Trip to Alaska! Part 1

Here we are in the airport, ready to go visit Grandma and Grandpa in Alaska for 9 days! We had such a fun time, even if it did rain most of the time, it was a nice break from the heat. We actually had to drink hot chocolate to warm up. We were able to convince my dad to come, so both grandmas and grandpas were there as well as Lori and Kara. Alaska has got to be the most beautiful state I have ever been to, and yes I have been to Hawaii. I love the green mountains, the water, glaciers, the wildife...there is no place like Alaska.

Daylen was so excited to ride in the airplane. When they called us to board we told him it was time to get on the plane and he gave a big "Yeah!! We are getting on the airplane!" As you can see they enjoyed looking out the window. We flew to Denver first, then to Anchorage, a little counter productive in my mind, but it was cheaper. It just made for a long 5 hours, but we made it!

Saturday was our first full day and Dave and Karen have neighbor who is way into gold mining, so he took us to Crow Creek Mine for a day of mining. This is serious stuff, he has a dredger that sucks the dirt and small rocks and gold from the bank, then we would pan for gold from that stuff. Here is my dad in his waders shoveling dirt to put through the sloosh (sp?), we didn't find as much that way.

I love Karen's outfit here, keeping warm while panning!

Brad and his brother, Chad, who lives in Anchorage as well, are running the dredger here. It was some seriously hard work. It took moving lots of rocks out of the way and plugging along. We found quite a bit of "flakes" between all of us, and even a small nugget. We were hoping to find enough to pay for the trip, but that didn't happen.

Some of us took off after lunch to hike to the hand tram. There is a picture farther down of it, basically its a little cart you use to pull yourself across the river way far below. Heather, Chad's wife, acted as tour guide. We did this hike the last time we were Alaska, but I was 7 1/2 months pregnant with Daylen then. This time was MUCH easier! Just a ways passed the tram is this bridge and fast, rushing river. It is a very beautiful area.

Lori, Kara, and I. It was pretty cold, fashion took a backseat. The flannel shirt I was wearing over my sweatshirt really did add a lot of warmth.

My mom and Kate. Georgous isn't it?

Here is the handtram, you can't really tell from the picture, but when you are halfway across, it is WAY down there!

This was just day 1, we jam packed out days full and took over 200 pictures so there will be more to come. I just need to pick and choose my favorites. It's going to be hard!

Cousins Party!

We had a fun lunch party at the park last week

to celebrate birthdays and babies. I love getting together with my family.

We need to do this more often!

4th of July celebrations

Now that July is over halfway over, I'm finally getting to our 4th celebrations. We had a great weekend with 3 of Brad's siblings and their families, and my sister, Lori, also came to visit for the week as well. We started off with some Snowbird fun, the Alpine slide, panning for jewels, and swimming...

We of course cannot get together without a little homerun derby action. Brad is still the running champion, he was on fire thanks to Randy's great pitching as usual. We are determined to have a pitching machine next time Randy!

Followed by some fun and cooling off with water balloons in the back yard.

"Fill my balloon up please!"

Daylen had his first experience with fireworks and he did not care for them too much. He got scared so he and Ivan hung out inside.

Here's the crew after the fireworks were over.

We had a great time together, even if it was in close quarters. I don't think we had any extra floor space, but it was well worth it! We love our families!

Anyone want to clean their carpets today?

I know this is last minute but I have a rug doctor sitting at my house that is due back tomorrow morning at 8:00 if anyone wants to use it before then!

Brad's first time ever...

on a horse!

It was pretty entertaining seeing him mount his first horse ever. Sorry I laughed Brad, but you did look pretty funny! Some friends in the ward go up Payson canyon a couple of times a year for a week of camping, riding horses, and relaxing. It is beautiful up there! They invited us to come up one night for dinner and a ride, so we went last night and had so much fun! Thank you Burninghams!

Daylen got to ride with me and he did really well for his first time on a horse. Brett's horse in front of us stopped to poop at one point and you wouldn't believe how long a 2 1/2 year old can have a conversation about a horse pooping. Of course, it was just the same conversation over and over. The only part Daylen didn't really like was going downhill, it was a little painful for him I think.


Meet Buck, Cisco, and Josie from left to right. The Burninghams assured us Buck got his name from the fact that he is a buckskin horse and not for other reasons. They were such good horses, so fun to ride. They were perfect for Brad's first experience on a horse. The mountains and area was absolutely beautiful, and the weather was perfect. We had so much fun!




After our ride we roasted hotdogs over the fire and had a yummy dinner. Kate had a little too much fun crawling around in the dirt, filling her cup up with wood chips and dirt and whatever else she could find. She was soooo dirty by the time we had to head home, but she didn't care she had a great time!

Daylen "roasted" the same marshmellow all night. It never got close enough for the fire to actually cook it, but that's alright by me. He had more fun carrying the roasting stick around with a marshmellow on the end, than actually eating the marshmellow.

Daylen still roasting his marshmellow with Kaitlyn, our trusty babysitter.

Even Kate wanted to try roasting.

This picture doesn't quite do justice to how dirty Kate really was. She has a crazy mad look on her face in this picture, but she was really just talking really loud and playing and the camera happened to capture an odd face. Thanks again guys we had so much fun!!

I love to see the Temple...

For Family Home Evening this last Monday we had a little lesson on Temples, then went to go see the Provo Temple.We have never just taken Daylen and Kate to go see it and walk around,

so we thought this would be a good time to do it.

Daylen was so excited when we told him we were going to go see the Temple, he shouted a "YEAH! We are going to the Temple!"

Then the whole way there he kept saying, "We are going to the Temple" with a huge

smile on his and he'd look out the window at the passing scenery. It was a great family night!

mmm.....

Yummy....

I love homemade strawberry freezer jam!

Now is strawberry season,

so if you too want to enjoy this heavenly taste

ACT NOW!

I made this jam from a mixture of store bought

and home grown strawberries.

It is SUPER EASY.

We planted strawberries 2 years ago and

we had a nice big crop this year it was great!

Perfect Park Day

We had a perfect day at the park this afternoon with our friends Janell, Rylan, and Asher. The weather was beautiful, we amazingly had the park all to ourselves, and the kids played so well together. I'm so glad I finally thought to bring my camera. We usually walk every morning and stop at the park while we're out to let the kids play. We missed our walk this morning, so we went this afternoon for some fun and fun it was.

Kate has a fascination with noses right now, so poor Asher played guinea pig to her exploration.

Good thing he's such a happy baby, he ALWAYS has a smile on his face.

Daylen and Rylan having fun with the park all to themselves.

Enjoying a "picnic" of sticks. It's fun to see their imagination and pretend play blossom.

Kate likes to climb on the playground like the big boys.

If it's not the swings it's up and down the slide.

I love being a stay at home mom!