2018 Recap

2018 was a pretty great year for our little family. We had a lot of firsts, fun, stress, some disappointment, and growth. These are our most liked photos of 2018 from Instagram.

January

Warren got to see a Golden Pheasant in person at the aquarium in Draper. In Kindergarten he did a report on them, so it was like a dream come true for him.

February

I went to my first Citrus Pear freezer meal class all alone, and ending up seeing friends from Syracuse.  I also took 4 six year olds and a baby sledding alone. Everyone survived and had fun so I'd say it was a success.

March

Jack started crawling, learned to wave, and we took him to his first Color Festival in Spanish Fork. It was our third time and we had a blast.

April

I turned 33. We got to see the cherry blossoms at the Utah State Capital. Jack went to the Hogle Zoo for the first time. We took an impromptu drive to the Spiral Jetty. Warren completed his third season of Soccer and I was the coach.

May

Jack ate his first ice cream cone. We enjoyed a family getaway to Zermatt in Midway to celebrate Zack completing his semester. We went to the Lantern Fest and it was so magical, amd worth ALL the hassle. We bought a boat and took her out several times. Warren finished first grade. And, last but not least Jack turned 1!!!

June

We started off the month with a bang by boating on the 1st. Toom our first guests boating, Zack's parents. Visited the Mantua Poppy fields with my grandma, sister, and brother-in-law. Jack got his first haircut. Zack and I took our first extended kid-less vacation to San Francisco for my cousin's wedding. Warren passed the Red Cross level 2 swimming lessons with flying colors. The last day of the month ended the same as it started we were boating on Hyrum Resevoir, but with more family this time.

July

We got to welcome Uncle Ben home from his mission in Virginia. We went to the Hyrum Parade for the 4th of July then took more family boating at Willard Bay that night. Warren started and passed level 3 swimming lessons and jumped off the high dive. Jack started walking!!!! Warren, Zack, and I jumped off the Bridge at First Dam. It only took me an entire minute the first time I jumped. Took more family boating. I think we went 3 times in a week, two didferent weeks in July. We also took the boat to Bear Lake for the first time. 

August

We celebrated our 12th anniversary and Zack's 35th birthday. Visited our favorite caves up the canyon, tie-dyed with friends, Jack got a lite dyed too. We took a trip to Paradox Colorado so Zack could work with my dad on a project. Uncle Mark came too and we had a blast with him. During that trip we got to visit Arches, it was the first time for all of us, at least that we could remember. Warren completed his summer reading goal to read 100 books, and started 2nd grade. Zack started what we thought would be his last semester at USU, he took 15 credits, while working full-time, and being an awesome dad and husband. I started my 7th year teaching and 5th year teaching ESL, and was called to be the 2n2nd counselor in the Young Womens. 

September

We all tried to get into the groove of school. The boys and I spent lots of time hanging out with our best friends. Our Flat Stanley's enjoyed a trip to Disney World. We visited Porcupine Dam to see the salmon spawning, it wasn't perfect, but it had some good life lessons for me. Zack helped me complete a memory board for his mom's 60th birthday. Sadly the weather started cooling off so we had to winterize the boat.

October

Made sugar skulls with Warren's class. Found snow during Fall Break amd ended up throwing a couple snowballs instead of hiking. Made caramel apples, went to our ward Halloween party, carved pumpkins, went to the North Logan Pumpkin Walk, then went trick or treating as a family. 

November

We won the Ludlow Family Soup Cook-Off with a Chicken Jalapeno Popper soup. It was so good. We hosted almost 40 people foe Thanksgiving. November was when we realized that Zack would need to take one class in the Spring. Initially we were upset and disappointed, but we've since had a peace that things will work out. I feel much less stressed knowing he will be done in May not December. 

December

We had a month of family togetherness and tried to do something together each night leading up to Christmas. Some activities included sledding, seeing the lights at Temple Square, having hot chocolate, and watching a Christmas movie. Jack had his first ride on a snowmobile and loved it. We went sledding at the Sinks up Logan Canyon and had so much fun. We had a great Christmas and the boys got to see all their grandparents on Christmas Day. We got to hang out with Zack the entire Christmas Break which was great, and see family from Texas. I finished reading/listening to the Book of Mormon. 

Looking back I realized just how great 2018 really was. We had a lot of ludlowfff-Ludlow Forced Family Fun, and created a lot of memories. I'm grateful for all the fun, and the everyday moments that build our life. Goodbye 2018 and hello 2019. I have a feeling big changes are coming this next year. 

Mutton Bustin'

Jake, Emma, Warren and Mark meeting the sheep before the rodeo started.

We have been trying to convince Warren to mutton bust for a while now, all while trying to find a venue that would work well for him. He is a solid boy and we were afraid by the time he was old enough to ride that he wouldn't meet the requirements anymore. Lucky for us our local rodeo allows kids to ride between the ages of 5-8 and weigh up to 80 pounds. We found a rodeo that would work. I showed Warren a video of someone mutton bustin' and asked if he wanted to do it, he agreed so we hurried and signed him up then let all our family know he would be riding August 11th. We were so excited and decided that we did not want Warren to practice because we were afraid that he would fall off and get hurt or scared and not want to ride in the actual rodeo. We kept talking it up leading up to the event and I even offered to buy him a toy, the day before when he told me he wasn't going to ride, if he would ride. This turned out to be unnecessary because he did great and did not appear scared at all. We spent the day with family and they were talking it up to him the entire day. Warren was talking with Mike and asking if he had ever rode a sheep and Mike told him no and just talked to him about what an awesome experience and chance that Warren had and how he wished that he had been able to mutton bust when he was a kid. It was so great for Warren to hear encouragement  from someone else. Then at the rodeo my dad was talking to him and telling him about how he rode bulls and how he was so excited for Warren to ride. It was great. I was so proud of him. We found our seats and had a great time hanging out with family during the rodeo and before Warren rode. The mutton bustin' event was not until almost the end of the rodeo, there were four events before it and two after. Only one parent was allowed back with the kids so Zack took him over and told me he did great. Then they lined up the kids and took them inside the arena and then they looked around saw their parents weren't there and just kept standing in line because that's what they were told to do. Zack watched from the side lines as two guys held the sheep and someone else put the kids on. Warren's sheep was jumping around even before they got Warren on but they set him on and he rode for a few seconds. Zack and I were so proud of him for getting on, and to have him ride even if it was a quick ride was awesome. He scored 62 or 69 points I can't remember and got stepped on by the sheep right on his back. The person in the arena asked if he was okay, and the announcer said oh he got stepped on his back, you okay buddy, Warren shook his head and the announcer relayed that Warren was okay. Zack said he was holding hid back as he walked out but he never got a bruise and was okay. Zack took some pictures of Warren with his trophy and then they made their way back to us in the stands. I told Warren how proud of was of him and we all cheered him on and he showed us his trophy and he said, I didn't get the big trophy. The child who did hung on all the way across the arena and had to be taken off the sheep. It was such  a good night and we were so grateful for all the family that came  and those who we knew were supporting us but couldn't make it was awesome. Warren had all of his grandparents there, Krystal and Lance, Jessica and her five kids, Amy and Mike and their four kid, Mark, Robert and Ashley and a lady I work with and her family. I also found out later that another lady I work with happened to be there with her family and they were waiting to get a picture of him in case he made it all the way to the end of the arena. It was such a great night and we are so proud of Warren for doing something that made him nervous. We also loved all the support from our family that came far and wide to see and support Warren. There was so doubt he knew it was his day and that he was loved.

These three kiddos make such great friends

Our little cowboy

Zack, Emma, Warren, and Mark with the sheep

Some of our supporters that night, there were a few others I couldn't get in the shot.

I love this family of mine.

These two are such great friends

Warren and Grandpa Lore

Warren and Grandpa and Grandma Ludlow, along with Mark, Ashley and Robert as photo-bombers

Father and Son

Fun with cousins

A week after we got back from California our family we had been traveling with came into town. Warren had been missing his cousins and from what I hear his cousins were super excited to see him and come to "Warren's house." We had made previous arrangements for the cousins to get together and play the day that Warren was riding in the rodeo. We got together at our house went to the Crepery for lunch, then went to Gossners to get some milk and cheese, then we drove past some of my favorite old homes in Logan and went to USU to see the skull of Old Ephraim where the kids got to ride on a golf cart which I am sure was their favorite part of the day. After visiting the university we headed to my favorite park in Logan, Merlin Olsen Park. It has lots of shade, a small river running through it, lots of grass, a volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts along with the playground. We decided to have a boat building contest and let the kids build their own boats and float them down the river, oh man this was a  HUGE  hit! All the kids ages  5 to 17 were engaged and created a boat. They were so excited to race them and we had lots of extra spectators. Roscoe's boat won and he was super excited about that fact. We had dinner at the park then made our way to Angie's a local diner where the kids worked on "cleaning the sink." It is an RV sized kitchen sink filled with ice cream and bananas and toppings and if you clean the sink, eat all the ice cream you get a bumper sticker. I think they took pity on our group and even though the sinks weren't cleaned they gave us two bumper stickers which we sent home with the Brunson and Smith families. Finally we were headed to our main event the reason for the entire day in Logan, Warren was going to Mutton Bust in the local rodeo. We were so excited for him, and I was nervous that he wouldn't get on or that he would get hurt. But, he rode, it was only for a couple seconds but he rode.

Hanging out at the Crepery

Gossners Milk with Grandma

This is the patio area of the Crepery where we ate lunch. Oh and what an awesome uncle Mark is, always playing with his nieces and nephews.

Making boats.

These three worked hard and cleaned about half the sink themselves.

And, practiced hanging spoons on their noses.

10 of the 14 Ludlow cousins getting ready to race their boats.

The race is on....

visiting the campus

The teenagers and their sink

Oh boy did these three love the ice cream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We even got to make a stop at the Logan Temple.

We were so glad to have family come into town to see Warren ride and support him. We had so much fun with our family that morning and now onto the rodeo. And thanks to Jessica for taking such great pictures of all of our adventures in California and Utah, I used many of her photos to document our trip.

Our California Adventure Day 5, Mini Road Trip, Sequoia National Park, Bear, and a Pay Phone

This is one of my favorite pictures from this trip. I love the light and Warren next to this big tree.

Day five started out with the sound of our alarms going off. We had made it to bed about midnight and needed to get up about six so we could pack up and start our five hour drive to Sequoia. We got all packed up and ready to leave by about 7 am. It was easy because we had packed most everything the night before. We were driving to Sequoia and hoping to get a campsite at their first come first serve campsites. There are a few of those sites at some of the lower campsites. We made really good time driving and only had to stop once for gas, a bathroom break, and to make some lunch all in the same stop in Bakersfield. With this trip we got to see a different side of California than we had seen before. We we were able to drive through the area where most of our food, well at least fruit comes from. We saw all sorts of fruit trees, it was pretty cool, and really dry. The temperature also just kept rising. The closer we got to the park the drier it became. I was starting to get really worried about what the park would look like when we got there, because everything I was seeing was nothing that I had imagined. Even Zack was saying this is not what I remember Sequoia looking like. I was afraid that because of the drought that something really bad had happened to those poor trees and we had just driven five hours out of our way to see this beautiful park and it wasn't going to be beautiful or anything like what I had seen in pictures. Well we finally reached the gates around 1 pm and waited in line for a long time. We got to the gate and it was 103 degrees, ohhh it was warm, and all the campgrounds said they were full. Yay!! or not, we decided to go  in and see if maybe someone had just checked out and we could check in. Well we continued to drive into the park, and the temperature continued to rise to 106 and all the campsites were full. We then decided to drive out of the park and check to see if the town nearby, Three Rivers, had any rooms available in any hotel. We found three rooms available in the town but were not wanting  to spend $200 a night to stay at a Comfort Inn. At this  point we decided to go back into the park because we had a seven day pass and try to see what we could for a few hours then get an early start home. The problem was we had no cell service at all, none in the park, not in Three Rivers, and in fact we couldn't remember the last time we had cell service. We had no way of letting Zack's sister Jessica know what are plans were, or find out where they were, and where they were going to stay. Looking back I should have gotten more information from them before we left but I didn't realize we would be without cell service and it was our come what may portion of our trip. So we drove back into the park and this time at the entrance gate it was 107 degrees. OHH it had gotten hotter. We kept driving and it just got hotter, it got up to 109 degrees. I was dreading  hiking in that weather, and so glad that we didn't get a campsite because camping in 109 degree weather would have been miserable. We drove up a really windy road and Warren woke up right in the middle of it and told us his stomach hurt....not a good sign.... there was no where to stop, literally and we just had to keep driving, it was not safe. Poor kid threw up in the car, and we pulled  over and he got out to get some fresh air and looked at the magnificent trees around us. We had climbed to an elevation about 6000 feet at this point and it was 20 degrees cooler outside, so enjoyable to be in the 80's again. When Warren was feeling a little better we got back in the car and started our drive to see the really big trees. I was so excited to see these beautiful, amazing, living things, and to feel a difference in the temperature, and even smell the difference in the air. It was so green, and felt really magical. The light coming in through the trees was awesome and made for some cool shots. We got to see the Giant Tree Museum, walk though some really big trees, drive through Tunnel Log and see a black bear while there, see the Tough Twins, and General Sherman the largest tree in the world. We were humbled and amazed by these trees. Zack and I were talking about how amazing it is that these trees were alive when Christ was born!!! We also were amazed at the trees themselves and how they protect themselves from so many things that could damage and kill the trees. These trees are a natural wonder that's for sure. We did make a little detour while in the park to find a pay phone and call Jessica. Luckily she was still within cell phone range and we got to talk to her. It was funny to see Zack using a pay phone, I think the last time I used a pay phone was in junior high. I tried to get a picture but I don't think I got one. We really enjoyed our few hours in Sequoia and it would be nice to go back and hike a little more and not have as many worries about where we are going to stay or should we leave so Warren can say bye to his cousins before driving home. We would also like to drive into the King's Canyon portion of the park but that would have been a 4 hour round trip drive and that's about how much time we had in the park all together. We were so glad that we drove through the Tunnel Log a few times because one of the times we saw a black bear run across the road in front of us. Then a group of foreign tourists pulled over and immediately jump out of their cars and started to follow the bear. I love seeing animals in nature but I don't want to follow a bear, I was actually recording this, unfortunately I didn't get any pictures or video of the bear because we didn't follow it. Then while were were walking near General Sherman some people told us that if we followed one of the side trails we would see some bears. I thought no thank you, we already saw one and I don't want to be on an open trail and come across a bear.

The light streaming through the trees was breath taking.

Poor Warren, getting car sick we got some motion sickness meds for the drive back down but we all still got a little sick.

Zack can reach the top of the Tunnel Log.

Me not so much.

And, we can't  quite reach across Tunnel Log either.

Starting the trail to see General Sherman.

We met a nice British Family who tried to get Warren to smile and even look at the camera but he was over pictures.

Warren got to climb in, on, and all around a fallen tree. This spot was super kid friendly and perfect for our boy to get some energy out.

General Sherman in the background.

Even at General Sherman with lots of people around Warren did not want to turn for the camera. People were trying so hard to get his attention, they even yelled hey a bear, but he was having no part of it.

More of General Sherman, such an amazing tree.

Look at how big the trunk is.

It's so hard to keep these big trees in place.

It was dusk as we were driving down and the sunset was gorgeous.

The views in Sequoia did not disappoint. 

 

 

It was a great few hours in Sequoia National Park. It would be a fun place to visit again when we weren't so rushed. Even when we made it down to Jessica's hotel at 9 pm it was still at least 90 degrees outside. Such a difference than what we had been used to by the beach with all the ocean breezes. We ended up loving our time here among the big trees, in all their splendor. We were so glad that we could bring home a bit of the National Park with us in the form of a baby Sequoia Tree!!!!  We were able to purchase one that is between 1 and 3 years old and is 4 inches tall. We brought it home with us and and bought a big pot and planted it. We are excited to see it grow and one day to plant it in our own home. Until then we will bring it with us wherever we may end up.

Preparing the roots to be planted.

My boys with our baby Sequoia.

Those roots will someday hold a tree firmly in the ground to with stand many storms and trials. Isn't that so much like our testimony, it starts when we are so small, it starts out so small then it will help us in the storms of life if we nurture it, protect it, and help it grow in good soil.

So tiny now but who knows what it will be in another 20 years. 

Our California Vacation was one for the books. It was full of so many memories, so many fun times. We were so sad to see it end but so glad to be home Sunday. We drove straight through Friday night, stopping on the side of the road to sleep and once again Zack was a trooper and drove most of the way. We  stopped in Baker since it was almost 10 years to the day when we broke down and found the hotel we stayed in boarded up, it was so nice to leave that city after only a pit stop. But after  so many  hours on the road we crashed at Zack's parents house then made our way home Sunday and slept some more. So long SoCal you were so good to us and we can't wait for our  next visit, hopefully it will it will involve a visit to that magical place, Disneyland.