Summer Days

The summer is flying by!  We are LOVING the warm weather, having friends over, eating TONS of popcicles and playing in the water.  We have even been crossing a few things off our bucket list.

Here are a few of the everyday highlights..

COUSINS!

POPCICLES!

SWIMMING SUITS!

BIKE RIDES!

SLIP N SLIDE!

SPRINKLERS!

DADDY!

THE ZOO!

KENZIE!

WAY FUN!

We even went to the Splash Park and Carousel at Porter Park in Rexburg on Dustin's day off this past weekend.  I was all prepped to take pictures when I realized I had forgot the camera battery in the charger at home.  Here are a few from my phone

Baptisms

I got to take some pictures of our friend Kayden Hansen for his baptism invitations.   I love how excited he is.  Sadly we don't get to attend though because they are having it in Utah and we have a wedding here in IF the same day.  We sure love them though.

Kailey let me take some pictures of her too.

We got to attend her baptism this past weekend.   It was a special day and the spirit was so strong.  I just love experiences like that that build you up so much.  It was my older brother Jeremy's first time baptizing which made the experience that much more special.  Kailey is the oldest cousin on my side so all the girls get to watch her make her important decisions in admiration.

Bonk & Cousins

Poor Molly fell off the couch today not just once, but twice.  She says, "bonk, couch."  She got a goose egg on top of the goose egg.  She felt right onto the tile floor.  I feel so bad for her, it had to hurt so bad!  She is such a tough little cookie though and cries for only a minute and then moves along with her business.

We went to dinner tonight with Dustin's nephew David & his wife and kids Vanessa, Savanna and Ryan.  They are living in Italy right now while he is in the Air Force.  It was fun to see them and visit for a while.  The kids grow so fast!

4th of July

We spent the 4th in a little different way than usual.  We were driving home from our camping trip and stopped in Arco to visit the cemetary where Grandma and Grandpa Braithwaite are buried.  This is Dustin's grandparents on his dad's side.  Ella and Hillard Braithwaite and I just learned they had a baby Doyle Braithwaite who passed away at only a few months old who is buried next to them.

We got home just in time to unpack everything out of the car and into the house, shower and head to fireworks with my parents, grandma Bateman and brother Jeremy and his family.

Ella and Kailey

Kourtney was so funny.  She laughed and clapped and threw her hands in the air like it was the most awesome thing she had ever seen.  So cute!

Alissa Lou

I am so grateful to live in America and am so grateful for all the men and women who serve our country and fight for our freedom here. 

Family Get-Away Day 4 & 5

Day #4 was Tuesday and we arranged with Dustin's mom to come stay with the girls while we got up at 5am and went to Crater Lake.  Dustin has been trying to take me there for 10 years and there has always been a reason why I couldn't or wouldn't go with him.  I couldn't think of a better time to go so we left camp by 5:30am with our packs and headed to the trail.  We drove up Railroad Ridge on the four wheeler (about 45 minute drive) and at the top of the peak we hike down to the lake.  This was the beginning of the hike about 7am.

We did a lot of sliding down the hill because most of the time we were on shale.  It was quite exciting.  I just tried not to think too much about how we were going to get back up.

The lake was beautiful!  You could see fish all over the banks but not one of those things would bite my hook.  Dustin ended up catching 2, but that seemed pathetic for all the fish we could see swimming in there.

We walked around the lake a little bit trying to find a place to have a picnic.  We saw a few small waterfalls and tried to take our picture. :)  Don't you love the sideways shot. I think I propped the camera with a stick that time.

I was so happy we made it.  We fished, started a fire and had a picnic.  It was pretty close to the perfect date.  (If only I had a helicopter to get me back out. he he)

I did get to take pictures of lots of pretty wild flowers.  Dustin was really patient with me.  It gave me a good excuse to catch my breath on the way back up.

We seriously were mountain goats on this hike.  Dustin was trying to follow a game trail, but for the most part - he made his own trail and I did my best to follow his feet.  He found a stick for me which helped tons and I ended up picking up a second one for added support.  This is what sort of trail he had me on most of the time.

Do you see a trail?  Me either.  This picture doesn't do it justice either.  That bugger was steep!

But HALLELUIA!!  I did 1 thing that day that scared me and I was/am so proud of myself. 

We got back to camp a little later than we planned due to the slow hiker in the green shirt but all was well with the kids and Dustin's parents.  We spent the rest of that day relaxing around camp.  The kids danced and played in the sprinklers.

And in the back of Grandpa's truck

and Dustin did a little more fishing out back in the river.

Day #5 was the 4th and we packed up and headed for home.

I think this is how we all felt: super tired and dirty.  But without a doubt it was a memorable and much needed trip.  It was so good to get away and remind ourselves of our priorities.  We can live without so much internet, tv, eating out and telephones.  We can be much happier if we spend more time together and stay focused on the things that really matter.  I'm so grateful we had this opportunity and as I have said a million times, I sure do love this little family of mine!