What the Heck happened to Summer!

Once again it's been a really long time since I blogged...Sorry!

Since March, school has gotten out and is ready to start up again in 16 days! (I'm not counting or anything!!)

Just before school got out in May, we took a family trip to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. We drove (I should say I drove)through a LOT of mountains and a LOT of rain! But in spite of the rain, I think we had a really nice time. We went through Wolf Creek Pass and on the way home we went through Hoosier Pass at the top of the Continental Divide at 11,900' +/-. Talk abou the air being thin! I did learn that In Colorado...if the posted speed limit of a HAIRPIN turn is 10 MPH ...they mean it! There's NO Way to go any faster and LIVE! Crazy! And the downhill grades were wild! Of course being a rookie at mountain driving I was going SLOW! (Yes, I drove slow!) And the people that live out there! They would pass me like I wasn't there!! They were NUTS as far as I was concerned. Of course Mike had to tease me and said "You drive like you're from out of town!" Thanks a bunch, Hon!

We stayed in a condo with our timeshare and boy howdy was it nice! Kitchen, Dining room, big bathroom, Hot tub and a Rec Center a couple of blocks from our building. We had breakfast every morning right there and it was cheap! We even had dinner in our 'room'. I thought it was nice to be able to just relax and take our time each day. The first day in Pagosa we stopped at the Fred Harman Art Museum. Fred Harman was a cartoonist and he did the old "Red Ryder and Little Beaver" cartoon strip for the newspapers back in the 50's and 60's. (Red Ryder is the name of the B-B gun in the movie The Christmas Story.) If you want to see some of the stuff we saw click on this link : http://www.harmanartmuseum.com/ . Even the boys enjoyed it! After that we went on a sight seeing tour of the area. we drove out to where Mike used to go Elk hunting years ago. San Juan National Forest...What beatiful scenery! We spent most of the day there, driving all around where he and his dad and friends all used to go camping, hunting and fishing. Mike hadn't been out there for about 12 years. He was amazed at how much everything had changed. And I think, a little sad, THAT it had changed so much.

The next day, we drove through Durango and on to Silverton, took a sack lunch along. Silverton is a small town way up in the mountains in the shadow of Silverton Mountain which is 14,000 + ft above sea level. We stopped on the way up at this gorgeous little park with a lake and mountains all around. It was so lovely there. The boys got out and skipped rocks on the water and Hunter found this really cool rock to bring home for a souvenier. Something he can keep forever...it probably can't be broken! While we were in Silverton we found this nice shop to get other souveniers for everyone else and an Ice Cream shop that served huge scoops of really tasty ice cream. I made the mistake of getting two scoops! WOW, that was a lot of ice cream! The cost was pretty reasonable too! Now keep in mind, the whole time we were in Pagosa Springs it RAINED, Drizzled and at minimum was mostly cloudy! Our one desire while we were there was to go horseback riding. (Hunter's and mine anyway) Well, on our way out of Pagosa Springs, we stopped at a wildlife habitat. We went through it and saw all the animals and it had stopped raining...matter of fact it was almost sunny! This place offered horseback riding and they didn't have a problem with it raining! So we got our wish...we went on a ride and it was really nice...made me smile anyway!!

I've noticed as the boys get older I find they do quite well traveling by car. They watch movies and SLEEP a lot! But they also look around and see the sights too. I hope they remember the trip for a long, long time.

Second week of June, Hunter went to Royal Family Kids Camp for the whole week. He went fishing and did crafts and in general had a great time! While he was gone, Alex went down to spend some time with my step-cousin, J and his family, down in Davis City, Iowa. Mom had one whole week of a quiet house...looking back it was nice but almost too quiet. In late June, both the boys went to stay with J and had a great time camping, hunting and fishing with their two boys of the same age.

While they were down there, Mike and I and our friends, Vicki & Jeff, went to Las Vegas! The first day was TRAVELING by airplane...it took us about 12 -14 hours!!! Our flight out of Des Moines was delayed 4 hours, so we would have missed our connection in Minneapolis. So the airline put us on a flight to Dallas/Ft. Worth that left Des Moines at 11 AM. The plane in Dallas developed an AC problem so that flight left 2 hours LATE!!! We were supposed to be in Las Vegas at 10:30 AM...we got there about 7:30 PM Vegas time!!! Had to go pick-up our rental car and go to the condo. Vicki and I then had to go to the store (they still have Food-4-Less stores) and pick up the groceries we wanted. We got to bed that night...exhusted about 11:30. (We'd all been up since about 3:30 AM!!) Next day we HAD planned on going to the Grand Canyon...we were wasted...we decided to spend the entire day resting, swimming and sight-seeing on the Strip and Fremont street (that's the old strip).





We went to the Grand Canyon the following day. WOW! All day driving & driving...Over the Hoover Dam though and that was cool!! The Grand Canyon was AWESOME! But the next time we go, I want to take two days and really SEE everything!! Coming back from the Canyon it was dark. The hoover Dam was cool to see in the dark...all lit up and glowing. And then, when you come down out of the mountains and see all the lights of the Vegas area...it's breath taking! (And talk about a light bill!!) We did make it to see the Temple of the Latter Day Saints...at night, but it was beautiful! I'm ready to go back anytime ...there's so much more to see! The last full day there was wonderful... we had a tour planned to the Hoover Dam and then went on a Paddle Boat Cruise on Lake Mead to the back of the dam...Also cool. We really enjoyed the day. Lunch & drinks were served on the boat. Down side...it was unseasonable hot and HUMID...Humid in the desert!!! Very warm & sticky... fortunately the boat was Air Conditioned for those of us wimps that can't take the heat!! The flight home was uneventful...Thank God!

We got back on Wednesday before the 4th, so I took the rest of the week off. So I had a total... days off work...10 whole, glorious days!!! Can't remember when that happened last! We had my Mom and Ralph over for a cook out on the 4th. Then we went down to Davis City to get the boys on Sunday (before I had to go back to work) and had a cook out with everyone down there. The boys seemed to have had a good time while there.

Then when Alex came home from J's, my Mom needed help at her place and he was gone about two more weeks!! I think Alex has been gone 1/2 the Summer! Hunter has spent a lot of time in the swimming pool and playing on the trampoline and trying to keep busy with out Alex. They both have grown so tall this Summer!(Alex is about 5'6", Hunter getting close to 5'!) Lately they've been going fishing at the creek and the neighbor's pond...yesterday they actually caught some FISH!

July 10th & 11th was my 35th Indianola High School Class Reunion. It really was fun to see everyone. I was surprised at how old we'd actually gotten! :-) We wore name tags! Mike went with me and just sat at the table and grinned ...if you know him, you understand! Here's the picture that was taken on Saturday at the dinner...It really turned out nice. I've included my senior picture...should keep the rats out!!!

Since then we've pretty much stayed around home with all the traveling...I think it's been enough for one summer!

Savanah turned 1 year old...she's been walking since she wwas 10-11 months. She's a lot like Brighton...fearless! She takes the stairs...tries to go UP the slide. She does like to go down the slide! It's so much fun to watch her! Yesterday I was at Rhonda's and Savanah had climbed the ladder to her brother's bunkbed!!! Scared me to death!!

Brighton is starting to lose his baby face and looks so grown up...makes Grandma sad...he's almost 4 years old!!!Tate is now 7 years old and in 2nd grade...I can't beleive it! Hunter is 10 and 5th grade! They are all growing up so fast!! This summer Alexis turned 13, Alex turned 14 (God help us...driving permit time!!), and Rissa will turn 15 in September!! Teenagers!! Zac turned 17 and will be a Senior this year. Alex and Rissa will be in 9th Grade!! High School!! Alexis will be in 8th Grade, not quite to the High School yet, but not too far away!

Alexis and Emma (who's almost 5 years old!!!) had a dance recital end of June ...it's so wonderful to see them dance! We get to see them again August 14th at the Iowa State Fair. We plan on making a day of it! Join us if you want! The little dancers are SOOO much fun to watch!

Zachary just tags along...he's going to be 10 this October! He is actually involved in Boy Scouts! He and his daddy go on camping outings as often as possible! Even the ones in the COLD weather!!!

It's hard to deal with the fact that with school starting...WINTER is not too far away...YUCK!!!

Well, I hope that brings everyone up to date!

Hope you all had a great summer!