Summer Days in July

Our summer days were filled with all sorts of activities and we had so much fun! We were still trying to cross off as many things from our bucket list and help Warren earn his Summer Badges, which we never ended up printing -the book is printed the badges just didn't get completely finished. We spent countless hours playing at lots of different parks, spending time playing in splash pads, visiting our local zoo, playing with cousins,  visiting family, and experiencing lots of firsts. It is a summer for the books and one that we will never forget. I am so grateful to have summers off to get to play with my boys.

Boat Making with Dad

My boys worked together to build a small raft/boat to float down the river. Zack and Warren worked hard to build this and after it was finished and all dry we had to test it out. It floated well and the river was a perfect way to cool off and have some fun. This is our favorite park, it has everything we love; lots of grass, a river, a playground, basketball and tennis courts, and lots of shade.

 Next summer I think these two are going to be making a life size raft and Zack wants to float it Huck Finn style down the Green River.

Demolition Derby

Zack and I enjoy a good demolition derby and on our bucket list was going to another one. This was Warren's first derby and his face shows exactly what he thought about it. It was a nice night and an okay derby,  but the best part was spending time with family.  

 Hiking

There is a perfect trail just about 10-15 minutes from our house and just a short distance up the canyon. We usually hike up past Second Dam and enjoy ourselves. The week before our vacation we went hiking on this trail several times. We would wake up have breakfast and hit the trail. I loved these mornings and how they could transform my attitude. There is something about being in nature that helps me. 

 Cousins and the Willow Park Zoo

Logan has a small zoo here that is home to a variety of animals and right by a park. One day we met some cousins here to play around and enjoy the animals and each others company. That same day Warren and I actually went back a second time after his cousins left because we ran into some friends that were heading there and Warren wanted to tag along.

The kids and Amy and myself thought this albino racoon was really stuck in his cage. But, he tricked us, I guess he hangs out there and looks stuck. These three took off running to find him some help. Such sweeties.

The zoo also had a baby caribou born in May. It was so cute and sad all at the same time. He/She was pacing back and forth while we were there the first time. The sign said the baby was born in May and only about two months old. 

 Family Reunions

July was spent with lots and lots of family. We had family reunions with both the Ludlow and Wiberg families, and even had a McQuivey Family reunion but we were not able to go to that one. Warren had kids his age to play with during each of these reunions and had a great time. It was nice seeing family and got to see aunts, uncles, and cousins that we have not see in nine years. 

Wiberg Family Reunion

For the Wiberg Reunion we had pioneer games, churned butter, the kids played, had a pinata, and went on a scavenger hunt, there were lots of good conversations, some Family Feud, and  precious memories. It was a nice evening spent rekindling friendships and laughing. Warren enjoyed making new friends and breaking open the pinata. 

Zack and his cousin Alan even had a little arm wrestling contest where Zack won with an "Over the Top" move. 

 

Ludlow Family Reunion

For the Ludlow Family Reunion all of Zack's Dad's siblings were in town. This is the first time they were all  together since their father passed away nine years ago. Most of Zack's cousins were there and many of them brought their kids. It was nice meeting some of the Ludlow family that I had never met. While all  his family was here they celebrated  Grandma Ludlow's 80th birthday which is in August. We went to the Natural Museum of History of Utah, the Hill Air Force Base Aerospace Museum, and had a huge birthday party for Grandma Ludlow including games, snow cones and lots of Pokemon Go. 

The Natural History Museum of Utah was so much fun! Warren loved this section where we learned about earthquakes and seismographs. You could jump here and it would measure the waves like it would an earthquake.

Learning about wind and how it changes the land.

Our reflection out on the terrace. 

The Native American exhibits were amazing. These two pieces were placed back to back and made such an amazing picture.

Cousins and free Slurpees on 7-11

Warren playing with his cousin and second cousins one hot July afternoon.

At the museum they were measuring an seismic movement in three locations; Brigham City, Wyoming, and the LDS Vaults in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The most movement that day was recorded in Brigham City.

Most of Zack's extended family at Grandma Ludlow's 80th birthday celebration.

The Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren of Chuck and Colleen Ludlow who were able to come to the reunion.

Old Ephraim's Grave

 One Saturday we decided to head up to Old Ephraim's Grave about an hour up Logan Canyon off of a dirt road. Old Ephraim was the last known grizzly bear in the Cache Valley. He was a huge bear standing 9 feet 11 inches tall and weighing in at about 1100 pounds. He was tracked and killed in the 1920's by a man from Preston because he had been tormenting local ranchers by killing their animals. It was the perfect excuse to go for a ride in the Jeep since you have to drive for about an hour on a dirt road. We have the top off the Jeep so it was a dusty ride and we all got a little sunburned but we had so much  fun!

This monument was erected by a local boy scout group in 1966. The stone is as tall as Old Ephraim was.

This is the actual spot where Old Ephraim was buried.

We were so dusty after the ride but it was a lot of fun! It was also cool to learn a little more about local history. In the special collections section at the library on USU's campus they have the remnants of Old Ephraim's skull. The carcass was burned then buried for 40 years, then the skull was sent to the Smithsonian and the returned it some time later to USU where it is now displayed. 

Summer Nights

We have been having a fabulous summer! We created a bucket list for the summer that was extensive and we are slowly chipping away at it. One of the things we wanted to do this summer was go into the canyon and have a fire, complete with hot dogs and s'mores. One evening after Zack got off work we decided that it would be the perfect night to go. We love living so close to the canyon. 

We love summer nights, cool breezes, late nights, fires, being in nature, no schedules, star gazing, and relaxing together. Summer of 2016 you have been very good to us.

Bear Lake

One of our favorite places on Earth is Bear Lake. We love that we live closer to Bear Lake than we did when in Syracuse. We got the opportunity to go to Bear Lake twice this weekend. It would have been nice if we would have planned it better and spent the night Friday but we had fun even though we drove up three times. The last time was because Zack's new swim shirt accidentally got left on the roof of the car and he drove back up there late Saturday night to retrieve it. What a good guy.

Anyway, we ordered new swim shirts and when I told Zack they had arrived he suggested we take a drive and go to the lake to test them out. It worked out well because he got off work before 6 Friday night, so we made it to the lake about 7, swam for about an hour then came home. Quick trip, and it was cold but so much fun. We only took three photos Friday night and they were just of Zack and I but, I love the photos we did take.

Saturday afternoon we wanted to go swimming somewhere but couldn't make up our minds where to go. We knew things would be busy wherever we went but decided to head to Bear Lake anyway. We waited until about 3:30 to leave and got to the lake a bit before 5. We weren't there all day but we arrived when a lot of people were packing up to go home or had left not to long before. We got a great spot on the South Beach, put up our new umbrella and beach mat to test them before California and then let Warren play in the sand for a bit while we relaxed in the shade. We then played in the water for over an hour and really enjoyed finding shells, rocks, relaxing, floating, and swimming. We ended up leaving the lake close to 8 when the clouds started to cover the sun, similar to Friday night. By then there were not very many people at the lake. On Saturday Warren worked on passing off one of his summer badges. He has different tasks to complete to earn badges similar to scouting, and swimming was one of them. He completed part by passing off his level C swimming lessons but he passed of his other requirements to swim longer distances Saturday at the lake.

Mommy and Warren

Our little family.

These two are best buddies.

Always working together on something.

Warren loved this little pool he found on a sandbar.

Examining some cool rock or shell that Warren found.

Warren chilling in his "relaxing pool" that he made.

I love my new swim shirt, it is long sleeved and it is tunic length. Even with it being super sunny, none of us got sunburns and we didn't have to apply sunscreen everywhere.

Our little merman, he wanted to be buried and he did most of the work himself. Zack just added some sand to his back to help him sit up better.

It was a great weekend, spent as a family, not perfect, but the good times are what I remember. We love Bear Lake and I am grateful we could spend several hours there over the last few days swimming and enjoying each other and the lake and all its beauty.