Boys trip to Lake Powell

Uncle Chad hosted a boys only trip to Lake Powell complete with outdoor movies every night, a giant slip and slide, wake boarding, wake surfing and even a surprise birthday cake for Jake's 14th birthday thanks to Uncle Dustin!

Jake, Devin & Lander excited to begin the vacation

A projector screen, generator, a few pipes and ropes 

and a giant sheet are "all" that is needed for outdoor movies. 

 Josh learned to wake surf

 Jake and his surprise birthday cake

 Lander, Jake, Devin and Brennden

 Lander on the knee board

 Devin, Lander and Jake

 What are those crazy boys doing??

 Josh and Randy

 Sunset 

look at the size of that thang!

Our drive home includes passing these amazing animals

Campout with Lander

Josh is always so good to attend the boys' Scout campouts. It is a special thing that we believe the boys will look back on and cherish. We know that we do!

Josh and Lander try to keep warm 

Driving the Tractor

Grams let the boys drive the tractor while we worked in the yard. 

Guess the "little boys" are growing up!

Gulp!

Lander hauls yard debris in the old tractor

Willow Creek Camping & Preston, Idaho

The summer almost escaped before we were able to go on our annual campout with Jarrod and Shelly's family. We chose Willow Creek Campground near Preston, Idaho because it was a good central location.

We drove through the mountains forever to reach this tree. It is called the Pony Express Tree. Pony Express riders used the hole inside to stash mail. Later, after the Pony Express was disbanded, bandits used it to hide loot!

Yes, we looked inside.

And, no, there was no loot. 

Drat!

We climbed and played on a rocky ledge above the Pony Express Tree. 

You can see the dead tree below.

Lander, Jayden and Drew hug. 

Cousins are the best!  

 Jake, Lander, Jayden and Drew

 We went on several little hikes around our camp site. There were even several geocaches nearby!

 Ava, Drew, Jake, Jayden, Lander

 Jake and the Pony Express Tree

Josh's hobby

Josh continues to make knife handles.

This is one example of his work this summer.

First Day of School

Ready or not, 6th grade and 8th grade, here we come!

Back to School Night

Our city hosts a back to school night to celebrate the start of a new school year. 

The entire park is filled with fun activities.

Jake jousts it out with his friend Yuki M.

Grand Teton Relay

Did you know that 

12 friends + 24 hours = 180 miles 

Josh watches the sun rise over the Tetons after doing his final run in the race.

He ran through the town of Driggs and up the road towards Bates.

 Josh and Jarrod at the start of the race in Ashton, Idaho

 Somehow we only ended up with pictures of Jarrod running. Hmm... 

Josh and Jarrod relax in the one of the team cars and at the hotel between their legs of the race. Each teamate had to run 3 legs, of approximately 5 miles a piece.

Josh and Jarrod were able to run through Driggs and Bates. We thought it was very fitting. Here they pose at the last of their legs, on the road in Bates. The Tetons and Driggs are hidden in the background.

"Tough As Nails" team photo at the finish line at Teton Village in Wyoming 

 This was quite the accomplishment for Josh who is (and we quote) "not a runner.

We are proud of you Josherboy!

Cedar Badge

Jake attended Cedar Badge, a week-long leadership campout hosted by the Boy Scouts of America. We were shocked at the growth that we saw in Jake after that one week. We also learned:

1. When parents aren't around, bathing is optional.
2. Dropping your kid off at a random scout camp is H-A-R-D. Dixie calls it "Missionary Prep".
3. Scout closing ceremonies take forever! Consider yourself forewarned, and come prepared.
4. The $150 charge to attend the camp was 100% worth it!
5. Your child will either (A) lose something or (B) break something. Hopefully not both (Jake went with option A and lost a brand new tarp).
6. Giant grizzly bears can and do live in Idaho. Just hope that they've had enough to eat or that they take notice of #1 and move on to better smelling options. (They had to be emergency evacuated from their camp at midnight after a rogue bear came too close to camp. It was euthanized a few days later).
7. After a week of no contact, parents miss their little beggars and they miss us too!

Birthday Surprise

Josh unveils his birthday surprise for Dixie, 

a new bench for the front porch that he made.

Alaska Basin

Josh attended High Adventure with the Boy Scouts and hiked to Alaska Basin in the Tetons. He loved every minute of it despite buckets of rain and an episode of carrying a double pack. All of his race training paid off!

Josh standing in front of the Grand Teton

The Tetons are gorgeous!

Josh knows how much Dixie loves flowers. Rather than pick them, he snapped photos to bring to her. Lots of hubby points accumulated on that one, Babe! 

 Josh's camp site. The basin was beautiful!

His fancy-schmancy tent kept him nice and dry.