Utah

Here's a video of right before we left, and while we were out West!

After spending some time with Jess' family we drove down to PG to hang out with mine!

The first night we were there it was the 24th so we had a bbq with mom and B.J. and Kara, did some fireworks with the boys, and after they were in bed climbed the roof to see the rest in the valley.

Monday morning, we all got ready and went hiking up the mountain by my parents house. Scott and my dad took us all repelling/beleying once we got up to a waterfall. So so fun! The boys were all sorts of excited (but maybe probably mostly me...maybe :) We got them all set to go. (Cute right?--look at those little helmets!)

Kade started getting a little nervous. Jess pulled him off to the side and said some words of wisdom..and courage and all that good stuff, and Kade was ready to go!

If you watched the video, you heard how the boys were feeling before going and how Kade felt after--I loved those parts!

AHHH! Awesome--he did so so great!

Luke got suited up next.

He got down most of the worst of it by himself (with grandpa hooked up next to him on a parallel rope) and right when it was about to be just a ride down to the bottom he got super nervous. So he climbed back up. He did so so good though. I can't wait for him to try again next time!

This was right before Jess went....he's pretty cute I think!

I went after that! I got to go in-between 2 waterfalls. It was AWESOME! I love that my dad and Scott had all this gear! So fun!

That night we all headed up to Gavin's family birthday party. It was fun to all hang out and see Jared's side of the family! The next day we saw Toy Story 3 (good, but I really think Despicable Me was funnier) We spent the night at the Holmbergs one of the nights--and stayed up way too late talking-they're fun. Then we went to sleep--which is when we found out that mom and dad's air mattress does indeed have a gigantic hole in it..leaving you sleeping on the floor around 2:00--ha ha--good times.



Here's a picture of dad while eating some Pina Colada Cake--BEST CAKE EVER!!! Notice how he's eating it like they do on t.v. mmmmm...(it really is that good)

We went to good ole P.G. pool a couple of times and LOVED it!

Here's Christy with the boys!

Mom and Rhett
Christy and Luke going down the waterslide! We even got to go to Seven Peaks AGAIN! and loved it the second time all over again! Kaden tried all the rides that he was big enough for (and was bummed he couldn't go on the bigger rides) and Luke, after being so so scared to go on one called Flash Flood (almost to tears) said he would ride it later. Later that day--he decided it was time, and marched right up there with no problem and loved it. We learned a lesson in waiting for it to be the right time for Luke.


ANYWAY--When we got to PG pool and it had a big waterslide as well, he was so excited and would have spent the whole time doing that if we would have let him. ("again, again, again!")

Dad and Rhett

We love playing croquet in our family. For Dad's birthday we all played in the backyard. Sometimes while you wait..you think of new things to do with your mallets right? Well, we were trying to see who could balance it the longest on one finger. (this may have been staged for the picture though...in our real contest mallets were flying everywhere--we couldn't so much stand this close...)



Jess meanwhile...was watching the kids...and saving them all from certain destruction..due to mallets and falling children...

While we were there we met up with the Bush family at Gateway Mall and the kids played in the water fountains there! It was short but so good to see them again!

Lucas, lucas, lucas. I'm actually unsure of the whole story for this picture. We just looked outside..and found him dressed in nothing but his undies and a white shirt..used as shorts..sliding down the slide. I love that kid!

Here's dad playing soccer with the boys...and I'll tell you what, that's a pretty darn good high kick for a 58 year old man!

Me and Jess with B.J. and Kara--they're so cute!

Being in the military you make friends and then get spread around the country again...it's so so crazy that 2 of my best friends I've made out here (and have since moved to Vegas and Virginia), were actually in Utah while I was as well! And Tiff was having a baby! YAY!!! So we got to go up and visit her in the hospital. I love her!

Jess giving Scott a backyard haircut...he was really excited....it turned out real nice!

Luke loved this spot in the yard where a hammock was set up..he would just go out and swing all sorts of relaxed for a long time. It was cute.