Issue 168

Uintah High Adventure Base

Well, all I can say is, I'm all camped out. After joining my brother on a week-long camp two weeks before, and then going on my own recently, I feel like I'm going to drop dead. Don't get me wrong, it was a ton of fun, but that much camping can run someone into the ground. Anywho, we went camping up at the Uintah High Adventure Base, up the East-Fork-of-the-Bear canyon. Hot, wooded and full of bugs like you wouldn't believe. (Nothing a boatload of bug-repellent couldn't fix...) With a wide variety of activities to choose from and a lot of down-time, you couldn't help but have fun. Among the activities were action archery, mountain boarding, (got a nasty scar from that one) team building, (really fun) medieval engineering, (our trebuchet was the best) and shotgun shooting. Plus a dozen others. The food was great, the weather was fantastic, (Except for the first night. Hoo boy.) and the compitetion in the card games was brutal. All around it was the best camp ever!!

Bear Lake Fun

This week was our 2nd annual Bear Lake family reunion. Two beach days, paddle boating, ski doing, smores and glow sticks, jiffy pop popcorn over the fire, mini golf, swimming, go cart racing, playing wacky sixes, yummy food, great company and 28 inch monster pizza. Can't wait till next year!

Issue 167

Road Trip

Friday morning I got up at five-thirty, and then drove with my dad for six hours all the way to Kanab. My seventeenth birthday is in a couple weeks and it has become imperative that I procure my license before the beginning of my senior year of high school. Unfortunately I still had about fifteen hours left before Saturday so my dad and I went on a road trip to the Best Friends animal shelter for a visit. Best Friends is a humane society situated on a 32,000-acre (that’s not a typo) piece of land in the beautiful Angel Canyon of Kanab Utah. Any given day they house 1500-2000 animals in their up-to date and spacious facilities. Being well staffed with several full time veterinarians, countless interns and over 500 others on payroll (not to mention the thousands of volunteers that flood in year-long) most of the many animal that live there have unique and difficult physical or psychological difficulties. They are helped through them and then found forever homes. It is the largest no-kill shelter in the country and people from all over the world come to their workshops and seminars to learn how to improve their own shelters and animal care units. Having gotten our own kitty from a shelter is was great to tour the place on Saturday and see the best of the best.

After getting back to our motel we both crashed for a couple hours and then went to dinner at one of the many cowboys-&-Indians-themed restaurants in the small town. This morning we got back in the car and I drove the six hours to be back home in time for sacrament meeting to see Daniel pass the sacrament for the first time. It was tiring but I only have a couple hours of driving left now and I am comfortable passing semi trucks going 85 mph on the high way. Something my mom still hasn’t gotten used to. :)

Issue 166

Baby Brother

My baby brother Quinn got married this week to his sweetheart Mandi. They make the cutest couple with their great smiles and curly hair. Ellie was beside herself with excitement to be a flower girl. Mandi was sweet and let Ellie hold her train for pictures.

They were married in the Salt Lake Temple and then had the most gorgeous and fun outdoor reception I've ever been too. Quinn was only 5 when Steve and I were married, so it was pretty crazy to see my baby brother get hitched. We love you Quinn and Mandi!

Go SL REAL

Some friends gave us tickets to a SL Real Soccer game this weekend. But these were not just any tickets! Box seats with a gourmet buffet and a waiter for our box! We had a great view on the field and our team won 4 to 0 after the other team had a player ejected with a red card. After watching the game with royal treatment there was a Pioneer Day fireworks show at the stadium. It was the best fireworks show I have seen in years!

The Big 12!

I can't believe Daniel is 12! He had a fun birthday party with a couple close friends going to the movies and then everyone sang to him at Uncle Quinn's Wedding Dinner that night.

Today Daniel's dad ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, with his Grandfathers participating. He was so excited to be getting the Priesthood and I now he will be a wonderful Deacon! We are so proud of you Daniel!

Issue 165

Week Long Scout Camp by Daniel

Scout camp was fun and great! I earned the Rifle shooting merit badge, the Archery merit badge, Leather Work, Orienteering, and Environmental Science merit badges. We had great food. For dinner we had game hens, steak, and other great stuff. And we played cube in between merit badges. It was fun! Although the first few days it poured, and poured and poured rain. But then the rest of the days it was sunny and great. Although the one down side to the camp, was there were literally thousands of mosquitoes everywhere. You had to coat yourself 5 times a day with bug repellent. Even then you got tons of bites. All the bug bites I got were on the back of my head. It made it painful to sleep because the bug bites were pressing against my pillow. My brother Steve came to the camp to help me out and I really appreciated it. :):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Issue 163 & 164

Williamsburg/Yorktown/Jamestown

When I was 19 I traveled Back East with my family and had a wonderful experience. Steve and I have dreamed of taking our 5 children on a similar vacation. We cashed in 5 years of frequent flyer miles and finally took every one Back East for the 4th of July.

Our first stop was the Colonial Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown Triangle. The kids and I had spent time studying early American history this year and so this was a great way to start our vacation!

Mount Vernon

George Washington's Mt. Vernon home was a special highlight of the trip.

Fun in DC

The monuments, the Smithsonian, and the Whitehouse were amazing highlights too.