Last Four Wheeler Ride of Summer 2011

Mom took this picture on our last ride around through Twin Creek and out Horseshoe Canyon. That night just Dad and Mom on the four wheeler, and Derek on the motorcycle Cousin Drew Pope, from Nashville, Tennessee left for the country boy. Derek is seventeen at this time.

Roses in Bates, can it really be? July 2011

This beautiful little rose bush is very exciting for the Mother Ripplinger. Not much grows in the Rocky Mountains of the Teton Basin, but I discovered these little rose bushes do! I go visiting teaching to Heather Berry, who had some of these in front of her house two summers ago. We got some, soft pink and these hot pink plants to put across our flower bed on the front of our house, up against the garage. They must like this spot, because they grew like crazy this summer. One of my pride and joys!

Derek, Firth Mud Run at Sandy Downs, IF, August 20, 2011

This was the first Cross Country race of the year. Derek was hot, litereally and figurely speaking, because the race was Varsity Men and Derek and two other Teton Redskins made it in the top 5 across the finish line. We were all so excited, he shows great signs of being able to run fast this year. Our whole family went to support him.

Derek, Cross Country Race at Cardinal Classic, September 3, 2011

This was Derek's Cardinal Classic Cross Country Race at Soda Springs on September 3, 2011. He had started the year at the Mud Run in Idaho Falls, and placed in the top 5 there. He was starting to get the awful stomach back, from last year. By the next week, the Targhee Challenge, he hurt so badly, he didn't get to race that one.
Meanwhile, Blaine had given special Father's blessings for school, and the next night, Grandpa Ripp and Dad gave him an annointing blessing with the oil from the Garden of Gethsamane that Heather brought home from her Israel trip. We all prayed and prayed that he would be healed.
If you read his Father's blessing, he is to heal completely and be able to run really fast.
At this Cardinal Classic, he had to run JV, because he had missed one meet. He had to earn his way back on to Varsity.
We had been to see my friend, Dr. Dwayne Hansen, in Rexburg. He's an internist. He gave Derek some pionted suggestions of what to eat, when and how to run. Derek came right home, that Monday, and tried the advice, and it seemed to work! So, he ran very well at this race. He was the 5th man in the JV race. Blaine and I traveled to support him. It was a beautiful day.

Fireworks 2011

We had Grandma and Grandpa Ripplinger with us on the big Huntsman open grass field to watch the fireworks and hear Glenn Beck talk. It was a fun, family night.

Fourth of July 2011

We were pretty excited, because we made these fun recipes from the Deals to Meals blog that Mom loves. We weres spoiled by Huntsmans, who provided a free, fabulous day of activities and then the greatest fireworks display that night. Happy Birthday, America!