In June we went up Springville Canyon and spent a week at Hal's Uncle's cabin, it was FANTASTIC! The kids enjoyed every single minute of it! No cell phones, T.V. or friend's to distract us from spending time together as a family. We played LOTS and LOTS of games, shot some pool, learned how to shot bb and pellet guns, built a fire pit with bricks, played with a TON of vintage toys all circa 1970-1980; Hal and I enjoyed going down memory lane playing with these toys. We put together our fair share of puzzles and enjoyed 3 meals a day together sitting around a table. FANTASTIC!
We also were visited by a bear. It came during the night and threw garbage all around the porch. It left greasy footprints and claw marks to let us know it had been there.
Paw print
Hallie learning how to shoot a bb gun
Trenton and Hallie playing Battleship
Jack going on one of MANY "Bear Hunts" with his pop cap gun. Funny thing was that when he started hunting for bears we didn't actually think there was one up there!!!
A week after we got home from the cabin, Hal's grandma died. It was a beautiful service for a wonderful woman. I loved being with Hal's family, getting to know Uncle Jack & Aunt Diane and their children better was definitely a highlight. Why is it that we have to have a tragic thing happen to get to know family better?
And of course we had our annual trip up to Payson Lakes. We stayed
3 days and 2 horrible nights, let me just say the "little's" were NAUGHTY! Hallie ended up going to her cousin Lucy's for the weekend, so we made a switch and took Lucy's brother Parker with us, Kyler also came, so we had 3 BIG boys with us to help keep camp, haul stuff to the water and entertain us with their marshmallow wars and Phase 10 skills.
Jack enjoying the dirt. I swear dirt is a kid magnet, especially for Jack. He just can't get enough of the stuff!
Just last week we went camping with some cousins of mine. We went up Fairview Canyon, it was beautiful. The little's slept better, thank goodness since Hal and Trenton were not with me because they went to Scout camp. I don't know why this is one of the only pictures I got of camping up Miller's Flat, but it probably has something to do with DIRT! There was this fantastic dirt pile right in the middle of our camp, it had special dirt, dirtier dirt, dirtier then normal dirt. It used to be a fire pit, so it had ash mixed in with dirt, not to mention broken glass, and trash. NOT a good combo for trying to keep kiddo's safe and trailers clean. Can I just say that there are certain outfits that are not even worthy of donating to DI because of this dirt! Thank goodness that no one got cut on broken glass, but what a challenge trying to keep a bunch of kids away from this dirt! On our last day there, we found out that some one had constructed an awesome swing. The older kids (and even Jack with an adult) all enjoyed swinging. I even took a turn. Sad that we didn't know about it a few days earlier.
Anyway, add to this a working again (YAY!!!), Hal being made 1st counselor in the young mens, a few trips to parks, grandma's and playing with kiddo's equals one super busy, tired mama.
Summer is coming to an end WAY too fast!
