4th of July

Rocky and Hope

 Really this is the Third and Fourth of July.  Hope was able to go to the lake with us on the third and Emma was able to go on the fourth.

Tayler

 We decided to buy a couple of Kayaks, they were on sale for a good price and so we splurged.  It was fun, they aren't super fancy but we were able to go out on the water and have some fun and that is all we were looking for.

Hope

Rocky and George

 Everyone thought Rocky should take a spin in one, our dog is 100% a land lubber.....I really think he would drown if he fell in.  He took it ok but doesn't get too close to the water.

 On the fourth the whole lake was packed!  I mean not any beach area was open.  So we went to a pull out area and just hiked down to the lake, we weren't the only ones with this idea but we were pretty much by ourselves.

 Emma was sneaking up on me when I was taking pictures, she wanted me to get all wet and yucky :)

Emma

  George was able to stand on one of our tubes!  Not for long but he did it, I was impressed!

 We enjoyed our day, it was nice and refreshing.  We finally decided it was time to go when the people to the side of us decided Haag lake needed a nude beach area :(  Other than that yuckiness it was a great day.  We went home and had a yummy bbq and baked a cake for Ryley (Happy Birthday Ryley!) and then we went to fireworks.......it was a very nice day!

Seaside

Lora and Emma

 My Parents just treated us to 8 glorious days at Seaside Oregon.  It was fabulous, relaxing, sunny but not too sunny, practically perfect in every way (it would have been perfect but someone was missing).

Ada and Lora

 We found the perfect hat, there is this little hat store that we love to go to whenever we are at Seaside.

Emma and Jocelyn

 We played on the beach and swam in the pool almost everyday.  We went for long walks and even rented one of those big bikes that can hold 9 people, it was fun!  Exhausting but fun :)

Don, Emma, Hope

 Everyone rode the carousel :)  Well almost everyone :)

Hope, Tayler, Emma and Lora

 We spent one day in Astoria.  We climbed the Astoria Column.  I think it is 264 steps.  We were lucky and it was clear and beautiful.  Didn't spend a lot of time there it was super packed.  Hardly room to stand for very long.

We (my sisters and I) wanted to find the Goonie house.  They gave us a map at the column.  Took us right to it.  Doesn't look like I remember it looking in the movie lol.  We did go back to the resort and watch Goonies just to see :)

 Just around the corner from the Goonie house was the Elementary School where Kindergarten Cop was filmed.  It does look like this in the movies :)

Back row: Heidi and Judy.  Front Row: Lora, Amanda, Don, Jocelyn

 On our way back to Seaside we stopped at Fort Stevens.  My Dad had so much information. This Jeep is exactly like the one he used to drive when he was in the Army.  He drove a General around I do believe he said.  He said he was a great man.

Heid, Lora, Judy, Ada and Don

 Lot's of area to run and check out things.  It was a good place to get some energy out for everyone and I liked hearing my Dad's stories and rereading information.

Lora and Emma

 Emma wanted me to give her a piggy back ride and i said I would if she gave me one.  We thought it was funny to see how close my feet are to the ground lol.  I was impressed she could hold me!

Don, Heidi, Judy, Lora

 Our last night we had to go for one last walk on the promenade.  It was warm and beautiful, we had such a great time.  I have been so blessed with my wonderful family.  I love my sisters!  They are my best friends and I always look forward to seeing them and spending time with them!  I love love love my parents, I love that I can see them  in me and I would like to think that I am the good from them both, they have taught me so much and they continue to do so.  I just can't say it enough, they are the best!

Goodbye Seaside, until next time :)

Utah

 My Nephew got married in April.  Since it was close enough to Women's Conference I was lucky enough to go.  It was so fun to be there for the wedding.  I haven't seen Jeri's family for such a long time i hardly recognized some of them.  Kolten picked a good girl in Lindy, the wedding was beautiful and the reception was lot's of fun.

 I spent  a couple of weeks at my Parents house.  It was very relaxing and I got to see almost all of my siblings at one point or the other.  The one and only thing I really miss about Utah is family.  This is us at Women's Conference.  We have been going for 14 years now!  Amazing!  I look forward to Women's conference every year.

On our way home we stopped at Jackie and Tyler's house.  I really miss these two!  It was great visiting and making yummy treats and goofing around.  It was a fun little vacation.  Came home and got busy with life.  Looking forward to many more trips and vacations and family gatherings!

Emma's 16th Birthday!

 For Emma's Birthday this year I thought it would be really fun to throw a surprise party.  It worked!!  She had no idea, it was great.  Hope and I planned for months how we would pull this off.  We threw it at Hope's house so that made it easier.

 Lot's of food, and games and dancing and visiting.  She had a great time.

 This gift made me laugh.  A boy gave her a plate of brownies and this note was at the bottom....Treat yourself to something nice :)  Love it!!

Spring Break, Fort Stevens

 I am friends with a group of people who love to go camping.  Just before spring break there were some openings in some yurts at Fort Stevens.  They invited us and I debated for some time about going because it is cold and rainy here.....how much fun can you have when it's cold and raining?  So we went. I have to admit, it was so so cold and it was really wet the first night and I had to work really hard on not being so cranky that I ruined the "fun" for everyone, but during the day when we went for bike rides and it felt warmer it really was fun :)  The trails were nice and relaxing and the Fort is full of history, and with this bunch of kids there was never a dull moment :)  I'm glad I went but I think I might wait for the summer camping trips next time.....who am I kidding, I went for Emma this year and if we get invited again I'm sure I will go for Emma again.  That girl can talk me into almost anything and apparently almost freezing to death is one of them :)

Emma and Tayler Young, Emmilee Woodward

Dead Ringers

 This year Tayler's Robotics team built one heck of a robot.  It really was amazing and they did such a great job.  We went to two state competitions and took the PTC design award at both.
Guidelines for the PTC Design Award

• Team must submit an Engineering Notebook with detailed robot design drawings
• Robot differentiates itself from others
• Design is both aesthetic and functional
• Well thought out basis for the design (why i.e. inspiration, function, etc.)

 I know Tayler was happy about this award, after all their hard work he told me this was one award he really wanted.  I guess if they can't take state then this is the next best thing for him :)  What a great year!  We came so so close to winning state.  It is a little frustrating but they went and did really well and showed skill and gracious professionalism :)