Colorado Gardners

Moab Adventure Race

2009-03-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

Race day started early. Morning temperatures were close to 30F. Meghan showed up at 6AM to start checking in the racers. Brandon was hoping that a kiss from the check in girl would bring good luck. This was the start of a 60+ mile race which consisted of biking, a 270 foot rappel, a 5 mile run (all up hill), more biking, and a twelve mile kayak trip down the Colorado River. There were only a few spots where spectators could observe the race.

They were glad to finally get off their bikes and pick up the paddles. Trevor commented that he didn't think his legs could have taken another mile.

7 hours 18 minutes later they climb up the last hill to the finish line.

"Now we can relax."

"But relaxing is not all it should be. Now none of my muscles want to work."

Anyone want to sign up for next years race?

2009-03-16T20:49:00.000-07:00

2009-03-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

Grandma's 92 birthday.

The number of candles was not 92, but that was in keeping with Grandma's wishes.

This was in the home that Grandma loved.

Greg & Bryan

Another birthday party at Marjorie's home in Vacaville, California. Grandpa & Marjorie with Greg, Bryan, and Justin. It looks like it was Bryan's birthday.

2009-01-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

Last week Grandpa and Grandma Frey came up to live with us. It is a joy to have them with us.

Grandma got up this morning and said that at least she could dress and act like she was going to church.

I liked this sequence of Marjorie and Grandpa heading out the door.

Bryan, do you recognize the coat?

Grandpa's big smile was the best part of the sequence.

This was the weather at the time Grandpa and Marjorie headed out.

Last week Justin and I went to Nevada to see Uncle Guy. We ventured into a Nevada valley encased in an inversion. A local lady said the indians called an inversion a "Pogo-nip" which means a "white death." Feeling how cold it is in these fog encrusted inversions the white death part makes a lot of sense. You can't get away from the moisture as it cold soaks your bones.

Fall in the Rockies

2008-09-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

The effect of the pine beetles has been pretty devastating. Each summer brings more copper colored trees.

You may recognize this if you add 3 feet of snow.

Meghan, this is how Brandon is used to seeing elk. Greg has also seen them like this.

Just before the sun set.

What a rarity to see them herded up and peacefully grazing.

There was a lot of bugling going on between this bull and several satellite bulls that he kept chasing off.

The early morning sunlight at Beaverbrook Meadow. There were about a hundred elk in several groups spread over the meadow. Again a lot of bugling going on.

How many herd bulls can you find in this picture?

What Is In a Name?

2008-07-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

This is the most current family picture we have. We are thrilled we will soon be adding Meghan to our Gardner family picture and Greg and Eric's beautiful baby girl(although she is in the picture she is just hiding in Erica's tummy).

Today as I was sitting in church I was thinking about the value of a name. There are many aspects to this question of which I would like to put out there for thought.

1 What does your name represent? Not why you were named but what are the qualities and aspects of you that represent you name. What do you want your name to represent as a person.

Also, what does it mean to be a Gardner, in all areas of your life?

2 What do the names of Ancestors that we know of make a difference for us. Are we living up to the dignity of their name and representing them well as their posterity.

3 What are the names of the people in your life who have made a difference for you. Why are they important to you and how have they made you better.

4 Finally, do we think about whose name we take upon us each Sunday as we take the sacrament? How does taking upon ourselves the name of Christ make a difference for us each week.

A few more thoughts. I remember a story that President George Albert Smith told of an experience he had passing into the next world. He saw his grandfather whom he was named after. His grandfather asked him what he had done with his name. He replied, after some thought, that he had never done anything to discredit his name. He said, after that he thought of his grandfather's name he had been given whenever he thought of doing something that might put a blemish on that name.

As I sat in church today and took upon me the name of Christ I thought a lot about that responsibility. I think we would do well to consider each Sunday who's name we carry not only from the sacrament but from our parents and ourselves.

What Role Does Evidence Play in the Search for Truth.

2008-07-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

WHAT ROLE DOES EVIDENCE PLAY IN THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH ?

What evidence do the fish need that the Great Blue is lurking in the pond?

What evidence does Justin need? Are the aircraft systems normal, or have they gone hay-wire?

What evidence do we need that Bryan completed two degrees at MIT?

What evidence does Greg seek that a patients complaints are real or imagined?

What evidence do we seek for the decisions we make in this life?

Evidence can come in many forms. We can see it, we can feel it, we can hear it, we can smell it. It can be written, verbal, or circumstantial.

Recently I have been reading a fascinating book and a section has been talking about evidence. Two people can look at the same evidence and it can have opposite effects on them. Two people will see the same event happen from a street corner, yet have different views of what actually happened. An event can motivate one person to believe while the same event will have no influence on another.

While in Philadelphia a few weeks ago I saw a short movie at the Independence Center. It portrayed four different people during the Revolutionary War. Not everyone living through those years was motivated by the desire for freedom. Roughly half of the citizens at that time were motivated by the desire for safety and the status quo.

Not everyone who met Joseph Smith thought of him as a prophet. But when I look at the evidences of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon the only conclusion I can come to is that he was a prophet.

Brigham Young found out that two handcart companies were still on the plains on the 4th of October, 1856. On the 5th he directed that a major rescue effort be mounted. The storm that hit the pioneers did not occur until around October 19th. The first rescue group met the pioneers on October 21st. Is this enough evidence to say Brigham Young was a Prophet?

Many things have happened in my own life to provide evidence of powers greater than my own. I could not be honest to myself to not acknowledge a greater influence, yet I know this evidence is sufficient for me but not for everyone.

What role does evidence have in the search for truth? Can something be true if it flies in the face of evidence. Do pink pigs fly?

Can something be true and not have any evidence? Must evidence be present to be true?

How does Brandon know he loves Meghan?

"Each of us must accommodate the mixture of reason and revelation in our lives. The gospel not only permits but requires it." Boyd K Packer

A First

2008-07-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is a first. Dad created something on the internet.