Midway

So, I've complained quite a bit about not having a very exciting summer, but looking back through pictures, it turns out we did do a few things besides clean and pack.  

Floyd's parents had a condo in Midway for a few days, so we went for a quick trip.  They got a new boat, so obviously we needed to take it out on the lake.  

 

Summer nights on the lake are one of my favorite things ever.  It was so pretty and peaceful and perfect out there. And sunset on the water is never a disappointment.  We had a good ride.

The next day, we headed back to the lake.  My boys (and Annie, but we didn't get her picture) were tube riding champs.  Cole is fearless on that thing. 

 

It's a good thing Grandpa's boat is big because I learned something new that day - Deer Creek Reservoir is a top contestant in the World's Worst Beach contest.  Seriously.  It was completely awful.  Tons of rocks.  Even more thistles and thorns.  Zero sand or shade.  If you don't have a boat, do not bother going to Deer Creek.  Although, it didn't really seem to stop half of Utah County from showing up...

...or this little darling from smiling.

We had a good time.  The End.

The Temple

Just before we moved, we went to the Ogden Temple Open House.  It was a little bit sad for me to be there.  I've been really excited for the temple to open back up and the kids, especially Ben, have had a fun time watching it progress the past few years.  It was sad to know we would move before we ever really had the chance for it to be "our" temple. 

But then I thought of the pioneers building temples and being forced to leave them, knowing they were leaving their sacrifices behind.  We only have to travel an hour if we want to visit - and we would pass two other temples on our way.  We are blessed, that is for sure.  The temple is lovely and peaceful and everything a temple should be.  We will miss checking its progress, but we are glad it is ready to be opened. 

Big Sky Procrastination

 We took a trip up to Big Sky, Montana.  It was pretty much the only thing we did this summer (other than pack 9 billion boxes) and it was seven weeks ago. 

Summer was kinda a bust around here is what I'm saying.

But.  At least we had Montana and it treated us very well.  

I should have taken some pictures of the cabin.  It was really nice - gave me lots of good ideas for building a new house.  Like a fireplace on the deck!  And a fridge drawer!  Floyd was loving all my discoveries.  We had cousins staying in Big Sky the same week and one night we had them over for a BBQ.  It was fun to see them and funny that we had to travel that far to get together. 

We started out the week with a little waterfall hiking.  Just a short one so even the littles could make it.  

 

 I like waterfall hikes cause it's always nice and cool in the mist once you get to the falls.  

 

You might notice Cole is rather absent from these pictures.  That's cause he's too cool/fast/something to hike with his slowpoke parents.  Cue the sentimental music - wasn't it just last summer that it took us three hours to hike a mile cause he had to stop and look at every rock and bug and plant on the trail?  He just won't stop growing up!

One of our favorite activities during the week was hanging out at the lake.  It's just a teensy little man-made lake, but we had access to paddle boats and paddle boards and kayaks and canoes and we had so much fun paddling around the lake.

 

 

 

Most of us preferred the paddle boards, but Cole was the kayak master.  Some of us weren't coordinated enough to figure out the kayak paddling, but he had it down.

Others of us preferred hanging out at the beach and digging in (or eating in someone's case) the sand.

One day, we took a little day trip to the Lewis and Clark Caverns (which were neither discovered by Lewis and Clark nor explored by Lewis and Clark).  The science nerds amongst us enjoyed them...

 

 ...while others in the group were a little bored.

 

While the big boys went fishing one day, some of us went to the rock climbing wall. 

Children - you should know great sacrifices were made by me, Aunt Kelli, and Aunt Karlee for this event to occur.  It was killer hard to be the balay-er for ya'll.  You know we all have rather pathetic arm strength and it was not an easy task.

With that little disclaimer out of the way, you can see the kids enjoyed themselves.  They loved it.

  

 

 

And then there was the horseback ride.  

Oh the horseback ride.

 {don't worry - Cole settled in and enjoyed the ride after he got over his horse's name - Latte}

It almost didn't happen.  Horseback riding on a trail in a resort town is just so touristy that we weren't jumping at the chance, but a few of the kids really wanted to and we had an open afternoon, so we headed down.

I haven't enjoyed myself so much for a loooooooooong time.

It wasn't because the ride was so pretty, which it was.

Or because I love riding horses so much, which I do.

It was all because of these two cuties:

I had the privilege of riding right behind Annie and Landon and they were absolutely hilarious.  I didn't stop laughing the entire time and neither did they. 

Landon was clearly born to be a cowboy.  He worked the entire ride to get his horse off the path.

Annie had a naughty horse that kept getting into trouble and making us laugh.

There is really no way to describe why they were so funny on their horses, but it was just so fun to watch them.  They razzed each other like old cowboys the entire time.  It was a highlight of the trip and when I'm 90 and bored in my rocking chair, the memory of those two riding along the trail will still make me smile.

 

And to finish off the week, we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday!  What a great way to celebrate.  I have a feeling we'll make this trip again sometime.

Doce {And also Uno!}

I've been dreading it big time.  My baby is one!  But lucky for me, she such a little peanut that she only looks about 8 months old, so let's just pretend, okay?

She got to celebrate her birthday Big Sky style, livin' it up in Montana.  Quite a place her grandparents rented out for the big birthday celebration;).

We spent the day spelunking at the Lewis and Clark Caverns.  We were going to leave Molly with Grandma, but decided to bring her along at the last minute.  She was a trooper.

The cake turned out a little lopsided - apparently the oven in the cabin wasn't quite level (which seemed odd to me cause it was like a $5000 oven - why not bother to take the ten minutes and level it?).  No worries, though, we just added extra frosting to that side and passed out those pieces to the frosting-loving kids.  

When Cole turned one, his birthday cake was pretty much the first time he had cake.  It was kinda old hat to Molly cause her dad and sibs have been sneaking her bites of good stuff for months!

 

 

And then she opened a few presents.  But actually, everyone else opened presents while she sat there cause that's what happens when you are surrounded by lots of very excited older siblings and cousins.

  

 Molly is such a delightful little thing.  She is a dream baby and we all adore her.  At one year old, Molly:

-Is very tiny.  I bought her two outfits for her birthday.  They were both 6-9 months and a little baggy.

-Loves people.  While we were in Montana last week, she would immediately through her arms open to people whenever she entered a room or they entered the room. 

-Sleeps pretty good.  She usually only wakes up once a night which is leaps and bounds above her brothers.  They were the worst.

-Takes some steps but isn't really an independent walker yet.

-Jabbers so cute.  "Ah-diddle-diddle-diddle."

-Loves eating raspberries.  It will be a sad day when we can't go out and pick breakfast from our bushes every morning.  

 

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl.  Molly-Dolly.  MollyPop.  Mollserati.  Baby Sue.  Little Love.  Goochie.  Cutsie Tootsie.  Hot TaMolly.  Rati-Roo.  Miss MaGooch.