Yep, she’s a cute one

And the fire burns...

The most depressing day ever was right before the Fourth of July… and I was driving my new car up the mountain (trying to get something to work on it, I can’t really remember why) and looked out from Suncrest to see, right near where my Aunt Kristen lives, a huge pillar of heavy smoke circulating up into the air.  I was in the car with a friend whose aunt also lived up there and had just barely left town, so immediately we turned around and headed straight into the fire---we could’ve easy been two football fields away from it, close enough to smell strongly and even feel.  

This was my first initial view… I couldn’t really believe how close it was and how heavy.  My friends aunt was out of town, so we frantically began loading animals, cages, and documents into the cars.  Fire Safety came over and informed us that we had fifteen minutes.  Scary.

Soon enough, it just turned into a scary mess of red and black.  Luckily, by some miracle, the wind changed directions and shot the flames upwards, and eventually turned them on an angle that allowed them to eat up the entire mountain.  Such a sad day.

So our lovely green mountain is gone.  What an unfortunate day.

Someday, though, it will be back. Ah, someday.

July 24th

The order of summer events are going haywire, but of course the only important part is posting it (I’m getting better ;)

You can’t live in Utah without the yearly celebrations of the “Mormon Fourth of July”…aka, Pioneer Day! Gotta love it!

Every year at 7am our neighbors do a giant breakfast party.  Well, this year, it got… bigger than ever.  There was traditional folk music, two or three giant blow up/bouncy houses, a bike decorating station loaded with all sorts of crafts, and dun dun duh duuuuh!….a parade.  Yep, the kiddos did a big ole parade starting from the top of the street, to the bottom, and back up.  I got a front row seat to the event.

Emma and her all time companion, Jaynie

Oh, almost forgot Brother Oliver’s awesome kid train pulled by four wheeler.  What a bonus.

Ethan, Cooper, Calvin, etc… all the neighborhood “blondies” (literally, are we all of Scandinavian descent?) took over the bouncy house.  

Bels in her awesomely decorated wagon. What a trooper.

It was a classic, fun day and we definitely got our partying on!

Lake Powell 2012

Amidst my swollen cheeks, some bouts of illness, and the depressed pre-back to school stage, we managed a final summer trip to Lake Powell, our traditional yearly sanctuary (along with 30 people, two ski boats, four jet skis, and a mass house boat).  We’re so privileged to have such awesome family.

Traditional mud baths. Delish. 

Along with Uncle Robert’s creative game of “water gymnastics”, including the event of Slide Landing, where one goes down the fast slide and must stick the landing on the shaky tube at the bottom.   Let’s just say….like in gymnastics…the smaller, the better.

Reyna, Sierra, Caroline, and I. Getting our MUD on.

Ladies…? Anyone…anyone….Bueller? 

We had some trauma on the tube (could be worse, I guess).  But my oh my, this tube hit the jackpot.  It totally rocked and was nearly unflippable (making it the most insane ride of our lifetimes). Woo.

Colton taking a snooze.

All in all, trip = success.  Major success.

Now… time for… SCHOOL.

Emma’s Baptism

Emma had an amazing baptism (as you can see with all the family members and everything) , and we are so grateful to everyone that came! Thank you so much!

We love you Emma!