South Sister

 Last year a group of us went out to hike South Sister.  The wind was strong and we never made it all the way to the summit.  A few of us wanted to get out there again this year and try again.  This time we made sure to bring everything we needed last year. We brought gloves and lots of layers to protect us from the wind.  There had been reports that it could snow so I packed another vest and a warm hat.  I was thinking of snow falling from the sky, but was surprised about all the snow that already covered the ground.  We had driven all the way out there so we decided we would just start hiking and then when it got too hard we would turn around and be grateful for whatever we got.
And step by step we just kept going.  They day was quite overcast, but it wasn't that cold.  We chatted and told stories and laughed, and we huffed and puffed our way along until we found ourselves at the summit.  Along the way we also patted ourselves on the back quite a bit that we were such tough ladies. 
The way down was a different story.  We were still feeling okay physically, but the thing I hadn't thought about was how slippery it was.  My shoes were great at stomping up, but once gravity was helping them out they turned into tiny skis.  I spent half the time slipping and sliding, and the other half lying on the ground where I had fallen over and over again.  Also, sometimes you would be walking on top of the snow and then the next instant be waist deep in it.  Instead of being awful it was extremely funny.  The more times we all fell the more hilarious it became.  I haven't laughed that hard for years.  When we finally got to the bottom my muscles were tired, I had bruising all over, and my abs were exhausted from all the laughing.  It was delightful.  The whole day was gorgeous, fun, empowering, and bonding.

Audrey, Marissa, Me, and Jessie - Pioneer Women

I thought that was the end of our adventure until I got home and realized that my lips were twice their normal size.  My face was so sunburned it looked like I was wearing a mask.  One by one each of us sent a text with the same message.  I AM SO BURNED!

The sky had been so overcast not a single one of us had even thought of putting on any sunscreen.  I think it must have reflected off the snow and hit our faces in a strange way because I have been sunburned before, but nothing like this has ever happened to my lips.  I looked like I had been given a botched Botox treatment.  

I was going to stay home from church but Audrey had to teach in Relief Society and Marissa in Young Women so in a show of solidarity we all showed up red faced and chagrined.  

 I didn't get Jessie in the picture but she was just as bad.  We gave the whole ward a good laugh.  It would have been horrible, if it wasn't so funny.  It hurt like hell and I will probably get skin cancer but it may be one of my greatest memories.

 I tried every remedy I could find on Google including olive oil, yogurt, and tons of aloe.  It took a week to heal and another week to peel. 

 Lesson Learned!