Introducing . . .

For Fall break (or as we used to call it, the Deer Hunt) we went with a bunch of families from our neighborhood to camp in Arches. I love to camp and knew it would be fun to get to know and see these people in a different way, but I was not too excited about the weather forecast. When we got there it was a BEAUTIFUL Utah fall day. Little did we know it was the calm before the hurricane. We set up camp and explored the surroundings.

Our little canyon was so pretty it was almost unreal:

We knew it was going to rain in the night, and rain it did. All night it felt like someone was kicking my air mattress because the wind was so bad. In the morning I wondered why Grace kept kicking me so I turned over and she was no where near me. But when I turned over, I felt like I was on a waterbed. We were literally floating.

It was grey and foggy and rainy:

And then the sun came out and warmed everything up and the guys got out their shovels and built trenches around our tent sure to last if it rained again in the night.

Complete with bridges and other accessories:

And then the sky opened up even more than the night before and pounded us again. Hail, rain, wind, you name it. And this time it came down on us from the top of the tent. It was 10 times worse than in the night. We were in a lake and all the trenches were washed out.

When we moved our tent all the kids came and played in the lake where our tent had been.

I was ready to head home but Jon didn't want to be a wimp. So I slept in the car that cold, frosty, wet night. The only salvation I had on that trip was that our neighbors had brought their refurbished trailer and I got a few hours of warm dryness while she popped Jiffy Pop on her stove and baked rolls and boiled spaghetti on their stove. Yes, I was envious. I told Jon on the way home I had turned into the old lady I swore I never would become and that I was done with tents. Not with camping, but with tents. I was looking up campers on KSL on the way home and to make a long story short (Yes, I know this isn't short), found this beauty! A 1969 Rancho El Rae. It was love at first sight and we had to have him. 

The splendor inside:

The avocado green appliances:

The lovely 60's fabric:

The dinette:

It even has a bathroom:

So in case you were wondering where I have been, this is where. Making curtains, choosing fabric for the cushions, picking paint etc. We are already on our way to making this a beaut. Can't wait till it's done!

Sept.

Fall is almost here! Last year at this time it was still summer but there is orange and red everywhere and I am ready to make stew and apple crisp. The kids started school. Collin is in 8th grade and Grace is in 5th. When I was in 8th we lived in Finland and when I was in 5th we lived half the year in Denmark so it is interesting to remember being that old and wondering what they will experience and remember.

We had quite an eventful Labor Day. We had our usual Labor Day breakfast with my moms side of the family. Kind of a small crowd this year but it was up the canyon and at one of my favorite spots up American Fork Canyon - Mutual Dell, or "The Dell".

My sister Sarah and her family and our family went to Sundance and rode the ski lift up to the top:

It was so beautiful!

We took a hike around the mountain which had so much different scenery:

And then rode down which was more fun than going up:

Grace has had a great month. She is again a mother of a bunny - Speckles, which makes her life complete. We just hope he isn't a grumpy bunny all of the time and will eventually stop biting, scratching and growling.

It is harvest time and it is so nice to live by my dad who has a huge garden and shares with us. He brought us 3 bushels of corn to "put up":

We got 22 bags of Ambrosia corn - the best we've ever tried.

He also brought us 3 1/2 bushels of pears, and a bushel of apples. Our food dehydrator has been working nonstop!

Summer - Part 3

We have had a great summer! Grace pulled out the snorkel set we bought her for Hawaii about 5 years ago (used for about 15 min. total) and mastered it.

We took a great trip to Southern Utah that started with the Green show at the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City. . . and a lemon tart - can't not get one.

We went to one of our favorite spots - Zions and hiked the Narrows. Beauty!

It got really hot after that so we decided to go to St. George so the kids could see the temple and other sites. We ate figs off the temple ground trees.

We were going to go to Cedar Breaks but woke up to clouds and rain, so I cajoled Jon into taking us to "Vegas" (he hates it there) to show the kids where he lived for 5 years, see the temple and go to Trader Joes:

A grounds worker asked if we wanted a family picture but the cement heated our behinds up to about 300 degrees and he was taking his time posing us and the background and we were drenched with sweat after this:

We drove to the "Sev" that Jon spent half of his time at when he was young and both of us were telling our "sev" stories - 2 pieces of candy for 1 cent, slurpees etc. The kids asked what a slurpee was (!) and after explaining it, and them saying they had never had one, we had to fix that. The kids first (according to them) slurpee:

We went to the Green show again and Texas will always follow us - we saw some kids from our old ward there with their cousins! (Notice Collins same face in all the pics?)

We all agreed that the highlight of the trip was the 24th of July (Pioneer Days) in Beaver. I love this parade! The taxidermy "float" has vamped up from a little tractor to a Mule:

And we got 9 bags of cheese curds. That's 2 1/2 lbs of fresh cheese curds! YUM.

The kids "loot" of candy (the otter pops were already eaten) and Jons flowers:

And the most welcome part - the firetruck hose. The kids were completely soaked.

It was a great trip. Collin even said it was better than he thought it would be - amazing!

Summer Part 2

Collin has had quite the eventful summer so far! At the end of June he went on Pioneer Trek for 4 days and even though it was really hard, he had a great time and would do it again. Before trek:

After trek: too bad you can't see the layer of dirt all over him and his clothes!

We have the best neighborhood! We had a "Rockin' Robin Rd" street party the night the kids got back from trek:

Collin was trying to stay awake during the whole meal:

Collin is now officially taller than me. :(

I was SO glad to be back in Provo for the 4th! It's my second favorite holiday and Provo is the best place to be for it.

Gracie Loo and her newest baby cousin Ada in matching stripey shirts:

And YAY to finally being able to do fireworks again!! We had a bbq here and then started setting up for the big event:

Doing sparklers:

The pyros getting all set:

Notice it wasn't dark before the boys couldn't stand waiting anymore and had to start:

I didn't get a shot of doing the Grand Finale and the boys making a mad dash to the nearest firework stand to get an even bigger, even better GRAND Finale.

Grace and I went to the DUP Jubilee "up to the Dell" and had a good time:

Collin went to EFY at UVU for a week (they came home at night) with his cousin Bowen:

Now we're just enjoying the last few weeks of summer till school starts!