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PRESCHOOL BOUND

Finn's on his way to preschool. He's so excited! I think Hans is excited for him to go too!

Has it Been 3 Years Already?

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Anders 15th Birthday!!

We were at the ranch for Anders' 15th birthday.  We celebrated out on our porch with his favorite lemon cake and chocolate cookies.  This same weekend was the Lincoln County Fair.  We have been to different events at the fair before but never to the demolition derby.  What a FUN night we had!!!  Only in small town American can you do this kind of thing.  It was a ball.  My boys have never sat so still for so long.  What boy doesn't love to see cars crashing for fun?

Pioneer Day Campout

Bret and I had thought about going to Nebraska for his 10 year reunion in July.  There were a few people he was interested in seeing but we mostly wanted to have a weekend to ourselves and be able to attend the Winter Quarters LDS temple.  As the weekend approached we realized this just wasn't going to happen.  Instead we decided to go camping on a very busy Pioneer Weekend in Utah. Going from a quiet weekend together to camping with all the kids was a rather large shift in my mental planning.  We made quick preparations and headed to the Uintas to find a spot.  Well, needless to say on a very busy weekend, it took 2 1/2 hours to find one once we got there.  We ended up away from a lake (the kids really wanted to fish) but in a beautiful out-of-the-way spot.  It was a crazy race to set up so we could start dinner.  Although things were chaotic (to say the least) it was a memorable night of eating a yummy dinner, visiting, playing charades, laughing, telling stories and snuggling.  It is a blessing that 2 months later I really remember the fun and not all of the other VERY challenging aspects of camping.  I'm sure it's the same for the kids too.

Setting up Camp

Collecting Firewood

Enjoying (obviously) S'mores

Planning their Charade

Acting out Star Wars

Finding a Lake the Next Day

Can't Leave Them Alone For a Minute!!

Being summer and all, you'd think it would be great to tell my boys to "GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY!"  Well, unfortunately for me, this really isn't the case.  They scare me in the front yard.  They are a little thoughtless when it comes to the street and our formerly quite little street feels like a thoroughfare these days.  So I have to be out there with them in the front yard.  We fenced in our backyard so I wouldn't have to worry about the street.  Finn, however, has a water fascination.  This is what happens every time I leave them alone in the backyard.  

A Proud Conservative Mother Moment!!!

I have to relate an experience with you.  Finn (4) and Hans (several days shy of 3) were playing house together.  Finn was the dad and he was sitting in the front of the "car" driving.  Hans was sitting in the "backseat" and he was the son.  Anna and I walked by Hans' room and overheard this exchange.

Finn: (pretending he was driving)

Hans:  dad, can I watch a movie?

Finn:  No son, I'm listening to Rush

Hans: Okay dad

I love it!!!!

What's Summer Without a Little Baseball (or softball or tee-ball for that matter)

At one of Bret and Mike's games (Brett played too this night)

Summer and softball/baseball/tee-ball just go hand in hand!!!!   Bret, Elli and Anna played softball and Tait played his first year of tee-ball.  I only took pictures of Tait.  Bret coached Tait's team, I coached Anna's team and we tried to get to Elli's games.  Sometimes we had 4 games on tuesdays.  It was quite a challenge logistically.  That doesn't even count practices.  I don't like to think of summer without it though.  

Look at that beautiful summer night!!!!

Zions 50 Mile Hike with the Young Men

This Past month, Bret and Anders went to Zions National Park with the other young men (12-18) and their leaders and some dads. They were gone monday through saturday and had hikes scheduled each day and one day of repelling. Preparation for this "once in a lifetime" opportunity began before the start of the year. There were many, many meetings of leaders (Bret and others), repelling certifications, and get in shape hikes. The result = an amazing week of determination, courage, extending one's perception of what they were able to accomplish and friendship. Anders found a new love-repelling!!! My very thoughtful and cautious Anders felt fearless and exhilarated by the repelling. While others hyperventilated at the top of repels, Anders excitedly stepped up!!! These videos are so fun and I'm excited we have them. Bret too loved the repelling. Bret has spent months running and lifting weights, feeling quite prepared for the trip, but Anders who scoffed at the idea of having to physically prepare was "like a gazelle", Bret said. It's sad when we start to feel our age. Bret laughed at the thought that he would be doing this with the last three boys in his late 40's, early 50's. We had better start preparing now!!!

Pictures are Backwards

This is the Last Day

Thursday's Repel-Birch Hallow

Getting ready for his 1st repel

Looking down from the 1st repel.

YES those are people down there!

The 1st video is from this repel

The Barracks-16 mile day 

(pictures are backwards so this is the end of the hike)

Tuesday's Hike-Orderville

They repel down this on thursday.

The 3rd video is of Bret looking back up at this rock during his repel.

The 4th video is of Anders doing the same.

Bret's not nervous in this video, he's in awe of the beauty and the power of the elements in creating these amazing structures. He kept trying to get the boys to look around them or look at particular effects the water and other elements have had on the rock over the years but they didn't seem to appreciate it as much as he did.