Bear Canyon Hike

After we got home from Vegas, Gary's parents stayed for a couple more days. We love having them visit and spending time with them. So, to break up the monotony we decided to drive up to Flaming Gorge and take a hike. Our family tried this same hike three years earlier when we were just visiting for a couple days. It was perfect weather for it. About 70 degrees with a slight breeze. It is 1 1/2 miles each way and fairly flat, just slight ups and downs. At the end is a fantastic overlook of the Gorge. It was well worth the hike. Gary carried Desi in the back pack in and I carried her out. I held Andrew's hand all the way in and Gary carried him on his shoulders and walked with him out. Spencer and Benjamin did great to keep up and they didn't complain once. We were able to climb up on some rock formations and investigate interesting things along the trail. Spencer found a pretty blue egg shell and all the boys carried out at least a few rocks. We love hiking. It is therapeutic for all of us to just get out in the fresh air and breath. I feel like I'm in a better mood when I'm outside, like life just slows down and I don't need to be in a hurry for anything. And when I'm more relaxed, everyone is happier. I can't wait to do it again.

Pioneer Day Fun

I usually really enjoy Pioneer Day. This year however was different than any other. Gary and I were in Las Vegas Monday through Thursday. Desirae and Andrew were at our house with Grandma and Grandpa. Spencer and Benjamin stayed with Auntie Kate and Aunt Tamie. We checked out of hotel Thursday morning and drove 6 hours to Spanish Fork to pick up the boys. Luckily they were with their fantastic aunts and fun cousins and had been having a great time. We picked them up at a super-fun water park and drove the three hours home. We got home just as it was getting dark. So out we went to light fireworks. That was a big hit as always. All of the kids got glow-stick necklaces and bracelets and each of the boys got to help Daddy light some fireworks and then the little pyros danced in the flashing lights. Desirea, as usual, was above such silliness and just sat on Mom's lap watching the hooligans around her. Even without a parade or a pioneer meal of Jonny Cake and homemade butter it was still fun. Maybe I'll get my Jonny Cake fix for dinner later this week.

Our Dancing Pyros

Desirae's "Pigtails"?

I know, I know, "You call those pigtails?" I think of one of Spencer's common phrases, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." I feel like I need to apologize to poor little Desi for cursing her with her mother's fine, thin, stringy hair. I feel so bad when she gets in my bathroom drawer that I keep my hair doodads in and wants them in her hair. Thus this photo...She found a little Rubbermaid container with small clear elastics and little clippie flowers so I gave her piggie tails. She whimpered and "owied" while I twisted the elastics five times just to get them tight enough not to fall out. When we finished she was so proud. She ran to show Daddy and get his approval. She is so cute but I think I am going to stick with the headbands for now.

Daddy Slide

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Get your own

While Gary and I were building the kids play set this last week we had brought many of the soon to be installed parts into the yard. The biggest hit was the slide. It was a boat, a tunnel, a cave, a fort and a few other things. The kids kept trying to lift it up while someone was on it and I kept telling them (try to imagine it in a naggy mom voice) "Someone is going to get hurt." I guess Gary didn't agree because before long they were all begging him to "Do it again, Daddy." They would all pile on and Daddy would lift the slide and they would all tumble off. We were pretty good to make sure they lined up by age so that the little ones wouldn't get smooshed by the bigger ones. Desirae thought it was so funny to hold on instead of slide so that when it came down she would peek-a-boo over the top and giggle in her big belly laugh. Another favorite was trying to climb up when it was almost vertical. Surprisingly Desi was really, really good at it. Benjamin was the die hard, begging for more after all the others were done. Finally all the fun came to an end and Mom attached the slide to the playset. Not quite as fun as the Daddy slide but it will save his back in the long run.

Tag! You're It!!!

I was tagged by Colette, sorry it has taken so long but since we all know I am perfect it was really hard for me to come up with any goals. I have already accomplished everything I could ever want to. The rules are as follows: List 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions, and 3 Random Surprising Facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. So here is what I came up with...

3 Joys

• My Family
• The Gospel
• Dancing

3 Fears

• Dying before I raise my kids
• Losing one of my kids
• Not getting to the celestial kingdom

3 Goals

• Organize my house
• Read the BOM cover to cover
• Get in shape

3 Current Obsessions

• Getting my house organized
• Blogging
• Dancing

3 Surprising Facts About Me

• I'm really not perfect and I can't do everything. (is that two things?)
• It doesn't bother me to go without a shower for 3+ days if I am camping or staying at home.
• Like Shellie I will eat food off of the floor but I will also eat off of pretty much anyone elses plate. (Germaphobe I am not)

Allright so there it is...sorry to let everyone who thought I was perfect down, but I guess you'd find out eventually. Now it's your turn...I'm tagging Leah, Erin, Tamara, Kat (gotta getta blog) and Mom (you too).

Kanab for the 4th

We were in Kanab for the 4th. We had a fantastic time visiting friends and enjoying the holiday festivities. We rolled into town Thursday night, just in time for me to go with my good friend Darlene to a new moon/bellydance celebration. It was a little new age wierd but fun to visit and dance with my old troupe.

Friday was full of good times. We were gently awoke by these rediculous cannon blasts at 6 a.m. Shelly says there were only three but I think it was more like 50. I never really got back to sleep, just laid there trying. I'm sure sleeping on the hide-a-bed in a hotel room didn't help much. So off to the parade at 10 a.m. and then to the park for snow cones, kettle corn, cotton candy (tummy aches) carnival games and the splashy fountains. Back to the hotel for naps, even I got one. Around dinner time we called our friends the Stewarts to go out with us and ended up at their house for a BBQ (We didn't mean to invite ourselves, really) We love them, they are so fun and down-to-earth. The kids didn't miss a beat. Andrew and Travis loved each other, like they had never been apart. We always laugh and have a great time with them. They live on a corner just one block from the park so it was the perfect spot to watch fireworks. It was great. The Bonhams also came over to watch the fireworks. We loved seeing them and I really appreciate Aaron's ability to make himself at home wherever he is. Saturday was cooler and overcast, just right for relaxing in the hotel. The skies cleard in the afternoon so Spencer had his best friend Easton and Benjamin had his good friend Macie over to swim. They are all little fishes. They swam and dove and had a ton of fun. After that we went to the Bonham's for dinner. We enjoyed our time with them and really appreciate their opening their home to us, the Stewarts and the Andersons. Thanks you all for being such great friends. We went to church Sunday morning and then headed home. WOW, what a trip. We were really able to cram alot into just a few days. Okay guys, now it's your turn to come visit us. Hope to see you all soon. Love ya!!!

Camping at Bryce

The perfect camp-out has fire-roasted marshmallows and light sticks by the camp fire. We went to Bryce Canyon and camped with Gary's parents, sister Connie and her husband Randy, and brother Dave and his wife Vickie and their 5 kids. We had a great time. We spent 4+ days cooking, eating, playing, 4-wheeling, hiking, fishing, sleeping, cleaning and all too often peeing in the great outdoors. We saw deer and antelope and got our daily 5am morning wake-up call from some thoughtful crows and various birds. We hiked to mossy cave, (Gary later referred to it as mossy crack) down Navajo Loop through Wall Street, and down a creek bed through a couple slot canyons I can't remember the name of. We fished at Tropic Reservoir and Pine Lake and 4-wheeled a couple times. The outdoors just makes everything more fun and the food taste better. We made dutch oven chicken and carrots, potatoes and cornbread. We had banana boats in the fire, smores of course, great big breakfasts with sausage, pancakes, eggs, the works. Even the hamburgers and sloppy joes tasted better outside. The trip was great and we had a ton of fun but, the best part was spending it with family that we love and don't get to see enough. We loved spending time and visiting and playing together. We are already making plans for next summer so get your gear together and join us.

What a great Family Photo Op

Cousins at Natural Bridge Overlook

Mom and Dad in Slot Canyon

Boys on Log Bridge down Wall Street

Daddy and Andrew Roasting Lil' Smokies

Hiding in a "Bear Cave"

Twisty Tree Posers

Slinky Smile

Deep Whirlpool

"Vroom Vroom"