Texas!!!

We left Monday from our "camping" trip in Beaver. Joe drove Mom Robinson up to her parent's house in Salt Lake. I cleaned out the car (it REALLY needed it after all that dust!) and packed for our trip to TEXAS!! Charity really enjoyed the visit with Joe's Grandma and Grandpa Harris.

I had everything ready to go so the kids and I left the following morning when we woke up! I had absolutely no expectations of how far I could drive that day, but I just decided to get as far as I could until I was tired. The kids were AWESOME! They took turns choosing movies, and then when I got bored or tired, we sang (loudly) to all our favorite songs. I decided to stop at 9pm, but I felt like I could have driven forever! The next morning, we had a quick 7 hour drive to KELLER!

Driving past Texas Motor Speedway Aaron said "Mom, this just FEELS like home!". Ya son, I know.
We were so excited to make it to my mom's house! Dawn's kids were there for the summer while she was doing an internship in IRELAND... so we were so excited to hang with the Howey kids!

Time sure flew while we were there! We went to the bounce house one day... Seriously, we stayed for 4 hours. Hey, it kept the kids entertained! Yay for cousins!

We also enjoyed doing a MILLION crafts, going to movies, McDonald's and SWIMMING... I also enjoyed spending time at CarieAnn's Pool! So glad she has one in her backyard (I know she has been waiting patiently for that).

It was great getting to hang out with cousins! Aaron went to the TCU baseball camp while we were there. I think he had a good time. It is such a great camp! He kindof missed out on some cousin time, but I think it all worked out.
The 10 days I spent there went by way too fast! It was great for the kids to all be together! So glad we were able to have the Driscolls, Howeys, Robinsons and Liddles in the same place at the same time! Sorry Steph, Kennedy is too little to enjoy it - maybe next year?

We also had a little birthday party for Brae. Those boys are so stinkin cute!

It was also great to see my friends! I saw Nancy Jetton in Frisco. Then, we had a girls ice cream night with Jen Sorenson (long lost friend), Valerie Nankervis, Ruth Brann and Carieann. Play days with Courtney Flynn and Cheryl King. Then, another girl night with Becky, Maleah, Amy (Maleah's S-I-L), Cherry, and Carieann.
I wish I could have spent more time with all of them. I wish I could have seen the ones I missed!

4th of July!

This year, we decided to join up with the Atkins for a camping/4wheeling trip! Big change from the rest of the weekends this summer I know! ;)
This trip was spectacular! Perry's family camps every year in the mountains above Beaver (where he is from). We joined up with their little reunion and camped with them on Big Flat - which is simply breathtaking! Beautiful grassy meadows tucked away in the mountains - up about 10000 feet. There are lots of ATV trails to enjoy too! The camping is so neat there because there are so many trees and different areas to camp that it is quite secluded and peaceful.

This is what it looked like. AMAZING!!!

When I say camping, I mean, all the Atkins brought RVs and we stayed in a suite in a hotel there in Beaver (30 minute ride down the mountain) every night. After 4wheeling every day, it was just too tempting and comforting to have a shower and a bed to sleep in every night. It was also very nice because Joe's mom came! I hope she had fun. She just hung out with Perry's parents while we went on our rides. I don't think she minded though because we always came back so dirty!

We enjoyed all the fun of camping though - fabulous camping meals - foil dinners, cobbler, marshmallows and hot dogs cooked over the fire. We enjoyed lots of sitting around and finding wood. We also enjoyed long walks to the bathroom ;)

It was great to spend time with Joe's mom and also the Atkins! It was great to get to know more of his family! Yay for another weekend enjoying the mountains!

Aaron was promoted/demoted to driving my ride because we returned his crappy one. A promotion because it is a huge machine and he gets to drive it. A demotion because he has to chauffer me around as I do not yet trust him to NOT go too fast and fall down ravines (because he actually almost kills me at least once every ride).

Joe and his mom!

Maleah loves to pose for pictures. So does Hoyt. Although, he is the cutest little thing you have ever seen!!!

BOYS!

Big John's Flat - we couldn't go any further due to "spring" runoff...

Nate decided to try to pierce his ear on a log. He thought he could balance and/or do log rolling like a lumber jack... I don't think he accomplished what he wanted. For DAYS this ear was black and blue and swollen - goose egg even behind the ear too... should I have taken him in for a CT scan?

The Atkins and the fire - yes, it was cold and we all very much appreciated our jackets and the fire.

A lake up there... think it was cold?

Do you see Joe? Some of the trails were pretty intense. So intense that I kicked Aaron to the back seat to drive myself. Thought I was going to fall off a cliff...

Our Family picture... We were all smiling I promise! ;)

Surprise! Nate fell asleep!

This was our camping spot. How beautiful was this?

The Atkins... and Joe waiting patiently for breakfast. Maleah, check out your legs. Seriously.