Friday, July 29, 2011

I Heart H20

I love the water. I love to be in it, on it, or right next to it where the waves lap on the shore. I love all water sports, although it's been years since I had the chance to enjoy them...So I had to HUG, HUG, HUG my friend when she invited us to go boating with them. We had a super fun day!!!

The water at Piute Reservoir was unusually calm--smooth as glass, in fact and perfect conditions for us to try out a few firsts.

Brynn's first time knee-boardingMy first time wake-boarding.Once the wind picked up and the water got choppier, it was time for the tube.No mercy for me and my teenaged friends. We had were having the ride of lifetime, screaming the whole time until we got flipped off.
My arms were so tired from hanging on for dear life that I couldn't even lift a drink to my lips--still can't. Good thing I drank plenty of lake water!Our church youth group showed up later in the day with another boat, some kayaks, and a water weenie.When we weren't on the boat, the kids had fun playing on the shore. They collected a plateful of crawdads. They chased a couple of lizards and saw a snake. With their lifejackets on they could walk out in the water and float around out there.The water level was extra high this year so that some of the trees and bushes were submerged, with just their leafy tops showing. This made for some fun kayak maneuvering.One last ride, this one a little more gentle.

Yep, I think we could do this every weekend. Anyone want to go in with us on a 26 ft. sooped up Sea Ray with accessories?

Monday, July 25, 2011

Only in Utah

If you are not a UT resident you may not want to read this. While you were working at the "Daily Grind" we Utahns were celebrating!
The Days of '47 were underway with parades, fireworks, and general merrymaking of the masses in honor of the pioneers who settled this valley. We made a road trip so we could be with family and celebrate in the epicenter of it all.


Days of '47 Parade in Salt Lake City
I haven't been since I was a wee one so this was a treat for all. We scored big time--front row seats and cloud cover the whole time! The people next to us had camped out all night and they let us sit with them! SCORE! We were next to the FM100 booth which was doing the announcing and giving out free otter pops and other goodies. SCORE AGAIN!


Brynn got this. She wore it proudly.
We saw the Prophet! The Governor! Santa! Giant horses, marching bands, clowns, and floats whose artistry blew our minds. Warm feelings of patriotism washed over us every time the flag went by.


Sunday: We attended a broadcast of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's "Music and the Spoken Word, Pioneer program." It was a really incredible experience to hear the "greatest choir in the world" live! They performed their amazing arrangement of "Come, Come Ye Saints" and showed images of the pioneers in the triumphs and trials of their journey. Where is the Kleenex when you need it??






Strolling Temple Square. This is where we were married almost....14 !!! years ago!!!

After church we headed to one of Salt Lake's treasures, Red Butte Gardens and had a picnic.Little man Ethan (below) just had surgery last week to repair a "lazy eye."I love this place. It is acres and acres of my dream backyard.
Walking to church. It's always nice to go back to the "home-ward" I grew up in. As we were saying the Young Women theme, "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us..." I looked around to see several women that were MY Young Women leaders growing up. So cool. What great ladies.


During the weekend we enjoyed hanging out at Nana's, running through the sprinklers, tossing the football, building forts, and eating sugar cereal for dinner. We rocked the neighborhood with nightime fireworks, and slept out on the tramp. I slept inside and that is probably why I didn't contribute to the family's running total of 38 mosquito bites! My poor itchy children!
We saw Mr. Popper's Penguins (really, really fun show) and went shopping at Sugarhouse.So, even though we have made this drive like um...niner TEN million times, this was the first time we stopped here--at the animal petting zoo in Scipio. It's awesome. You can chase alpacas, get pecked by emus, and shove goats away from the exit door on your way out! Then you can lather your hands with sanitizer and get a treat at the DQ next door. Our car was overflowing with ice cream. Next time we'll try the mini cones.

All in all a great time and in case you didn't get enough of the hair...

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Big Family...Big Reunion!

Posted by Picasa

Jumpin' Jacks karaoke hot dogs fireworks skits
5 Love Languages by Brandon otter pops slip-n-slide
Talent Show family singing devotionals
BBQ Spanish Fork River Trail treasure hunt
aunts water fight outdoor movie ice cream cones uncles
Harry Potter Premier puppet show cousins Tang
Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works.

We missed the parents this year (on a mission) and the NJ sister and family, but we rallied and had a great time being family.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Big Rock Candy Mountain Whitewater River Rafting

The title says it all.
It was thrilling. We got soaked. High adventure.
You should come over and do it because the water level is higher than ever this year.



In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
You never change your socks
And the little streams of lemonade
Come a'tricklin' down the rocks...

There's a lake of stew
and of root beer (and rattlesnakes) too
You can travel all around them in a big canoe
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Videos: Patriotic Part 2

I love a guy who can sing and dance!

Here is Brandon in this year's production of Field of Stars--which by the way--is a musical about the founding of our country. It is written by a very talented lady in our town and would make the founding fathers (and Glenn Beck) so proud!

Three years ago, Brandon was riding his bike to work when this lady (who was also in our ward) stopped him and gave him a part in her musical right then and there. You just have to say yes to Sister Thompson, so that's how he made it to the stage. How's that for casting?! Brandon started the first year as Paul Revere. The next year he was the Preacher. This year Mrs. Thompson wrote special role to sync the play together and make it more concise and understandable. She knew just who she wanted to play this important role--Brandon, and that is how he became the Schoolteacher. "I kept hearing him saying the lines as I was writing." She told us later. So, this part was especially for him and he really did a great job with it. Adrie joined Brandon and became the littlest crew member. She loved every minute of it.
We're feeling more patriotic than ever around here. Enjoy the clips!



Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Feeling Patriotic: Part 1

Our Independence Day celebration was fabulous. Not just because we had heaven-sent cloud-cover during the entire parade and a rainstorm to cool us off in the afternoon. We ended up spontaneously sharing the day with our good friends and neighbors. We had them over for homemade peach ice cream and fish (read on) and they had us over for a fruity flag cake and hotdogs.
We had an American Idol Wii Karaoke Competition. Wish I had a video of us all doing the Bohemian Rhapsody. We had SO much fun we vowed to make it a 4th of July tradition.
We finished the day with sparklers and the nightime firework display.


Brynn was very excited to ride on a float in this year's parade. We were NOT going to participate in that annual kids fish grab thing at the park but we just happened to be there at the park eating sno-cones, when the mayhem was about to begin. Adrie and Brynn fought their way through the crowds and came out with a couple ofTHESE! A friendly citizen hanging out nearby gutted the trout for us and gave me instructions on how to COOK them on the grill? So we did!
It was so disgusting and adventurous all at the same time that we just had to try it. Now we know what it tastes like to catch rainbow trout and cook it--it tastes like a river with a lot of dirt.


Saturday's Children's Parade down Main Street



My mom came down to see Brandon and Adria perform in our local patriotic musical, "Field of Stars." They did a fantastic job which I will save for the next post.We took my mom to our favorite little mountain get-away, Maple Grove. Brynn stalked a trout in the stream and after a few attempts actually CAUGHT IT WITH HER BARE HANDS. Pure craziness, but look how proud she is. This one we did NOT eat. She threw it back and we watched it slowly recover from shock and wriggle back to freedom.God Bless America!