Lelu Turns 11 very Quietly

Just a family party this year and her school has a new policy of not letting us bring in treats for birthday's BUMMER! B got her up at 6:30 am to go to IHop. She wanted to go to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner where we met up with Michelle T. We went back home to meet Aub after work for cake. I am at heart a party planner but there's something to be said for being "just with the family". It makes a mom feel all warm inside.

School Year 08/09 Begins

We got back from Lake Powell Saturday night, B & I gave talks in Sacrament meeting on Sunday (after preparing them that morning), and the kids all started school on Monday. I always say I can't believe how fast the summer went - but I blinked and it was gone. It's been nice this week to actually decompress and enjoy my home a little. Next week starts all the extracurricular stuff and I put on the hat of 'taxi mom'. Just 4 1/2 short months until I have a second driver. Yeah!

Ari Enjoyed Catching Lizards The Most! Mr. T Loved Everything!

It's just too bad that we sold the lizard cage at my garage sale. I am SO SAD because I just love keeping lizards;)

Mr. T kneeboarded, tried wakeboarding, cliff jumped off of the highest cliffs he could, wanted to go as fast as possible on the wave runner, paddled on kayaks, cried his eyes out that he couldn't do the big boy zip line - I think we've got a real dare devil on our hands

Lelu Gets Up on the Wakeboard! B loses his shorts! D the 3 minute tube Champion!

We saw the competitiveness of Lelu come out a bit on this trip. Once she saw Whitney (who's 9) get up, she was braver to try and then so proud when she got up. She also wasn't too fond of going fast on the waverunner until we were racing her "BFF Morgan" and her mom. Hitting the wakes and catching air was great fun for us together. She made lots of use of the slide off the back of the boat.

D was learning how to jump the wake and getting quite good, he was also the insane tube rider-challenging again to knock him off in a minute - he found a great strategy and it actually took 3 minutes to dump him. It took exactly one big bump to teach me I am not fit to ride the tube.

B was up early skiing pretty much every morning, he attempted the wakeboard but didn't quite master it - he body surfed off the back of the boat and managed to LOSE HIS FAVORITE SHORTS to the bottom of Lake Powell. (Good thing he had some whitey-tighties on or it could have been awkward)

Lake Powell - Now We Know What all the Fuss Is All About!

CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO SEE THE ZIP LINE

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This is the zip line for the "Adult & Teenage Male Thrill Seekers". There were thrill seekers all over the lake checking it out too. I could hardly stand to watch - but at the same time couldn't NOT watch.



No Doubt about it, it's a spectacular place to spend a week on an airconditioned houseboat. I've been told - we really lucked out having our first experience be a luxurious one. The water is really warm and the cliffs are amazing. Our boat had 5 families (32 people) for the first 3 days. Then a few left and a few more arrived. This is the "kids" zip line between the 2 boats.

1ST EVER Taylor Reunion (If there's a 2nd, I'll change that to ANNUAL)

In all I think they caught 35 fish, here's what we brought home for a yummy fish fry.

D (with Landon as his shadow) wanted to prove to all the Taylor's that he was a Penguin and took a dip in Gem lake.(10,000 feet & snow still around) It was only an 8 mile hike round trip to this lake. We passed 5 other lakes on the way in. From my perspective - any one of those lakes were more "picnic and hang-out friendly" than Gem. But as B had to explain - the water at Gem is the prettiest and holds the best memories.

Jeff is in his element making pancakes in the High Sierra's.

We took a very quick (the drive wasn't quick, but I've decided not to dwell on that horror) trip to the Taylor's favorite summer memory maker. Michelle planned it way back when? Everyone but Paul made it up there. Some of the highlights were: J.D.'s creation of the Greatest Campfire area for making smores & hanging out; an amazing star filled view out the roof of the camper while falling asleep; discovering Mr. T's amazing fishing talent (7 fish); hiking up to Gardiski lake with B, Jeff, Brett, D, Landon, Wyatt, Mr. T., Joshua & Lelu; and Mono Cone. If I've forgotten anything - I'm sorry - I'm way behind in my posts and everything is blending together.

Landon Came to Play

BOONDOCKS

At the beginning of the summer, Christina & I planned for Landon to come spend a week with us. D has had the pleasure of being spoiled by their family a couple of summers - they took him to the beach, Knott's Berry Farm, Lizard hunting, Santa Barbara and various other excitements. Of course, when we planned Landon's trip, we were not moving. It just worked out that he came up here the week before we moved.

Here is the super fantastic exciting trip to IHop. I did manage to get him to LAGOON with D, Lelu and cute Celeste(Brie's sister). Not quite a California amusement park - but it's the best we can do here in Utahrd. BOONDOCKS, including Cherie's boys, was the biggest hit of the week. Laser tag, race car driving, video games, bumper boats - a kid's heaven - they lasted for 9 hours and still weren't ready to leave. Then in the midst of movers arriving, Michelle T. came to the rescue and took Landon and Lelu to the airport to go home and go to Arizona respectively. I seemed to pull off a good time even being a totally neglectful aunt! (except for the "prison I locked them into" at sports camp at the gym one day).

Girls Camp at Zion National Park

I was just called into YW for the first time a couple months ago as the miamaid leader. I was so excited. The girls are so great and I really like all the leaders. I was having a great time. So when I found "my home" it made me sad to have to leave my calling. So I sort of begged to still be able to go to girl's camp. I knew it'd be tough to move & then leave. But I really felt like I should go too. I am SO GLAD that I did. The last time I went I was 13. Our theme was We ROCK Zion"Rely On Christ our King". All the cabins had their own flag "The rock stars" ," The rockettes" etc. Our leader cabin was "The polished rocks". Our laurel president had just returned from Israel and had gone on the same tour as Melinda did. She did a slide show presentation with photos, music & scriptures of where Christ walked. It was amazing for a 17 yr. old girl. Our new bishop came down for the devotional and testimony meeting. He's going to be a great bishop. That's when it really hit me how much I'm going to miss our ward. I've watched most of these girls grow up and they are great examples for my girls. Let alone how much this ward has supported us through tough times. So far we haven't seen or heard from our new ward..... but I have faith this will be a good move in all aspects. I hope I get called into YW again.

Me & the leaders I'll miss the most
There was a "no swimming" sign, but after hiking at 2:00 in 104 degrees. There wasn't much stopping them.

Moving Day!

It's official - We've moved! Mostly.... I still have some stuff at the other house that I will (against my previous "nevers") be selling at a garage sale. I really hate garage sales and I swore I'd never have one - but I have too much stuff to try to sell one at a time. I keep

having to eat my words. "I'll never have a minivan. I'll never have 2 in diapers." You get the idea.

I packed for 3 weeks - Moving truck came Saturday - finished at 10:00 pm - I unpacked Sunday & Monday - Left Tues at 6:30 am to go to girls camp - Came home Thurs night - Unpacked Friday - Weed whacked at the shack on Sat & then went to Ogden for Stolworthy family reunion (only made it for the last hour). Thank you to Roma for really pitching in to help pack, unpack & watch kids while at girls camp! I don't know how I could have pulled it off without her.

The kids LOVE the new swimming pool. I feel HOME after an 8 month search. The dogs (my thorn that is always digging) are going insane & trying to ruin the yard as quickly as possible. Whew - I'm tired! And the summer still has a couple adventures planned.