Fish Lake

We went to beautiful Fish Lake this year. It was truly bittersweet without my Mom there, but we really did have a wonderful time. It was hard to believe that the last time we were there she was too and we all missed her like crazy. My Dad was so wonderful and made our whole trip possible. I'll just let the pictures do the talking! Thanks for everything, Dad! Sorry for the picture overload, but I just couldn't narrow it down!

This guy deserved a spot on the blog- seriously! How does he even stand up?

Richard and Brent took the kids on a nice, long hike

The view from the top down to Bowery Haven

Look at all those cute kids!

Oh, so cute!

Hailey and Emma with their wildflower boquets

The marshmallow contest. Disgusting! But hilarious!

Jon

Brent, still able to stick out his tongue- there's room for more!

Richard won with 19 marshmallows!

Landon and Daniel got about 5 or 6 in before gagging them into the fire

Michelle, Heather and I playing Rummikub. This was my Moms favorite game and we always played it at Fish Lake with her!

Jake and his ugly concentration face

Dave- its hard to put in more when you are laughing!

Emma and the "perfect" toasted marshmallows

Gotta love smores!

Me and Dad

A bunch of us at the Lodge

These are the t-shirts I made. The kids got to color them with fabric markers and it was really fun!

The back of the t-shirts

Working on coloring our t-shirts

I love this picture of Emma and Grandpa

Me and my girls. I can't believe how dark Emma's hair is and how light Kate's is!

Kate even got in on the driving action!

Emma on the perfectly glassy lake

The boys with a great catch!

Love that early morning glass!

Daniel was loving driving the boat!

Great catch Landon!

Grandpa with Landon and Daniel

We kept busy with games and baseball when the afternoon was too choppy to go out on the lake.

Landon got to ride to Fish Lake with Grandpa and keep him company and help unload. Landon said he was so glad he went with him- they had a great time!

Lehi Round Up Days

We always have fun during Round Up Days. We always go to the horse parade, which we love and then watch the big parade on Saturday morning. This year we decided to be in the parade with our miniature ward float. The kids had a lot of fun and it was a great experience! We thought we would have to push Kate in the stroller but she hopped right in to the basket on the float and didn't want to get out. She was being so funny the whole time, waving and smiling and dancing for everyone.

Daniel is on the ripstick and Landon is carrying the banner in the background

Emma and Kate on the float feeling very special

Address

Monday nights Draper concert starts at 7:00 pm. Go to 12300 S. and 900 E. then south about a block and you will find the park.

July 5th Freedom Festival is from 8:30 to 10:00 at the Provo Tabernacle.

July 9th Church Concert is at 8:00 pm at Brigham Young Historic Park, which is kitty corner from the Church Office Building. (The northeast corner)

I'd love to see you there!

Summer singing

I have been singing with the Paul Burnside Band for a few years now. We mostly do weddings and such, and I feel like I've learned a lot and I really enjoy it. It is a job that I can make a little money doing and also have fun doing it! It is a full band with drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano and two vocalists. Me being one of them. And usually John Huff (of the popular group Voice Male :)) is the other one. We have been doing a few outdoor summer concert series performances. I failed to mention the Murray and Orem shows, which we have already done, but here are the other ones if you are interested! I will post more details as I find them out!

Monday June 28- Draper

Monday July 5- Provo, Freedom Festival (I think it's a late show, right before fireworks)

Friday July 9- Brigham Young Historic Park- Salt Lake (This is the Church's summer concert series, which the band did a few years ago and had like 100 people come. A few weeks later Voice Male was the featured group and they pulled in at least 3,000 people.)

I mean, we're no Voice Male, but it is great, fun music and I'd love to see you there!

Super Smash Bros

Landon and Daniel got a new game for the Wii but are not allowed to play it if they fight. They were really getting into it today and I made them turn it off. Their choices were to rest for 30 minutes or read for 30 minutes. Of course they both wanted to tell me "their side" of the story and why they were innocent. Daniel interrupted Landon's explanation and Landon said,

"Stop it! This is my story!......OK, so elephant brain here" (glaring at Daniel)

Daniel: "I am not an elephant brain!"

Landon: "Elephants have huge brains, which means they're really smart, which means I just called you dumb. It's called sarcasm."

I laughed so hard.

Miserable

Emma had her tonsils out a week ago. To say that she has been miserable would be an understatement. Daniel had his tonsils out when he was 5 and it hardly phased him. We really had to beg him to take it easy and rest. I was kind of expecting that sort of situation with Emma, but she has been the complete opposite. She threw up and fevered and has cried and moaned and howled, waking up multiple times a night. She is irrational and difficult to reason with. She has hardly drank or eaten anything for a week. Crazy. I want to be a loving, comforting Mommy who can take care of my little Emma, but she pushes us away and scowls and whines no matter what we do. I am so ready to have this over with. I need my sweet Emma back, not this little monster. These pictures were taken before the surgery. Before we knew the misery that was before us!

Memorial Day

We had a good Memorial Day spent in Mt. Pleasant. We also visited my Mom's grave on Sunday and watched the DVD of pictures we made of her life. We all had a good cry! Here are pictures of our day in Mt. Pleasant. No pictures of the boys riding horses because they are still nervous after getting bucked off last year. They were great spectators and the girls loved every minute!

Trying to keep Kate busy!

Me and the kids with Grandpa McAllister

Emma riding Ginger, led by Leah. When Emma got off she told me that Leah told her the secret to riding a horse. "What is it?" I asked. (Long pause) Emma replied, "I forgot." But she did a great job riding and didn't even get nervous when Richard was leading and her horse got spooked and stepped on Richards foot. Ow! He has a nice bruise on his ankle.

This little girl rode with me first, but then was hooked! She would not get off for anything and rode all by herself!

Emma and cousin Gracie

Playing with the bummer lambs

Petting the chickens

Kate and cousin Ethan

Our family at the Fairview cemetary