Saying Goodbye

 

We said Goodbye to Grandma Barker this morning.

She passed away at the tender age of 89.

She really was such a wonderful woman, someone we will always hold dear to our hearts.

New Fishing Hole

 Layton just created a new community fishery.  I had to do a story about their youth fishing club, so the whole gang decided to join me .  Even though the fish were jumping everywhere in the water, we didn't catch anything, but don't worry...we will go back. 

For those who live near us, it is called the Andy Adams Reservoir on Gordon Ave in Layton. 

When Dinner Stares Back at You

I bet you're wondering at this point what we did with all those lovely craw fish we caught, huh? 

Why, we cooked them up and ate them of course!

 
I think the kids had more fun playing with them than eating it.  It was a highly entertaining dinnertime to say the least!

 The girls are already asking when the next craw fish catching trip is.  

Who knew a family of all-daughters could be so much fun?

The Land Where Dinos Roam

We decided to enjoy a family get-a-way over Labor Day Weekend before the kids went back to school.  I have never been to the National Dinosaur Monument in Vernal and the last time John went was way back in his younger years.  It was time for him to return and for the girls and I to experience REAL dinosaur bones for the first time.  

 This picture above really does not do it justice.  It is a humungo wall full of dinosaur bones embedded into the rock.  Simply awesome.  

We spent Saturday morning checking out the bones and museum, then went on a couple of hikes through the area. 

We even got some fishing in at Steinaker Lake where we were camping - no catches though as it started to rain shortly into our fun.

And rain it did.  For a couple of hours, along with the wind whipping at the tent and the thunder and lighting storm circling around our campsite. While we waited for it to pass, we played some games in the tent.   

This was of course, after the camp host told us it very rarely rains in Vernal.  

Guess we were the lucky winners experiencing a rare storm.

Thankfully, the sun came out in time for us to cook up some dinner.

One of our new favorite things to cook with our dinners while we are camping is corn on the cob cooked directly in the fire pit with their husks still wrapped around them.  

They are De-li-cous.  

Of course, we did our usual Dutch-oven dinner on the other night we were there, and then enjoyed some game time with the older girls after the younger two went to bed.

 We got them hooked on Rage and played both nights.

(Some may know it as Mormon Bridge - a true family favorite)

 We also visited the Dinosaur Museum in town where the girls got to learn how to be Paleontologists digging for bones.

On the way home, we stopped at Strawberry Reservoir to do some more fishing.

The girls quickly gave up fishing and started catching craw fish.  

  They caught a whole bucketful of them.

Indeed, it was a fun weekend, and now that we don't have any more babies, it is a much more delightful experience camping as a family.

Utah State - Hey! Aggies all the way!

Ever since our graduation from Utah State University in '98 and '99, we haven't been back to a football game - not from lack of desire on John's part though.  He has talked about going back to a game ever since. 

When some of our friends asked if we would like to use their tickets to last Thursday night's USU opening football game, we couldn't refuse. 

We left the 3 younger girls in the care of Grandpa Rimington while Kimberly, John and I made the trek up to Logan for the game.   

Kimberly pointed out that the student section looked way more entertaining than our boring, fuddy-duddy section.  Yes, that's what happens when you get older.

And, speaking of getting older, when Kevin (John's youngest brother) took us to see his apartment after the game, his roommates thought John and I were his parents.  After being slightly appalled, it occurred to us that Kevin is 16 years younger than us, feasible-enough looking for the parent/son comment.  

I guess we really do look as old as our age calls for, even though I don't feel like we're encroaching on the forbidden 40-something years. 

All in a Day's Work

I covered a story this last weekend involving a club of off-roading vehicles.  I had fully expected to interview a few of the club members on the phone, but they called me back after my initial phone call inviting me and my family on their next trail ride.  

Gladly, I said, especially given that I've NEVER been off-roading before.

 I took the two older girls with me (deciding that the 2 younger girls probably weren't old enough) and we loaded up in this monster climbing vehicle (at least that's what the driver called it). 

I really had no idea what kind of adventure awaited us.  

It was heart-pounding, exhilarating, and yes, even a tad frightening at moments when I thought for-sure we were going to roll over, especially when we were going up through this section of rocks.

I needn't have worried though because we were in good hands, and the driver assured me he had only rolled his vehicle on two instances.  

Okay, on second thought, just enough times for me to worry.  Just a little.

 At least we didn't have to be towed, like this guy. 

 Unbeknownst to me, the photographer from the newspaper took a couple of photos of us and the beautiful scenery.  I can see why people get hooked on 'wheeling.'  

I've told John he has my full support if he decides he ever wants to buy a jeep and take me jeeping.

If you are interested in the story, here's the link:

http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/08/26/wasatch-outlaw-wheelers-traverse-large-boulders-northern-utah-mountains 

Our New Family Pics!!

 Here we are in beautiful Lincoln City, Oregon

 Natalie - age 5

 Megan - age 2

 Alicia - age 10

 Kimberly - age 12

 John and Dana (ages not disclosed)