July 30, 2017

Little Rock, Arkansas!  Mason is heading to Ar-Kansas.  October 4 will be here in no time.  Love that boy.

July 28, 2017

Such a great, short backpacking trip with D, Cam, and Sade.  We packed in to Dean Lake which is about 2 miles from the Bald Mountain trailhead.  It was so beautiful.  I loved being out in the beauty and peaceful place with D and the girls as time slows down.  The wildflowers were awesome.  There were fields just full of so many different colors - red, yellow, white, purple, pink, etc. and we found white balloon flowers and pink elephant flowers.  we only stayed one night but it worked out great, even though it was really cold for that night.  Seeing the two girls bundled up in our tent and we're all squished together trying to stay warm is a good memory.  Cam was so great with everything and so helpful with Sadie.

July 24, 2017

Yellowstone vacation in the books.  My parents didn't make it which made Yellowstone not the top choice for vacation spot but still a vacation so that's good.  Lots of car driving in the rented Suburban named Ferb the Burb.  An extra half day just hanging at the cabin would have been nice but we enjoyed our time there.  Things to remember - the purple flowers, sitting on a little dock at big springs putting our toes in the cold water, Gibbon Falls with all my girls and no other people, trying to find wildlife the first evening and seeing some elk in Yellowstone beauty, everyone singing "Man in the Mirror" on the drive, hike to little Gibbon falls with the cool meadow and grass waving in the breeze, sitting on a log over a stream, ice cream at Mammoth, meandering rivers, searching for bison and finally spotting one only to then spot hundreds an hour later, Lamar valley bison, playing in the river at Lamar valley, drive from Tower to Canyon - especially the yellow flowers on the hillside, seeing two little bear ears with a bunch of strangers, playing games at the cabin, watching Bolt with everyone at the cabin, Cam's songs she made up (making some noise and waiting for a geyser), Sadie's smile when Old Faithful erupted, grand prismatic colors, being with my family and laughing and arguing and everything in between.

July 21, 2017

I love when you can see the rays of the sun.

"Remember, the righteous who are not highly visible are valued too."  - M Russell Ballard.

July 20, 2017

 D and I went back to Albion Basin because - the flowers! And the view from Sunset Peak!

July 18, 2017

Awesome evening hike to Cecret Lake with Cam and Sadie and D and Jessie Elswood.  The flowers at Albion Basin are blooming and beautiful.  Hard to capture in a photo but it was amazing with your eyes.  The blues were especially spectacular.  There were no parking spots so we happily paid $8 and used the campground as day-use - which most people don't realize you can do.  Sshhh - don't tell anyone. 

July 17, 2017

Cool date today - 71717.  Mason is enjoying his bday yo-yo.  And we skipped rocks tonight for FHE and the boy has serious rock skipping skills.

July 15, 2017

Happy Mason's bday!  He celebrated by camping with his friends.  Also Wendy's and Panda with his friends.  Also Guitar Hero with his friends.  Also lots of smiles and fun with his friends.  Love that 17 year old.

July 14, 2017

The day could not have started better than it did - hike up to Scout Falls with so much green and lots of flowers and - gasp - a mama moose and her baby.

July 13, 2017

Hike.  Green.  Water.  Trees.  Meadow.  Marmots.  Deer.  Rain.  Lake.  So beautiful!

July 12, 2017

We have baby birds in our tree and I sat outside most of the afternoon today watching them.  They're so cute!  Cam joined me and named them.  This one is Albert.  :)

July 11, 2017

Summer early mornings make me smile.  Also watching Sadie kayak.  Also eating green snow cones.

July 9, 2017

A rising tide lifts all boats.

Sitting outside at dark chatting with Ry and Cam was fantastic.  We had a debate on how Spiderman shoots his web.

July 7, 2017

Happy my birthday! It was a good day.  Morning hike with a friend (Kelly), some hammock time, slot canyon water hike with my girls, campground coloring, rain, fun hike with most of our group back to Mossy Cave where there was no one at the waterfall but us and splashing the boys and smiling with D, good camp dinner, bday cupcake with a candle, ukulele singing around the gas campfire, and glow stick jump rope rounded out the birthday.

July 6, 2017

Found my new favorite arch today.  Grovesnor Arch was amazing.  Standing under the huge double arch touching the white sandstone was an experience to remember.  Dusk stroll with D near the campground was a good way to end the day.  Love that guy.

July 5, 2017

Happy birthweek to me with an awesome find of a hike in Bryce.  Mossy Cavewas so cool walking through the river and finding a waterfall.  Lots of people but still really cool.  This Kodachrome place is kinda cool too.  (Site #12 is awesome.) I do love summer nights - even when it's still hot when the sun goes down.  Maybe especially then.

July 4, 2017

Good day at the cabin with my parents.  I sure like our new 4th tradition.  Ry and Cam spent lots of time on the 4 wheeler, Sadie played lots of games with Gma, and my dad and I watched ants while D chilled in the hammock.  And there were baby birds at the cabin.  Then it was back to Richfield for fireworks from the front lawn.  I loved sitting by my girls tonight.  We missed working Mason.

July 2, 2017

Sundays in the backyard with the family - sigh.

(Cam and Sadie)

July 1, 2017

One of my favorite places to be on a summer evening - a baseball game.  The Owlz made it exciting with a walk off single in the 9th.  Mostly it was great to watch baseball with the kids - including the Logan kids.