Ward Camp-Out

I forgot that you can exchange cameras when you have a Canon, for a low fee. Mary Lou reminded me and we sent our old one in and they sent us a new one. I got a different model, so I had to pay a little extra, but I still got a way good deal! I had done that once before, but forgot about it. So my last camera was not 9 years old, like I thought, but maybe 5 years, though I can't remember.

I tried out my new camera at the ward camp-out. I only took a few pictures, but we had a great time! Erik slept through the night this time, unlike last year, and decided he liked his own sleeping bag as opposed to the pack-n-play. My little boy is growing up!

Karissa and Erik at the bonfire for roasting marshmallows.

Victoria with her friend Annie at breakfast.

Austin enjoying the warm fire with his cup of milk.



A Back-Up

My camera is finished. It took it's last picture on the way home from Utah. That's probably why my last picture with Celeste, in my other post, looked so bad, the camera was dying! It was pretty ancient in terms of digital cameras. Thanks to Mary Lou, we got it when Victoria was born, 9 years ago! Luckily, Jason has an iPhone, thanks to his dad, so all is not lost until we get another camera.

We happened to have two fun activities the last two Saturdays for Jason to take pictures of. On the 3rd, we went to this cute little town on the way to Ann Arbor, called Dixboro. They had a fair there so it was a good excuse to actually visit instead of drive through it. I got to look in the antique store that I always wonder about when I drive by, as well as the general store that is in a house with a cute little truck in front. The part the kids liked the best were the animals that we got close and personal with. The local farmer brought his sheep, cow, calf, bunnies, chickens, chicks, and goats. Karissa enjoyed feeding the sheep hay, Victoria liked holding the chicks, Austin helped feed the cow and sheep. 



Victoria holding a chick



The cow who badly needed to be milked!

There was also this little bouncy contraption and a little swing ride, but I thought the animals were the coolest! 

This last Saturday, we went to Greenfield Village (where we saw Thomas the train) and saw an old-fashioned baseball game. It was very fun and relaxing. Victoria enjoyed watching the game and the other three played on the grassy hill and found a caterpillar.

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It was a good experience for them to see a game for free not in a bunch of bleachers where they feel trapped. It was a great day!

The Crowning Event

Don't you hate it when the computer has it's own mind? I can't get the cursor to the top pf this page, so I'll just start here where it keeps placing me! Pictured above are some of the very cute beds at my mom's cousins' beach house at Bear Lake. I forgot to take pictures of the room we stayed in, but my kids loved playing on the pirate ship the most. The third pic is in the surfer room and we stayed in the travel room where our triple bunk beds were designed as luggage- super cute!

Our last weekend in Utah we got to go to Bear Lake near where my great-grandmother grew up. This was the crowning event of the trip, not my mom's accident the day before when she tripped on a cord and smashed her face on the sidewalk, though that was memorable. She has healed nicely, at least she had when we last parted.

Bear Lake included a zip line perfect for kids and even grandmas.

I totally just blanked on the name of this special ATV (maybe it's just an ATV? though I thought it was called something different...) 

A fun playroom 

 Beautiful view from every side, this one happens to be from the Idaho side.

We celebrated Nikolas' first birthday. He ate his whole piece of cake and enjoyed every second of it! 

Erik loved the seesaw 

And of course the boat that Derek and Missy brought up with Missy's dad. 

More fun toys from Derek.

None of my kids went tubing, but Victoria loved riding the boat. Austin still talks about the "speedboat" he went on. Erik fell asleep on it and Karissa wouldn't set foot on it!

After recovering from the beach house, we celebrated Pioneer Day with a parade around my mom's neighborhood. Of course Grandpa Jim had to build a covered wagon last minute- so cool! 

Our final event: the race! It was Victoria's first race ever and she was excited, even though it was really early and she looks dead in this pic. She ran the 1 miler with Blake, Mariah, Natalie, Calvin, and Jake, and Layla. After I came in from the 10 K (ran with Derek, Missy, Karina, and Andrew) I ran it with her and she did very well, despite her nerves, coming in at around 8:24.  

I was much slower than my previous races, but that's what you get when you don't run more than 3 days a week. Derek and I got 27th (he for the men, me for the women, though he came in about 4-5 minutes before me). Missy came in 26th for the women and 3rd for her age-group, winning her a medal! Mariah and Layla also received medals. Way to go! 

Mariah with her medal and her buddy. Erik took a liking to Natalie and would go to her and Mariah often. 

We all had a great time in Utah, but were ready to go home when the time came. We got to visit with my cousin Celeste and her family on the way home. They only live 8 hours from our house! We got to visit an extra couple days with my mom before she flew back to Utah. Thanks for the great vacation everyone!!