We went on a road trip this last week through Utah and Idaho. It was a last minute decision (like we decided Tuesday morning to go and left Tuesday afternoon) because Brad's schedule at work didn't fill up and there were a couple of dental practices we needed to get out and visit. Luckily for us we have family in Utah and Idaho and got to spend time with them too! We stopped over night in Pleasant Grove to visit briefly with the cousins there and then headed on to Idaho Falls where we and our other set of cousins were taken out by Grandma and Grandpa to enjoy two days at Ririe Resevoir water-skiing. We had so much fun I forgot to take out my camera to snap a few pictures of the crew until we were on our way home. So, you'll just have to take my word for it that we have some cute, fun relatives in Idaho and Utah that we got to visit with.
Brad has a way of creating fun out of nothing. Traveling home, he pulled the suburban aside where there was a lull in the snake river so the kids could get out, stretch their legs and skip rocks on the river.
Hoping to get a much needed nap in, I stayed in the suburban where I had just closed my eyes when all of the sudden I had MOST of my children reappear begging for their swimming suits. Of course, for Ben, underwear worked just fine.
Having missed my sleeping window, I climbed out of the car and found a shady spot where I could avoid the sun (I'd already had too much sun boating in the morning) and watch from above.
At the time I was feeling slightly discouraged at our future options but found my spirits lifting as I watched my children and husband play below and as cliché as it sounds found myself reflecting that although we have tough times ahead, at least we're facing them together. The family really is what pulls us through, isn't it?
We stopped to camp just outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming to break up the monotony of the long drive home. While there, I was able to witness the most glorious sunset. It's beauty filled me with wonder and lifted my spirits even more. I felt like it was God's own gift to me that day. I tried to catch a few pictures of it, but as beautiful as the pictures turned out they don't even touch the majestic nature of the moment I was trying to capture.
We had our first marshmallow roast (and campfire) of the year. Jake, too impatient to wait for his Daddy to make his roasting stick, found his own suitable branch upon which he placed two marshmallows.
While humorous initially, as he brought the flaming branch out of the fire I found myself quickly running to his side to prevent him from setting fire to his hair, clothes or nearby siblings.
During the road trip I was able to finish up my reading of Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. It is a book that I highly recommend but be aware that it is very lengthy (1200+) and by no means a light read. I found myself unable to stop reflecting upon its fictional scenario of a world that puts equality before freedom and free enterprise. Even scarier, I found myself drawing several parallells from the fictional society Rand created to our own actual society of today.
One of my favorite things about Colorado are the summer thunder storms that occur almost daily. It's nice to know, when it's approaching 90 that most likely there will be a thunder storm that will drop the temperatures right back to the 60s. It makes the evenings very enjoyable and keeps our home cool. This Friday, while Jordan was mowing our trees/lawn/weeds/prairie grass, the thunder storm hit. This wasn't your normal every day 15 minute thunderstorm, this was a downright deluge.
Doesn't that look fun? He and the boys (who were picking up any sticks or rocks in Jordan's way) didn't seem to mind much .
After the storm ended, leaving the ground wet and muddy, their lawn mowing chores were abandoned to the pure unadulterated fun of playing in puddles and mud.
:o!
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