cousin soup

 The Idiarts are also up in Tahoe.  Yesterday they came over and it was so great to see them and to catch up! The kids had a blast swimming and playing together.

Lake Tahoe Family Reunion

Sierra and Andrea

Mom and Dad have been planning a fun family reunion for us for about two years.  They rented a gorgeous home in Lake Tahoe.  Almost everyone was able to come.  We are missing Emily and Michael and their families.  We are having such a great time though.

There is a pool inside the house.  This has been the source of hours of entertainment.  There is a spa and a sauna as well.  The kids have been splashing and swimming and having such a great time.

Different people are assigned to cook each day.  Dani and Greg had breakfast and lunch this morning, they made homemade cinnamon rolls that were delicious.  Tonight was Val and Ryan's turn and their Polynesian chicken was great.

Uncle Alec and Deo

There are lots of babies here and it's been so fun to cuddle on each others kids.

This morning we took a hike to Vikingholm.  It was raining part of the time but no one minded.  The view was amazing and the hike was pleasant for everyone.

Tatum and Mimi

boys never just walk on rocks it's always a running and leaping experiment.

Yoho and Noah

Papa and Sierra

Gracie

Hannah and Sierra

We've been visited by bears quite a bit.  When we first got here we walked to the end of the driveway and saw a mama and baby bear.  Later was saw a bear ambling around and later still another one in the backyard.  We were up on the deck and were so thrilled to see him scratching his back and side on a tree and walking around.  Alec went down for a closer look and got a warning charge from the bear.

Everyday I have prepared a "mimi club" activity.  I have a story and craft or something special for the little kids to do.  It's been fun for me and I think for them too.

Our visitor

Gramps and Penny

And some from Hannah's camera

Sabbath morning

We googled the building closest to us and it was randomly the one that shares property with the Sacramento Temple. We drove up and exclaimed when joy! And kids were so excited, which made me and father so happy!

Fast and Testimony meeting was great and walking around the temple after was great too.

some more trek memories

 a quiet moment to rest

 Rob the photographer

 hair washing!!

stick pull

(Baylee vs Abby)

and how the young men did it!

 loved this bridge Jethro and Monty built

cute Chris Ray, Hannah Hitlton , JT and Madison

Great grandpa Kaurin

We got up at 2am and started out journey west. Our flights were long but otherwise uneventful. We napped, ate peanuts, played Uno and took pictures out the window. 

We flew first to San Jose where we got a rental car and drove to the home of great grandpa Kaurin and his daughter Janell. We had a very nice visit. He was sweet and glad we came. You could tell he was something in his youth, a go getter and handsome. Janell was also so nice as was Dave her ex who lives there to help out.

After a pleasant afternoon we headed to the cemetery and found Rob's biological fathers grave. We visited there, enjoyed a stroll amongst the dearly departed, and had fun looking at the crookedy west coast trees.

The night before vacation

Day spent cleaning
Children made messes
Packing Done
Haircuts done
Dog food bought
Ziva to Shannon
Keys to neighbors
Children in bed
Children out of bed
2am alarm set
Preflight irritability and anxiety
Car loaded
Trash out
Children back in bed
Dog out
Dog in
Prayers said

....check, check, check, check, check
Ready to go!

10pm, four hours until we leave and I am finally turning off lights (which is admittedly early for a summer night but not our goal of 9pm) when what do I see? A small boy building an electric circuit. (Read: making a mess and not sleeping) No wonder the getting ready is so irritating.