Lake Powell 2017!

We finally made it back to Lake Powell!

 Amber and Tyson decided they were going a few months ago. We weren't sure about going. I really wanted to go, Mike was on the fence. He didn't really have any vacation time left.

 We have never been so late in the season. In looking at the temperature it was only supposed to be in the high 60's low 70's, so I was a little worried. Amber assured me all would be fine. And for the most part it was!

 It was pretty windy the whole time, but we still had a lot of fun.

Wesley loved chasing the lizards and the frogs.

 The rest of the kids liked it when Wesley would catch the reptiles so they could hold them.

 We haven't been to Lake Powell since Jaycee was one, so it was pretty much all the kids first time being there.

 And they LOVED it!

 I think Vivian might have loved it the most! Jaycee taught Vivian how to echo.

 It was so fun seeing my kids love it like I always loved it! Growing up we went almost every year and it was definitely my favorite vacation.

Jaycee is already saying "Next year, when we go to Lake Powell..." She actually almost always calls it Bear Lake, silly girl.

Hopefully we make it back next year.

 All the kids loved when Grandpa Max would get in with them.

 Both Jaycee and Wesley said there favorite thing about our little vacation was cliff jumping.

 Bensen didn't love cliff jumping, he jumped once and lost his water shoe and he was done.

 We stayed in a perfect place for the kids, it had a lot of rocks to explore, a little sand for them to play in, and a few little islands. This one they named Seashell Island.

 Bensen and Branson could spend all day throwing rocks in the water.

 We went up Forgotten Canyon and hiked up to the Indian ruins, which the twins, Abbie and Ellie, let me know was not politically correct, and we should call them Native American ruins.

 On our way up Wesley caught a toad.

 On our way back we stopped for more cliff jumping!

Overall we had a great trip. We had a few very windy nights. Our tent held up like a champ until the second to last day. It was mostly our fault because we couldn't stake it up like we should have, being on rock and all. It did do better then Amber's and my parents. 

I can't wait for our next Lake Powell trip!

Soccer and stuff

Wesley and Jaycee both started playing soccer with AYSO. This is Wesley's first season...he doesn't love it :( He has always played with his cousins, so he is not loving not knowing anyone on the team. His coach also likes them to run for 3/4 of their practice. Wes hates to run, it gives him side aches. I don't have any pictures of Jaycee, because I coach her team, so Mike has all the kids. But she loves it! She wishes she could play everyday, and that there were 5 quarters. :)

They are both really good.

 We broke out the Marble Madness for after church today.

 There was no fighting for minutes!

Then the kids got bored with it so me and Mike finished it.

Celebrating the Allreds! and stuff

Happy Anniversary to the Reds!

We spent most of the day at Swiss Days today. It was crazy busy! I wasn't as fun this year as it was last year, way too many people. Then we were able to head up to Grandma and Grandpa Allreds 70th Wedding Anniversary!

How crazy amazing is that? 

I am so lucky to still have both of them in my life. We don't make it down to visit them as often as we should. But we do love going to visit.

Grandpa isn't too thrilled about his new home, but Grandma loves it.

It's always fun getting together with family.

We truly are blessed.

When we got home we played with the treasures we found at Swiss Days.

Wesley bought a monster puppet and we picked out the lincoln logs for Bens and Viv.

On another note my garden has given us a lot of tomatoes this year. The last several years we haven't had any work out, so I planted A LOT this year.

Mike has been hard at work finishing the basement for the kids bedroom. They are really pushing him to finish, they are so excited. Every one helped with the floors.

Today there was a fire that started on the mountain by the U. 

The wind was over 40 mph and the fire was moving so fast!

I sat and watched it for a while. It jumped highway 89 and followed the freeway almost to the freeway entrance in South Weber. It was pretty much across the street from Spencer's house! Too close to home for comfort.

School was evacuated, so the kids got to help me can tomatoes. I am so glad they were able to help me. It took me half the time with their help!

My Girls

 We were out working in the yard this week and I had the best helper. To keep her from picking all the tomatoes I sent her over to the raspberries. She liked them better anyway!

 After she was done with the raspberries she remember that she really likes strawberries.

 I love that the kids can go out and eat the stuff that I have worked pretty hard to grow. It makes it worth it.

We also have blackberries, rhubarb, blueberries and out back we have fruit trees. We only got a small bushel of peaches and only 3 pears, but the kids still enjoyed them.

Jaycee is playing soccer on the AYSO Extra team. Amber is her coach and I am the assistant. Since Amber knows people at Weber State our team was able to go and be ball girls

 Jaycee loved it! She is even practicing her game face.

We have been practicing for a while now and Jaycee is super excited for her first game on the 31st.