Found a Hidden Gem

We found a hidden gem this weekend.

Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Cabin included.

Small, quaint, and packed with our fellow family reunion-goers. Perfect.

Swimming at the big splash park with slides was fun and adventurous. Adventurously trying to keep track of our 4 kids that is. Oh, and I did succeed in flying down one of the speed slides - this of course in response to my 10 and 8-year old informing me I was being a wimp when I waffled at the idea.

The best part was eating lunch at the cabin with all of our family from John's mom side. I am privileged to be a part of such a wonderful family and look forward to these reunions every year.

After lunch we went tubing down the river. No one has ever mentioned what a fun river they have with some serious rapids and drops. Perhaps they don't want all of us out-of-towners to know about their rare feast of fun. We will be traveling to Lava Hot Springs for all future tubing adventures.

Birthday Party Success

It was Alicia's 8th birthday yesterday. I can hardly believe it. Achievement days here we come. Baptism right around the corner. Yikes.

Since our Saturdays for this month were booked, we did Alicia's birthday party with friends yesterday too. You know the party is a success when you hear numerous girls saying during and after the party, "This is the best party ever!" Music to my party weary ears.

Alicia wanted a pj party which of course meant decorating pillow cases with fabric markers. Hope I don't have any angry parents out there with the marker rubbed off on other items. Dryer people!!


Speaking of Achievement Days, they let Alicia go a day early where they made these lovely creations -

I promise Alicia knows how to smile normally. Let's hope she remembers that for our family pictures next week. I am stressed enough about it as it is.

What to do in 100 Degree Weather

Let the water fun begin is what I said...

...and begin it did on Friday at one of our neighbors' pools in her parents backyard. Then off to river rafting the Weber River on Saturday with friends finished off with another pool party Saturday evening. I'm sad to say I'm a little watered out and am now recovering in front of the AC instead.

I don't know if you could truly consider the Weber River a white water rafting experience, but there were a few fun rapids along the way and we successfully managed to dump two people out of the raft! We went with our dear friends the Griggs and had a fabulous time relaxing down the river, even bumping into a few trees on the side and getting stuck on a few rocks - but this is the nature of rafting down a river.





Speaking of rafting, I will always remember the best anniversary trip John and I had a few years ago (thanks to our friends who watched our kids so we could truly enjoy ourselves) up in Jackson Hole where we rafted the Snake River. Now that is some serious white water rafting as evidence shows below...

We are on the right side in the middle - see the one screaming with fright? Yup - me. Then there is the cool, calm and collect John. You can tell he had done that before :)

On a complete side note. I am now having to chase down this gal who is crawling everywhere...


and just because I can't get enough of showing off her pure cuteness, here is yet another picture-


I forgot she could crawl the other day when I set her up in the kitchen while I was attempting to vacuum up all the lovely remnants in the family room her sisters keep leaving for her to put in her mouth when a surprised Megan attempted to crawl down the 3 stairs into the family room and ker-plop- thankfully landing on her butt.

Here's to following her around for the next several weeks as I child-proof everything once again, pick up the floors every two seconds, and keep closing a certain door down to the basement so Megan can't kerplop down that long set of stairs.

Back in Business

After a brief hiatus, I am now back in the newspaper writing business - this time as a correspondent for the Standard Examiner in Ogden. I have my first assignment with my fingers just itching to get started on another news story - after I finish telling all of you my good news of course.

I cannot contain my excitement and how much I have dearly missed finding newsworthy stories to write about, meeting fascinating people, sitting down to a fresh slate and diving into the story, and most especially, turning in the completed story and seeing it in print.

Staycation

Last week my brother came down and spent the week with my mom joining up with us for the weekend, so we played and played.

We spent two days enjoying Pineview Reservoir.

Then we spent a day up in Logan, which included their fireworks show.

We even went hiking up Ensign Peak.


We also got to enjoy some time with Rimington Clan for fireworks.



The current Rimington Babies



Now we are all recovering from a fun filled week and 4th of July weekend - not to mention 4 nights straight of bedtimes too late to even reveal in this posting. Megan is in heaven now that she is back to sleeping in her crib for naps instead of on the go.

Is it just me, or is this summer flying by?
We are having so much fun it seems to be disappearing faster than I want.