A Big Ward Camp-Out and A Trip To The Beach

In preparation for the ward camp out, we made a family
flag.
The good ol' sack race....Hailey beat her dad fair and square!

Bonding with dad on the three-legged race


We got "best flag" award

Next, we went to Pineview Reservoir to cool off.
Looks just like the coast , but only 45 min. away

Tanner floated on the waves that the boats and jet skis made as they
roared past. Just like the ocean!

Hailey's sandcastle moat kept getting breached with water . Just like the ocean!

This weekend we took a drive up to North Fork Canyon, participated in some wholesome church games and watched as dozens of kids gathered around a campfire with their sticks on fire. We all camped in a big field side by side. At 5:30 a.m. as the sky was barely getting light, the men started making breakfast and the kids came alive in all their noisiness. By 9:00 a.m. everybody was packed up and headed back to the city. Since the day was still young, we stopped off at Pineview Reservoir and found a beach much like the kind you would find in California. Tanner was so excited that he nearly rolled down the hillside to get to the water, Hailey ran around exclaiming "it's just like the ocean"! The sand was that nice soft brown type, good for sandcastles and best of all there were still little rocks for Tanner to throw into the water. Whenever a boat went by we would get little waves which would knock Tanner over. Hailey tried body surfing on her floatie. So you see, we can get a little ocean fun and only drive 45 minutes.

Why We Love Camping

Why We Love Camping:

1. Tanner can be himself:
loud
happy
excited
curious
content

filthy
dirty
messy
sticky









adventurous
independent







2. Hailey can be herself:
free
scientific
surprised
imaginative
explorer
collector
animal lover








We all love camping because we never know where we'll end up, what we'll see or what will happen. Last time, we saw twin baby fawns, mommy deer, monarch butterflies , six foot purple lupines, cow bones and a weird striped flying beetle which Hailey rescued from a stream. During the night, an animal dragged our trash bag into the woods and we had to go find it. We explored dusty roads, collected rocks and took in the scenery, but best of all, no TV, no electronic noise and no work.... it's just fun finding our way through the wilderness.


Where should we go next?????

A FAMILY PROPOSAL

Imagine hanging out in this gigantic pool complete with waterfall,

shallow platforms, covered lounge chairs, fun kids club etc.

Aaaaaah!

The beach is 20 yards away, white sand, rocky tide pools,
sand castles, sea shells, long walks at sunset.

WANNA GO?????

As I was looking through my favorite trips, one struck me as being particularly fun....MEXICO at the Mayan Palace. This resort had the worlds most amazing pool, a white sandy beach nearby, a water park , beautiful landscaping and close to snorkeling, ruins and Playa del Carmen. Believe me, this place is even better than the "Sunset Resort" in Cancun. So.... I was thinking maybe we could commission Mom to transfer the timeshare to the "Mayan Palace", get 3 or 4 rooms and have a big family vacation for a week next year. How about Spring Break (whenever Easter Break is, or winter break (week before or after Christmas). This is a great place!! I want to share it with you all. MOM!!!-- your assignment is to check for availability at MAYAN PALACE- Costa Maya, for dates: March 30 - April 4th . This year or next year, let's do it!! What do you all think???

A Beautiful Brag....

Last month our yard and landscaping were nominated as one of the most beautiful yards in Kaysville. We were contacted by the Davis County Clipper ( a local newspaper) and told that we were chosen to be in the "Beautiful Gardens and Yards Show". So for the past week I've been outside toiling in the 100 degree sunshine in hopes of making the yard presentable to the general public. So, this weekend, Dave played escort to folks who toured our yard looking for landscaping ideas. In other words, I did all the work and Dave got all the glory!! It turns out that we got 2nd place ( honorable mention) .

The River Trip

A Great Time With A Great Family!!

It was in May that my parents, siblings and spouses took a float down the Colorado River. Mom had planned this trip for 18 months; Dad was just glad it wasn't a Caribbean cruise. We took four days floating and hiking amongst the most beautiful scenery in the world. The red cliffs,the fresh water falls, the wide, meandering river all created an experience I'll never forget. But most of all, during this adventure, I was most struck by the absolute "coolness" of my family. I realized that there is not one bad apple amongst us. During our time together I looked on with pride, seeing the very best of mankind right in front of me. I truly am so impressed with the spouses my siblings have chosen. Martel is certainly the most hardest working, happy and friendliest guys I know, Casey is so casual and undemanding and tolerant, Jason is pragmatic, brilliant but humble, Nanette is always able to survive the most brutal political conversations with her head held high and with good humor. I didn't do so bad either; Dave keeps everyone entertained with his self- depreciating wisecracks and not so subtle commentary . I can't express enough what a joy it is to be so closely involved with such great people. So thank you mom and dad for making the great river trip possible, and for keeping us all together.

Catalina dive trip

Catalina water is 67 degrees so we wore full 7mm wetsuits


Our dive boat could sleep up to 35 people



The yellow kelp in the background grows from the bottom
70 ft down. It's like swimming through an eerie forest.


Last week we took an impromptu dive trip to the Channel Islands with Dave's work friends. We drove 12 hrs across the scorching desert, got to the port at Long Beach and boarded a 70 ft dive boat for a 4 day cruise. But this was no cruise ship! We slept in little bunks with about 1 ft between our heads and the bunk above. The cook prepared delicious meals and snacks and the captain was gruff and salty just like a cap'n should be. We were very pleasantly surprised and delighted to experience a totally new dive experience in the "cold" waters off California. We swam through beautiful kelp forests, thick and dense . We were spellbound as the sea plants on the ocean floor rolled back and forth with the swells , creating a sensation that the whole ocean bottom was moving beneath us. We saw tons of lobster, octopus, starfish and various marine life including playful dolphins which were racing the boat as we moved from place to place. It was a good trip! Hey! I was thinking that maybe the family could charter a boat sometime..... $5500 for 4 days??? What do you all think?