Football

OK. I entitled this post Football because it is on my mind now that Connor has started Freshman (yes, that's high school!) football. I never really got into the game in high school or college, although I went for the socializing at the statium (great way to make your guy friends happy). I guess I enjoy watching BYU play, when we are able to get tickets. Although, I think I drive my husband nuts asking questions about ref calls and plays trying to "cheer like I get it" I don't especially search it out during the tv season, although we always record the Super Bowl on the DVR (so we can fast forward to the commercials- I know pitiful!). But now that my oldest is embarking on the football quest I'm starting to see that I'm going to actually have to understand the game, help him memorize plays, attend and cheer (as though I get it) It will take up precious evenings, weekends etc... I am asking myself at this point if there was any way I could have possibly just said, "no" when he begged to play?! Selfish???? Yeah! Well so far he makes it to practice on his own, he's starting to seriously exercise so that he's in better shape for the grueling practices-all I can say is "Who Knew!!!" my teenage boy would find something (besides the girl I'm trying hard to make him forget about) to focus his time, energy on and get fit also. So here's to football! I just hope I can make it through! Please let him become obsessed with the game and forget about the girl !!!!!!! :) Now that I think about it I think I might just add that to my evening prayer tonight- ha ha.

Camping crash!

The Camping Extravaganza Begins!

Rock Cliff Campground, Heber Ut

We have had a marvelous summer for camping. Craig and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary with a romantic camping trip to Rock Cliff Campground. Our campsite was right next to the Provo River and the scenery was gorgeous. Robin graciously offered to watch our children so we could go on our get away. We were sooooo grateful because we haven't had a true "by ourselves" anniversary trip since I was pregnant with Zachary (l2 years ago). Thanks again Robin! Sorry, I forgot the camera so there aren't any pictures of the beautiful campsite, but this is a picture from the website and gives you an idea of the scenery.

The Homestead, Idaho

Our next camping adventure was the Homestead the following weekend (which is actually our anniversary weekend). We all had a wonderful time thanks to all the prep time and organization of Mom(Helen) and Dad(Clifford). One of my favorite memories is the 2year olds bathing in Mom's dish pans at the 'washing station'. Emmalee loved this and still talks about it. Jacqui and Robin I need copies of the digital pictures we took -for her scrapbook :) I lost my two boys (Connor and Zachary) for hours because they were off playing with cousins (my cousins' children) I'm so grateful that they are able to make these connections with family. Connor continues to text and call his cousins now that they are reaquainted. I think they have a end of summer party idea brewing at our house?! Love it! I enjoyed reacquainting with my own cousins and the greatest thing of all is how much my husband enjoys my cousins also and looks forward to seeing and getting reacquainted as well.

Ok, I have to say it, because everyone else has commented about it what is up with cousins packing heat! Are they waiting to "Cap a Cousin?" are they afraid we are going to be attacked by terrorists at the Homestead, ok maybe we are their definition of terrorists :)

Good times!!!!

Lebaron Lake, Beaver Ut

Our final camping trip was just this past weekend, we went to Lebaron lake up above Beaver in Fishlake National Park/State Park? ok I'm not sure if it was a national or state park, anyway it was absolutely gorgeous. We were right off the lake-Dennis, Patty, Taylor and Zach spent most of the time fishing. I began the Hobbit again (I know, I know its like the 15th time I've read it) I just love the book, its relatively short and who can resist hobbits anyway! We were completely innundated on Saturday with rain for about 2 hours then it cleared for awhile and rained again in the night. (Our new tent leaks at a few seams-anyone know what to get to waterproof seams?) We all stayed in our tent (condo as Paris calls it) including the dog who just gets better and better behaved everytime he comes with us. The second night he actually burrowed down to the bottom of Connor's sleeping bag to sleep (Connor said he only licked his toes a couple of times- can you say EEEEWWWW!) The only reason I even considered letting him sleep with Connor was because his bedding got really wet in the rainstorm and he was cold and shivering when we came in for the night. Am I becoming a dog person? The jury is still out.

Casey loved the lake! He saw Dennis out in the lake (with waders on) and went bouncing (imagine a bunny) out to see him through the grass and splash landed right in the lake- it was hilarious- honestly to see his face (can dogs blush?) There weren't any convinient showers or port a potties at this camp site. We had to drive to the one outhouse at the top of the hill, but we had a lot of fun. The girls found lots to entertain themselves with; Paris had Marisa, Emmalee seemed content to play in the dirt, blow dandilions and try to get the dogs to give her kisses.

Ragnar:Wasatch Back Relay Race

Warning! This relay is not for the faint of heart, knees, stamina! Ok, first the disclaimer- we had 7200 (thats 600 teams!) crazy people in on the back roads of the Wasatch mountains June 21-22! I mean seriously mentally deranged... they had to be to as the slogan says: "Run, Drive, Sleep?, Repeat". And then there were those of us who volunteered to faciliate this madness-ahem Cory.

My husband and our neighbor Aaron and my neighbor Ashlee all participated in this insanity. There are 12 racers (some teams had only 6 so they all ran twice as much) each racer runs 3 different legs of a 36 leg, 181 mile race; all of the legs varied in difficulty (whether or not the runner was running up a mountain! or not) and length (I swear I heard that woman I passed swearing under her breath as she ran by). Craig had a 3.1 mile starting at 8:30pm on 6/21 and climbed 1000 feet to the top of Snow Basin Mountain. Next was an moderate (ha ha) 5.1 mile run at 4:30am from Wanship past the Rockport Reservoir to the other end- Gorgeous sunrise!!!!!. Finally, he ran the easy (ha, ha, Ha) 5.2 miler at 1:30pm to the finish line in 92 degree, not a cloud in the sky weather to the finish line (with no water).

Meanwhile, I was at the Wanship exchange volunteering from 9pm to 2am marking down the runners as they came into the exchange point as my fellow volunteers called them out. It was a balmy 38 degrees (we were cooooold) and the runners were coming in in shorts, etc. After my shift, I climbed into my van to catch a scant 2 hour nap before my group arrived to exchange and Creighton took off running.

Between leg 24 and 30 a group of us went to the Kamas high school where people could shower, sleep on the gym floor (a hard hardwoodfloor never looked so good) and catch a bite to eat before their next leg started. Our group (van 2) got about 1 1/2 hours sleep (thank heavens I brought the air mattress for the back of the van) then they all started again. I think that was pretty much the amount of sleep any of the 2 vans full of people got during the 24 hour period. It was a very physically brutal, but somehow crazy fun bonding experience for the runners and helpers. CRAZY!!!!!!, but at the end, we all agreed we'd do it again-- next year!Two very tired people finally at home!