Fishing in the Uintas 2012

 This year our annual trip to Park City overlapped Brittany's Girls Camp. I promised to make it up to her, arranged for Grandma to pick her up and we set off with one less kid. It was interesting experience to pretend I was the mother of just boys. I am grateful I am less outnumbered in reality. We did have a good time. First we set off for our day of fishing in the Uintas.  I don't know how many times I have taken this picture of my kids following their dad. I always think it makes such a pretty picture.

 Josh was really excited for the fishing this year. Last year it stayed too wet and we couldn't go fishing. The year before that he was really too little to get into the fishing part of our trip so he was pretty excited to try it this year.  Look how serious he is.

 Matthew caught the first one!

 And the second one.

 Look proof I was actually there! My job was hook baiting. Before my friends who know me in real life die of shock I must add it was just power bait, basically stinky putty. William said it had glitter in it so I should like it. The kids started catching them so fast William took them off the hook, I re-baited them, he cast them out handed the pole to one of the boys and we went round and round like that.

 Josh finally (it was actually about 10 minutes) caught a fish too. Then the race was on to see who would catch more.

Another Matthew picture. They ended up catching 8 fish each which seemed a good stopping place. It was great fun to take them to one of our favorite, beautiful spots. I figured  William and I have been going to that same little lake for almost 20 years. It was one of the first things we did when we were first married because it was cheap. We have been taking the kids off and on since they were big enough to dot he hike with a few skipped years when we had a baby around. It is such a fun family traditions, next year we will be happy to have Brittany back with us!

Grandma and the Sandcastle

I don't know what got into Grandma but she became obsessed with making a huge sand village. She was dedicated alright.

It just got bigger and bigger.

Finally I couldn't resist and had to join in too. It was really fun, made me realize how long it has been since I did anything resembling a craft.

We even got her an umbrella.

But look at that masterpiece!

Another view. We are going to remember Grandma's sand villiage for a long time!

Fun at Bear Lake

Days at Bear Lake! One of our favorite places to be! And the big event is always the wave runner. This is Grandpa being sent on his way by Tiff. The grandparents provide such great memories for all of us every year.

This year Grandma was so busy! Here she is teaching the girls how to skip rocks. Did I mention she needs shoulder surgery? Nothing stops grandma from doing something if she wants to, even pain.

Look at those gorgeous clouds and blue sky. The kids were thrilled when we found a spot with a moat already dug. Matthew got right to work improving it.

Look how graceful Josh is!

Tiff and Grandma.

Uncle Nate brought a raft this year and it was alot of fun too. Grandpa pulled the kids all over. Bet he slept really well that night!

Bear Lake Pool Antics!

We have been so busy vacationing and having fun there hasn't been time to document it here!  We had such a great time at our annual Bear Lake vacation. After we got a taste with William's family we turned around the next week and spent a little more time there. As much fun as we have at the lake, the pool is always fun too.  Especially if you bring your own Uncle Nate to ride/surf. The tolerence of that uncle is unbelievable!

Matthew had to give it a try. Josh was so lucky!

Brittany and her cousin Libby practicing their syncronized swimming skills. Arent' they cute?

Josh was so lucky riding everyone in sight including Grandpa! It was such a great vacation I couldn't stop taking pictures, more posts coming.

Borrowed Baby

We haven't had a baby at our house in a long time so when Uncle Joe and Tante Ana came to town with their adorable kids, including baby Perry, we went a little nuts.

He was pretty loveable, my boys were even nuts about him.

Heaven! Little Perry thought I made a fine bed and fell asleep on me multiple times.

Brittany couldn't get enough!

Even William took a turn. It is so nice of my sisters-in-law to have babies for us to play with!

Reunion 2012

Because William's brother Joseph was in town it was the perfect time for a family reunion. Joe had requested a trip to Bear Lake so we started there. These two are pretty cute in their hats. 

There was a lot of playing in the sand. What is it about kids and sand? I swear they could have played in it for days!

The girl cousins did a lot of catching up. That is Brittany, Rachel and Klarissa.

Matthew dug a "swimming pool" for the little kids. They liked it a lot.

I got to enjoy sleeping baby. Lucky me, Perry decided I made a fine bed and fell asleep on me multiple times.  Heaven!

After Bear Lake we all headed up to Oma and Opa's place. The kids all slept out in tents, what a circus! The next day we had breakfast in the new lean-to, shot arrows and used the pellet gun.

Our gracious host and hostess. Oma and Opa worked really hard to provide a fun weekend filled with memories. There was also a great hayride I didn't get pictures of.

That is Brittany and Audrey in the hamnmock. Cousins that swing together stay together? What a great reunioun!

Josh's New Smile

While William's brother's family was staying with us Josh developed a loose tooth. I hurried and snapped this picture of my baby's smile before it became toothless.

A few days later it was gone. Swallowed actually. Guess what happens when you eat nachos with a loose tooth. This must be a sign I am relaxing with time. If Brittany had swallowed her first lost tooth I would have freaked. Now I am just glad I didn't have to pull it! Good thing the tooth fairy understands these things happen. You have to look carefully but you can sort of see Josh's new smile in this picture of him at Bear Lake.I hate that my baby is this big!

Cousins Come to Town

It has been a busy week for us! William's younger brother came to town from Texas and stayed with us for a few days.

They have three adorable kids, all of which we adored playing with. Perry was especially popular. We haven't been around a baby in  a really long time. 

While they were here they wanted to go visit the This is the Place Heritage Park.

The first thing to do when we go there was to go find the Great-great-great grandfather that little Perry is named for.

His name is listed on the monument as being in the first party of Saints to enter the valley. This was really neat for my kids. Plus it gave them something to identify the name Perry with besides a Platypus on the Disney channel.

Little cousins, big monument.

We practiced some pioneer chores. Glad we don't have to do laundry this way anymore.

Audrey was pretty good at it! Plus it helps to be this cute!

Nikolaus was excited for the pony but he was really holding out for the train.

Yeah for the train! Especially if you can get your dad to go too!  I think the kids favorite thing there though was the panning for gold. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures because I was overcome with gold fever and couldn't stop panning myself! It was such a fun day with cousins!

Women's Shelter in Park City

Last weekend my group of friends whom we call The Women's Shelter took our group on the road and ran away from home. We went up to Sarah's beautiful condo in Park City. I'm not sure I have ever stayed in a hotel that makes me feel as spoiled as her condo does. We talked for three days straight. We never turned on a radio or television. We rarely even cracked a book, which for this group is saying something. By Saturday night we were all getting hoarse from talking so much. It was awesome.

One of the few things we stopped for was to go to dinner one night and to go to the Deer Valley Summer Music series in which the Utah Symphony performed at salute to Michael Jackson. As children of the 80's it was perfect. Even if the singer was a bit cheesy. We had a great time. This is most of the group. Christine is behind Circe so you can't see her. I have a picture Jennie texted me of the whole group but I am too dumb to get it off my phone. Oh, and they are not making faces, a couple of them were singing along when I took the picture.

Luckily I have this one with Christine and Jennie to prove she and I were both there too.

It was a truly great weekend. These women strengthen and bless me in so many ways. We ate, laughed, cried, advised each other, attempted to solve all the world's problems and planned our old age. Circe posted some of our words of wisdom. These are the ones I emailed myself so I wouldn't forget them mixed with the ones that Circe posted on her blog.

You have three seconds to change your thought process-Christine
As fun as it to complain about things there are things that are more fun.Sarah

We teach our children to contribute more than we consume-Can't remember Tiffany?
 Remember to ask kids how they know I love them. What is their love language?Jen
We're having Shelter Time Warp -Michelle
There is such a thing as too much ABBA.  -Sarah
The atonement can change history.  -Tiffany
3 cups flour, half tsp yeast, tsp salt, 1.5 cups water.  Let sit overnight.  -Tiffany. 
Who I am is why your life works.  -Jennie
Put some paint on your brush and start!  -Tiffany
I can hardly wait for next year!

Parade of Homes 2012

William and I just finished up touring the local parade of homes last weekend. As usual there were some fun decorating ideas I don't want to forget so this post is mostly for me. Some of my favorite things were:

The return of wallpaper! Wish my husband would let me do this. He is afraid of the inevitable day when I would change my mind, cause let's face it, I do that. Love this color combo.

 Brittany is hoping for some bookshelves if we ever move her to the basement. They would be so pretty a little deeper.

 Who doesn't love a good owl pillow and I loved the embroidery on this one.

 Matthew has been drawing loads of cars and I am thinking I may have him do a series with a sharpie and then turn them into pillows for his room.

 Empty frames attacked by spray paint, how cute!

Last but not least for my sister and her hunter husband a whole wall painted as a mural then decked out in animal heads. William and I even offered to come paint this for and she still won't let Nate have it. She is so mean. I told her the rule had always been that she didn't want heads in the house and technically this was not in the house. She still wasn't buying it.