tree party

So what do we do when we have overgrown trees that haven't been trimmed for years and the bid to trim them all would easily be $800? Why order  pizza of course and count our blessings over and over again for our family that are so willing to come help. Smiths, next door had a tree fall on their roof this past storm and the guys were able to help remove that too. Kaitlyn, Josh's sister, dropped by for pizza and we met her new boyfriend Bob. Thank you BIG TIME everyone. You are much loved and appreciated :)

family camping trip

I wonder why leaving our somewhat clean homes and comfortable beds to spend time out in the great outdoors with all the dirt, bugs and smoke can be so relaxing. There is nothing like leaving the stresses of life behind and camping. It just has a way of rebalancing life and love it.  We originally planned on going to Flaming Gorge this year, but Ash and Paul found this cool place near Moon Lake, by Duchesne on an earlier trip and off we went.

Memories:

Had the camp all to ourselves. The diving june bugs into the lanterns on the first night with Phoebe screams. Conrad spending his time polishing up his skills non-stop running with his arrow, throwing it to kill the bear (bush) and jumping over a log, over and over again. Lindsey's creative camping ideas off Pinterest: blow up pool for crawling babies and the headlamp / jug of water that made a cool lantern. Ransom, Tyler and Larry mountain biking to the lake... pulling Ransom up the hills as he hung on to the Suburban. Favorite pastime? Knocking over dead aspen trees and listening to them crash. Homemade scones. Cooking omelets in a baggy. Ashlee dancing. Never ending stories around the campfire. Humming and playing name that tune. Jack clapping and saying 'Yah'. 30 Minutes of dirt roads. Phoebe being a dog with a stick in her mouth. Ashlee's burnt scalp. Phoebe hugging her dress non stop that she was finally wear a dress on the last day. Soda pop fridge in the river. Fishing at the lake. Watching Conrad catch a fish. Watching ants carry their eggs away. The boys tying up dead tree trunks and dragging them back to camp for our campfires. Constant sawing wood. Tin foil dinners. Cooking Lindsey's sugar cones filled with yummy good stuff over the fire. The thrill of catching fish! Playing camping games: throwing rocks at trees and heaving big rocks. Conrad pretending to be a bear and scaring his dad in the outhouse. The kids are happy throwing rocks in the river all day long... life is good!