Trout Farm

I am not a fisherman.  I like to eat fish but I've not done much fishing.  Our family took us to a trout farm which is really my kind of fishing.  There were four ponds loaded with fish and it is a beautiful place.  Grandma likes to fish and I loved seeing her teach the kids what to do.

 I love the little one's face in this picture.  He wasn't sure exactly what we were doing but he was loving it.  He also got to feed the fish.

 Look at my four-year-old's face as he watched Dad getting so silly.

After fishing we went home where Dad and Grandpa grilled up our fish for dinner.  Yum!

Idaho Summer Dress Code

When it gets hot on the high desert the dress code becomes clothing optional for the littles.  Okay, most of the time they were in their swim trunks but the second day there they got wet and I just had them strip down and have fun.

 We did end up with some sore feet from rideing wiggle cars and using bare feet for brakes but other than that we were injury free and keeping cool.

George Eccles Dinosaur Park

We had a fun day in Ogden with the Kings at the dinosaur park.

This was the biggest fossil they had and it was impressive.  They had some robitic dinosaurs and the kids weren't sure what to think of that.  My four-year-old was drawn to it even though it scared him.  I sat with him for ten minutes as far from them as he could and still be able to see them.

My favorite part was all the models out in the outside area.  I loved walking down all the paths and finding more dinosaurs.  The kids were scared at first and we had to explain the noises were coming from speakers camoflauged to look like rocks.  It was interesting to see the models especially since they gave a scale so the cute stegosaur that was 1/3 scale would be very intimidating full size.

After a fun day at the park we stopped at Dylan's for lunch and ice cream.  Yum!  I also bought and sent some post cards which I haven't done in years.

Private Pool Party

We love visiting our family in Brigham City!  The heat was getting to us so we went out to enjoy their pool.  The kids ended up turning a ring toss game into a safety device.

 They kept them on for almost 1/2 hour and didn't seem bothered that we were so entertained by them.  It was a small pool so it was unneccessary...

especially since we had a life guard.  We had so much fun this afternoon and it was a great way to beat the heat.  The kids little cousin even got in on the action a bit before getting distracted by a grasshopper.

Evening Ride

Our trip to Utah and Idaho this year was AMAZING!  The weather was super hot and tempruatures were over 100 degrees some days.  We ran through sprinklers, hung out in the wading pool, and went  swimming.  My favorite time of day was the evenings when everything would start to cool down.

There is something amazing about the cool in the air after an insanly hot day that just soothes the soul.  The first day in Idaho we loaded the four of our little family onto the 4-wheeler and took a ride.  The last night we were there Grandma and Grandpa took the littles while Matt and I sat in the porch swing.  Listening to the sprinklers and feeling the cool breeze brought back many memories of summer evenings out in the yard working, playing or just watching the sun go down.  Thanks for a great visit!

F A M I L Y

There is a special bond that exists between family.  They are the ones who have known us longest and best.  There are all different kinds of families, but we all have one.  Twice a year we make the trek to visit family.  This year I was not feeling well when it came time for packing and was NOT looking forward to the long drive.  The day we were leaving, my hip was acting up and I had a hundred things to do and everything hurt.  After spending an hour trying to pack around my children I banished them from my bedroom and got that done.  Next, it was time to start into the cleaning. (My Mom always had us give the house a good cleaning before we left for the weekend, I thought she was crazy but now I'm sure she is a genius.)  When my husband got home I was in tears because my back hurt so bad and I was trying to sweep the floor.  He swooped in, took over the mopping and sent me off to get a pizza for dinner.

No matter how hectic the trip is or the preparation, the stress melts away when we finally reach our destination.  I marvel at how much my children love their grandparents, which they should because they're really great.  We get to enjoy them for a few days and we're off again.  Despite that limited amount of time they spend together, my children have always had an acute awareness that those grandparents belong to them.  They treasure the time we spend with our family and remember so much of the little things we enjoy together.

I marvel at what I learn when we are visiting family.  It was my father-in-law who first taught me not to let my child disrespect me and that they can contribute when they are very young.  He loves to play with the kids and has a great sense of humor.  My mother is constantly reminding me how wonderful my children are and that they are good kids.  I watched my grandmother do the fastest diaper change ever and I marvel at my other grandmother's calm manner and patience.  I love watching the way my husband's mother run her household and she has such a happy spirit about her.

I am so grateful for the family I was born into and the family I married into.  When I count my blessings they are always at the top of my list.