My Summer Vacation Part 1

These are a few memories of our 2012 Summer.  Family, family, work, shopping, family, work, birthdays and holidays.  Add a few plays for entertainment and a trip or two just for fun.  This is only part one, part two will be even more pictures.                                                          

I gave a Relief Society night lesson on writing our own personal history.  It was really fun to prepare and to give and motivated me into starting my own history, so it's on it's way.  It's fun and sad at the same time to write about all the "stuff" that went on in my life...so far.  Kim said I can't finish, because that wouldn't be good!  









Kim and I had a nice, but long memorial day weekend doing all the family grave sites.  I often work, or for other reasons we can't get to them all, but we started in Am. Fork and ended in West Valley.  Each brought nice memories even though the day was cloudy and rainy.  We ended with dinner with Melanie, Justin, the kids and Karen and Wade having dinner.

I think these are fish lips

Memorial day was a great family bar-b-q at our house.  The weather was perfect the guests were even better, I think everyone was there.

See how cute the kids are.  And this was just 3 of them.  We also celebrated a birthday or two.

Justin provided some impromptu entertainment by making big New York Street bubbles.

Fathers day was spent at the Hardcastle Cabin.  Home made ice cream, yummie yummie food and good people.  I think I have actually combined 2 cabin activities, the ladder was from the cleaning day and the others were from Fathers day.

I was lucky enough to spend about 3 days with other RS sisters working on a service project.  Sewing and crafting.  I love it when I can have days like this.  Visiting, laughing, eating and just getting to know each other better and doing fun activities.

Hyrum had his first sports activity, baseball with Grandpa Lafeen.  I was lucky enough to get to 2 or 3 games, because they were all played down in Harriman.  He was a typical 3 1/2 year old, sometimes more interested in the grass, hat and sun than the game,  But he was fun to watch.

I visited a Pirate Ship with the kids,

Watched Wade, Jodi, Jessica, Hyrum and Kate participate in a 5K.  Then breakfast in the park.

24th July with a few Hardcastle's, Karen and Wade.  Not much to do for the ever growing Sam and Jack, but it's good to get together.

Picnic and a walk/hike/drag kids around Mirror Lake.  We left 94 deg weather to needing a jacket, 72 deg weather.  It's a great place to live when you have such beautiful mountains and surroundings so close to home and to be able to just suddenly decided to go without any previous plans.

Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays.  It seemed like every Sunday dinner has been a birthday celebration, and double lucky for us we have Melanie to make our cakes and treats, and Hyrum to help blow out the candles.    I Love Love Love our Sunday dinners.  They are a lot of work and at times frustrating, but worth it.

I got to watch the kids at their swimming lessons. 

A picnic at the Howden's and then we were all treated to a Shavey Jones shaved ice.  

We tended Oden (no pic.) while Matt and Jenn went on vacation.  Simon seemed to enjoy playing with his cousin dog, but by the end of the week Simon was tired and could hardly walk.

It was the Summer of Plays.  Wade and Karen invited us to go to Cedar City, St. George, to see Scappin, which was so funny, and then onto the Spelling Bell, both of which we really really liked.  They had access to a nice condo with a pool, so it was a nice weekend. They took us to a great Stake House, Anasazi.  It was unique, where we cooked our own stake just how we liked it.     

We also went to My Fair Lady, in Logan.  We took Charlene and went to Maddox for her Mothers Days gift.  Then the next night we went to Wicked at the Capitol.  There was a big bunch that went.  Becky and Rich, Gordon and Jessica with her Parents Sue and Tim and sister Tanna, and Jodi.  It was a fun evening and a great play.  

It has been a great summer.  I've worked and worked, but between all those days we've been able to be with family and friends, have great get togethers and fun activities. By the end of next week our ever growing bunch will have 3 new great grandsons, and a return missionary grandson soon. Mom is always missed, but is felt in all our activities.  I always hope we can stay close as our separate families grow.