Raingutter Regatta

Aaron and Chase spend months getting ready for the pinewood derby. Last year they won and this year they got second. Well, last night they started getting Chase's boat ready for today's Raingutter Regatta.

When we got to scouts, they couldn't get it to stay up straight, it kept tipping over. First they turned the boat upside down and put the mast on the bottom. Then Aaron tried to fix the sail and snapped the mast in two. Then they had to put the sail on upside down, but finally got it right side up. Apparently, broken boats make fast boats because Chase won every race!

Chase and the Black Pearl

Toquerville Falls

Today we went to Toquerville Falls. It's east of Toquerville (down by St. George) on a horrible dirt road out in the middle of nowhere. If your vehicle can make it, it's worth the drive. The kids had a blast playing in the waterfalls and swimming in the warm water.

Chase, Aubrie, Aiden

Aaron and kids swimming

Trudi, Aubrie, Aiden

Chase and Aiden

Aubrie, Aiden laying down, Aaron

Cedar Mountain Day Camping

Cory, Carrie, Bruce, Trina

Today we went up Cedar Mountain to go day camping with our friends Curtis and Treasa Anderson, Bruce and Trina Peterson, and Cory and Carrie Childs. Andersons and Petersons stayed overnight a couple of days but we just went up this afternoon and came home around 10 pm.

The kids had fun just running around in the forest and Aaron and Curtis had fun tipping over dead trees.

Roasting marshmallows with Andersons

Chase, Aaron, Aiden

Bruce, Trina, Trudi, Treasa

Aubrie and her best friend Dana A., Aiden, Chase, Damien A.

Half of the kids (there were 15 total)

Young Living Family Farm

On our way back from Salt Lake and Rexburg, we decided to pull off at Young Living Family Farm. They make distilled oils from Lavender. They had some great garden paths, streams, ponds, and places for the kids to play. Also, you can't have a complete day without getting stung in the toe by a bee--I could barely walk for 1/2 hour.

Kids at play village

Kid-powered ride

Knight Aiden

Paddle boats--Aiden and Chase

Aubrie and Chase

Rexburg, Idaho

Headed to Rexburg, Idaho to see Aaron's family and to help Trevor and Celeste move. Trevor found a new teaching job in Rigby so we were able to help them move into their home. It's a great place out in the country and it was fun to see them and the girls. Sadly, I didn't have my camera when I was at their house.

Spent some time with Aaron's family too. We were able to Skype Grandma and Grandpa from Kazakhstan which was really neat. They are doing well. Amy offered to watch our kids for a couple of days so I could go back to Salt Lake with Aaron. The kids stayed so busy and had a lot of fun.

Rocky and Jenise

Playing dodge ball (Mason, Bryan, Dillon, Cindy)

Alyssa and Aubrie

Mason, Izzy (or Iggy if you're Aubrie), Amy

Salt Lake Trip

Since Aaron has been working in Salt Lake most weeks, the kids and I went up to spend a few days with him before heading to Rexburg, Idaho.

Playing in the fountain at the Gateway

Went on a tour of the candy factory
(and got sick off all the samples and free candy)

Stopped at Chuck E Cheeses

Toured Cove Fort (North of Beaver, Utah)

Aiden by Cove Fort

Crawdad Canyon

Today we went to Veyo (by St. George) to Crawdad Canyon. It's a fun place for the kids to play in the water, picnic, and of course, catch a lot of crawdads. You put a piece of hotdog on a stick and they crawl onto it, then you scoop them up with your net. We caught around 100 crawdads, about 10 minnows, and 1 frog. We always let them go.

A few of our crawdads

Trudi and Aubrie

Aaron with the kids

Chase and Aiden

Aiden on the rope bridge

Aaron's new earring (at least he didn't hook them

to his nipples like some guys there)