A new job

After 19 years at KSL NewsRadio, I have the blessing and opportunity to grow in a new way.  I'm starting a new job at The Church News tomorrow.

I had been thinking since last June that perhaps it was time for me to use my time and talents in a different way. I have always wanted to uplift and inspire, and I feel the most fulfilled by those kinds of stories.  I was burning out in news and wondering if I could sustain the hard pace of constant deadlines and running around to breaking news without the lift that hosting shows or producing indepth pieces gave me.

I tried applying to different places over the summer, and nothing was coming together. I had a low point where I wondered if no one really wanted me. Then suddenly September and early October were a blur of interviews and second-round interviews and third-round phone calls, which led to job offers from several places. And they were all good places. It felt amazing to be wanted and to have options.

I also stressed a lot about choosing the right place for me and for my family. 

Then, as I was prepared to go in one direction, the editor of The Church News called and said she wanted me to join their staff.

This all came together while we were at the cabin during fall break. JB caught me pacing up and down the deck while on the phone.

I tried to be still and listen during this time. To trust in the Lord's timing.  I can get anxious and fret about decisions and impacts of my job's demands on my family. But for now, I feel like this is right. I truly feel that this can be a way for me to use my time and talents to help further the work of the Lord, by helping share what is happening with the Church and its leaders and all the good they do around the world.  I remember seeing The Church News on our table when I was six years old. My parents always got it in the mail, no matter where we were.

I had to make some painful phone calls to the other places, and I felt bad for disappointing them. I also felt bad telling my co-workers that I was leaving KSL.  I've been a little emotional the past week.  I started there when I was 21 years old.  I've had incredible experiences and reported on some amazing, crazy, insane, unbelievable, heartbreaking, beautiful, uplifting, and plenty of mundane stories. Being in radio was always my dream.  And it's ok to move on.  But I told my bosses I'm still in the building (The Church News is on the fifth floor). They can always call me.

Family pictures

I am beyond thrilled with our new family pictures!  Picking outfits and getting everyone to smile can be so stressful. But somehow it all came together really well this time.

We took the tripod to the cabin, and JB used his iphone and watch timer. And I really like the results! Usually we use the fabulous Katherine Wallin, but couldn't ask her to drive 4 1/2 hours to the aspens in Escalante. And if Valeri Anderson is in town, we adore her style, too. Both women are so great at getting our kids to smile and fantastic at photo composition and lighting. 

JB took practice shots to check the light and locations at different times throughout our first day there. Then Friday we gave it a go, telling the kids to look at the same spot and SMILE ON THREE!  

Then some other shots.

Max took these two one of mom and dad.

And I have to sneak this other picture in here from later on. JB says it looks like their engagement photos hahaha

Fall break

We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to use Nona and Papa's Escalante cabin for a beautiful and relaxing school fall break getaway. 

We left Wednesday afternoon and got there in time to run around and say hi to our favorite spots before going to bed. Then the next morning the first spot to visit was the creek.

The high waters and rains in July and August washed away the bridge. But there were still plenty of things to do and sticks to find.

We love eating outside.

We took rides in the Side-by-side

And relaxed and watched movies and sports and slept great in the crisp fall weather

One of the days we took a hike in Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. 

A girl has to accessorize

Poor Millie's Belle doll in my hands and in JB's backpack in those last two picture. I fear it is gone forever. I saw it the whole hike, but when we got back to the cabin it was nowhere to be found.  She has taken it in stride though, thankfully. (It didn't stop me from ordering another one for Christmas!)

On Sunday, we went to Church in Escalante. The ward is full of such great folks. JB makes friends wherever he goes, and remembered a guy from visiting the last time.

That bell outside had a Richards on the plaque.

Then we drove up and around Highway 12 to Wayne County and to Teasdale. We stopped for a cattle drive and loved it.

We went that way to meet Bart and Collette and their kids. They were staying with Collette's parents for fall break.  We had a delicious Sunday meal with the Pace family.  It was really great to see the area where Collette grew up after hearing so much about it. It is a gorgeous area. (And you should stay in their AirBnB if you go to Capitol Reef National Park).

PS I dropped off some more books on the bookshelves of the cabin for the next family to find when they visit. And I can't wait to go back and sleep in that king sized bed again. 

 

College football

The fall is such a great season, because college football is back!  And that means we are back in the stands, cheering as loudly as possible.

JB and his dad have U season tickets again, and are grateful for Utah home games being back this year. I like how we live close to their stadium, and it isn't hard to get them there or back if I need to give them a ride or help drop off the car for afterward.  

This was the first home game in early September, when they had a rain and lightning delay. JB took a picture of the rainbow over Rice-Eccles Stadium.

BYU's communications department gave me two tickets to the BYU-Utah game as a thank you for all my coverage this past year. I took Ben with me to LaVell Edwards Stadium.  This was on September 11th. The F-35 flyover and the huge American flag and other remembrances were very moving. It was also great to beat the Utes after nine straight losses.

It rained a little.

Then the next home game, our friends had an extra ticket and Ben got to go with his friend Quinn.

Yesterday, my brother Joe had four great seats to that game, and I took Andrew down with me. It rained a lot. Andrew and Kaylee were such troopers. 

But then I made the mistake of waiting too long to leave the stadium, hoping for a last-second miracle. And we didn't get home for almost two hours. Andrew never complained. It was really nice to have one-on-one time with the middle child!