Vacation part 2 :)

It seems that every year a certain birthday rolls around and we seem to be in Utah, are you wondering who's?  Yes, mine and it seems that I always get surprised with a story why I have to go to the motor home (we are usually in the mountains) and come back to a heart attacked trailer (last year) or a cake.  I just try to coast without anybody realizing it is my birthday but it seems to back fire and I get sung to.  Thank you so much for the surprises and the cakes.  I Love you!!!

The joy of being in Utah for my birthday is we get to celebrate July 4th with our families too!  This year we were up on the mountain (again, we love to camp!) had dinner and went to the fireworks in Montpelier.

Ryan, Emma and some of the cousins waiting to eat.

Dinner's on! or is it dessert? Thanks Debbie it was delicious!!

Andrew's first sparkler! He thought it was great.

Like I said we went to Montpelier's park for the fireworks again and they were great.  The aerial fireworks were good but there is nothing like having them blow up in your face to end the evening.  This year we were getting pelted from the fireworks that they light from the tennis courts, it was so funny to listen to everyone that was getting hit.  See you again next year Montpelier fireworks!!!  After the fireworks the sparklers were brought out, the kids were in having a  blast  even the 14 & 15 year old's.  What fun fire brings to kids!!

Bear  Lake

It had been a while since we had been to Bear Lake and we had heard that it was full this year.  We were skeptical but wanted to check it out.  So we all got in our vehicles and set off for the lake.  As we approached the lake this is what we saw.  I have not seen this lake this full for a long time.  I was awesome!!!

This is the beach we have gone to the last few years we went.  The last couple of time we went the lake was so low and they let us drive to the water by using the boat ramp, so you didn't have to walk a mile just to get to the water (if you look closely you can see how far away that is).  This year there was hardly any beach compared to the last 10 or so years.

It was so nice to drive a round the lake and see all the water.  As you can tell the water has been so low for so long that there are full grown trees now 20 feet into the water.  When we left Utah we had heard that Bear Lake was still rising at an inch a day.  That is amazing, see what a wet winter will do.  Wish we had more water here (in Bama), but then again since we have been home it has probably rained four or five days and we have been home for eight.  That is great except we haven't made it to the pool yet, it likes to rain in the afternoon when we are able to go.

Dad and Andrew.  Andrew was so excited to go to the "water", when we were deciding what to do that day Dad asked Andrew what he wanted to do and he answered "go water".  So the decision was made, to the lake it is.  When we got there I think it was overwhelming to him and to top it off it was cooold!  So he stepped in and that was enough he was done.  Thanks Audrey for keeping him entertained!!!

The kids trying to get used to the freezing cold water.

Andrew and Audrey building a sand castle.

Once the boat came out Andrew was ready to get back in the water (or boat) he didn't want to touch the water, but he had a blast riding in the boat.

 

The kids getting the boat situated. 

Emma my little "poser", she has to pose for the camera whenever it comes out!

Most of the kids building sand castles, forts or whatever you can build with sand.

Andrew had fun covering himself with sand.  He thought this was great!!!

Still working!

Clark and Kennedey's

Emma, Ryan and Nick's.

As we were leaving and heading towards a "fresh" Bear Lake Raspberry shake this is what we got behind.  A bunch of sheep.  One of the ranchers there were moving their sheep and if you have ever been behind one of these it takes a while to get around them due to them running out in front of you.  Once we made it past a clump of sheep we thought we were free but then we would hit another group.  Yes, fun, not!!!

This year we even went to Paris! Paris, Idaho that is.  Actually you have to go through Paris, ID to get to the lake from the Idaho side.  I have just always wanted to take a picture of the sign so I could say I had been to Paris!!! 

Paris Ice Caves

As we were driving to the cave this is what we saw of to the side.  It is the fifth of July and there is still a lot of snow on the ground.  We like to take 4-wheeler rides over to the ice caves but we had heard there was no way we would make it through and when we got over there in our trucks (on another road) we could see why, the road we usually take on the 4-wheelers was covered with snow, and not just a little to try to go through but a lot that I don't think we would have made it very far.

Andrew's first time seeing snow. 

The entrance to the cave.  Myself having flip flops on, there was no way I was going to try to go in there.  There was at least four feet of snow in the entrance and a lot of ice.

The boys climbed down the rocks to get in there.  They were determined to get down in there, even with sandals and flip flops on they did it.

 Clark all the way at the bottom of the cave, and me on top taking the picture.  That's a long way down 

there!!  I can't get blogger to let me go under the picture so I am going to end now, I have more pictures but alas I have been on here forever so I will post them later when I get another minute!!

 

Vacation part 1 :)

Well we are back and it was a very quick trip this year.  I am going to have to blog about it a little at a time so bear with me, I know, I always have a lot of pictures.  This year as usual we took our annual trip to Utah to visit family.  As usual we drive nonstop (well except for changing drivers, bathroom breaks and long enough to get food and get going again) and this is what the truck looks like part of the time.

Taking turns driving works great for us, we get there sooner and can spend more time with our families (friends and family think we are crazy, but we would rather spend time there then traveling).  This year we traveled along the same route we always go with one problem after we got through St. Joseph, Mo headed towards Nebraska City, NE we encountered the Missouri River on both sides of the freeway.  No, the river isn't too close to the freeway where we were traveling but the flooding was terrible, homes and farms under water and the further North we traveled the freeway was completely closed and we had to take a detour through Iowa, talk about corn fields, they were huge and everywhere (I tried to get a picture but they didn't turn out, that's okay I have enough pictures of everything else).

Water on the side of the road.  It went down both sides the freeway for a couple of miles.  I was just amazed at the time of year and how much water was still there.  It looked like the road was built in the middle of the river, there was so much water.

Just one of the farms that was under water.

July 1, 2011

The exit where we had to detour from, check out all that water.  I believe the river is closer to the mountain then the freeway.

July 16, 2011

This is what we saw coming toward St. Joseph, MO on our way home.  Thinking it was the middle of July, we thought the freeway would be open, but nope it was still closed due to flooding (we think) so we had another detour that took us into St. Joseph.  As we approached the Missouri River it was still flooded.  It was good for the kids to see what happens when places get lots of water/snow pack over the winter and lots of spring rain.  

We left Thursday night (6/30/11) around 6:00 pm and arrived in North Ogden around 3:00 am Saturday (7/2/11) morning.  It was a a fast trip and Andrew wasn't too happy to be in his car seat that long but we did it.  Dad and I ended up sitting in the back with him to help calm him down most of the time.  He loved it when we would stop and he could get out and run, but trying to get him back in the truck was a different story he screamed and fought us so hard, coming home was a little easier but he still didn't like sitting there (he did like the fact  he could watch movies, to keep him calm when he got really bad we just kept putting on another movie).

On the way there we had a laugh because every time we stopped Dad's phone would ring.  We thought it was funny, it was his mother just checking where we were, she had been tracking us on the map and would call every few hours to see how far we had gotten.  We just thought it was funny that when we stopped the phone would ring, she must of sensed that if she called then we would be able to talk, thank you for calling and checking on us we felt loved and made us want to get there faster.

We didn't waste anytime once we got some sleep Saturday morning.  Dad, grandpa and the boys went to pick up the trailer Emma, Andrew and myself went and visited with my family for a little before we went up to the mountains (camping is one of our favorite things to do so we have to take every opportunity we can because it is too hot in the south to camp in the summer).  By Saturday night we were on the mountain but because it was so late we parked the trailer on the road for the night and moved it to our spot the next morning.

 This was the scene in the trailer the next morning when we got up.  We keep crayons and coloring books so the kids could color and mom and dad could sleep a little longer.  Coloring is one of Andrew's favorite things to do so he was in heaven!

Another one of our favorite things to do while we are in the mountains is going on 4-wheeler rides, and one of the kids favorite places to go is down the county road a mile or so to a creek that runs across the road.  They love to go down there and go through the creek as fast as they can and see how big of a splash they can make.  Yes, I have to admit it is a lot of fun and this year the creek was fuller and the splashes were bigger.

Ryan going through the creek.

The family minus Clark and me, it's great being the photographer. I don't remember where Clark was.

Emma taking her turn. She thought it was great she is still learning to drive a 4-wheeler so she has to have someone on it with her and Ryan was the lucky one this time.

 Andrew fell asleep shortly after we turned around to go back to camp.  I don't know how they sleep on there it's not very comfortable.

 We were getting ready to go on another ride to North Canyon to ride through the snow and wasn't sure if Andrew should go so Grandpa and some of the cousins went for a shorter ride with Andrew.  He was so excited.  It is so funny to see the kids light up when the 4-wheelers start or when they know they are getting on one. 

Clark got to drive the treker.  This time the dogs got to go with us.  Aggie is so funny she comes running and jumps in when she hears the treker start up, Rascal comes running too but he hadn't figured out how to get in there till just about the time we were leaving.

A rare picture of mom coming out of the river.  From this angle it doesn't look very steep but believe me it is and every time I have to go through it I get nervous.

Whew, I made it through the river!!!!

Now to let the dogs and kids play for a minute.  Yes, it got chilly on the ride and Clark and Ryan were the only ones prepared with jackets.  We forget every year to take jackets when we get to the snow.

A waterfall we had never seen before. The picture doesn't do it justice, the waterfall was beautiful.  I had never seen so much water in the canyon before.  Thanks to a wet winter and some late snow storms.  This area had needed a wet winter for so long that it was welcomed, and because there was still snow on the ground it was cooler there.

Taking a short break before hitting the snow.  Every time we stopped Aggie would get out but once she heard the 4-wheelers start up she was back and ready to go.

Time to go through the snow!!!  YEEHAW!!! Go dad!!

We were doing so good to get through the snow piles that when we came to this one we thought no problem.  First of all check out the date on the picture yes July 6, 2011, can you believe there is still snow on the canyon road in July.  Usually we are going through the left over snow the first part of June not July.  It was a blast.  Back to the picture this snowbank was almost as tall as I am and here is Clark trying to get over it.  He didn't make it so dad took over and he almost didn't make it.  We were just about ready to give up and turn around when he tried one more time and got over to the other side.

Yea!!! the other side, I finally made it!!!!  I even made it over, I made it on my second attempt.  Yes, I am awesome but then I was the last and watched where not to go. 

Some of the wildflowers we saw on our ride.  They are beautiful. 

This year the boys wanted to stay in the tent with there cousins.  Think about it Clark and Ryan plus 4 of there cousins that were there with us = late, noisy night plus other cousins trying to scare them (they were girls trying to get the boys to scream like little girls) they also had the dogs barking, talk about a noisy night!!!!   We had to put a curfew on them the second night. 

Andrew was in heaven playing with his cousins.  He is the youngest on this side by seven years, so the cousins loved helping and playing with him.  I was so grateful to them for helping me out when I needed to get things done. 

I have to go for now and this is just a little of our trip, when I have a little more time I will get back!

Andrew is 2!!

Boy have the last two years flown by!!! I can't believe that Andrew is already two, it seems like he was just a baby.  We were in Utah for his birthday again, well kind of, we were leaving Utah and heading for home on his birthday that we actually celebrated his birthday a day early.

Yea!! I got me some new toys!!! 

 

 I went to light his cake and he blew out the match before I could get the candle lit.  He just cracks me up, so here aunt Wendi is trying to keep him from blowing out the match again. 

It didn't take him too long to blow out his candles once they were lit.

 YAY!!! I did it, I blew out the candles without any help.  He learned early how to blow out candles, we have all the kids birthdays that he just watched and learned.  He even tried to help me blow out my candle the week before.

YUMMY! Chocolate cake and icing and cookies and cream ice cream.  He preferred the icing instead of the cake, one good thing he was cleaner this year after his cake and ice cream then he was last year. :)

  **Pictures of our vacation to come soon.

Ryan is 12, finally!!

I am so late at posting this, but Ryan is finally 12.  He is so excited to be a deacon and go to young mens.  I don't know about having two boys old enough to be in young mens, it makes me feel old.

This is the first year that he has spent his birthday at home since we moved to Alabama, we are usually in Utah visiting family.  This year we decided to wait and have the boys go to scout camp (I wasn't going to do it with them again, they don't do it with me like they do with others). 

Back to Ryan's birthday, we started the celebration on Monday by going to dinner at Golden Corral (yes, my kids love it) and then to the store to pick out his present.  He wanted a couple of different things but wasn't too excited till he could choose some video games.  So he got a couple of video games and some much needed clothes.  My kids love T-shirts that have funny/crazy sayings, I found a couple that fit him perfectly.  One says "I am not being difficult, it just comes naturally" and the other says "I'm out of bed and dressed what more do you want" (see below).  Sounds just like him!!

t

Because we went to dinner the night before his birthday we didn't have his cake till the next night.  He decided he didn't want cake, he wanted lemon squares.  So his birthday cake was lemon squares. YUMMY!!

I hope that he enjoyed his birthday and had a great couple of days!!!!    I Love You Ryan!!!