Dudley's Do Hard Things

You can do it. Yes it's hard, but it's not impossible. Be Brave and power through. Work hard and don't give up. Don't tell yourself you can't before you even start!! How do you know you can't unless you try? Don't doubt yourself. Give it your all.

These are phrases that have been used frequently this last month as our family has taken on new adventures, new hobbies and new schools.

Let's start with our Sage. We all love Sage. She is intelligent, social, kind, and knows her own mind. Our Sage decided to take on a lot this year. Over the Summer she started Cross Country. "But Sage, you have Asthma and bad knees! Are you sure you want to start running long distances?" A resounding yes was declared to all those who love her.

The first month was rough. Her knees were killing her. Her asthma was triggered, she was the slowest on the team. Sage was wondering if it was worth it. She decided to not give up and keep on going. We bought her special knee braces and treated her allergies more aggressively. Now her knees are stronger, she doesn't need the braces, and she can now run 3 miles competitively. She still have room to grow as she continues to set personal records for herself. But she is proud to have overcome such a hard endeavor.

Ashton was accepted into an amazing school this year called Maeser Preparatory  Academy. Although it is amazing, it is not an easy school. Most teachers expect a lot out of their students. They don't believe in extra credit and homework is constant. Ashton knew that it was a challenging school. But Ashton declared, "It's ok Mom and Dad. I want to be challenged!" Ashton has worked hard and his straight A's are evidence of that. I've been so impressed by his work ethic. He never complains, just get's things done.

And then the Blood Drive sign up sheet landed in my lap. Curtis' voice was heard in my head. "You should donate blood this time Weetheart. You can do it. Don't be scared." As my heart beat fast I quickly signed my name at the top of the schedule. Then I texted my Curtis, "I hope you will be there to hold my hand because I am so nervous." For those who have not caught on yet, I had never given blood before in my life due to fear. I do not like needles. I can not look when a nurse draws my blood. To give a whole bag full seemed impossible for me.

The day came, Curtis could not be there due to work issues. As I drove to the church I was wishing he could be there to calm me. I walked in, signed up and answered questions. They put the needle in. So far so good. I began to squeeze my fist to help with flow. Doing ok. The nurse told me I was flowing too fast. "Squeeze less hard," she said.  Sage Calls needing a ride. I told her she had to wait. Then I started to see stars followed by cold chills and sweats. I lost all color in my face. My hands and feet started to tingle. They laid me back asked me if they should stop and encouraged me to do so. Defiantly I said, "No, keep on going. I am fine." They asked me several more times as I was on the verge of passing out if I wanted to stop. "No, how much more do we need before the bag is full? Has my flow slowed down?  Reposition the needle. Get it going fast again. Lets get this done!" I got through it. My first thought was I needed to get Sage. I was shaking uncontrollably from the ordeal (This happens when my body starts thinking about going into shock.) They forced me to drink juice and sit down for a bit... when they were not looking I slipped out,  Sat in the car for a minute eating almonds and waiting for my body to stop shaking. Then I took off.

Was it a good experience? No not really. Yes I felt good that I was helping others out... but it was miserable for me. Hard. But if I'm going to tell my kids to do hard things I need to set the example. I was wiped out for the rest of the day. Maybe if I did it more often my body would get used to it... maybe.

Everyday we have to do hard things. Sometimes it's simply personal challenges like exercising consistently, being kinder, using time more wisely. Other times it's things we have no choice to endeavor in life like illness, bad relationships, tragic events. But we can do it. We can all power through the hard times we face in our lives. And by doing so, we grow, become better people, and prove to ourselves and to those around us that we are strong. So be strong! Get it done! You can do hard things. 

Done with 2018, on to 2019

It seems as though 2018 has gone by so quickly for our family. But a lot has happened this last year.

This year as a family we camped in the Moab area twice with the Gardner Family. The first time in the spring Curtis was still using a crutch but we managed to have a lot of fun going off roading, spotting wild Mustangs and hanging out around the campfire. The second time in the Fall we headed to Dripping Springs where we repelled, hiked around, went off roading, and explored. 

Other trips include spring break in and around the four corners area, a trip to Montana to help my Grandpa out with Live History Days for his Museum, many trips to Deer Creek to go boating, a trip to CA to go to Legoland and Disneyland with Grandma and Grandpa Dudley, and many many small trips within Utah to play and have fun.

CURTIS 

I would like to start this years individual highlights with Curtis. Curtis has had  bit of a rough year. At the end of 2017 he got hit on his motorcycle. His left leg was shattered into 13 pieces. His recovery in 2018 has been slow. Curtis endured 5 separate surgeries to fix the leg with 5 separate recoveries. After everything both his doctor and physical therapist could do, we have come to the reluctant realization that the leg will never be what it was. With time it still may improve some, but the leg has lost it's ability to lock at the knee, and is still significantly weaker than the other leg. Also as may of you know, with severe injuries you always know when the next storm is coming. And if you look closely, you will still see him limp from time to time.

Despite the setback with the leg, Curtis has not let it slow him down too much. He is still an active member on the Search and Rescue team, he still helps everyone out who needs it, he continues to serve as an Elder Quorum President for our Ward, he has taken up Fly Fishing and other manly activities, he renewed his pilots license this last year, and has taken the the brave step in Rental Home Ownership by purchasing rental properties in Colorado.

Becky

What has Becky Been up to? The beginning of 2018 was consumed by caring for Curtis. I went to nearly every Physical Therapy session with Curtis (he went 2-3 times a week.) I was also there for every surgery and Doctor appointment. I slowly watched him as he improved. I was his caretaker, personal chauffeur and personal coach. Meanwhile I was also keeping the house together and tending to my children. 

This year I have not really done anything new of significance. I continue to exercise on a regular basis, and I have finally finished all my Christmas Stockings. I serve my church ward as a Cub Scout Master and Committee chair and was recently asked to be an assistant to the Steak Camp Director for the Young Women. 

I continue to volunteer my time anywhere I can. I am the volunteer parent Coordinator for Sage's Choir, I organized and helped run a large auction for the Charter School my kids go to, and I volunteer on a weekly basis reading with Jace's Class. 

None of this seems all that exciting. But I am very busy most days. I guess this year I should try and do something for me that is new. I probably could use the change.

Ryker

Ryker has really matured this last year. I can't say that he has grown a lot since last year. Even though he is the oldest in his class, he is one of the smallest boys in Kindergarten. He is however literally the top of his class academically. Ryker has turned out to be an amazing reader. He reads at a 2nd grade level already. Once Ryker has read a word he remembers it. He site reads everything he sees rarely sounding out words. I am amazed by his ability to remember things. In math he excels just as much. He is really enjoying Timpanogos Academy.

Ryker is very much a mamas boy. Every day he takes time out for "Cuddle Time" with mom. He also loves to dance with me. Ryker is very level headed and loves his family very much. 

Ryker still enjoys thrills and adrenaline rushes. He loves getting on motorcycles, bikes, and amusement park rides. He definitely gets that from Curtis. There is little that Ryker is scared of. He is definitely a brave boy.

Jace

Jace Turned 8 this year and will be getting baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this Saturday. Jace is enjoying school this year and is very popular amongst his peers. He is a very thoughtful boy and wants to always please everyone in his class. He does well in school and is very active.

In the summers he continues to play baseball and swim. He truly enjoys everything and anything that allows him to get his wiggles out. He is always talking and moving. Even in his sleep.

Jace has a vivid imagination. He is always the one leading his younger brother in imaginative play. Jace is quite the charmer. He always tries to dress nice for the ladies and knows that he can make any gal swoon with just a glance.

Jace is very passionate. When he is happy he is really really happy. When he is sad he is really really sad. Sometimes he has a hard time controlling his passionate feelings. This year we are excited for him to start taekwondo to help teach control and manage his reaction to things a bit more. I am also excited to see how he can excel in this sport. Jace is probably my most coordinated child.

Ashton

Ashton has progressed in so many areas this year! At the end of the last school year we finally had him diagnosed with ADHD. As a mother I have been reluctant to have him labeled with ADHD. Even as a toddler I recognized that he had major issues paying attention for more than a few minutes at a time. In school he always did ok. But he never excelled. Homework would take him several hours every night. His chores and job would take him a lot of time as well. By the end of the last school year I could see how he struggled with getting things done. So I took him in, had him take a bunch of tests, and had him diagnosed. He has been on medication for his ADHD since last May. And since then he gets his homework done efficiently and quickly (Most days he gets it done at school), gets mostly A's if not all A's, gets his chores done in a timely manner, remembers to do the things I ask him to do, and is calmer and happier.  

Recognizing and treating his ADHD has also helped him in his Taekwondo. This year Ashton has moved up to advanced Taekwondo. He has competed in his first tournament in both sparring and board breaking. In his age group he broke the thickest boards and placed 3rd place. In sparring he learned a lot so that hopefully he will do better next time. Ashton is not naturally a very aggressive person so sparring can be difficult for him. Ashton is at Taekwondo for 4-5 hours every week. His teacher has moved him into adult classes because he is so focused and significantly bigger than the other kids. 

That's right! Ashton is still in the 80th percentile in height. He is close to growing taller than me at age 11!! He has also gotten a lot stronger by exercising, doing taekwondo, and mucking out horse stalls. But he still isn't as strong as his mom.

Sage

Sage has entered 9th grade this year. She has made many goals academically and is in Honors English, Honors Math, Honors Biology, AP Geography, Woods, Studio Art, Mythology, and a few other classes I do not recall. So far she retains a 4.00. I am very proud of Sage. She has always been smart but taking the harder yet more rewarding road has not always been her strength. In the past taking the easy path with the least resistance has always been her motto. With some persuasion from me she took on a much more challenging schedule and has done really well while learning some lessons on the way.

Sage continues to sing in the Utah Children's Choir. Her voice is maturing as she gets older. She definitely has her way of singing that is unique and meaningful to her. 

Sage is a leader in any group she is associated with. Sage is always careful to make sure that everyone is included. In the past she knows what it is like to be excluded. Knowing how that feels she is really careful to be kind to all those around her.

Sage is boy crazy. She likes one boy in particular. He who will not be named likes her back. It's fun to watch her have her little crush while reminding her she is only 14 and needs to keep things in the friend zone. I am however comforted by the fact she is choosing boys who are at the top of their class academically. I figure if they are responsible enough to get good grades they probably have a good head on those shoulders and wont get into too much trouble. 

That concludes my 2018 Blog. Our family is growing older and wiser. Each individual is unique and contributes to our family in an irreplaceable way. We all look forward to 2019 because it will be the mark of 10 years since our story began.

Four Corners Fun

Day 1- Twin Rock Cafe, Hovenweep National Monument, and Four Corners Monument

About a week before spring break Curtis texted me and told me he wanted to take the family somewhere for spring break. So I jumped on the opportunity and started to plan out 4 days of VERY last minute ideas and activities. In the end I decided we would go to the four corners area (where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona meet) and explore mostly south western Colorado and North Western New Mexico.

We took off on a Tuesday from Lindon, Utah and headed south through Moab and down to Bluff, Utah where we stopped at Twin Rock Cafe to sample the local Navajo Tacos. They were delicious topped with Anasazi beans, lettuce, cheese, meet, sour cream, and a freshly made salsa. I would highly recommend this cafe to anyone passing through the area. The view was spectacular, the service was polite, and the cafe clean.  Right next to the cafe there was a trading post but we did not have time to check it out.

There was a small shop in the Cafe where Sage and Curtis bonded over hats.

Twin Rock Cafe in Bluff, Utah

After our lunch we headed to Hovenweep National Monument (For some reason I kept on calling it Havenho which was driving Curtis crazy. But I think I've got the name down now.) It was here we saw our first ancient Pueblo ruins. To get there we drove through a Native American reservation where we saw many ponies on the side of the road. We wondered if they were wild or not. One thing is for sure, they are not afraid of cars and will walk in front of your car without hesitation. We had to hit our breaks pretty hard as we came over a hill to find a group of about 6 crossing the road. They looked at us briefly and continued to cross the road as if they had all day.

Hovenweep National Monument has a short 2 mile hike that takes you through Little Ruin Canyon to see several ruins that line the canyon rim. All of the ruins are roped off and you can not enter any of them. But the hike was fun and short (1hour) and the Canyon was beautiful. The visitor center was small and honestly not very informative and I left with a lot of questions unanswered. The ruins were neat but I did not know what I was looking at... I wish there had been a trail guide but the box where they were supplied was empty.

Hovenweep National Monument

This is the largest ruin at Hovenweep.

The trail heads down into the canyon and back up. It was a fun trail.

After our first experience with Pueblo ruins we headed to Four Corners Monument which is run by the local Navajo Nation. There is a $5 entry fee for everyone over the age of 6. Here they have a marker with all four states that share the four corners area. The funny thing is the marker is not technically in the right place. But for $5 a person you can claim to be in four states at the same time by waiting in line to get your picture taken on the marker itself. Two of our children fought over who would get to stand in New Mexico. Not sure why it was the preferred state but I found that amusing.

Curtis made sure to reenact a picture that was taken of him here when he was around 6. He was crying then so he insisted on crying in this picture too.

A rare picture of Curtis showing emotion.

The marker is not the only thing to see here at the Four Corners Monument, you can also shop for many Native American arts, crafts, jewelry and souvenirs. I could not help but pick myself up some jewelry made of turquoise and juniper seeds (the Native Americans believe that both of these materials ward off  evil spirits and the seeds protect against nightmares.) The kids enjoyed looking at what the shops had to offer. Jace walked away with a four corners skeleton key that a Native American gentleman convinced him that he could not live without.

After our visit we traveled north to Cortez, Colorado where we had reserved a motel room. It turned out to be a total dive but we made it work. At least the bathroom was clean.

Day 2- Durango and Silverton, Colorado

The following morning we got the kids in the car and traveled the 1 hour journey to Durango. There we watched the historical steam train get ready to leave for Silverton (a 3 hour train ride there and 3 hour train ride back.) We decided to drive to Silverton deciding that our children would be bored stiff with a six hour train ride.  Silverton is only an hour drive up the mountain from Durango.

On our way there we stopped at a honey factory and a natural soda hot spring. The kids chose out a few honey sticks of different flavors to try and all agreed that root-beer flavored honey was disgusting. In fact my kids preferred plain honey over all the flavors.

We had no idea we would be passing this spring but when we saw it we had to check it out. 

When we arrived in Silverton we did not have much of a plan. Sage however wanted to look for peacock ore near the tracks. So we headed down Silverton Main and through a neighborhood that looked like it had not changed in over 100 years. We parked our cruiser near some tracks and let the kids out to look for rocks. They found a lot of  coal and ore but no peacock ore. Sage did however find some Galena witch is a natural combination of Silver and lead. The kids had fun rock-hounding and checking out the old train cars and tracks.

Sage won't be found in our Silverton Pictures because she was too busy rock-hounding. She just loves minerals and rocks.

After lunch we headed up the Canyon there in Silverton to see if we could find any old mines. There was still snow up there but we did take our capable off road vehicle up a small road to see what we could find. Not knowing the area we found nothing and headed back down. It was then we said goodbye to the little mining town, that looked like it had not changed since it was built, and headed back to Durango to visit the train museum.

The train museum is located at the Durango Train station. It was free and was worth every penny. Seriously though, the museum was a great collection of trains, cars, and airplanes. It has several restored train cars that you could go into and play in and it had a large train set that Jace and Ryker were enthralled with. Ryker insists that he wants his own now. Just as we were leaving the museum the train came back from its trip to Silverton. The boys loved watching it come in.

The boys enjoyed looking at the many toy trains chug down the track.

A restored caboose we got to explore.

The Durango Steam train. This was Rykers favorite part of the trip.

Boys and Trains go well together.

After the Train Museum we headed over to the local fish hatchery to feed the fish. We wanted to visit the wildlife museum there but it had just closed. The kids did however have a blast feeding the fish.

Day 3- Chaco National Historical Park

We had wanted to visit Mesa Verde National Park but the main attractions were still closed. So I had to find another park that had impressive Pueblo ruins. I chose to make the 3 hour drive down to Chaco National Historical Park in New Mexico. The park did not disappoint! I am so glad we chose to come here.

Chaco Canyon is the home to the largest Great Houses in Southern America. Over 150 ancient roads lead to this canyon and it was thought that it was used to gather for religious and economic reasons. The ruins here are multistory buildings with hundreds of rooms. When they were first discovered they found massive amounts of valuable minerals and other resources within their walls. As much as I was impressed by the history of this amazing place if you are interested in the history yourself follow this link to read more.

https://www.nps.gov/chcu/learn/historyculture/index.htm

 Not far from the Visitor Center we  did a short hike out to these petroglyphs and our first ruin in the park where we actually got to go inside the house.

 The kids enjoyed looking for each of the petroglyphs throughout the park. Jace would not leave a site till he had located them.

This is Pueblo Bonito. It is the largest great house in the Canyon. This great house was thought to be the center of major economic trade and religious gatherings. It is thought that it was built to house people passing through the area to do business and attend events. Although this house has over 100 rooms in it, most likely only 50-100 people actually lived here year round.

 Sage walking along one of the walls of Pueblo Bonito.

 In the 1940's a large slab of rock fell from the nearby cliff crushing the corner of Bonito. It was named Threatening Rock. It's no longer a threat :)

 There are a few different kinds of doors found in the great houses in Chaco Canyon. If they were shaped in the form of a T they were thought to have led to a sacred room.

 The doorways were short because the average height of a Chacoan man was 5'4". That is not too much taller than I am. Plus it was easier to build short doors.

 Look closely and you will see that there are 4 doorways aligned up with each other. Each doorway has one of my children in it.

 There was a hike that went up the face of a cliff through a slot canyon to the top of the mesa. Essentially this slot canyon is made of a rock that has separated itself from the main wall a lot like "Threatening Rock" that eventually fell on Pueblo Bonito. A little unnerving for someone like me who has a fear of heights and disasters.

 For those wondering how Curtis did with all the walking around, he did great. His leg and foot were both very sore by the end of the day but you would not know unless you noticed the slight limp he walked with. Oh and the compression sock.

This is the overlook we hiked to of Pueblo Bonito. You can see how massive it is. All the houses were shaped in a D format. The round holes you see are Kivas. These were used for large gatherings and religious ceremonies.

 This was the largest Kiva in the canyon. It was located near the southern gap where the roads ended. The Southern gap reminded me of the entrance to the great valley in The Land Before Time. Notice all the little shelves in the Kiva. These were thought to have been possibly used as places to put offerings to their Gods. I like to think it was used as a silent auction room and the shelves are display boxes. In one of the houses near this Kiva they found the skeleton of 3 macaws! They were thought to have been brought up from South America as items to trade!

By the end of the day the kids were worn out!!! We learned so much and walked a long distance. No one knows why the Chacoans left this Canyon. But when they did they left all their valuables and sealed the entrance to their biggest great house. However, The Dudley's left with their valuables, their 4 children, and left due to exhaustion.

Day 4- The Aztec Heritage Center and the Canyon of the Ancients

Day 4 we packed up and started to head home. On the way home we bought some Anasazi beans, visited a rock shop, spent some time in the Aztec Heritage Center, and hiked to ruins in the Canyon of the Ancients.

The Aztec Heritage Center is worth a visit. Not only is it very informative, it has hands on displays that both the children and adults enjoyed.

 At the Aztec Heritage Center not too far from Cortez, there was a paved trail to a small house overlooking the valley. Jace and I hiked it by ourselves while waiting for the center to open.

 The Aztec Heritage Center was a delightful place to learn more about the ancient Pueblo People. The kids got to grind maize.

 The children also took turns weaving a rug. Hands on activities such as these really help the kids to understand how life was like for these ancient people.

 On our way home we visited several ruins in the Canyon of the Ancients. This particular kiva was neat because it still had the original timber used to support the walls.

 Another picture of a ruin found in the Canyon of the Ancients.

 This is Painted Hand Ruin. This was one of my favorite canyons! It has such a peaceful feeling! There was so much domestic evidence of a family living in the area. I found a rock that was a neat rock and I thought to myself, "I bet they loved this rock too." Sure enough there was evidence all around that area that they spent a lot of time on that rock making pots and weapons.

 This is why they called the area Painted Hand. Do you see them? Btw, my kids are not touching the ancient paintings or the rock near them.

 And Finally we arrived at our last location. Sand Canyon which was home to more ancient Native Americans. The hike was beautiful!! Red Rock, Cliff dwellings, wonderful preserved flora.

Sand Canyon was so beautiful, but it did take a turn when Ashton went missing. When we realized he was no longer with us we started to look for him. Ashton does not have a great sense of direction and is often oblivious to what is happening around him. So by the time he realized we were no longer with him he had hiked in the wrong direction for maybe 10-15 minutes. There was a wind at the time so our calls were not heard by Ashton when we were looking for him. We thought that maybe he had  hiked back to the car so I ran ahead to see if I could catch up with him. He was not there. I started to panic. I ran back to Curtis who insisted that I take the rest of the children to the car and wait. If he did not show up by 6pm I was supposed to contact authroities. Then he set off on his very sore foot to find Ashton. Eventually, using his Search and Rescue Skills, he was able to find Ashton. A biker who I had talked to had actually found him and waited on the trail for us to catch up to Ashton. He had indeed taken off in the wrong direction. When he found himself lost he sat down near a marker on the trail and waited making plans for survival if needed. When Ashton and Curtis showed up at the parking lot both Sage and I, who were already crying, burst out into hard tears scolding and loving Ashton all at the same time. This was the last picture I took of him before he went missing. I'm so thankful that it was not my last picture of him ever.

Some of you may have noticed that my children wear hats with pins on them. Each time we go to a national park, monument, or historical site they get to choose a pin to put on their hats. We started this about 3 years ago.

In the end we had a great trip. We arrived home around 11pm at night safe and sound.