Just Stuff

Michex was asked by the Director/drama teacher to be the STAGE MANAGER of Weber High's fall musical! Yea! What does that mean? I'm not really sure other than she is at every practice, has her own script/notebook thingy and once the curtain goes up opening night, the show is handed over to her! "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" will run sometime in November.

Mayflower is excited about being asked to be on the 6th grade student council, almost having her backhand-spring down and going horseback riding with Dreampacker:)

Shematite loves "harvest time"! And therefore Autumn!

I am looking forward to a couple of days in Zion with my Rock.

Weekend

Loved having Scout, Karli and the Coombs family here for a visit! Played "Go to Jail" in the old orchards, played dodgeball and played a mind-boggling game of "Signs"! Rob cooked all kinds of yumminess on the grill and then the kiddos roasted marshmallows in the fire pit. And yes! We did watch the BYU game! I then conducted Relief Society on Sunday, enjoyed my wonderful, weekly nap that my family makes sure I get and then made a little trip up to Lil'Dell Ranch to visit the Wild Bunch. Learned more about my new camera:) Monday morning...cleaned out my kitchen pantry (such as it is) in hopes of making room for a smidgeon of the harvest and case lot sales that have begun, bid the weary travelers goodbye to make their way back to Dixie and gave myself a mental and emotional pat on the back. Well done. Great weekend. Now back to work:)

Beautiful Day

Well, ...back to school.

Scout was busily rearranging her schedule down at Dixie so she could fit in the "Raging Red" class she added at the last minute. Apparently a show/traveling choir of some kind that she tried out for. She's very happy about it!

Michex - senior. Enough said.

Mayflower - 6th grade. Likes her teacher. Zero cute boys in her class, so she says....but, pretty darn cute herself, I must say:)

I got home from work Monday, and found that Mayflower didn't have any homework yet and Michex was making chocolate chip cookies. Mmmmm. Had a tomato sandwhich for dinner, some cookie dough, and then went for a little hike up the base of Ben Lomond. The sun was setting, the sage smelled glorious and my heart, lungs and legs did what I told them to do. Beautiful day.

Change of Plans

Last weekend, the weather kind of helped us change our plans from a backpacking trip in the Uintahs to a surprise visit to Scout at Jacob Lake. Here are some favorite photos!

Inside the Lodge where Scout works.

This is the fire tower that Scout climbs to get cell phone coverage to call home.

Kaibab Forest

Yes, Michex is pointing to a marshy pond in the background, also known as Jacob Lake.

Jacob Lake Historic Ranger Station.

Mayflower enjoying the view from Bright Angel Point at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Scout is actually on Bright Angel Point.

Then we drove out to Cape Royal to catch the sunset! We spent over 30 minutes trying to get the same person on boths sides of a panorama shot. It was so much fun! Come over some time and I will show you the bloopers:) I looove this shot!

Scout took this shot. Love it!

There was a forest fire burning out on Cape Royal so the air was really hazy, but we had so much fun! Scout showed us her dorm, introduced us to a lot of her friends, made us hot chocolate and milk shakes and didn't turn us in to the hotel management for cooking our meals on our balcony with our backpacking stove:) We stopped in Panguitch on our way home and had an impromptu BBQ with the Bremners, Coombs and Smiths. All in all, a great birthday get-away for me!

New Vines from Strong Roots ~ 2009

Well...we did it! Thanks to everyone for being so willing to help and accept assignments. I loved watching everyone play, craft, tube, rappel, hike, sing and eat together! I was constantly torn between taking photos of the fun and having fun myself. I think I did lots of both! Thanks again, everyone, for your love and support. As for the tune you hear playing on my play list, it is the song that I remember Grandpa Lee singing whenever we were outside together. I'll never forget his big booming bass voice singing the chorus of " Boom-de-ya-da's"! So, Grandpa(and Grandma!), this is for you.

I will always remember...

Kira giving up on changing Izaac's clothes. I am not sure who was happier after that - Kira or Izaac...

Michaela and Summer getting dumped down the waterfall in the river. Expert tube and child handling followed, because Michaela kept ahold of both of them! Whoohoo!

Marshmallow War - Hey! Who's eating all the ammo!?!

KICKBALL!

Greg & Sheri's yummy pulled pork sandwhiches from the Texas Pride BBQ. And peach cobbler!

Boom crash! The lightening flashed! Oh, that's another story...

Guitar serenades by Ty and Bethany...sigh:)

Cooling off in the river...with River!

Zach getting dumped down the dang waterfall and coming up missing a flip-flop but still smiling!

Yummy Breakfast cooked by Grandpa and Grandma:)

Samantha, Joziah, Chelsea and Emily doing their first RAPPEL! You guys Rock!

Hanging out with and getting to know better...John & Kristine and their families!

Please comment your favorite things, too! And if you saw/heard something funny/cute/memorable that I missed, please feel free to share it. As for me...pictures really are worth a thousand words ~ so...

Here are some tubing pictures:)

And some hiking pictures:) The Skull Crack trail around the south end of Causey is 2.3 miles one way. Beautiful views of the reservoir! Would be great in the fall with lots of leaf color, too!

Southfork cave rappelling! Yea!

Just having fun!

And finally... the Faces of Family!

Love you all!

Happy Birthday Michex! July 20th

Even sweeter @ 17!

One of Mayflower's favorite pastimes...and Mine!

Yea! I got my new camera! So I decided to shoot Mayflower while she was jumping on the tramp with some major backlighting issues. I am very pleased with the "portraits". The camera's "brain" knew of the backlighting problem and her face is well-lit. I think, however it was trying to decide whether to prioritize the action or the backlighting on the other 2 shots. I am learning! .... Watch out Family Reunion! HEre I come!