Hope you're not afraid of heights!!!

I happen to have a fear of heights. However, some friends invited us to hike up to the peak of Mount Timpanogos, the second highest mountain range in Utah (Mount Nebo is the first.) Although it is more than 2 miles (11749 feet) above sea level (probably only a mile up from the Utah valley below), my friend assured me that it was more hiking trails and not really "climbing".

So I agreed to go. The first part was relatively easy and there were several pretty waterfalls.
Half way up this is looking down at where we had come from. At this point you can't even see where we started from, but it was even lower than what you see in the picture.
And this was still looking up to how much farther we had to go! The peak is probably right in the middle of this picture.

It stayed pretty easy with only a few really scary parts until right about when before we hit the saddle. (At the saddle you are at the top of the mountain range, and can look down both sides.) You could no longer walk and literally had to climb up the rocks with only a small valley below to catch you. I was SOOOOOO shaken, I only made it to the top of the saddle and sat down almost in tears. Although I was all smiles in the picture, I just sat on the saddle in that same position not moving for the next hour or so.

Here we are sitting on the saddle and in the background you can see Utah valley and Utah lake. (We actually climbed up the other side of the mountain from what you are seeing.)

I tried to do a 360 degree panaromic from the top! This is looking at Lehi and Lindon.
You can see how big Utah Lake is.
This is the saddle we were hanging out on. It was still another mile hike up to the very top.

The peak in this picture is the top of Timpanogos as we sit on the saddle. Then is looking down the other side....Heber is off in the distance.

I was soooo chicken, I just sat there on the saddle and decided I didn't want to hike the last mile to the peak. It was a spectacular view, but everytime I saw someone go close to the edge or heard the sliding of boots across the rock, I started to fear that I would be in therapy for the rest of my life if someone fell off.

Steven and two of the guys in our group continued on to the peak. This is a picture Steven took looking down from the peak at from where we had climbed up. He said you could even see the Great Salt Lake. From this picture you can only see a little lake and valley and then beyond that in the distance, way down there is where the trailhead began.

In this picture, you can actually see all the hikers traveling from the saddle up to the peak. (Look closely at all the little dots on the trail.) I think more than 450 hikers had already made it to the top by noon. (Obviously there are a lot of daring people out there who are not afraid of heights. There was even a 7 year old who was celebrating his birthday at the top! Of course, there was also someone who threw up at the top! ) It was a 14 mile hike in all, (12 for me) and took from 7am to 5pm! Luckily my mom and sister were kind enough to watch our kids all day. It was an amazing adventure and not so scary at least when you're just looking at the pictures...

Congratulations Jessica and Blake!

Steven's niece Jessica married Blake in the LDS Los Angeles Temple on 8.8.08 . The man who married them talked about how in some cultures, the number 8 is believed to be lucky. He then showed how an 8 turned on its side is actually the symbol for infinity to describe how we believe that when we are married in the temple it is for all eternity. It was really special to be in the temple with family to celebrate Jessica and Blake's special day.

All of Jessica's little cousins were in the wedding party including Andrea, Michaela and Steen. The girls loved their new dresses and had so much fun going to California and visiting Grandma and Grandpa and their cousins.

Here is cousin Brittney with the girls.

Luckily Steen actually posed in the pictures.

Grandma with the girls.

We're so happy for Jessica and Blake!
Jessica and Blake got married 9 years and 1 day after we did in the very same temple. Look at how our family has grown since!

It was a wonderful occasion to get together as a family and celebrate the start of their new family. This is Steven's family with all 6 of his siblings and parents.