I'll start with me.
I learned to slalom ski this year. I've been trying to slalom ski for years and years. Literally. I came so close last year but on our last ski trip (at Lake Powell) I actually tore my hamstring as I was just about to come out from the water :(. It was such a bummer, literally since it tore in my bum (thank you brad, so funny). Anyhow, this year Brad bought me a special rope and put some goggles on my face since I always pull my face away from the water.
The kids all thought the goggles were HILARIOUS! They say it makes me look like a speed racer/skier. Alas, the goggles did help but didn't quite do the trick. Brad kept saying to me over and over, why are you falling over to your side! Just tuck and let the boat pull you out of the water. So I'd tuck more to get up. I'd tuck and tuck and tuck and every time I'd fall over on my side. Then eventually I got up! I discovered that I was tucking too much and that was what was making me fall over because it made me lose my balance. I just had to relax until I felt the boat pull...and then TUCK. All those years...wasted. And although I would normally not put the next few pictures up because they are so unflattering, I feel I must to have some proof. You will be forgiving, right?
And yes, I've moved past the goggles now. I can close my eyes and just let the water hit my face!
I've also started road biking this year and I love it! I've actually been able to shave 15 minutes of time off of my favorite ride AND go up this incredibly steep mountain that I never thought I would be able to manage before! And while I don't have a picture of me on the bike. Here's a picture of the halfway point of my favorite ride. It happens to be the spot where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made their big jump in the movie.
I love that view and I love that ride. And...who says you have to go to Yellowstone to see bears, elk, deer, turkey? I see them all on this ride!
On to Brad. Brad had a great summer by teaching Jordan how kayak and row a raft through class IV waters. They only are up to class III in the kayads but progress was slower there because brad had to teach himself and Jordan at the same time. They both managed to get their first surfs down and multiple combat rolls in real white water. Brad says it is the most terrifying thing he has done for years.
Brad wasn't sure every outing might result in a drowning so he never had me out to take pictures because he didn't know how it would end. Even though we don't have any whitewater action pictures of our two home team kayakers I do have some of Jordan training for the Middle Fork of the Salmon. This photo was one of several episodes of carnage where Jordan stalled out in Smelter rapid and came through with fewer people in his boat than when he started. I believe Riley was ejected right after the last photo here.
Brad also managed to add one more barefoot trick to his repertoire. He was dissapointed in his limited progress due to some injured ribs early in the summer from a nasty crash. But he did manage to figure out how to jump out of the boat at speed. Famous last words, "Life jackets and skis are for sissies!" 
And, I also have to say that I believe he achieved his goal of playing EVERY SINGLE DAY he had off. Right up to the end where he finished the summer healing from one right side injury in time to break some ribs on the left side which he says is convenient because he has a shoulder injury from kayaking that will need some down time. He does claim to have had his best slalom run EVER just as the season came to an end.
Jordan had several great leaps this summer. He got his driving permit, he went on trek, got his first girlfriend (but we'll talk about that another time) he attended his first wrestling camp and improved his skill greatly with his summer practices, he is 5'7" and still growing and he rowed himself down the Middle Fork of the Salmon . . . over 100 miles of wilderness whitewater with hundreds of named rapids and multiple class IV rapids!
The above picture is the second time in two consecutive days that Jordan exclaimed "I HAVE NEVER BEEN THAT SCARED IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!" Too bad you can't scroll in on the photo, the look on his face is priceless as he drops into Pistol Rapid. The picture doesn't do the moment justice but Pistol is a 6 ft water fall with a recirculating wave at the bottom and a boat gutting razor sharp rock just to the right in the picture.
Also Jordan made leaps and bounds in his slalom skiing this year. There were times where Ben said he almost looked as good as Brad! Of course this is impossible and Ben did get thrown out of the boat.
A few minor form issues to clean up but he is coming along
Kenzie's list of accomplishments are many. She began voice lessons and actually made me cry with one of her songs she prepared (yes I'm a baby when I see something my kids love...and it's beautiful), she's learned how to do easy, quick hairstyles from pinterest:
She's learned to make freezer jam:
and she's more than improved her face painting skills.
On a more serious note, the thing I'm most proud of Kenzie for getting out of bed early to exercise with me three days a week. I get up at 5:00 am to work out and Kenzie hasn't missed a workout for the last month! That takes some grit.
Ben has managed to achieve the status of most daring. Well, maybe he's always been most daring. It's hard to say. As noted above Brad figured out how to jump out of the boat and Ben wanted to try. Apparently it is harder than it looks. He crashed so hard and fast that no picture could capture the moment. It is something to witness your child flipping fully extended head over heals at speeds in excess of the average city speed limit. Chelsey thought Ben might be seriously hurt and Brad couldn't stop laughing.
Ben also read the Lord of the rings series, skipped two school years of mathematics, learned to make corn bread, decided on his own to get thin and did, and learned how to roll a whitewater kayak. Yes, at some point Jordan got in so much trouble for sassing his mother that Dad took Ben out instead and started him Kayaking in Jordan's boat. Ben has got his first run down light class II water and several still water rolls under his belt. Though he has yet to complete a true combat roll he is well on his way.
Along with me, Riley also got up slalom skiing for the first time this summer. Of course, he did get up before I did. Before that he started showing off by dipping his hand in the water when he was skiing on the two skis. So, later he decided he was good enough to try one and...got up on his very first try. Typical Riles, he decides he won't be left behind all the big boys on two skis so he moves up to one.
And while Riley doesn't cut as well as Ben or Jordan yet, he is officially up on one at a younger age than anyone else, including dad! I'm sure he will catch his older brothers quickly.
Riley also read the Lord of the rings series, learned how to play, "I love to see the temple" on the piano, has made better friends with his brother Jake and also skipped two years of math at school. He and Ben pretty much compete at everything. On one particular outing to the desert Riley had ridden better than Ben and rubbed it in too much back at the truck. Dad had to step in to separate them when Ben started choking Riley.
Jake learned to ski on two skis this year and also learned to knee board.
The knee board picture was taken off of the boom, but he does go off of the long rope out the back of the boat too. This is quite the accomplishment for Jake because last summer he was TERRIFIED of being left alone in the water. So terrified he couldn't do any of the fun things in the water. He wouldn't even tube. This year he gained a lot of confidence in his swimming skills, his life jacket and his dad. He did great!
Jake also made his first big boy trip on a desert ride. Even though he was in tears by the end and felt like he had "spikes sticking into my head in side my helmet" he made a 20 mile off road loop with little help. Jake has also progressed amazingly with the piano and plays all day long. He has caught his brother Riley and soon will catch his sister Kenzie if she doesn't watch out. I'm really proud if his desire to play! Oh, and I should mention while Jake did not read Lord of the Rings like his older two brothers, he also got moved up a year in math. I guess we have a lot of talented mathematicians in our family.
So, overall a successful summer. We're sad to see it go!
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