Ward Pool Party

Oh, just a small ward function at the house yesterday.  The conditions for swimming and eating tasty food were perfect.  We had a lovely time as a ward family.

Maddie's #6

I think my Maddie girl has the perfect summer birthday.  We don't have to rush morning presents, we get to play all day without a schedule, and we get to spent the entire day just being together.

A bit of chalk drawing.

 A bit of breakfast.

 In five minute I finally taught my birthday girl to ride a two wheeler.

A long swim.

 A bit of baking.

 A barbie cake.

 Pinata.

 Night swimming.

Maddie is special in our family because she talks nicely to Eddie and Ryan, she's a motivated pianist, she is excellent at setting the table, she reads scriptures without help, she smiles with eyes, she swims all around the pool with floaties, and she likes to share to make others happy.  Six is just so perfect on her!

Camping at Rim Rock

Actually, I don't really know our camping destination.  What I know is that we drove for an hour, ended up with a 20 degree temperature differential, and I read an S.M. Eden novel the entire way.  Our site was beautifully filled with ponderosa pines, dead deer legs and a biking hill.  Heaven.  The only detail missing was Meg (she was at youth conference in Manti).

(Both boys are playing with tent poles.)

They ate hot dogs.  I roasted vegetables, looks like I'm eating enough for all the campers....

 Glad she's home.  I could never survive Sunday morning without her!

Lovers' Getaway 2015

I can hardly believe it myself, but Austin and I spent an entire week together, just the two of us!  This post is for my daughters, because I wish that my parents had taken more pictures together, especially pictures of their happiness as a pair.  May my daughters and sons find the happiness that we have, as they are obedient to their covenants and marry an eternal companion in the temple, is my fervent prayer.

Monday spent on an extreme ropes course in Flag.  He killed it.  I survived.

Off the the movie.

 Dinner on the town.

 Had to.

Tuesday was spent hiking.

 View from the parking lot.

 View from the snow field.

 Windy summit.

 Beautiful Arizona.

 Wednesday spent taking the Hoover Dam tour.

 Then on to the Bellagio in Vegas.

I found the shade!

 Thursday morning at the temple.  We missed the 9:30 session then waited an hour for the next.  But we did get to be the witness couple, something that we haven't been in a long time.

Indoor skydiving followed.

 I'm that blue blob floating above the instructor's head.  Both Austin and I wanted to go higher....

We totally ate at Giada's!  My favorite was her lemon butter, shocker.

 My darling took me to my favorite store.....

 We visited all the tamer spots of the strip.

 Friday we shopped all morning and found new outfits at SAKS.

 Then we headed to "La Reve,"

 and ate a really big cookie,

 and gelato.

 Saturday driving home.

Millions of kisses and thanks to Grandma and Grandpa B. who entertained, fed and nurtured the children while we were away.