Alturas & My 1st Open Water Attempt

Thanks Kara for the pics!

We made our 2nd trip this summer up to Alturas...

6 moms and 14 kids...and a lot of fun!

Perfect weather

Re-united buddies, Colton & Brady!
Welcome back, Brady.
Colton is so excited.

The three musketeers:
Preston, Colton & Brady

This is a lovely picture of my backside

as I am trying to put the

"youth large"

wetsuit on that I picked up last

minute from the thrift store...

Why?

Because Maren & I had to attempt our first

open water swim in prep

for our first triathlon next month.

And Alturas is WAY TOO Cold for us to

swim 750 yards without wetsuits.

This picture, thought hard to see, is Amanda on a floating

turtle with a GPS leading the way, so we would know

how far we needed to swim.

Wow! That was hard. Wish us luck--only 4 more weeks to train.

Welcome to the Family!

The family has some new additions.

Meet Jawea

(short for Sacajawea),

grand-doggy number 4 for my parents.

No, she isn't ours. (Darn it)

She is my brother Dave's new rotweiller puppy.

Our family used to have a rotweiller named Jawea years ago.

She got sick and we had to put her to sleep.

She was the most amazing dog ever.

This new generation Jewie has a lot to live up to.

Is she not the cutest little thing ever!

Not only did the family get a new puppy,

but we got a new sister-in-law

CARLY is officially a McENTIRE...

DAVE & CARLY GOT MARRIED

My brother called yesterday to say they decided to

go to the courthouse and make it official.

CONGRATULATIONS!
We couldn't be happier.
Why?
Because Dave is so happy with her;
He seems to have found "the one!"

Welcome to the family Carly,
we love you...
and we welcome your cute little son Carston.

My boys were quite excited;
they said, "Now we get TWO new cousins."

TWO?

Yes, two.

CURT & SHAE ARE HAVING A BABY

We are so excited for the two of them, too.
More excited because someone besides me & Nate
will have babies...
and excited to see them as parents.
They will be great!

Only 3 weeks until Lake Powell! Can't wait.
Love you all!

Baker Lake

Amanda & I took our kids

(all 6 of them, between the 2 of us)

on a hike up to Baker Lake

It is about 1.6 miles in
and about 900' up in elevation to
8900'.

The trail is beautiful and had some
great diversions, like this
log bridge.

Fruit snack breaks,
tiny suckers,
and gum
were the KEY

to keeping everyone, even the babies, and

especially the mommies happy.

Colton took a nice fall and split open

his head at his eyebrow on a rock.

Thank goodness a nice gentleman we met

at the very beginning of the trail had given me

a "just-in-case bandaid" since

I had left my first-aid kit in the car.

The lake was mighty cold,

but kids never seem to mind.

Even when they fall in, like Bryce did

Anna wasn't quite sure, though...

Until she actually stood in it,

then she wanted more.

Nope. Mom didn't want to haul

a wet cold baby down the mountain.

Great hike.

The kids did great!