Summer Fun!

Even though we have been cRaZy busy this summer, we have still made some time to have a little fun. On Memorial Day we took a little trip out to the Civil Defense Caves about 20 miles north of our house. Jeff and the three youngest had never been there before. So it was a little adventure that we enjoyed. My mom came with us. There was a serious storm raging outside while we were in the cave and we didn't even know until we emerged from the cave to find an inch of hail on the ground.

This is my mom and I.

This is the kids posing at the mouth of the cave. Since this trip, we have gone a couple other times. Once with our Nevada cousins when they came to visit. Then Mataia went out with a college friend of ours and a bunch of her friends. They took glow sticks, broke them open and splattered them all over themselves and then they played hide and seek in the pitch black cave. I took a group of her friends out again yesterday to do that again for her birthday party.

This is us and the Nevada Rodericks at the mouth of the Civil Defense Caves.

We went geocaching while the Nevada Rods were here. We found this one near the River Bottoms not far from our house.

The kids tie-dyed t-shirts with the Nevada Rods, too. It was fun. They all came up with a different and colorful design.

One weekend Morgan had a softball tournament in Driggs, which is near Grand Targhee Ski Resort. We got a season pass for this winter to go skiing, so while Morgan had a break, Jeff and I drove up to the ski resort to get our passes. It was the last weekend in June and the ski lift was still running. People were skiing in the shorts and t-shirts. So we rode the ski lift up to the top and enjoyed the ride and the view. When we got back, Morgan was wishing she had come with us instead of waiting at the ball field with her friends!

We spent the 4th of July weekend in Provo, Utah. While we were there we stopped at Bridal Veil Falls in the Provo Canyon and hiked up near the falls. The kids played in the water there for a little while. The water was refreshing and the falls were gorgeous!

So the stop at Bridal Veil Falls was a spur of the moment thing and I wasn't really dressed for hiking. But I made it anyway!

We got tickets to Stadium of Fire at the BYU Lavell Edwards Stadium. We were really excited about this because David Archuleta and Brad Paisley were performing. The picture below is the kids in front of the Cougar statue outside the stadium.

Now if you look closely in the picture below, you will see DAVID ARCHULETA in the light colored shirt surrounded by his security people. It was so funny. We were standing inside the gates of the stadium and the girls were looking at concert t-shirts to buy as a souvenir. The door to the Cougar Club was right next to that and Morgan said she wondered what was in there. I was just teasing her and said that's probably where David and Brad probably were. Then the girls REALLY wanted to go in. Well what do you know, we are standing just outside the door and out walks David Archuleta! The girls were close enough to reach out and touch him if they could have kept their heads on straight. I thought they were both going to pass out without excitement! It was pretty funny! That moment made the whole trip for the girls!

Kace only lasted through the Star Spangled Banner and then he was out until the fireworks started. Don't ask me how he slept through the whole concert. It was LOUD! At least he got to see the parachute guys land inside the stadium and the fighter jet fly-bys. That was awesome. (Luckily, there were a couple empty spots next to us on the bleachers and he was able to stretch out.)

This was Kace trying to wake up for the fireworks.

The girls loved the concert- both David Archuleta and Brad Paisley. It was a great night and we loved spending it with our kids!

The next morning we hiked up to the "Y" on the mountain in Provo. We have talked about doing this for years, but have never taken the time to do it. It was worth the hike! What a beautiful view!!

The "Y" has special meaning in our family because this very spot below is where Jeff first learned about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He was sitting in this spot with his friend, Ty Ruddell. Jeff started asking Ty questions about the meaning of life and why we are here and where we are going. That was the beginning of what brought our family to where we are today! Had Jeff not continued to learn about the gospel and had he not decided to change a few things in his life and get baptized, we would not be here today. Jeff and I probably never would have met and I don't like to think about where I would be. So the "Y" on the mountain will always be a special place for our family! I'm glad we finally all got up there together!

Jeff was telling the kids the story of how he was converted to the Mormon church and how it all started right here. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints IS Jesus Christ's church on the earth today! We are so blessed! LIFE IS GOOD!