Gratitude #5

Naps.  Oh, happy day.  Nothin' better.

Gratitude #4

 

  I love to see the temple.

This is my favorite place on earth.

I leave the chaos of the world when I walk through it's doors.  

Within, I gain insight I can receive no other way.

Peace finds me. Love fills my heart.

So grateful for this Holy Home.

Grateful #3

I totally heart this kid.  

He's my baby.  Always will be.

He's goofy.  He makes us laugh.

ALL. THE. TIME.

He still likes me to read to him.

He still likes to snuggle.

He thinks he's a teenager.

I'm grateful for my little caboose. 

Life wouldn't be the same without him.

 

Grateful Day #2

Yeah, I'm grateful for Disneyland, 

but I'm even more grateful for this guy next to me.

There isn't another soul alive that would put

up with my ridiculousness, my sarcasm, and my quirks.

He loves me.  A lot.  I'm so lucky. 

I'm grateful that he is willing to labor next to me 

 as our lives change and our kids grow. 

I'm grateful we are forever.  

30 Days of Grateful - #1

I know what you're thinking.  

That I'm grateful for Tyler. 

Yeah, you'd be right- most of the time. 

But this post is not about him.

It's all about my gratitude for a 

THIRD CAR.

That's right.  

This boy can now pick up milk for me, run errands, pick up kids, drive himself and his two siblings to seminary at 5:45 am, 

and ever so much more.  

Yes, it's all about making my life easier.  

So grateful for these new wheels.  

(I'm pretty grateful for the handsome boy, too)

Colorado

Last May we had a family council and discussed all of the places we could go for family vacation.

  Disneyworld! Hawaii! A cruise!!  

What was the majority vote? 

(And by majority, I mean everyone except for me...)

THE RANCH!!

That's right, folks. 

 My family - every stinkin' one of them- wanted to drive 22 hours  ONE WAY to go to a place where no one makes your bed, where there isn't a breakfast buffet, 

and no Mickey Mouse.  

They wanted to ride horses, swim in a freeeezing cold lake, get tackled by cows, and ride four-wheelers.

So that, my friends, was where we went this summer.

THE RANCH.

And as always, after I have stressed for months about the drive, what food to bring, what to do without a real potty or shower for six days --- I LOVE IT!  

It is truly heaven on earth.

The beauty of the land and the beauty of the people we love so much make it worth the battle to get there.

The kiddos all helped push cows (Ty & Maddie on horseback and Kyle on the rhino ) up to the top of this lake.  Look at the Aspens and GREEN.  I won't tell the story of how we almost died getting up to this heavenly location.  Well, maybe I will in a little bit.

The freezing lake afore mentioned.   

It was actually AMAZING!  

I swam everyday I could. 

Refreshing, clean, and I could WASH MY HAIR! 

 Oh happy day!

Ok.  So I will tell the near death story.  

This is the EXTREMELY steep hill we pushed the 200 + cows up. Cars were sliding.  4 wheelers were coming down sideways.  I mean, I was having an anxiety attack.  So being the brave awesome that I am.  I walked.  That's right.  All my chunkiness walked up this hill.  Had to be 2 miles.  Okay, maybe a 1/2 mile - but it was HARD!!!!  Danelle took the pic.  She was brave (?) enough to ride up in the back of a truck.

My oldest in his own personal heaven riding horses 

with Jessie and his idol, Justin.

So they built a new "cabin" since the last time we were here.  

It is THE BOMB!  Rooms galore, A/C, and BATHROOMS!!!  There is a wrap around porch that is just amazing! 

This is my beautiful Maddie standing on the wrap-around-porch pondering which puppy she is going to kidnap and take home.

My babe riding a horse sideways. 

 Seriously, I think this is how steep that hill was.  

Ok- maybe I just can't figure out how to rotate pics. 

Tyler, again, in heaven.

Maddie in her personal heaven.

Kyle & Rydge---that's right - in heaven.

And me, in heaven.

View from the porch.

Rydge learned to drive a four-wheeler.  

9 years old and Justin taught him.  That may be past prime for Blanding folks, but for this city boy (maybe not for his nervous mom) it was pure awesome!

Rydge's lips were dry so he needed a little chapstick.

Lots of family bonding over face cards.

The new kitchen in the new cabin.  B-E-A-U-tiful!

That's right, friends.  A toilet AND a shower!

I know, right?  

The loser cruiser made another cross country journey and lived to tell the tale.  

This baby survived some of the most obnoxious smells & laughter.  Good times. Good times.

Oh, my girl.  She spent HOURS.  Literally HOURS sitting as still as a statue, enticing chipmunks to come to here.  

They ate out of her hand, and climbed up on her shoulder.  

It was darling.  

Just happy she didn't end up with bubonic plague.

One of my favorite parts of this trip was the July 4th extravaganza in Blanding.  This small town knows how to party!  We watched a parade, we ate like kings, watched a fantastic fireworks show, and played in a volleyball tourney all day!  The family had three teams.  BLAST! 

The teenagers!

Nicole got this boy to smile.  Miracles do happen!

The ALMOST champs!

We spent a wonderful week in God's beautiful land 

with family we love so much!  

Thanks all for your hospitality. 

 Some fantastic memories were made.

However, I may not put the next family vacation up for a vote. 

 I am going to get to Hawaii at some point.