rockclimb

Last weekend we packed up the car, ate lunch at a park by some ducks, climbed{drove} over a spectacular mountain pass, lucked out and claimed quite possibly the perfect spot for a little relaxation and rock climbing. We climbed, we played in the river, laughed, explored a nearby cave, had wagon rides, climbed some more, ate a yummy dinner, and roasted some marshmellows. Then when we could no longer see we turned on the head lamps packed up the car, and climbed back over that mountain pass. The sky was black with thousands of twinkling stars and a sliver of the shiny moon lighting up the frame of the mountain tops. It felt like we were on the tip top of the world. With kids sleeping soundly, the perfect breeze and a little Ray in the backdrop I think we really were. It was beautiful and I was in awe...of our day and how it was winding down. I love..love...love where we live and the experiences it brings. It made my heart happy to see the little city, our home, glittering peacfully in the dark at the bottom of that mountain pass.

even a kitty must be pretty

If Lucy gets a hold of lip gloss she goes straight for her favorite kitty and then she finds a nice spot where she won't be bothered by the lip gloss owner (ellie) or stopped before she has used and licked every last bit by me. The kitty has definite signs of a few different shades but that's okay because even a kitty must be pretty. At least she thinks her's does.

{p.s. her application skills have very much improved since these porch excursions have began. Just look at those lips....almost perfect.}

somebody loves summer...

the little summer things

This is what has gone in between the bigger summer events.

Wearing swimsuits all day long, going through boxes and boxes of popcicles. Hours on end under "the tree". Minor bike accidents, a new found love of goggles (ellie), sleep outs on the trampoline, tan little bodies. A couple really good face plants (that would be me) once on a run with a little old man as a wittness, the second was on the wet, soggy, gross 7 peaks bathroom floor. Let's just say that one was messy and pretty much the worst ever....so gross ahhhhh. Soccer practices, Olympic park summer camp (canyon), BBQ's, sprinklers, camping, science expierments, lots of swimming, good meals outside and my three blondies are now a couple shades blonder. Oh, and I have had strange encounters with animals on morning runs. I got cut off and stared down by a deer (scary!) and pooped on right on top of my head by the dumbest bird in the world. Pulled lots and lots of weeds, planted lots of new flowers...only to pull more weeds. Bike rides, stary summer nights, fireworks, roasted marshmellows and of course lots of raising eyebrows on demand (lucy). The summer is half over and I am starting to panic just a little. There is a lot more things I want to fit in that I am looking forward to.

{I love that without fail when ever she hears the word eyebrows she raises them just a little}

Flaming Gorge 2009

There are some things that should be said.

1. Some serious good times were had out on the lake.


2. Shane decided he was born to surf the wake.
3. Vacations with friends are non-stop fun.


4. Ellie would be a very good tour guide "Welcome to Flaming Gorge"


5. This little gal loves the boats.


6. And even after all day of boating she was determined to still play in the water.


7. I found a new way to have this little miss fall a sleep on me again. (8 hours on a boat will do it)

8. She looks very cute in a life jacket.


9. Ellie had fun wake boarding if she could go tandom.


10. Canyon learned that crossing the wake is fun and face plants are not.


11. We had so much fun.


12. Fresh water dips make Lucy giggle.

13. Canyon also hearts the surf.


14. Boating with friends = happy happy day!


15. It feels good to soak up some of that sunshine.


And I was really, really right. It was one of those long weekends that just was not quite long enough.

long weekends

Our 4th of July long weekend was so much fun.
Why let the party stop?....So we are continuing it.
A few good friends + a beautiful new area to explore (i've never been) by boat.
It should be one of those long weekends that is not quite long enough.

{rainy june afternnon 2009}

p.s. our camera is safe and sound. I actually never even misplaced it. Someone else did. I won't mention names....I will just say it feels really good to know it was not me. Now the toilet theory for the rest of the items still remains.

Cello Song - The Books and José González

yay for sparklers

I love the 4th of July.
It is one of my favorite holidays
I don't know if it is because:
I love summer nights
eating watermelon in swimsuits
love for my country
listening to music all day (this year was the Michael Jackson 4th)
BBQ'n
spinning sparklers around around
the smell of a good smoke bomb
My honey gets the day off....paid. :)
or those pretty big fireworks against the dark sky
Ok it's a combination of all.
It all makes of one of the best days of the year!

6 years ago

When we lived in city house #7
When Canyon was three and Ellie younger than one.
When Canyon loved Buzz light year and wore whitie tighties instead of boxer briefs.
This video was made.
I just can't get over how small he is....
and yet how incredible his driving skills are.
Still to this day I think a small part of him thinks maybe he really did drive once at the young age of 3.



I love his little smile when he is hitch hiking
and then his scared face when he gets a ride.
He was on top of all that acting stuff. :)

west coast

I will be spending the next few days here.
Helping my little sis get settled into her new stomping grounds.
It will be fun hanging in the city by the bay
and heading down highway 101 to Santa Cruz for a day.
It was be sad to leave her behind when I come home.....boo hoo.

p.s. Thanks to Shane for taking the kids all weekend even over Father's day.
I totally spaced that one when planning the trip.
I am guilt ridden with thoughts of being the worst wife ever for this slight oversight.
He on the other hand did not even raise an eyebrow......what a guy.
I will make it up to him somehow someway.

into thin air

I have the unfortunate ability to loose important items. I wish I could say it's not so....but it is. I can still manage to find everyone else's items in the family. Like ellie says "you are a good finder mom". That is unless that item is mine and sort of important. Important items like my drivers License, bank cards, the mr.'s bank card, keys and so on and so on. I think it probably all started when I was in high school and my wallet was my back pocket. My back pocket was my wallet for so long that sometimes even in my adult years I have forgotten that maybe the back pocket is a bit overrated as a wallet . I have since advanced to a soft orange leather wallet (that I love I might add) and I try to steer clear of habits from my younger years but it is hard sometimes. I am getting better. The craziest part about my unfortunate ability is that I could swear misplacement is not the issue. More like these things just disappear into thin air or my house has a black hole. At least that is what I thought and that is what I tell the mr. when I have had to borrow his bank card and then have had to tell him I lost his too.....oops (his has only disappeared once). It was flat out mind boggling I tell you. Unitll one day randomly I remembered back to a time when I was using the bathroom at Target and somehow some mysterious way my keys wound up where no keys should really ever go. It all happened so fast but when my pants came up the keys went down...down...down. Never before have I hated those automatic flushers so much. I didn't stand a chance with that flusher because no matter my strategy when I stood up the inevitable was going to happen...and it did. In a blink of an eye my shiny keys were traveling into the dark abyss. That's when I realized the possibility that maybe all those important items ended up in the dark abyss too without me even knowing it after to much back pocket time. It was the only thing that made since. I told the Mr. He just laughed at me. Now I realize maybe he was right to laugh...and I am sad. I can't find my camera. (boo hoo) It has vanished into thin air......I am really just so sad. It can't fit down the toilet hole or fit in my back pocket so that blows my whole theory. I am keeping my fingers crossed and saying little prayers that it is waiting for me in a few places I have not been able to check yet. Now I am back to my into thin air and black hole thoeries. Maybe somehow eveything that has vanished is all in one tricky place and one magical day I will find all of it.....maybe?

vote,vote,vote

My sis in law Allison put a 12 second video together for a contest for an all expense paid trip to Italy to attend a photography workshop. She has made it to the top 4 videos and now she needs votes to win. She is a really, really amazing photographer and her video is super sweet, bay far the best out of the 4. So go here to see a really cool video Me plus Italy it's the first video. Then vote for her!!

Polls end at 5:00 tonight!!

Thanks everyone!

Here is the 12 second clip.. pretty.

me plus italy on 12seconds.tv

red rock photographs

Some of my favorite pictures of our last trip to the dessert.

Canon always climbing. It scares me a lot of the time.


Ellie totally out of character holding a tad pole. She can always surprise me.

love...love.


Signature on everything.


Canyon loves this stuff.


2009 picture in front of the old Zion tree. (lucy MIA) We take a picture of the kids in this exact spot every year.


The end.

signatures on summer toes

A serious summer habit has formed. Signatures on everything imaginable. I made her give me a pinkie promise that I would no longer find her little name on the inside of drawers, under shelves, on the wall 90% hidden by a hung picture. I guess at least she knows when to hide her signature and when she can let it shine brightly, like on her little sisters summer toes. Just look at those summer toes already telling stories about what she has been up to in the summer of 09. She's part hippie I suppose because she thinks wearing shoes outside is for the birds. I can't change her mind. I have tried.

zippidy do da

my oh my what a wonderful day.




Gotta love good old fashion summer time fun.
Everyone loves a good zip line ride......right?

a runner.....not really.

but I want to be healthy and strong to watch my children and grandchildren grow and grow.
Oh, and I also sort of need to work off all the ice cream I eat.

So I semi-torture myself with running.

And somehow when the run is over I am always glad I did it.
It feels good to know I can go further than I thought I could.

I did this little 10k run this weekend.

The trail was so beautiful and green and well..... kind of pretty hard.
It went up and up the canyon
and then went back down but the down still seemed like up sometimes.
How does that happen??
I'm not sure how this is rewarding when all is said and done.
But I guess it is.
Because there are more runs to come this summer.

a little story

About a little girl named Lucy with tiny quick feet and a very brave adventurous spirit.
She traveled to a beautiful land
and found a hidden waterfall.

She found the the little pool intriguing and wandered out on her own.
Getting a little more courageous with each step.
This little taste of big girl freedoms made her almost burst with happiness.

Yep, it sure did.


She found a very large stick for a little lady and got in over her head {literally}

She did not like this....nope not one bit.


How many times did you go swimming Lucy....4 times.. oh poor girl.
Sometimes there are no lessons learned because the consequence {soaked, scared} is better than sitting on the sidelines watching.
So back into the water she goes to join her favorite friends.

The last piece of dried clothing was spared from getting drenched in case of another mishap.
This made Lucy feel free as the little bird she is.
She was in her element.

Dancing, prancing, copycatting {she does this best} climbing, jumping.
No clothing restrictions holding her back.
Beaming with joy.

And as the afternoon was winding down.
She was content as could be...taking in the view.
I think she was reflecting on how proud she was that she was not sitting on the sidelines.
This could have quite possibly been the best afternoon of her life.