camping

Every summer we get together with family and head somewhere to camp out, but our favorite spot, and one that keeps bringing us back again & again, is Palisade State Park . There are so many things to do there: fishing, canoeing, golfing, four-wheeling, biking, hiking and Six Mile Canyon is close for off roading.

Jeff & Felicia brought their ATV's and we rented a paddle boat & brought our bikes. Gene went out on the lake with the kids while some of us hit an early tee-time on the golf course for 9 holes. Being only my second time on a professional golf course I was ridiculously over par, but I had fun and actually made quite a few impressive moves.

After that we went out on the trails with the four-wheelers for a couple hours and that was way more fun than I expected! Then after lunch we each took turns with the paddle boats and jumping off the floating platform or swimming around. What a blast & super fun day--and everyone slept well that night! The day before was spent checking out the little towns 15 minutes away and setting up camp, and on the last day we ate a big breakfast but then broke down camp early and headed home since the kids were coming down with a head-cold.

the girls helping daddy set up the tent

our campsite shared with family

grilling yummy corn on the cob & chicken

our golf-cart caravan: Felicia (my caddy), Jeff & Lysette, Alyssa & Jordan

me with my charming nephew, Jordan (who's not a half-bad golfer btw)

Lysette *smooch*

yeah, lovely

Jeff teeing off

Lysette, Sarah & Alyssa heading off to the dirt trails

Gene and Emma heading off to the trails

We let Morgan run around nekked to air out her diaper rash

Sarah loves the outdoors and is a fish in water

Gene with Sarah on our battery powered floaty/jet ski

Gene with Sarah and Emma heading out on the paddle boat

(I would love to take pics of us all on the floating platform, but I'm not wanting to jeopardize my camera. Next year I'll buy a disposable water camera.)

crazed fans

The days have been slipping through my fingers and suddenly we're upon September?! Where'd the summer go? I have about 4 posts brewing in my head that I've fully intended on writing for the longest time now & updating this poor, neglected blog, but I need to bust a move on some other things first. Maybe in the next day or two. That said, here's some pictures of our midnight run for Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn. I should've taken some shots of Lysette and I staying up until 7:00 am reading, munching & talking but forgot. (Thanks again Settie!)

Lysette storming out of the car at the suggestion that Bella & Edward might not get married.

The line to get inside Barnes & Noble wrapped around the entire complex and lasted until 2 am!

I ran into my cute niece, Hannah, in the crowd. (never saw Amanda, but later ran into Verle & Lori)

Crazed women hoping to catch Bella's bouquet and win a free copy of the book.

"Edward" and "Bella" (decent Edward, but I didn't care for the Bella)

"Alice" ran the show and walked around very fast like the pixie vampire she is.

After checking out the festivities at Barnes and Noble and getting our fill of a crazy party scene, we walked over to Walmart about 10 minutes to midnight because they were selling the book for only $13. While waiting they served "wedding" cake.

Felicia (practically being forced), Lysette & Amy (?) waiting in line

*squeal*

When we bought our copy we RAN home and stayed up all night reading! Fun!

*spoiler alert*

Breaking Dawn was overall enjoyable to read, but there was continuity missing--the style of writing Stephenie Meyer had with the first three books wasn't there. I really got annoyed with the details grasping to describe Renesmee growth "...she could even read." Ugh! Bella, only days old, having perfect control over her "bubble"? And that "fight" at the end could've been totally wicked awesome instead of fizzing out. Why build to a crescendo that doesn't happen? And where was the passion? I could not put down the first three books of this "saga", but there were times with Breaking Dawn that I actually ...fell asleep! What the...? That SO didn't happen to me in New Moon--which remains my favorite!

hiatus

I'm ignoring my computer, tv, phones, radio and you on purpose. Don't talk to me! And don't take it personally.

backyard fun

July has been one looong barbecue and party after another. Can't complain, it's been way fun! Gene's sister, Kathleen, and her family are visiting from New Jersey, as they do every summer, so we hosted another BBQ, this time for my hubby's side of the family the weekend of the 24th (state holiday).

Kathleen, Aunt Cheryl & Dave (Kathleen's husband)

The setup: a few tables & chairs, lots of food, a water mister, a grill, trampoline, clubhouse, swing set and swimming pool + 23 people.

Emma sitting at the little red table (from Ikea). Deanna, Josh, Amanda & Hannah (the teenage cousins) getting some fixin's.

Kathleen, Nicole (Lorraine's oldest) with her new baby, Emmett & "Gramma" (Gene's mom) enjoying our new porch swing and visiting while the kids...

...swim and float and splash and swing and...

...have fun! At one point we counted 11 kids in the pool at once (and you can tell by the color of the water!) The cousins in both photos: Megan, Grant, Sarah, Lydia, Rachel, Hannah, Emma, Steven, Robbie, Nathan & Alex

Alex doing a back flip on the trampoline

Uncle Verle looks like he's floating in mid air!

I LOVE this picture of Morgan! She's cracking herself up & acting giddy because cousin Grant is just her size--they were so cute together!

Lydia & Sarah (cousins only 2 months apart) --best of friends!

independence day parade & barbecue

This is my first year in the Primary, having served the last 4 years in our ward's Relief Society. So this year I got to join the kids in the annual parade. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot more work than I realized it would be. The day before we had to get the bikes decorated, make something for the potluck breakfast that follows the parade and, in addition, get my house ready for company. I woke up around 7 am to a beautiful day!

Gene (left) helped lead the parade by holding the banner.

festive decorations adorning kids' bikes.

And we're off! The parade starts out a little crowded. That's Sarah in the middle with the pink balloon on her flag pole.

We decorated our dumper wheel barrow like a M*A*S*H jeep and let Morgan ride in it. That's Emma and her fun bike & helmet.

Neighbors sat along the sidelines to wave, shout or throw candy. This is Sis. Ferguson, one of my favorite people in the ward!

The back of Emma's bike.

About half way in the route the kids start spreading out a bit more and the little kids, toddlers & mom's pulling/pushing babies straggle behind.
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BBQ & fireworks:
After the ward breakfast we had a few hours to rest and then Jeff & Felicia's family came over around 4 for dinner & fireworks.

We enjoyed hamburgers, hotdogs, brauts, chicken & steak, plus sides of potato salad, green salad, pasta salad, corn on the cob & watermelon. Yuuumm!

We asked Jeff to take over at the BBQ since he is, after all, the master.

Lysette, Sarah & Marianne (Felicia's mom) enjoying our new porch swing & the water mister that Gene hooked up to the tree.

This has all sorts of fun written on it!

Lysette, Jordan "pyro" Wood, Emma, Alyssa & Sarah trying to light their sparklers.

We were one of three or four families on our street to have our own show.

Sarah & Emma getting smoked out.

Our neighbors, who also had their own show, gave us some of their glow sticks--what a good idea, kids always love these things. Uncle Jeff gave Morgan a couple of sticks.

I left the shutter open for a few seconds and this is what Morgan playing with glow sticks looks like. Fun camera, mine.

Some of our yard decorations. She's a grand ol' flag!

The official & professional photo of my nephew, Dean, who's serving in the Air Force and who's currently in Mississippi.

We got to call him before dinner and I asked him if he feels different about Independence Day now that he's in the military, than he did before--if it means more now. He said that much of it hasn't really sunk in yet, but that it was nice, when they went to the mall in their uniforms, to have people stand at attention and clap and thank them for serving our country. Hearing that made my heart swell.

And it got me thinking about the line of men in my family that have served in one arm or another of the military; my dad was also in the Air Force, my brother, Jeff, in the Army, as well as my Grandpa K and Gene's dad. THANK YOU all & we love you Dean!