Day 7: A picture of something that makes me happy

Pictures are great because they take you back to a time an place with great detail.  They help you remember the emotions and the feelings you were experiencing more so than just about any other medium.  I have thought about this blog post for the last week or two trying to figure out what picture makes me happy.  The thing that brings me the greatest happiness in this life if my family.  If I had the choice to go to church, work, scouts, hunting, fishing, a sporting event or whatever I would probably decline if I could not take all or part of my family with me.  Our move to Idaho in a couple of months is in no small part motivated by my desire to be able to spend more time with my family.  So there you have it simple, cliche and completely true.  My family makes me happier than anything else. 

This was taken at the Seattle Temple on our way home from Ensign Ranch after a family reunion.  It was early Monday morning the temple was closed but Nolahn wanted to stop so we drove out of the way to fulfill his request.

This is my kids showing how they take after my wife's side of the family.

Taken after my 40th birthday party.  I might or might not have grabbed her bottom as they were snapping the photo.

Take away some of the trivial nonsense all siblings go through and we have been blessed with 5 kids that genuinely like each other and enjoy spending time with each other.  Last Christmas they wanted to cut down their own tree.  So they grabbed a saw and hiked into the woods by our house, found and harvested a tree.  They decorated it and took care of it all themselves.  This tree would not have won any awards (except for maybe the most Charlie Brown) however it is by far my most favorite tree we have ever had.

We took the kids to Rhonda's Uncle Carl's home and played in the snow a few years back.  We were able to ice fish, sled and play with 4 wheelers.  Lots and lots of fun.

We spent a week on the Owahee Reservoir last year.  Between a rattle snake, lots of lizards, rabbits and not catching any fish it was one of the best vacations ever.

I had to go to Club Med in Mexico for work ( I know you are totally jealous as you should be).  Rhonda got to go with me and we decided there and then vacations to warm sunny places with out the kids are vacations worth taking.

These three photos are of me teaching my sons to shoot.  I love guns and my sons do a well.  To teach them how to safely shoot and spend the time with them is just one of the coolest things I have ever done.

I took the kids camping and it rained and rained and rained and rained some more.  We went and found a park to do some fishing and Payton discovered a great way to dry her shoes and socks.  I never would have thought of this.

This was my kids very first backpacking trip.  We went to Humes Ranch in the Olympic Mountains and had a great time they still talk about.  Nothing is quite as much fun as throwing dried deer poop pellets at your kids.

Reganns first fish...I know beginners luck.  Not only was this the first fish she ever caught as she was reeling it in the line snapped as they were scooping it out of the water.  The fish turned and swam into the net. 

OK this photo is not of my family.  It is of Elder Marian Ericson and I in the Philippines.  I look at photos of my mission and they do just make me smile.