Out of school fun

We had a camping trip all planned, but weather warnings made camping near and hiking in a slot canyon unfeasible. We ended up pretty close to home, but it has actually been very relaxing and enjoyable.  We took a really good bike ride in Snow Canyon.  It's my first time back out there after my crash, and at last I seem to have gotten past all of my painful spots other than a little thumb stiffness.  It's  good to get back out. We also took a ride on the bike trail and over to see the new bridge.  It's coming right along.

And we took a couple of quick hikes.  We were looking for a view spot from a photograph that we thought was taken from the top of Lamb's Knoll.  We hiked and bushwhacked our way up to several different places on top, but it just never looked quite right.  Finally we called the photographer and figured out that we should have been over by Cave Valley instead - other side of the road.  We were running out of daylight, but by doing some very quick hiking we did make it over into that general area.  We are going to head back over with the photographer to get it right!  We made it out just as the sun slipped behind the hills.

We also had some of Paul's paintings photographed so we can make prints of them. It was really fun to hang out while the guy doing it finished up. He had some beautiful things in his studio.  Paul has spent all day making frames. I have put some prints on Facebook and organized a print book for him.  He is very excited about putting a couple of the paintings in an upcoming show.  It is so nice that he is finding time to enjoy this talent he has had on hold for such a long time.  These are the two frames he made today for the paintings he is going to put in an upcoming show.  The top one is of some climbing gear that was hanging in a tree when we went to Kolob to watch Supe and friends climbing.  The other one is a Plein Air that Paul did sitting out on a hillside southwest of Santa Clara and shows the Devil's Saddle as well as the view of Zion panorama.

Here's the photo the painting is based on.  

End of year pangs

Here it is again...the end of another year of school.  It's that time when you look at these little ones and know that you are going to miss them...even the ones that have driven you a little bit nuts on a regular basis.  You hate to see them go out of your life, and know that it will never be quite the same as being with them in their first experience of making that transition of adding school to their life and growing up so much in such a short time.  Some will come back to visit, but it still won't be the same.  The kid who was sure "he was not made for school" has even made the transition and has made so much progress.  So, off to First Grade we send them with a hugs and everything we've been able to help them learn!

It has been such a full year.  So much is expected that we seldom have time anymore to just kick back and let them play.  We took the time this week since things are winding down and it was so much fun to watch them as they enjoyed playing with all of the friends they have made this year!  

Here I Come!

Get ready, get set, because here I go.  I'm ready to show you all I know! 

Iv'e graduated Kindergarten and now I'm done. I've laughed and learned and it's been fun. First grade, First grade, ready set go.  I'm ready to show you all I know!  

Get ready First grade, because I'm on my way. 

 I've graduated Kindergarten, hip, hip, hooray!

The final day program!  

Zade's #6

We came in on the tail end of the celebrating, but Zade was still full of birthday enthusiasm!  I think it's kind of nice to spread it out and of enjoy a new gift or two each day for several days.  Seems like less of an overload that way.  Whatever way you do it, the main thing is that we are glad to have all of these special little ones (and some that aren't so little anymore) as part of our family!  Happy Birthday Zade!  We love you.  (See if you can find the hidden 6 in the refrigerator...Zade found it!)

Belated Mother's Day Campout

I usually like to go camping for Mother's Day, but with all of the wedding stuff going on, we saved it until this weekend.  It was great to get out.  If we had tried to come a week earlier, we would have gotten snow as was witnessed by a sign left by some people who had been there and had awakened to 8" of snow. There were lots of Father's and Son's outings going on in the area we chose and they were even in our preferred spot, but we made do at another place and had a great time. Paul cooked us up some yummy steaks and the sleeping weather was perfect.   We drove around and explored some in the morning. It was a great little camping trip!  

We took an evening walk after dinner and it was beautiful with lots of green grass and water and some of the biggest Rocky Mountain Cedar trees growing in the area that we have ever seen.  

In the morning we explored another possible campsite, drove a rode to the end where we spotted the watering hole, and even stopped by to see how much water was in Baker Lake.  

Mother's Day...almost got lost in the wedding fun!

We celebrated Mother's Day some at the family dinner a few weeks ago, but then we did it some more on Sunday after the wedding.  Juge and Lance and Jay and Brynn were great and brought all of the dinner makin's over and then the men pretty much took care of it from there and made a delicious Salmon dinner for us gals.  The kids had fun eating on my early Mother's Day present from Moss and Christie.  It was a fun time hanging out and just kind of chilling after all of the wedding partying of the day before.  Thanks for the great food, the presents and for being here with us!  

Admiring our newest addition - Essie.  Madi loves to hold her.

Cousin fun - Madi, Noah, Eden, Sarai and Tahlia!  

We decided that Zion is a dead ringer for Paul when he was a baby!  They thought that was pretty funny!  

Flowers

I like this!

There they go! On to the adventure of an eternity together!

Saturday May10th, 2014 finally came!  I'm sure that must be how Supe and Beacher felt!  It was a perfect day for them and also the for the rest of us.  Couldn't be happier about the whole package.  The weather even cooperated as long as it needed to for all of our outdoor activities.  Now they are a team and have a whole bunch of family and friend fans cheering them on in their new life together!  We love you Supe and Beacher!  Now on to your adventure of an eternity together!  

Waiting for the bride to arrive!

Waiting for the bride and groom!

Here they are!

So happy!

So handsome and so beautiful!

There they go! On to the adventure of an eternity together!

So true for this couple especially!

 Just wanted to add these.  Brynn did such a nice job.

Here we go...!

Last night was the beginning of Supe and Beacher forming their own little family.  We went to the temple with Beacher as she took out her endowments.  Wow, it's really, finally going to happen!  So wonderful!

Roger and Lani, Supe and Beacher, Paul and Bonnie

Happy Birthday Kaebri and Trigg!

 Happy Birthday Kaebri  (#12)  and Trigg (#2)!  Love you lots!  

Kaebri got this sweet rifle.  Now she can go turkey hunting with her dad!  

Trigg blowing out his cookie cake candle at the family dinner.

I got this sweet kid sized picnic table for an early start Mother's Day
present from Moss and Christie. It is even strong enough for adults!