Welcome to the 47th
Tales of the Traveling Tote,
where women who love
MacKenzie Childs and
love to travel, take their
totes all over the place.
Come explore with us!
As many of you know,
we are serving as full time
missionaries for our church,
The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints.
We are serving just less than
an hour from our home at
Heber Valley Camp. The
camp serves 40-50 thousand
youth each summer and
another 75,000 visitors on
the Faith Walk each summer.
We were chosen to work
on the Challenge Courses,
so we have been training
since the first week of
April to be certified
Challenge Course workers.
The camp has 125 missionary
couples. Others work as
Camp Hosts, Greeters,
Mountain Maintenance,
and Building Maintenance.
At the end of the season
we will help build two
more Challenge Courses
like the one above.
This is our home for
the summer and we will
return again for another
six months next summer.
We are at a high elevation
here so we have had to
climb the courses twice
while snowing.
(Let's just say I am not
a thrill seekers, so this
has stretched me, but I am
growing!)
Once a week we get a day
off - our Preparation Day.
We usually come home
and see the family and
get things done at home.
This week my son said
we should go visit
Ballerina Farm and do
their farm tour up in
Kamas, Utah.
They also have a store
just down the mountain
from us in Midway, Utah.
I grew up in Wisconsin
and my aunt and cousin
had dairy farms, but I
have never seen one like
this. The stalls you can
see on the left are
"waterbeds" so that
the cows don't get sores
from laying down.
The cows freely walk around
the barn and decide when
they are ready to go into
the milking stall. They
line up and it is all
automated. The manger is
a 29 year old woman and
she told us that one cow
likes to be milked 5 times
a day and another 3 times!
They also had Rhumba type
cleaners that automatically
muck the floors. It was so
fun and educational.
The grands got to pet the
new babies.
At birth the manager
decides which cows
will become meat cows
and which will be milk
cows.
I love how these kids
wore their western hats!
Another P Day we went
to visit a local cheese
place. My favorite cheese
that we bought was a
Lemon Sage Variety.
Speaking of cows, just
before we left on our
mission our daughter
who lives next door and
our son and their families
decided they wanted a milk
cow. She has wanted one
for years. Ballerina Farms
has convinced a lot of
young moms that they
want a cow!!!
Ruby is a Jersey milk cow and
is expecting. She was
very unhappy being all
alone so we also got a
Black Angus for meat.
We are renting a neighbor's
pasture for them.
And my daughter also got
these ducks and my son
got six Runner ducks.
It is turning into a menagerie!
Thanks for visiting,
now on to our giveaway!
Pop on over and visit
Ricki Jill and leave a
comment to win this
great bag.
And then
visit these other ladies to
see where they have been
off to lately!
Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home (you are here)
Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths
Patti with Miss Kenzie and Miss Taylor @ Pandora's Box
Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda
Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply
Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul
Ricki Jill and Countess de Monet @The Bookish Dilettante
Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch








Amazing! I participated a few times in a "ropes" course and the challenges were frightening at times, but I survived. Climbing a telephone pole and then jumping off on a zip line was the scariest for me! After the course was completed we all climbed a mountain and camped out for a few days! (in a tent, not a beautiful camper like you have!!). Good for you and your husband to train for this - memories that last forever! The little ones look so happy with the cows - - and it looks like a family farm is in the works!! Thanks for sharing your latest adventures with us!
ReplyDeleteKudos to you Jackie and Kirk for the vigorous training you have endured. I haven’t climbed ropes, but I have zip-lined in Mexico. Special memories in the making and also assisting those teens for their challenges ahead. Ballerina Farms looks like a great place to explore. The grands are so adorable in their cowboy hats. Lemon sage cheese sounds heavenly. Looks like your daughter is starting a mini farm. Happy summer and cheers to your latest calling.
ReplyDeleteJackie, your time serving as camp missionaries building challenge courses must be so challenging but so fulfilling! Happy to see you have a wonderful camper to return to for resting up after what must be a tiring day. The farm shops must be such a pleasure to shop in with all the fresh products they offer. I am so impressed with the cows and the dairy farm. How amazing and so modern. I love how families and moms want their own cows. If I were there I'd be all in for that too. Happy summer Jackie and stay safe with the challenging work. Sending hugs and prayers for a successful summer.........
ReplyDeleteJackie, I am impressed by your commitment to being a missionary, and to get certified as a high ropes course instructor! Wow, you must have amazing stamina. How long will it take y'all to build another course? I enjoyed seeing all of your "field trips" during your prep days. Your grands are so cute! I hope you have a productive summer with all the youth.
ReplyDeleteJackie, I certainly do admire you for the commitment to the missionary program. I'm still in awe of the high rope activities. I could not do it! I'm happy you share about the farm. It makes me want to plan a trip. I love farm animals! Fun to see the children interacting with the animals. Such a learning experience.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and energized! Happy Month of May!
Kudos to you on getting certified as a high ropes instructor and your missionary work! You will have a lot of physical strength this summer! Wishing you and the youth a productive summer. I love that your family is wanting cows and possibly a hobby farm. My friend has one and I love to visit.
ReplyDeleteJackie, oh boy, usually I am a thrill seeker, but I failed miserably on an obstacle course at the Summit Bechtel Reserve high adventure in WV that is owned by Scouting America. those wobbly planks to walk across gave me the willies! Good for you in growing yourself! Love the farm - goodness, a rumba that will muck a stall? Now that's progress! Love that you're starting your own "farm", lol. Better order one of those rumbas! Happy May, and good luck this summer on your mission.
ReplyDelete