Filley Family Blog

Mexico 2009 ♥

2009-12-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

Tamsen just got stung by a scorpion

2009-11-12T18:39:00.000-08:00

Tamsen just got stung by a Scorpion. I told her she was just trying to get out of doing the dishes:) but she says it really hurts! Hot summers and Scorpions, the price we pay for the best Winter Weather in the country!!!

2009-02-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

For Family Home Evening this week we went and worked in our ward garden. It was a little muddy but a lot of fun. The girls are ready to plant our own garden at home. We were able to bring home some lettuce, broccoli, green onions, carrots, radishes and turnips. We had a great stir fry for dinner.

2009-01-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

A fun page created by Mkaul

2009-01-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

When life gives you lemons make lemonade!

Help!!! Our lemon tree is overflowing with lemons. The girls and I had a great time picking the lemons and juicing them by hand. We made delicious lemonade regular and strawberry and then froze the rest of the juice to be able to have it all summer long. Yum!

Fiesta Bowl

2009-01-23T14:57:00.000-08:00

New Years party at Grandma Taylors in St.George

2009-01-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas 08

2008-12-31T20:23:00.000-08:00

2008-12-31T17:08:00.000-08:00

Christmas at Grandma Filley's 08

Summer in Washington

2008-10-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishing in Alaska Sept. 2008

2008-10-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

While attending BYU in Provo, Utah I had a roomate that was an avid fly fisherman. Clint Sanderson was his name. Clint was born and raised in Afton / Star Valley, Wyoming, where him and his Dad spent countless hours fly fishing on the Salt River. Clint frequently spoke of large Brown Trout landed with a 5wt fly rod and 6x tippet.

One day I asked Clint if he would mind teaching me how to cast a fly rod on the Provo river. Many days thereafter Clint and I spent time on the Provo and other surrounding rivers trying to land the big trout that we knew were waiting to be had. Since those days on the rivers with Clint I have had a passion for the sport of flyfishing. The beauty of the sport and the surroundings that almost always accompany it, are un-parraleled in any other sport.

It has long been my dream to take my passion for fly fishing to the outdoors of Alaska. This fall (with Tamsen's blessing) Brett Olson, Nate Bell, Dad Bell and myself headed out for Southeastern Alaska to take on the great Coho Salmon on the Italio, Middle Italio, Back and Akwee river's.

We spent 5 days casting and wading in pursuit of Coho's that were making their way to their spawning grounds. We spent hours in airports, road 4 wheelers through swollen creeks, drank Crystal Light made from water from an outdoor well, and most importanly caught copious amounts of Silver Coho Salmon. Brett and I each brought about 40 Salmon Fillets home to Arizona, and Nate and Dad Bell each brought home plenty to feed their clan.

The brown bear were along with us for the trip, but fortunately did not bother us one bit. Rowing across the Italio River to the Akwee, Back, Italio bay was loads of fun, but all in all only 2 fish were caught in the bay. It was the beautifull, meandering Middle Italio that yielded the greatest catch. On one afternoon alone we brought over 20 fish back to camp, weighing between 10-15lbs.

All in all the weather cooperated, the food was tastey (Dad Bell did the majority of the cooking), the fishing was great, and the company was AWESOME!!! The scenery was . . . well it was Alaska, and a great time was had by all. The Girls held down the fort and didn't seem to miss Dad at All! Enjoy the Pics.

Carthage & Nauvoo 9/30/2008

2008-10-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

My travels this week took me to Chicago, IL and then on to central Illinois for customer appointments. As I finished my last appointment on Tuesday I looked at the map and noticed that I was not far from Carthage and Nauvoo. I quickly decided that since I was so close to these historic Church sites that I couldnt pass up the opportunity.

Flat fields of corn and soy bean quickly gave way to rolling hills and small, historic towns of Western Illinois. My first stop was Carthage. As I entered the vistitors center around 3:30pm I quickly realized that other than the full time missionaries assigned to Carthage I would be the only visitor on the tour. What a great experience to take in the essence of this historic site with just a full time missionary by my side to teach me the facts about Carthage that I either did not know or had forgotten.
These pictures are of the outside of the jail, the bullet hole that went through the door and mortally wounded Hyrum, and the window at which the Prophet stood when struck by 2 balls from behind and 2 balls from the front. It was from this window that The Prophet fell to his death.

As I sat in the jail keepers quarters where the shootings took place, a poor wayfaring man of grief played in the background, and my thoughts turned to the Prophet, his brother Hyrum, John Taylor and Willard Richards, all who were in the jail at the time that the mob attacked. I wondered if any of the men besides the Prophet had a foreknowlege of their fate and the fate of their dear Prophet. My thoughts turned to Emma and her children as the news would soon be delivered that her beloved husband had been shot and killed by an angry mob.

What turmoil, anguish and anxiety must have ensued as the Saints received news of the death of their Prophet and his beloved brother. How greatfull I am for the knowledge of the plan of salvation, and the Savior's victory over death. I am greatfull that I will one day be reunited with my Savior and the Prophet Joseph who sacrificed so much as the Prophet of the Restoration!

Not wanting to leave Carthage behind I was encouraged by that which was ahead of me, Nauvoo, that beautifull city. As I drove the streets of Nauvoo I quickly understood how difficult it must of been for the Saints to leave this beautifull city on the river. As I began to make my way across Nauvoo I caught the temple out of the corner of my eye. My breath was actually taken away as this wonderfull structure came into full view. How great it is to have this temple completed after it was started over 167 years ago!

Things of The Spirit

2008-09-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

I was going to start this blog out by appologizing to anyone that found themselves happening upon this, but then I thought to myself...self, I hope people find themsevles reading this. I constantly find myself (more like my wife catches me) on my blackberry on Sundays at Church or in meetings. I have to reassure her that I am not texting by bff's but that I am trying to capture something that a speaker just said or something I came across in the scriptures, or simply a thought that just came to my mind. So one of the reason's that I wanted to start a blog, other than having a place to display great family pics and happenings, is to have a place to capture my thoughts, great quotes and just things that make me feel good. So.... "Things of The Spirit" will hopefully be that place for me, my family and hopefully for anyone else that finds themselves in here.

Brian Judy pointed out a quote from the Jospeh Smith manuel on Sunday that really caught my eye and I wanted to be sure and share it here. If I could memorize and fully absorb and live what the Prophet Joseph is teaching hear, I would be a much better husband, father and son of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught in April of 1844, "We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and facutly which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment."

That last line really gives me hope, "a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment"!!! If I could just give a little more "heed and dilegence" to the light communicated from heaven, I know that I would be able to see things that I see not, would have enjoyment that I know not and would be able to overcome all. What great promises.

Be good & have fun!!!

Let the Blogs Begin

2008-09-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

Well I have been thinking for a long time that the Filley family needed to have a blog, mostly to share pictures and family events with freinds and family, but also as a way for us to write and keep track of our memories. With Tamsen's busy calling and my lack of creativity, interest, desire. . . ok my laziness, we have thousands of pictures and untold hours of video that sit idol in totes or on hard drives and SD cards. I saw Lisa Heuer at the gym this morning and Bruce Barnes sent me a link to her blog and I must say that Lisa you have inspired me. So here it goes....