Last, but not least!

Growing up in small town USA you learn to appreciate strange things. I grew up in a small coal mining community. And maybe because of that I love trains; well, coal trains. (Don't worry, I don't collect them or anything). This is a small town just outside of where I was born and raised. This is where Butch Cassidy and bunch had homes and hideouts. We went to the coal mining museum. The old man who was sitting at the front desk told us all the stories of how the museum was haunted. The kids have been wanting to hear ghost stories ever since. I just had a good time hiding in the museum and trying to scare the kids. It worked a few times. I thought I was a lot funnier then they thought I was.


































































This is Ivy street.




















































Standing by a bunch of coal. Don't thy look interested.

























This is a real wanted poster that hung back in the day.


























Uncle Jake pretending to teach the kids in the museum school. (I don't think we were supposed to touch that stuff)




















The boys and Uncle Jake giving acting a try. Uncle Jake wanted a very serious face in front of a really cool painting. I think they pulled it off.









Funny mirror in the museum





















Then we went bowling in town.






















We also went to Uncle Jo's golf course to ride the carts and find balls.































































It was an amazing end to an amazing trip! Phew......

I am almost done with the trip really!

After Russ's family we stayed with mine for a few days. We started out by going horse back riding. It was great until Saul had an asthma attack while on the horse. Guess that is one more thing to keep Saul away from.










































































Look at Saul's poor eye, He had a pretty bad allergic reaction.



































I will finish the trip tomorrow, promise!

More Trip...

After the fourth of July Russ headed home to get back to work and the kids and I headed to stay with Russ's parents for a few days. We didn't waste any time. We made sure to play as much as we could.


Here we are at the Thanksgiving Point Gardens.
















Eli and Isaac again. Best Bud's!
















Grandma Kat with the girls. Ivy and Annie.
















This is at Russ's brother Ryan's house. It's the "Party House" for sure!

(Yes, I have noticed that Kanyon has his swimming suit on in every picture no matter where we are; and yes he is the only one without a shirt on everywhere. My only answer is "If you got it flaunt it"! He slept in it too. That's summer for ya.)
























We went to "The Da vinci Experience"
It was really cool and had prints of his paintings and all of his inventions.



The BEST was the marshmallow gun fight. Grandma Kat and Uncle Ryan made a gun for all of us and we had a blast hitting each other with sticky reused marshmallow's.



























































Even Grandma and Grandpa got in on the action.


































This is serious buisness!

Continued.. Were Back!

So, after Zions we went to Grandma Lu's for the fourth of July. It is always the best there! We golf, swim, play soccer, ride motorcycles and many many more fun things!















Us girls getting into the spirit of things. Painting our fingers and toes red, white and blue.

















This was me during the parade. Taking it easy.























Watch out boys!
















Aunt Ruth always makes thing fun!






















Eli's pockets were overflowing with candy from the parade.























Diving for money. Every year they throw money into the pool and everyone gets to try and dive for as much as they can. The kids love it. Russ and Rhett had to get in on the action too.

















Eli and Isaac are best buddies. Completely trouble when they are together but they love each other so much. Don't those faces look so Innocent... Don't let them fool you. We are so in for it when these two start to drive and pick up girls!






















Firework time!























I think Kanyon matured a few years on this trip! Uncle Ryan always takes the kids to do awesome stuff.























Such a fun Fourth of July!

Were back!

So, you will all have to bear with me. I feel so out of the loop and I have lots to talk about with our trip. What I am saying is.. that this is going to take more than just one post....

Our trip started out pretty eventful. Our car broke down over the Rocky Mountains just outside of Vail. Now, we just put a new transmission in this car 2months ago spending 2,500. We were pretty upset sitting there waiting for a tow truck. (and yes it was the transmission again) We finally got loaded up only to find out that there was no rental car places open at that time and the tow truck driver decided to drop us off at a Honda Dealership in Denver CO and drove off. We have the WORST luck with cars and we were tired and really in no position to make a rational decision. That is how we walked out of the Dealership at 9:00pm that night with a brand spanking new Honda Pilot. (I have pictures of our car on the tow truck and our new car but they didn't download for some reason.. So use your imagination)

After we finally got to Utah we went to Zions National Park. This place is AMAZING! We used to go every year for our family vacation but it has been a while. We hiked the Narrows, Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock and the best.. Angels Landing. If you haven't heard about this hike look it up. It is 5 miles straight up round trip and there are spots where you have 3 to 4 feet to stand on with a 1,200 ft drop off on one side and 800 ft drop off on the other side. All you have is a chain to hold on too and it is terrifying! This is NOT a hike for someone afraid of heights. Russ and I love it and we hiked it with my three brothers and my brothers wife. It was awesome!




















Here I am right at the begining of the hike. (Its about 6:00AM that is why it is dark) That big mountain behind me is the top of Angels Landing which we hiked too. This picture seriously doesn't do it justice!

















Me and my brothers! Am I lucky or what!














Here we are about to attempt the last 1/2 mile. It is a climb with only chains to save you from death. (They have about 9 people a year die on this hike..Yikes!)















































Like I said.... Drop Off!















































Here we are at the top! AMAZING!





























































































Thats Ivy asleep on Russ's back. Poor thing.





















I know, I go picture crazy... I took over 400 pic's.. Don't worry. I will try and edit.





































































































So, here are some of the pictures of Zions. I will post the rest of my trip in a day or so.... It's good to be back!