthdays and anniversaries and holidays by going to Colorado and camping at Barr Camp!! I was strangely unenthusiastic about the idea at first because I was mentally unprepared and also because as we were driving away there were plumes of menacing smoke clouds closing in on our canyon. But after Billy looked up the fires for me while I drove and assured me that even if our house was toast it wouldn't be until we got back in two days and if sooner at least we weren't in it, we had a grand time. 

We drove Thursday night and got to Mueller State Park around midnight and fortunately found a campsite. We were going to sleep in the back of the car but when we saw the stars and also how not big the back of our car is we set up the tent and i'm so glad we did. it was so fun. 

We had the genius idea of putting Burton in his snowsuit instead of trying to get him to stay in a sleeping bag or under a blanket all night. it worked great!

And he was so funny in the morning toddling around in summer mountains in a snowsuit haha

Oh, Colorado was so bliss and nice. I just love that place and those mountains. 

The boys were so funny all the time and especially in the morning eating their muffins haha.

We had a goal to get to the Barr Trail trailhead by 9 becuase we had to make the 7 mile trek before 6 and we figured it would probably take us all day. we got there by 930 and started what was truly a very hard hike. When Truman was walking Billy was carrying Burton and when Truman got tired Billy was carrying a 60 pound pack, at our best estimate. Up the Ws!! He's a champ! And I thought carrying Burton was hard!

It was also weird cus we had our sleeping bags strapped to our baby packs...which are not made to carry stuff, just babies. 

But it worked out and it was pure bliss to be on Pikes Peak again! I haven't done this trail since...2014? Not past the first three miles, anyway. 

I always take a picture by this spot in the trail but this one was especially good cus it caught Truman getting hurt in the background haha poor kid 

Played at No Name Creek for awhile and the water there also saved us

It was a hard hike but we made it!!! We even arrived at 4 so our plan worked out perfectly. It was just lovely being in the mountains. 

Hanging out in the lean-to

Relaxing after a hard hike...kinda relaxing. It was far enough off the ground that i was worried the whole time that the boys would fall out

They fed us some delicious but spicy spaghetti and then we left the good ol' normal people in the cabin to sleep in the farthest away lean-to

We survived the night! BUrton had one bad outburst around 1130 then a little one an hour or so later so i was worried he would be doing that all night so i just wrapped my arm around that little snowsuite bundle and did not move for the next 6 hours. Meanwhile, Truman decided to snuggle his whole body right up to my head. It was a rigid night of sleep, to say the least. But also, such bliss. Colorado is so much quieter than Hobble Creek--no crickets! Weird but beautiful. 

The morning was beautiful and they fed us delicious pancakes and hot chocolate. 

Then we made the trek down, which was considerably easier than the trek up and so beautiful. Did I already mention that? 

Of course I had to take a million pictures of Pikes Peak that just don't do it justice but it's just the best!

We had lunch at Mickey D's which is so funny these days cus the boys play in the playplace and that's always funny but also I was laughing cus we got the boys ice cream cones and they were so characteristic in their consumption: Truman was careful and slow and Burton immediately shoved the whole thing in his mouth and got it all over his face haha

It ended up being such a good trip so I'm glad we took it. The drive home was, of course, a highlight even though it ended eerily and frightening as we watched the mountains above payson burn. Actual flames! But Colorado was the best. 

September - Misc & Spanish Fork Peak

On Labor Day Billy had a day off and we went running up Spanish Fork Peak. I'm especially glad we did now since half the views from that peak are toast and at the time I was already especially glad because we had such fun. 

Also, it was the first mountain we've summited together in a looong time

There was some good gathering at M&D for Ram's bday

including a weird rendition of GK that ended up with CJ getting hair ripped out by painter's tape after a strange couples challenge where she and I did something random out of Dad's brain...

Oh... I guess more SF pics...

all toast now. :( 

I canned SO MUCH FRUIT. I estimated probably 80+ cans of peaches, pears and pickles. OH MY GOSH. It was cray. 

And somehow in the midst I exploded two jars! Probably cus i put them in the water when it was too hot and they were too cold, but weird. 

We had a dumb kitten come sneak under our deck and meow and meow and meow endlessly for days until we finally managed to shnike him into a kennel. I took him to the animal shelter but geez for a few days it was a fight against that dumb cat. 

Just noticed how beautiful and quaint my house is and how much I love it. I am so glad it did not get crisped!

Truman started his letter group and it has been a smashing success with the kids so far. I did the letter A and we made apple stamps. I did not know Truman was so into crafting because he has never really done them before but he really loved it. 

And Billy has been still creating beautiful landscapes. I feel like I might have already put some of these up, but anyway. Here again. 

It is fall and pretty much already winter...pros and cons I guess. The leaves are proving to be better than I thought they would be so that is beautiful and soon Billy will take a little break but I am definitely already hating the cold, cold mornings.