Oh What Fun!

Neil took Thursday and Friday off this week to celebrate the 24th so we decided to make some fun out of it.
We started with biking Pipeline up Millcreek Canyon. It's a little scary at times as you're riding on a cliff, but the trail is so beautiful!! We wanted to do Dog Lake but figured it would be way too crowded. Pipeline was still tons of fun!

Luckily we had an awesome instructor my sister Carrie. She made it so fun and we're so happy she was there otherwise there were a few times we probably would have flown off the mountain. We'll have to go with you again Care. (What funny faces!)

Afterwards we had a dutch oven dinner with my family at Church Fork up the canyon. This picture was taken especially for you Mom. Here's all your grandkids. Carrie's kids Rex and Savannah and Cole. What a cute bunch!

On Friday we went to the new swimming pool that Payson opened up. It is so cool! They have a lazy river and big waterslides for the big kids (like us) and little slides for the little ones and a really cool play area that you can see behind Cole in this picture. Cole's favorite thing was the huge bucket on top of the play area that filled up with water and then dropped on you. We sat there and watched it drench us time and time again.

We even got Cole to go down the waterslides. They wouldn't let adults go down them so we had to help him from the sides. He eventually got to the point where he went down with no help at all.

Then on Saturday we took the short drive to Nephi and went to the Mormon Pioneer Handcart Pageant. They wouldn't let us use flash photography and my camera was being dumb and every picture I took without the flash was blurry. So I just took a short little video instead. This is at the very beginning right before we sang the national anthem so it's really quiet but you can see all the work that was put into the play. The scenery was really neat with little fires and tents everywhere and they even had a little pond that you can see in the video.

Neil and Cole getting ready for the pageant to start. I really enjoyed the pageant, Neil thought it was o.k., probably because he was trying to get Cole to sleep most of the pageant. The spirit was so strong there. It was so neat to dive deeper into these pioneers stories. One part that stuck out to me was when one pioneer recalled his experience where he felt as though he couldn't push the cart any further and then felt someone helping him push the cart. He looked back and no one was there. But he felt a presence. He knew he was not alone. He stated that the conditions and the task at hand were honestly humanly impossible. The only thing that got them through was their faith alone. They couldn't have done it without the Lord. He said their sufferings were unimaginable, but it was a small price to pay for the divine experiences and relationship they felt with the Lord.

Camping!

We went camping last weekend with a few of my best friends and their hubbies from high school. It was so much fun! And so cool to be with some of my chickas again. We missed all you girls that couldn't make it. We'll have to try again next year.

Memories

I saw this on one of my long lost friends blogs and thought it would be fun. Thanks Heidi!

1. Add a comment on my blog. Leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Funny Neil

When it comes to sleeping Neil and I are completely opposite. He can fall asleep anytime anywhere, (probably because he works so hard) and I tend to have a harder time sleeping. There are many nights where I'm wide awake and he's sound asleep.

Last week I was awake and while Neil was sleeping he asked me "Did you let all the people out?" Not quite sure what he meant by that or what people he was talking about, and knowing he didn't know either, I simply said "yes I did." Apparently, that was the right answer as he calmed down and went back to sleep. Usually I'll play along a little bit, but Neil had a really hard week and I was too tired to joke with it.

So then last night I was up with Cole and when I got back into bed Neil sat straight up and frantically asked "Where's Cole?" I said "He's asleep in his crib." Neil then asked "What did you do with all the people?"

Here were those darn people again. What in the world was he talking about? Who were these people? So playing along I asked him....

"What people hun?" He's like. "The people from the neighborhood."

At this point I was trying so hard to keep my composure and not laugh. I couldn't resist playing with this so I said. "I let them in." Neil's like "YOU DID!?" "Yeah they're down in the living room."I said. Neil asked "Really?" "Yes!" I said.

As Neil sat there and thought about this I couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing. Neil, realizing his mean wife was playing with him again, yelled "MICHELLE!!!" And turned over and went back to sleep.

This morning I asked Neil about this conversation and he had no recollection of any of it, or who these people are that he keeps talking about. He did remember getting mad at me about something. I used to do the same thing with him shortly after Cole was born. I'd get back from putting Cole to bed and Neil would sit straight up in bed and frantically look for Cole. He was so afraid of rolling over him or him falling off the bed. So one time as he was searching the bed frantically and asking Where's Cole, Where's Cole? I told him Cole fell off the bed. Neil gasped and yelled "HE DID!!!!!" And leaped across the entire bed and landed on the floor on the otherside of the bed. What a good dad! I'm sorry babe. I love you!!!!!

Grotto Trail

Last weekend part of Neil's family came down to go on a little hike and eat lunch at East Lake up Payson Canyon. The hike was short and fun. Cole was pretty happy that dad let him walk over all the logs instead of being carried over. It's a really short hike, (perfect for kids) and it's really green and shady. You follow this stream up almost the whole way.

How many people can we fit on a log? 1-2-3-4-5-6-7! (Cole's hiding) That's one strong log! This is everyone that came. Starting up front with Austin, Cole, Neil, Clint, Rachel, Grandma Emery, and Grandpa Emery. I should have had them turn around for this picture, but this is the Emery family we're talking about. I was lucky to get any pictures!

And here is the cute little waterfall at the end of the hike. It seems that everyone is wanting to stay close because of high gas prices, so it was pretty crowded once we got up there. We were hoping everyone would enjoy it more once we were there, but there were so many people it made it hard to move anywhere without getting wet. I guess we'll have to do it again next year.

After the hike the plan was to eat lunch at the lake. And right as we were getting situated, good ol me remembered that I forgot the lunch meat! Anyone for a mayo, mustard, and lettuce sandwhich? Yum! So we headed back down and ate lunch at our house instead. Sorry everyone!! And Happy Birthday Grandma Emery! And we missed you Rick, Monica, Carlie, Davis, Joe, Travis, Suzanne, Brinlee, and Aynslee!

July 4th!

We got up early to make it to the Murray Parade with Grandma and Grandpa Emery and Uncle Austin.

Cole didn't care too much for the parade. He was in charge of picking up all the candy and he took his job pretty seriously. Usually he's all smiles but we struggled to get one out of him at the parade. I think he was pretty confused as to why people driving by kept throwing stuff at us. He had it all cleaned up in a hurry. And at least he did enjoy the candy.

This was the coolest part of the parade. What's even cooler is that Neil's family knows one of the guys doing this. He's in the yellow jeep.

Later that day we all went to Grandma and Grandpa Emery's house for a BBQ. Cole's aunt Monica brought her fun swimming pool so Cole was able to swim with his cousins and learn what you actually do in one of these things. He was scared at first, but in the end had a lot of fun.

And of course we ended off the day with fireworks at Murray Park. Cole slept through them last year so this was his first time seeing them.

Needless to say he was a bit scared at first. You can see his eyes are a little wide and he looks a little hesitant. He grew used to them after a few minutes. You can see Grandma and Grandpa Emery and Neil's sister Suzanne to the right and I have to point out Brinlee (Cole's cousin) at the bottom left of this picture. Look at that face!! I can't tell if she's scared or just loving it! Hehehe.... cute Brinlee!