Family Reunion

This past weekend I was able to fly home to see my mom and the rest of my family.  Mats and Bo made it home too, so all five of us siblings were together at the same time.  We were trying to figure out when the last time was that had happened and it was so long ago, none of us could remember.  So now we have evidence of this reunion for the future.

 My beautiful mother.  She looks pretty even when she's eating. :)

 Nothing like pinning your child down to get a picture, huh Kais?!

 Slide train at Aiken Elementary, where all of us went to school.   Notice the legs of Carter, in the process of photo bombing.

 The Photo Bomber has arrived. 

 Keaton and Carter "acting natural".

Mats "acting natural".

Bridger: A Man of Action

Bridger has places to go and people to see....dump trucks to drive and...

undies to wear on his head like a super hero's helmet.

He's a hard-working cowboy out doing his morning chores...

 and a BSU Broncos fan, tirelessly working on snow removal, even when most of it has already melted.

And last and definitely most amusing...he's a scholar, doing a little reading in the buff.

More Fall Break Fun

Lots of families were gone on vacation for fall break, but lucky for us, the Bolanders were in town and we had a ball hanging out with them several times during the break.  We went swimming, to the movies, to their house for a Halloween party and to the Homestead Park for a picnic and hike.  We sure love this sweet family!

 Getting ready to see who can throw the farthest...

 All of the Bolander kids are SO sweet to Bridger.  He idolizes them all and talks about them constantly.

 Miss Alia...if arranged marriages were still in fashion, this would be Gannon's future wife.  Such a doll!

 What is it with sticks?!

On your mark, get set...

 JUMP!

 A bunch of cool cats...

This picture just makes me laugh.  Terrie is looking so lovely and Addison, the little stink, refused to let me take her picture.  And when I finally got one, she put food in her mouth on purpose.  I will get you when you least expect it, Addison. :)

Them Bones...

Oh, the things you can do with Elmer's glue, Q-tips, energetic boys and a whole lot of time on your hands (2 weeks of Fall Break).  They had a blast making these skeletons and learned valuable lessons regarding the eternal truth that "less is always more" when it come's to Elmer's glue.

Boo-ing

Dressing in dark clothing, sneaking around in neighbor's yards...no, I'm not teaching my boys to be robbers...we're spreading some Halloween cheer by "Boo-ing" our friends.  Making the treats are fun, but the real excitement comes, when we get to sneak up to a doorstep, ring the bell and then run like crazy.  We "boo-ed" several families, but Hayden and Gannon kept begging to do more.  I think they are addicted.  Don't worry, boys, our tradition of doing the 12 Days of Christmas is right around the corner.

The Paint Mines

We love to go exploring and hiking and a really neat place close to our house is the Paint Mines.  It's seems like you are out in the middle of nowhere and then you come upon the coolest rock formations. 

 Come ON, Mom!

 Hayden, the great explorer...

 

Isn't that the saddest face? Poor kid fell and skinned his knee a few times.

 Having a conference...

 white bums...

 A lone man in the wilderness.

 There's a reason they can climb so high.  And that reason is MUSCLE.

Again...a lone man in the wilderness, feeling moved by his surroundings.  Are you moved?  I know I am. :)

The Incline

Jeremy and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary this year.  Because we are so "seasoned" now as a couple, we decided to step it up a notch in the celebration department.  No more dinner and a movie nonsense, we wanted this anniversary to stand out.  You are probably thinking we took a cruise in the Caribbean or jetted off to Europe.  No, no...we did something even BETTER than all that.  We hiked the Incline.  Yes, that's right.  Don't be jealous.  What's the Incline, you ask?  The incline is a set of unevenly spaced railroad ties or "stairs" that lead virtually straight up the mountainside.  It begins at about 6,500 feet in elevation and climbs to around 8,500 feet in less than a mile. Two thousand feet in one mile.  Wowzas.  Definitely not a hike for pansies.  But we're no pansies.  So we came...we climbed...and we conquered.  Thanks for 12 adventurous years. Love you, babe!

 The beginning of the trail.  Looks innocent enough right?

 A little over half-way up.  Can you see the trail in the background?  Yikes!

 Jeremy looking studly.

 We made it to the top.  I realize I should have taken the photo with the trail and view behind us.  But cut me some slack.  I was deprived of oxygen after hiking up 2000 ft. in elevation and wasn't thinking clearly.