Days of '47 Rodeo

After a fun day in the sun, on the boat, we went to the RODEO. Let me explain...We (meaning the kids and I, Brian was already a fan) became fans of the rodeo during our days in Tucson. We went every year to the Tucson Rodeo and the kids LOVED it! Last year when we went to Steamboat Springs, we went to the rodeo. It just so happened that there was a PBR Event going on the day after we arrived in town for our vacation. Well, the kids just sit and stare...they are mesmerized by the cowboys + cowgirls riding around making it look so easy.

After we arrived, we quickly found our seats and settled down to enjoy the show. Ella noticed right away that there were people walking up and down the aisles selling things. Well, she kept raising her hand, trying to flag them down. We ended up buying some Kettle Corn, Cotton Candy + Lemonade, and at one point Ella tried to flag down the Glow-Stick guy who was way across the stadium. It was HILARIOUS! We had fun, but the car ride home was another story. Everyone was tired and cranky....it wasn't pretty! We can't wait until next year!

Lauren + Tess...Yee-Haw

The Rodeo Clowns

Honoring the Animal Athletes

Whiplash (the sheep-herding/dog-riding monkey) + his trainer

The Finale....the laser show

Boating with the Schreiner's

Last year when we went boating with the Schreiner's we had a blast, and this year was even better! We headed out around 10 am and it was looking really overcast. By the time we launched the boat at the lake, it had started to sprinkle. It wasn't cold, but I was hoping the sun would come out...and it did. The kids immediately wanted to start tubing and so tubing it was! A little while later...Josh dropped the anchor, we ate lunch, the sun came out, we swam + floated for a while (Zach + Michael swam about 1/2 mile to the shore and back), the kids wanted more of the tube, Michael, Ashley, Lauren, Zach + Tess tried their best to waterski, and then we had to call it a day! It was a BLAST, and Brian wants to get a boat more now than ever. Thanks to the Schreiner's for more memories on their boat!

Tess, Lauren + Ashley...hangin' on for dear life

Michael, Tess + Zach

What a ride!
Surfin' on the tube

Kim, Ella, Sandra + Rebekah

Ella bean

Zach underwater

1....2....3....JUMP!

Ella chillin' on the boat

Pioneer Day Celebrations

July 24th...Pioneer Day (also archaically called the Day of Deliverance) is an official holiday celebrated on July 24 in the U.S. state of Utah, with some celebrations in regions of surrounding states originally settled by Mormon pioneers. It commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, where the Latter-day Saints settled after being forced from Nauvoo, Illinois and other locations in the eastern United States. Parades, fireworks, rodeos, and other festivities help commemorate the event. In addition to being an official holiday in Utah, Pioneer Day is considered a special occasion by many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Pioneer Day, some Latter-day Saints walk portions of the Mormon Trail or reenact entering the Salt Lake Valley by handcart. Even Latter-day Saints outside of the U.S. occasionally sing Mormon folk music around July 24 in remembrance of the pioneer era. (Just thought that some of you might not know what Pioneer Day is all about...I didn't know until we moved here!)

For our celebration, we had a fun bbq with our neighbors the Alba's and the Schreiner's. We enjoyed chips and Tracy's homemade salsa, bbq chicken, sweet corn on the cob, salad, potatoe salad, rolls...etc, etc. It was DELICIOUS and Zachary is still talking about how yummy the chicken was. The kids played, the adults visited, and then our neighbors put on a little fireworks show on the island out front. How FUN...We had such a nice night.

Ella-messy, chocolatey face

Gaby

Ashley

Silly, giggly girls

Lauren + Gaby

Lauren

Fishing at St. Mary's

Brian, Uncle Lee + Grandpa took Zach fishing at St. Mary's...Zach loved it! This started the fishing theme that our vacation seemed to have this year. If Zach wasn't shooting gophers, then he was fishing...I guess it must be a boy thing, huh? If anyone has any photos of us, could you please forward them to me....we forgot our camera several times this year and I am missing some fun events, Thanks! Enjoy our memories of Canada...

Two Medicine + East Glacier Lodge

A few days after we arrived, we decided to go head down to Two Medicine. The men rented boats to go fishing and the women played at the shore with most of the kids. Uncle Lee brought his row boat/dinghy so they took turns rowing that out. Aunt Kaylene took Lauren + Tess for a nice ride over to the shore where we were having lunch. THEN, Jenny + Falynn drifted so far out that they couldn't paddle back, so they had to be rescued...and THEN Seth and Kanzie got caught out in a nasty, wicked storm! They were dripping wet and cold by the time they made it back to the cars. We packed up and headed over to the East Glacier Lodge. It was really pretty! Other than the weather cutting our time short at the lake, it was a nice outing! Enjoy the pictures...

How pretty is that?

Ella, Grandpa + Zach
Grandpa + Dyllen

The Crew

Jared, Caleb, Adam, Zach + Dyllen

Lauren, Ella, Tess, Falynn + Jenny

Ella + her Native buddy

My baby girl!

EllaElla + Caleb...BFF :-)

East Glacier Lodge

Golfing + Games at the Reunion Center

Longest Drive competition, chipping into the hula-hoops, swinging on the swings, playing with Aunt Shauna + Jenny's puppy Bella, and an adult game of Frisbee-golf...what a great way to have fun!

A Rip-Roarin' Good time

We all LOVE to ride the quads...we don't have pictures of all of us, but we all rode and we had so much fun! Thanks to Lee + Allen for letting us borrow their sweet rides :-)

Zach + Jared

Uncle Bri + Dyllen

Fishing

Brian and his brother Allen took Zach, Lauren, Tess + Falynn fishing. The kids, and the "big boys" had a blast! Brian + I had a little disagreement earlier that day SO.... I enjoyed the day (and the whole evening as well) reading Stephanie Meyer's novel "The Host". Ella's not in any of these photos because she stayed behind with me and played with her cousin Caleb most of the day...they were so cute with each other this summer!

Lauren's catch

Zach

Falynn's catch

Tess + her fishy

Lauren...reeling it in

Brian helping Lauren

Uncle Al + Falynn

Zach

Lauren