Summer travels- Installment #3

Every July, we try to escape AWESOME heat that lies here in the great valley of the sun, and we enter the beautifulness of Driggs, Idaho.

Equipped with four wheeler, tractors, horses, cows, mountains, fresh lime freezes, and huckelberry milkshakes, we spent 3 weeks with family. 2 weeks in Idaho and 1 week in northern Utah.

Of course we can't go to Idaho without spending HOURS on the four da wheelers (as Savannah calls it). Grandpa was ever available to take the girls on rides. We had the chance to spend a few days ALONE with Granny and Grandpa, and the girls enjoyed every minute to be spoiled ROTTEN by them.

While we were there, my brother and his wife came up. We horse rode, four wheeler rided, and ate GOOD food. It wasn't without a few scares though. I was holding Isabella and tending to Carter with Mikenna. Logan came up on his horse, which was a little temperamental, and we just about got kicked. I had 3 of my babies right by me. I all but threw Carter to Doug and pulled Isabella out of the way. That left Mikenna..... WOW. I am sure glad NOTHING happened. It could have been SO bad. Luckily, I just speak of a "near miss."

There were many tours of the farm. The older grandkids are the only ones who are going to remember these days. In a few years, Granny and Grandpa will sell all the cows and keep a few 100 acres to raise cattle. So while we still have it, we tour the farm. This tour consists of:

Checking out the sheep. They were just shaved. You can't see them because they are all hiding. Grandpa and Doug had to get the calves out of the gates and scare the sheep out so that the kids could see them. There were many lessons on animal sounds. Isabella learned "MOO" "BAA" "ROAR" "ROOF ROOF" and "MEOW" all while we were there.

My ever creative sister in law who teaches joy school to her kids, has many of books and activities that go with the books. Here they are reading "Going on a bear hunt" and then they all put on funny hats with animals (that were ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING to Isabella) and went out in search of a bear. It was pretty cool. A lot of effort was put into this "Bear Hunt."

Savannah found the bear hiding underneath the trampoline. She isn't usually scared of anything, and this was no different. However, after the bear stood up and roared, it was a different story. This is not just any bear. Brody about a year ago was going over the Jackson Pass and hit a bear. A series events led to this bear being skinned by my brother in law Max and stuffed by I am assuming a taxidermy place. And Tyler is reenacting the bear's life.

Here are all the, well most of them, grandkids with THE BEAR!!!!!!

The girls on the front porch with their sunglasses. Originally it was the older 3 who had them on.... Isabella was having none of that not belonging to the party, so we scoured the house and found a pair for her. LUCKILY. There would have been full fledged, running around in circles, falling flat on stomach, hands and legs flailing, screaming Isabella. (which BTW I think is stinking ADORABLE, Really.)

And we can't forget all the hours Savannah and her cousin spent on the tractor, driving, beeping the horn, and just raising Cain. She had a blast thanks to Grandpa, Shawn, Brody, Greg, and MANY MANY others.

This is the first horse my girls have learned to ride on. Ok they can't really do it solo, but they can..... It is pretty marvelous how it all works. Mikenna can ride it mostly with no help, Savannah need some guidance so that her hugs don't squeeze this ginormous beast.

Where is Isabella in all these pictures with the animals you ask? I am so glad you DID!!!! Isabella is much like her mother. Not too much of an animal lover. Let's be honest. I am NOT!

Feeding the ponies. Super fun! And SUPER BISGUSTING!!!!! I am proud of Natalie (my sister in law) for doing it. As for me? NO THANKS!!!!

And lets not forget the Roosters.

Savannah did a great job feeding the calf. Grandpa was dripping this milk into the kids mouths. It was totally and utterly DISGUSTING. Really. Really. Gross.

Granny loved taking the kids for walks and they were happy to go.

Thanks Granny, Grandpa, Auntys, Uncles, and Cousins for a GREAT GREAT GREAT TIME.

Summer travels- Installment #2

While I was in Show Low with my little bees.....

Let's back up a moment here. We arrived at Annie's on a cold summer evening.... yes it was cold, like 75 DEGREES!!!!

We ate dinner at 7 and the kids were in bed by 10..... ya that is 10PM!!!! They would not cooperate with me. Something about CUTE boys....

So it was about 10:05 that we ended up walking out in the streets of Show Low. Safe. I know.... But as it was it was our only option. We did a few loops, walking through neighborhoods, reminiscing about old houses, touring where friends live, and walking through the kids school parking lot.

It was about here where things took a peculiar turn. A car turned into the parking lot and we thought that was odd, so we picked up the pace (a slow sprint... obviously I wasn't that worried.... heck lets be honest, my butt is too big for me to full on sprint) and the car continued to follow us.

Ok I started to get a little nervous.... until I realized it was a police ociffer. Wondering what kind of trouble we were in as he pulled up, he asked what it was we were doing. We explained that we were just out for a walk slash run when we see a strange car following us. He inquired if it was us spray painting the school. Oh yes ociffer, you see my hoochie shorts, double sports bra, and running shoes?

Nope. Wasn't us. It was then Annie pipes in, Hello officer Call. WHEW!!! She could have mentioned that she knew him.... I was beginning to get nervous.

After confirming we were not conspiring to spray paint or bust the windows to the school (it happens you know. Twice. Once when school gets out and once when it starts. kids think it is funny to vandalize and do 1000s of dollars of damage.... just ask the school where my kids go. GRRRRR!!!) He let us go.

And we completed our walk, went to McDonalds for an ice cream, and settled in to watch the BEST movie you will NEVER have to see because I am right now sparing you from WASTING your time. "Remember me" with Robert Pattinson.... you know him, Edward. That is really all you need to know. The acting was TERRIBLE. The plot was TERRIBLE. The dialogue was TERRIBLE. It was TERRIBLE.

You can thank me later for sparing you two hours of your life when you WILL feel STUPIDER (is that a word?) So take that time and watch NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. At least you will have a reason to be dumber after that one :)

Summer travels- Installment #1

We spent two weeks in Idaho with Doug's family, one week in Utah with friends and cousins, a few days in Las Vegas, a week in Heber, and another few days in Show Low.

It was a blast.

On our travels from Provo to Las Vegas, we encountered a most embarrassing moment. Luckily, it isn't mine to tell, however, I was a witness.

It was late, or early, depending on if you sleep regular hours or not, and I was a might bit tired. I needed my sister to take the wheel while I shut my eyes a moment. I pulled off at a random stop in Parawan or somewhere.

We weren't the only ones at this stop. Before I got out of the car in this most secluded location, I had to make sure that the car in front of us was not a crazy person, how would I know this? Who knows. But I was going to try my best.

Slowly we eased up to the White Yukon XL in front of us. And lo and behold there is a woman out of the car. I wasn't sure so I pulled up a little closer, now remember this is the middle of the night, so as I get closer my lights shine brighter and brighter on the woman in front of us.

As we inched closer (by the foot), I noticed the woman was squatting, pants down, butt hanging out, hands on her knees. PEEING!!!! She took one look at us, a very LONG look at us, finished her business and jumped in the car. It. Was. Awesome.

I am glad that she couldn't see me... or maybe she could.... but I was laughing HYSTERICALLY. H.Y.S.T.E.R.I.C.A.L.L.Y. Seriously. I almost had to get out of the car to squat because I was a bout to pee MY pants.

I am sorry to the unsuspecting woman squatting with her butt hanging out, out in the middle of nowhere. But I got a seriously good story to remember and most importantly to blog about.

LOL out Loud