Summer adventures

Summer has flown by and here it is September again!  I wanted to go back in time a bit and post some pictures of our adventures this summer/late spring since I didn't have the time or a home during most of it:).  Go with me all the way back to May when this little cutie graduated Preschool!  She had such a great year at Westside Christian Preschool where I also subbed all year long and loved it!!  These are pics from my phone so they aren't the best but oh well. 

Ellie and her great teacher Miss Nicki who we miss so much!

Also in May the kids and I participated in the city of Round Rock's "Mud Quest Adventure" and got a little dirty.  We'd totally do this again and would recommend it to anyone!

I coached Ellie's first season of soccer  last Spring and here she is getting her first trophy.  I don't know what was better the chocolate cupcake or the trophy! 

On our way to Utah we stopped at this little piece of heaven on earth again.  Our favorite Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.  We love this place!

With our fun cousins Landon and Dylan!

Even Millie got to come along this time!!

And that takes us to Utah finally!   Here are some great guys who helped load and unload my precious piano out (and in again) of the Uhaul that I so carefully pulled 1200 miles behind my Yukon.  Hurray for the safe arrival of my piano!  And hurray for the recently returned Elder Jake Larsen in the back on the right.  He just got home from Argentina where he served a more than honorable full time mission for our church.  Also can't wait for the soon to be Elder Cameron Ball on the very left to be leaving on his mission to Columbia!  He's going to be a great missionary too!

The best part about being in Utah is definitely seeing family.  We were lucky enough to see Grammy soon after we arrived.  Can't wait until she moves here in the Spring!  Miah really was that excited to see her!

All the Bullock cousins!

Fathers day breakfast at Nana and Papa's house with the Thuesons.

One more great shot of the kids with Grammy.

Miah on Uncle Ryan's shoulders wearing a Frisbee and giving him a Mohawk.  In our soon to be back yard.

Then we had the little set back with this little lady in the hospital.  This picture makes me so sad, she had a fever of 105 here and her eyes were so hot and heavy she looked and me and said, "can I just close my eyes mom?"  My sweet baby of course you can!

She had to get ambulanced to Utah Valley Hospital to get the best care around.

By 10:00 that night she was feeling like a cheese burger so she got one!

The next day she got a special visit from the therapy dogs!  I love that hospitals do this, it cheered her right up!  Huge slobbery dog by the way.

One more cousin pic, here's Ethan with Isaac and Levi Larsen, love these boys!

After Ellie got all better wee took a fun weekend trip down to Ephraim to see Macie and Laura and the Manti Pagent!  Ellie thought something was really funny I guess!

Love the Manti temple!

All the kids got rides on Aunt Laura's side by side.  That's a big helmet for such a little face!

This is one of only a few pictures I took at 7 Peaks water park this summer but I can tell you that we spent a lot of time here.  I got the kids season passes because we weren't going to be able to take a big summer vacation this year, this more than made up for it!   We had some good times at 7 Peaks!

Our aunt Sherry and Uncle Ryan own a cabin up in Morgan and we got to spend a really fun weekend up there the weekend after the 4th of July.  We fished, rode four wheelers, played games, and  of course hung out in the hammock!

Nice catch Todd!

Dallas work had a Lagoon day so we got to go party at this fun place.  I can't believe it but we actually got Abbey to ride the Rocket right behind us in this picture.  That was her first really scary ride.  Good job Abbey!

Ellie was finally 48 inches tall so she finally got to go on most of the crazy cool rides!  She's kind of a dare devil, don't know where she gets that from!

We had our friend the Bells come visit us so we spent a day down at Temple Square.  I never get tired of visiting this place, it's so beautiful!

The end of summer is now marked by the beginning of football season for Ethan so i thought I'd throw in a few pictures of Ethan playing for the Lone Peak Knights.  He's having a fun playing and is getting really good at knocking people down!

Ethan also just turned 13 and is officially a teenager.  We invited the boys from church over for a party and had a great time celebrating Ethan!  Love that kid. 

Now I know that this is a super long post but I had to get it all in now or it would be another 3 months before I got to it it.  At least these next pictures are taken with my nice camera so they are a little better.  Yesterday (Labor Day) we decided to conquer Mt. Timpanogos .  We set out at 5:30 a.m. to get an early start on the 14 mile round trip adventure.  Here is the sun just coming up a few miles up the trail.  It was so beautiful!!

We went with our favorite hiking buddies the Thuesons.  Here's Ethan Logan and Abbey taking a break.

Miah was a little cold so she borrowed some extra layers from the grown ups.

Notice Papa in the background, he came too!

Abbey's always got a pose for us.

Water break!

Look out below!

Dallas and Megan

These kids had the best attitude the whole time, we heard no complaining the whole way up! (Maybe just a little on the way down :)

The weather was perfect for hiking, a little chilly if you stop but perfect if you keep going!

We saw mountain goats!

Dallas and I at Emerald Lake

We have come so far but still have to go to that tiny white speck on the top of the mountain behind us!

Papa was amazing and made it all the way to the lake.  The kids cheered him on the whole way! 

We are so proud of Papa!

And then we continued on to the hardest part of the hike.

We found some snow!

Got up to the saddle but weren't done yet!  Amazing views.

We could see for miles and miles!

T

It was a bit crowded up there but it was Labor Day after all.

We have to go up that??

Ethan looks really tall in this picture but he and Miah were standing on a rock.  Someday he might be that tall though!

We made it!!!!  What a great sight to see!!

In the shack on the top

Maybe I posed this shot just a little but it's pretty cool.

Don't fall!

Can we just stay up here a little longer before we have to go all 7 miles back down to the car?  We were hoping for a zip line at this point but alas, we had to walk.  Our feet were sore, every muscle was tired by the time we got back but wow we made some great memories.  And these kids climbed another mountain!  One of many in their life that they will conquer.   I am so proud of them!

I can't walk today without wincing in pain but we did it!   I've got to give a shout out to Nana and thank her for keeping Ellie for us that day.  I'm pretty sure Ellie would have hated this hike so thanks Nana for making this possible.  Until next time!