Bear Lake 2013

Each year we have the grand opportunity to visit Jonah's family's property on the shores of the enormous Bear Lake, which sits on the border of Utah and Idaho (and nearly on the border of Wyoming too... its right there in the corner where the three states meet). This year we got up there almost a week before the big influx of people, so we were able to welcome everyone as they arrived. We spent the 4th up there too... although I am having a hard time finding photos. BUT, it wasn't anything too spectacular because we usually rely on the neighbors setting off some awesome fireworks that we can just watch. It is great to be on a big wide sandy beach to watch the fireworks. 

My kids are in heaven at Bear Lake, especially once all of the cousins arrive. They each have quite a few cousins their same age, so they are never alone. Cam is the oldest of a group of five boys, not including the girl cousin two days older than him, another girl cousin eight months younger, and another girl cousin 11 months older. His sociality really shines through when he gets to the lake. 

Ana mainly hangs with her two cousins-- Grace who is two months older than her and Isaac who is six weeks. They are quite the trio. 

Elsie has a whole gaggle of girls her age, including Lucy who is a few months older, and Emmeline and Lyla, who are about 18 months younger. 

Po really lucked out to have two boy cousins her same age. She loves it. 

Jonah loves having such great brothers and brothers-in-law to waterski and fix the multitude of engine malfunctions with. 

And of course I love all the great conversations and festive reunion activities. I especially appreciated having my kids fed and entertained while I spent a lot of the nearly three weeks fairly sick. Well, the first two weeks were bad, but I got much better once we visited a doctor friend who figured the strep throat must have knocked down my blood volume and made me extremely low on iron (a common problem with me) to the point where I was having symptoms like altitude sickness or panic attacks. Once Jonah gave me a giant spinach and strawberry smoothie once a day and I ate a lot of frozen chimichangas (surprisingly high in iron and protein with very little sugar), I started to feel much much better. The heart racing and shortness of breath at random times of the day of day was starting to get real old... so glad it wasn't what the doctor initially feared it was, which was either rheumatic fever or a damaged heart valve. This is the second time I've been sick at the family reunion, and as much as it is a bummer to miss out on a lot of the fun, it is SUCH a huge relief to be able to recover without having to worry too much about cooking and cleaning and entertaining the kids. I feel bad to not be able to contribute, but I'm also so thankful to have everyone's help. At least this year I wasn't contagious so I could hang out in the midst of the crowd and at least get in on the conversations. I could also sit on the beach and go in the boat-- I just couldn't get my heart rate up or it wouldn't stop. Whew. Glad that's over. 

Anyway, my sisters-in-law do a much better job of recording the happenings of the reunions, so I'll link here to their sights and then put on a few of my own photos. Our memory card was broken for a few weeks, so that's part of my excuse for not taking as many photos as they did... 

71toes Shawni's 2013 Reunion Description 

71toes Shawni's Settling in at Bear Lake

71toes Shawni's Reunion Description Part 2

71toes Shawni's Reunion Description Part 3

71toes Shawni's Lighting of the Floating Lanterns

Saren's Reunion Description

Saren's REUNION MUSIC VIDEO 2013.... You should watch this!!!

Saren's Bear Lake Reunion in Photos

Saydi's Bear Lake 2013

Saydi's Bear Lake Connections 2013

Charity's Bear Lake Reunion Description

And my mother-in-law probably did the most complete synopses of all:

Linda's Pre-Reunion Festivities (Including our Fourth of July)

Linda's Reunion Day 1

Linda's Reunion Day 2

Linda's Fear Factor

Linda's Lake Baptism

Linda's Minute to Win It

Linda's Reunion Food Review

Linda's Reunion Talent Show and Tennis

Linda's Reunion Fun

Linda's Reunion Finale

Linda's Post Reunion

Linda's Grammie Camp for 12 year olds and RV Trip

Linda's Grammie Camp for Princesses

Linda's Grammie Camp fro Group 4 Guys

Jonah's youngest brother Eli cuttin' it up. Sadly, I did not capture any epic crashes on film this year, but the rooster tail on these ones are sweet...

Jonah with the deepest cut ever. Not deep... like deep. Like his knees are nearly submerged.

Paddleboarding

Po just played in the shallows for hours and hours every day.

She also made friends with Uncle Jeff and made sure she always got in on the canoe rides.

Cam got up on skis again and even got up on a wakeboard for his first time.

Po and Peter were killer cute. They are only a couple months different in age and both have names that start with P and are both the fourth kid in the family!

They didn't get very far on this bike though. 

Ana is taking after her aunts-- she's a sunset lover!

Ana dressed up a bit for the Bandito show this year. We go to the Pickleville Playhouse every year to get our melodrama fix in for the year. It was hilarious, as usual. 

Ana and Grace and their yearly traditional tandem rides.

Even though the Kolob Fire is still a heartache, it makes treasures refound like this one all the better. Can't wait to get this onto DVD... and SO glad we paid for an extra copy to give to the in-laws!

We had a fun ragnar-style race this year. I can't remember how our team did... I think 2nd? I had to be the designated driver. 

Cam fulfilled his dream of winning Fear Factor this year! Good thing he loves weird food anyway!

We also had an enchanting time letting off some floating lanterns.

Hooray for Bear Lake!

Swim Camp and Park City

And finally! The moment Ana had been anxiously, excitedly, stressfully, happily been waiting for since she signed up in January--BYU swim camp! 

Ana only had maybe three or four major freak-outs the morning of swim camp, worried about everything from not having the right shoes to anything we did that might delay our arrival or make her in any way late for registration. 

But, I could understand her franticness. Ana worked so hard to get to swim camp, raising half the cost of the camp, working hard on her swim team and to improve her strokes, and going over the packing lists, rules, and schedules about 600 times. She wanted to be as ready as possible. 

She was also so relieved and thankful that she arrived at Swim Camp in good health. Up until we left Maui, her health was fairly iffy and her doctor wanted her to prepare to not be able to go. I'm so happy that her prayers were answered and she was all better in time to go (well, besides being a little weak, but she said she regained her strength through the cafeteria). 

She has always been "going on 17", so I can see why she was thrilled about the mini-college experience. I myself was thrilled that she ended up with the sweetest roommate and friends. I'm also glad that during that whole week I could trust her to take full advantage of the excellent coaching, swim instruction and of course unlimited food in the cafeteria. We also knew we could trust her to keep the rules, be a good friend and example, and to learn as much as she good. I love having such a responsible daughter. Thanks Ana!

After we dropped Ana off at Swim Camp (whew!), we got to pick up one of Cam's BFFs--Heath! Heath lives in Saint George, so when we decide to fly-by Saint George this year, I called Heath's mom (another old friend--she was actually one of the leaders in my YW when I was growing up in Henderson!) to see if we would by chance cross paths at another point, and wouldn't you know it, she was in Northern Utah that same week that we were. We stole Heath away from his mom and older sisters (Yay! he said, No more shopping!) so he could come join us up in Park City at Jonah's parents' house for a few days. 

Of course, even though they only see each other for a few days or a week every year, these guys are forever best buddies, as if no time has passed at all since they were three and making paper ships. I hope someday they get to live by each other again. 

I drove back down the mountain from Park City to meet Heath's mom when it was time for them to head back home, so I thought, why not just make a quick visit to Ikea?! You know, walk around... get the kids some lunch.... Again, it's another missed attraction when you live in Hawaii. But oh my heck!? What was I thinking!? It was "Free Kids' Meals" Tuesday and nothing is more crowded than a place offering free kids' meals in the middle of Mormon Utah!!! At least I saw some people I knew (welcome to Mormon-ville... we all 16 million of us seem to know each other one way or another) and the kids were especially hungry and thankful when we finally got our (free) food. 

We also came down the mountain one evening for an off-the-hook ice cream party with all of my Beer (my mom's side) cousins who are currently living in Northern Utah. Oh heck yes!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my cousins. It was awesome. Ana was gone, so I was sad she didn't get to hang with one of her BCFs (Best cousins forever) Livy, but it actuallyl worked out okay because Cam shone through and became Mr. Personality for all the girl cousins, even directing them in a little gymnastics/circus performance. What in the world? What planets aligned that night?!

Anyway, my cute cousin Lyndsi came and brought her boyfriend Ofa (we got to again Lyndsi again later the next week and get the full scoop, so it was great to have met Ofa before that), Jennifer came, my cousin Jerilyn's son Andrew came (we missed him when we were in Vegas), and of course cousin Eric and his wife Amy hosted us at their new immaculate and darling house. Their three girls are just the bomb-- so much pizazz and personality and fun-- and I loved seeing them all at their own home. So fun. Can't wait to see everyone again next year, but I hope its sooner! 

(hint hint, come to Maui you crazy people!)

And finally, we spent that week while Ana was at Swim Camp recovering. Remember how I mentioned that Elsie came down with strep throat after her trip to San Diego. Well, come to find out, my poor little nephew Gabe had strep (plus majorly and chronically enlarged tonsils, which have since been removed) and my dad and a few other relatives at the same time. So, that sore throat I had had since we left Vegas of course also turned into strep throat. I had been fighting it back because we were traveling and I didn't want to be sick and miss out on the fun, but once we arrived at Jonah's parents' home (and they were gone for most of the time we were there) and I relaxed for a day, it hit full bore. Luckily, I happened upon a miracle cure online (cayenne pepper tea) and was able to swallow without pain after two days. But, both Jonah and I definitely had the infection for almost a week. Jonah healed up fairly well though. On the other hand, I never got my body to start working right again and for the following three weeks, I had what seemed like altitude sickness. A great doctor finally saw me and said my immune system had done too well against the strep and had nearly knowcked me out. And though I luckily didn't have rhematoid fever, my blood volume was low enough that it was causing the constant heart palpitations, shortness of breath, headaches, and major fatigue I had been suffuring from since the sore throat stopped. Sheesh. Thankfully, this stupid "recovery from strep" that last three weeks took place while we were places where there were plenty of other adults to help take care of the kids and plenty of other cousins to entertain them (see future posts about Bear Lake Reunion).

The doctor prescribed an intensely iron rich diet (not the first time in my life that's been prescribed to me, but that's another story) and Jonah took the bull by the horns and made me ginormous spinach-strawberry (to help absorb the iron) smoothies every day, fed me meat at every meal, and let me eat unlimited microwave chimichangas in bed (surprisingly high in iron and low in sugar). I eventually healed up and it was such a relief! 

It was a crazy six months of weird health problems, I tell you what. It happens that way though... one bad knock down to your immune system and it seems like it takes months or years to get back to normal. It all started when I got bad anxiety on a scary flight to San Diego back in February, which then probably caused me to finally contract the walking pneumonia that had been going around (maybe that's what Ana had in April-May?), which then kept me weak enough to catch strep (I've never had it in my life.. why now?), which then meant my finally overzealous immune system  knocked out my circulatory system. Dumb. But, nothing like it to make you grateful for when you do feel great and healthy!

Well, back to the story-- the week went by too fast for us and for Ana. But, she was glad to see us and especially excited to show us around the cafeteria. 

The final Swim Camp event was a swim meet. But oops, I forgot to take photos. (Ana has a ton and maybe I'll have her do her own blog post.) But, I do have a photo of the crazy divers that also had their final event in covered pool area. I had flashbacks to when my sister Sonna used to dive competitively. It was horribly scary. I think my kids will stick to swimming. 

Detour! or Scenic Route!

Our friends let us stay one more night after they left so we could get an early start in the morning. It was a lazy Sunday, so we decided to take a detour on our trek up to Northern Utah. At the last minute, I picked a dirt road that was supposed to eventually get us to Bryce Canyon, but we weren't too sure...

Oh well! Here we go!

There were some awesome stops along the dirt road, like this canyon out in the middle of tousands of acres of sagebrush. We were also glad to see other humans after three hours of driving alone on dirt roads, hoping that the Ox kept to its guns. 

We were greeted around every corner with a breathtaking view. How does one small area of the world contain so much grandeur?!

And then thankfully, we found pavement again and the scarlet orange hoopdedoos of Bryce Canyon. We were running a little late so we didn't actually go in the National Park, but the kids were still in awe at the road side pinnacles. 

Annabella, Utah

After about three more hours, we reached our destination for the night--our friends' sheep ranch in Annabella, Utah, which is about an hour south of Provo.

We've been meaning to visit the Lawyers' sheep ranch for years. Literally. Like since 2001. Oops. We should have come sooner. We could immediately tell that it was a place we could have spent weeks. Not only are the Lawyers the very best hosts, but they run a full working sheep ranch, with sheep camps, working horses, sheep dogs, and all the big farm equipment. Plus Annabella is just lovely (at least, it is in the summer... I could guess that it maybe wasn't so in the winter).

They even have Adam's family's original cabin still there on the land. Stay tuned for future visits here, and hopefully there will be photos of us on horses up in the hills herding the sheep. 

Lake Powell

These are going to be some of your run-of-the-mill Lake Powell photos... except, darn! I didn't take my camera went we went exploring the canyons. Just go to someone else's blog about Lake Powell and pretend its us, K?

The house boat stayed in the marina and we just took the ski boat out for rides and canyon exploring. It was a crowded weekend out on the lake, so we were actually relieved to be able to just base out of the calm and quiet of the marina, with its full sized showers and regular bathrooms and calm nights. Plus, the kids really just wanted to ride the tubes and jetskis and didn't care about exploring as much as I did, so it was a great way to do it. 

We even got Jonah out on something other than a water ski! What the what?!

I had never experienced the strange and marvelous houseboat culture of Lake Powell. It was great. They are like strange, slow moving yachts, but in a way, much more functional ,yet not as luxurious or seaworthy. I love the little add ons, like the slides and diving boards and BBQ areas and playgrounds. I also love how people try to make them like floating houses, but not like Sausalito Floating Houses, more like track houses. It's just so strange and interesting and surprisingly fun. 

Jonah and I were seriously amazed at how lucky we were to get to go hang on this massive boat with these guys. It was a great introduction for me to Lake Powell, but maybe I'll be too spoiled now when we go and won't feel satisfied on an only one-story house boat. :) 

Wahoo! Thanks Spencer and Katrina! Great fun!

You Guessed It-- "Leaving Las Vegas"

But, one more Vegas attraction before we go. Some time ago, Sonna and Sloan happened upon a great little spot called the Nelson Ghost Town. I've lived in the Vegas-area for about 20 years total, and I somehow never knew about this little gem. We got some great photos that I wish I could share here, but my memory card got corrupted and we're lucky to have these few (for real... and the memory card failure happened a year to the day after the New Harmony fire! We need to avoid June 27th next year).

Our old friends from when we lived in Vegas right after Ana's birth met up with us out in Nelson, and Ana and Taylor tried to recreate some of the photos we have of when they were toddlers. 

They also have three boys younger than Taylor, so Cam enjoys when we all get together, and I'm sure Taylor enjoys the change of mostly girls in our family. 

They were just the cutest little buddies back in the day. I can't find my copy of this photo that they are trying to recreate, but here's another one from a playdate back when they were 18 months. 

(The little boy in the back did not visit Nelson Ghost Town with us.)

The views of the Colorado River canyon below Hoover Dam were stunning. 

Desert colors are sublime. 

Leaving Las Vegas

 Once again, however, our visit had to come to an end and we started another adventure. 

This adventure was our one surprise adventure for the summer... at the last minute, Jonah's old friend Spencer happened to invite us to his in-laws house boat on Lake Powell for the weekend. He just happened to be heading up with his family on the weekend we were supposed to be in Saint George anyway and invited us to come along! Wahoo! We made the hard decision of skipping a trip to Saint George this year in lieu of this rare chance to hang on a houseboat. Jonah's family had spent many a vacations down on houseboats, and even my own mom did a Girls' Camp houseboat trip one year while I was up on Blakely working (grrrr... should have flown back for that one...), but I had never gone. I'd driven by Lake Powell many times and always wanted to go, and was so excited to finally do it!

So we left at 4 am to beat the heat and the traffic and set out towards the sunrise on our well-known I-15 road to Southern Utah. We stopped in Saint George long enough to fill up with veggie oil at In-n-Out and we were on our way to the lake.

Get your rest now, little beauties!