Go for 10 in 2010?

So amazingly enough I have been to 9 states so far this year, although some of them for longer amounts of time than others.

Since January 1st 2010 I've been to the following states:

Arizona- Phoenix and Mesa areas
Nevada- via I-80 and I-15
Utah- SLC and Northward
Idaho- IF, Rexburg, Crater's of the Moon, Twin Falls, Boise, Lava Hot Springs
Montana- West Yellowstone
Wyoming- Drove through the state to get to Casper and then back via Martin's Cove. Later Jackson Hole
California- LA and San Franciso and Healdsburg
Oregon- Portland and Salem areas
Washington (although it was only the Seattle airport...)

But still wouldn't it be wonderful to make it to one more state in 2010 and make it an even 10? I've still got 27 days left in 2010 so now I just need to find a place and someone to go with me.

Anyone want to tag along?

My Grandpa

My grandfather, Ralph William Kauer was remembered today for the great man that he was in funeral services held today at the Burton Churchbuilding and the cemetery.


He was born on January 12, 1918 out in Burton (just west of Rexburg). He was the fifth child of Ernest Ferdinand Kauer and Rosalie Karoline Beck, one of eleven children. He had five brothers and five sisters.

He was married to my grandmother, Bernice Hazel Clifford on August 17, 1942 in the Salt Lake Temple. And they enjoyed 68 wonderful years together. They had 4 wonderful children, 3 daughters and a son.



Grandpa worked hard for everything that he had in this life. He was a caring and supportive father, grandfather, and great grandfather. In his youth he worked on his parent's farm, and then served a mission to Germany just prior to WWII and then returned to the US and completed his mission in the Western States mission once the war heated up in Europe.

Both of his parents died by the time that he was 16 and he helped to support his younger siblings throughout their lives, as well as their children's lives. (He and my grandmother welcomed two of their nieces into their home and raised them with his own children at the death of his brother and his wife.) He ran his own farm out in Burton, Idaho, served in World War II in Europe, during which time he gained the rank of Captain, and taught 5th and 6th grades as a teacher.



Many of my favorite memories of my childhood all happened while visiting my grandparents at their farm in Burton. I remember sitting at a card table near his chair in his living room and playing Chinese Checkers on Sunday afternoons. Somehow I would always end up winning. Early summer mornings out picking raspberries with Lard cans hanging from belts around our waste, that started out empty and a couple hours later we would have crates overflowing with berries that would then be canned as yummy jam and bottled fruit. Sunday dinners that always ended with a bowl of bottled raspberries or peaches. Or french vanilla ice cream. BBQs on their back porch and splashing through their irrigated lawn on hot summer days.

And memories of scouring my grandparents' lawn on Easter afternoons finding the loot that the "Easter Bunny" had scattered across the lawns and hidden in the bushes, up trees and on the roof. And at Christmas time, our family FHEs at Grandpa and Grandma's house. That always ended with Grandpa reading the story of Christ's birth from the New Testament.

I also remember camping trips in Island Park, and fishing up by Medicine Lodge. And Grandpa's coat pockets always being full of peppermints from JJ Norths whenever he came to visit and McDonald's hamburgers after a long day of cleaning one of his rentals.



Grandpa and Grandma's headstone reads Families are Forever. I know that although my grandfather is no longer here with us physically in this life, I know that he will forever be a part of my life. He and Grandma have served our family past and present all of their lives. They have completed the temple work for the majority of my ancestors and they have set the example for our living generations with all of my married cousins being sealed for time and all eternity in the temple on their wedding day. I hope to continue that tradition.

If there was any one thing that I could say that my grandfather taught me, it would be to work. Work was and is expected in our family. We can have fun, but only after we had done all that we've promised to do. Whether it was on their farm, cleaning some of their rentals, or just doing your best in school or fulfilling your calling to the utmost of your ability. We were of steadfast German Swiss stock that did not shy away from hardwork.

I hope that when I find the man that I will someday marry that he can some day live up to be half the man my Grandpa Kauer is.

I know that Grandpa Kauer was greeted by a large gathering of relatives on the otherside when he passed away Thursday September 30, just after 12pm. And I know that he has now received a well deserved rest. Families are Forever and I know that I will see Grandpa on the other side. I am greatful for the example that he has set for me and the rest of our family.

"God saw he was getting tired

And a cure was not to be,

SO He put His arms around him

And whispered, "Come with Me."

"With tearful eyes we watched him suffer

And saw him fade away,

Although we loved him dearly

We could not make him stay.

"A golden heart stopped beating

Hard working hands to rest,

God broke our hearts to prove to us

He only takes the best."

The Power of God's Chosen Servant

The last few conference sessions I have always tried to prepare myself for the conference sessions and to pray during the week before and ask that I might be prepared for the messages and that the messages will contain guidance for my life today. Sadly I really hadn't had time to prepare this time. The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy. I had been home mostly during sleeping hours. I had been working 10-12hr days typically leaving before 8am if not 7:20, and then working all day and then running to whatever other commitment I had had. Then I would return home around 9 or 10pm. Then I would quickly get ready for bed, quickly pray and grab my scriptures and quickly read a few verses, perhaps a chapter, and tumble into bed. And in the prayer I would mumble some expression of "please bless me to learn from Conference" if I even remembered to think about upcoming conference.

I had really taken no thought of what to pray about. I was just too busy to really think about what I truly needed. Or at least I allowed myself to be that way.

This year my roommates and I and a few of our friends from our branch were able to get tickets to Saturday Morning Session. We drove down the night before around 9:30pm and arrived at our hotel about 1am. And crashed around 2am. And got to wake up around 4 hours later at 6am so that we could get ready and take the Trax up to downtown and make it to the morning session. Thankfully we got to conference about 9am so we had about an hour to wait for conference to begin. We were able to get seats in the 3rd row of our section of the upper balcony. It was so calming to just sit there, without something else to day while I waited. To just listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir warm up and feel the spirit that was there. This time I truely had time to ponder and wait for the messages to begin.

Conference began and President Monson gave an opening address like none other. We were excited at the temples, but it was the topic that he addressed after those announcements that I know I and a couple of the guys that I was with, needed to here.

President Monson always uses some story or experience to share to help get his point across. But this time, this address, he did not mix words in anyway. This is what he said.

"Now before we hear from our speakers this morning may I mention a matter close to my heart and which deserves our serious attention, I speak of missonary work. "... "I repeat what prophets have long taught" ... "Young men I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary." At that moment there was no question that the prophet of the Lord had stated that it was the duty of each young man to serve a mission. Then he continued to say concerning sisters- "While you do not have the same priesthood you also make a valuable contribution as missionaries and we value your service. " Confirmation that I was making a wise decision to serve a mission. The song following that opening address was We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet I again had it confirmed to me that Thomas S. Monson is called as our modern day prophet and that he is our Father's chosen servant at this time.

There were so many amazing and powerful speakers in that session, and all of them seemed as if the topic was exactly what I needed. Especially President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's address about Simplicity and not adding business to our lives. A topic that I've greatly needed.

I am forever greatful for the tickets that we got to the Saturday Morning Session. This was the session that I and the others in my group needed to hear.

Pink Monkey Notes

In reference to the title of this posting, the next few postings are the Pink Monkey version of the last couple months. For those of you that don't know what Pink Monkey is, it's like Cliff Notes, but with a cooler name. So instead of writing a whole novel about my goings on since my last post I'm summarizing. There are 3 other posts so read on!

Pink Monkey Part 1

I went on vacation a couple times in since the middle of August. The first trip was my graduation gift to myself. I've always wanted to go to Europe or back east somewhere, but unfortunately I didn't want to wait long enough to save for that. So I chose to go to California and visit some friends.

My first trip I flew out of Idaho Falls to LA where I had lunch with my friend Karen at Johnny Rockets and then I flew up to San Franciso where I stayed a couple days with my old roommate Jamie and some of her family and then drove up to Healdsburg and Cloverdale to say goodbye to her family before she drove back to Idaho with me. She was coming back up to school this fall I rode back with her and then she stayed on my couch for a few days before school started.

The first night I flew into San Franciso about 10pm and then took the hotel shuttle to my hotel and then got to enjoy a lovely evening in the company of Me, Myself, and I. The next day Jamie and some of her family met up with me.

I loved San Franciso. We spent a lot of time on Fisherman's Wharf including Pier 39 and then went out to Alcatraz, drove over the Oakland Bridge, by accident (I'm happy to say I was not the one driving) and the Golden Gate Bridge. And we went to the shore where we found some sand dollars right on the beach and got to feel the waves come in from the ocean.

We bought a city pass for each of us and were able to go see a lot of incredible things while were were there. We went to the California Academy of Sciences where there was an incredible aquarium, an exhibit on Mammals, and an Rainforest habitat. We went to the Aquarium of the Bay and rode a cable car. And walked through the De Young and the Legion of Honor Museums.- Both museums were inside city parks. Pretty cool. I also ate at my first Hard Rock Cafe and at a really good place called Wipeout Bar and Grill. I also got to try some authentic San Fran food including Clam Chowder in a sour dough bread bowl at Boudin's Sour Dough which is a bakery right on the Wharf and supposedly the moist bay air makes all the difference in their Sour dough start.

Unfortunately I've been trying to upload pictures for an hour and my internet connection just doesn't like that idea, so I unfortunately don't have any pictures.

Pink Monkey Part Zwei

My second trip was a couple weeks later to Portland Oregon. Marlene Nelson one of my old roommates got married.

My roommate Maria and I got an awesome deal off of Priceline for both a hotel room and Portland and plane tickets from Boise to Portland both ways and a rental car, for less than we would have paid to fly out of SLC!

We obviously went to the wedding at the temple and the reception, which was cool because they had hung fabric in the cultural hall to make it a tent, did some touristy stuff such as visit Multonomah Falls (sp?), but really mostly we did a lot of eating. BowThai, All you can eat Indian food at a place called Nameste, Baby Back Ribs, P.F. Chang's, VooDoo Doughnuts,Moonstruct Chocolate Cafe etc. We had a ton of good food. We didn't really pay to do much besides eat and drive so we got to try some amazing food. Unfortunately my internet connection doesn't like uploading lately so I'm going to give you a link to VooDoo Doughnuts because they were amazing doughnuts! With names you will find no where else. http://www.voodoodoughnut.com/

We went to the Portland Art Museum and saw in person WaterLilies by Monet, another piece by Van Gogh

We went to the Rose Gardens in a city park there and they were just gorgous.

We went to Powell's bookstore which was several floors high and covered a full city block.

We bought a lovely wedding gift that didn't make Marlene blush, and just had an awesome time! It was kinda a sad trip home knowing we had no other future travel plans. Overall an awesome time! The more and more I travel though I've decided that I agree with Saint Augustine when he said "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." We all know how much I love to read, and I think traveling is becoming as big of an addiction for me. :0)

The most cliche lines known to Mormondom...

Well Mr. Guy Friend and I finally had that date he's been talking about since like December. After a million suggestions for dates via text message and questions about random "have you tried sushi?" and "what would you think about this" but never with any actual follow through.

Well finally about a month ago (I know I've done a crappy job updating you, but it's been a busy summer) I got a text me about 10pm asking me one night if I want ice cream. We went to DQ and had some ice cream. And although we touched on many topics including some of his regrets about how he wished that he actually did have something to show for the last 5 yrs since high school, he never breached the topic of dating. So I finally commented on it when he dropped me off. Because honestly this had gone on long enough. I could tell that he was still interested in me, but I could also tell that he wasn't going to ask me in person, I was going to get a text about it afterwards. Seriously!!! We're friends? Am I that intimidating? Well, because we were friends and really I wanted to make this as quick and pain free as possible so I could quickly climb out of the car and go to bed, I somehow I ended up saying a couple of the most cliche lines known to Mormondom. "I think you're a great guy" but "I don't want to get into a relationship because I'm planning on serving a mission." And then I told him that odds are that he'd be engaged to some cute little 19 yr old freshman while I was gone and that he could mail me an announcement. I know not the best way to tell someone you're not interested, but honestly it's the truth. And I think that it's nicer than saying "Well, you're just not really going anywhere right now and I don't want to risk getting into a relationship with someone who'd I'd have to support for the next few years." - Yeah I don't think that would go so well. So I went the cliche route, and I was being honest. I am planning on putting my papers in as soon as I save enough money to go and really comparing the two options or dating him or going on a mission I feel better about the latter.