So Miranda came home from her mission a couple weeks early to have some surgery, but I have this great excuse to still write our family history down, since her novio is still on his mission in Paris, France for the next year. So until May 9, 2019, I'll still write a missionary letter for our blog posts. =)
Ok, this is going to be a lot of emails, but mostly just because almost all the pics were taken on the super nice camera. Because we went You-Know-Where.
But Monday, Miranda went out to breakfast & the lake with her friend Brooke, who got home from her mission to Tahiti on Miranda's original release date last week.
Went to Salt Lake for some really cool chemical treatment, and again, this dog... so sweet with Miranda. Had to sit directly on her this time.
Then there's a bike decoration table, bike parade, and a triathlon: swim laps at the neighbor's pool, hop on your bike for a lap down & up the street, then run another route to the finish line back at the pancake area. =) . The rest of the day is bounce houses,
a giant slip & slide down a huge hill in the park, taco truck comes and parks for lunch, a snowball fight (Hokulia owners donate machines & workers to make piles of "snow"). Some people skipped out on a lot of it to go shopping, and, ironically, to Hokulia:
Then that night, we have a potluck dinner with smoked meats, rootbeer floats, and a DJ comes and mixes it up and we all dance together in the street. Here's where the twins spent their time during the dinner. The hosts had little puppies on their deck...
So Wednesday, we packed up and headed out to our favorite boating spot 5.5 hours away. Favorite part of that day: All 7 of my kids log into the same game on separate DS's and play together in the car... I just loved it.
On our way, we stopped for our one and only trip to Sizzler. I'm pretty sure that was Jeff & my first time eating there. Maybe it was our mood, but it was our last. Smiley face/ bless their hearts.
One thing: Morgan's hair is wildly out of control. And we love it.
As usual, we went straight to the pool as soon as we checked in. As per tradition.
Thursday morning, Jeff & Morgan went to pick up the boat, and THEY DIDN'T HAVE ONE FOR US. Super cute little hiccup. It got worked out, and we immediately drove out for a while and hopped in the water.
And then all the tubing started, and I'm just going to let the pictures speak for themselves. Except I have to say: I live for the flying crashes... as long as we get it on camera, it's all worth the pain. =)
It looks like the tube is attached to Carlie's ankle... it is not.
Because of the at least 15 foot reduction in the lake level this year and the stormy weather, we changed up our usual swimming haunt.
Memes!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox, us
From being blow-dried from the back, Morgan's hair was spectacularly styled by the wind.
#HairGoals
We went to our favorite "colorful Mexican restaurant" - the name we call it because we can never think of it's name. Turns out it's Fiesta Mexican or something. It had these creepy sun chairs where the suns were smiling at you in 3D, and they started replacing them this year with just handpainted cool scenes on them... dang it. The creepy chairs were half the mystique.
Better picture, clearly:
Friday checked out, got a cooler boat, and just played on the lake all day - then drove home. Here are the pics.
ALL SEVEN IN ONE PLACE. Someday that's going to be hard to accomplish. I'm eating it up.
And then the Subject Title of our email. Miranda decided she could try kneeboarding... this girl just hasn't got the strength to pull up to knees... so never mind. Bellyboarding it is. I may have shed a tear. Pretty sure Jeff did, too. Next year, she is going to rock the lake. Better watch out, because you're coming with us, and she's not going to be outdone.
This is a panorama I took of the kids swimming - see those little dots? This formation above them was so tall... I had to try to capture it. You'll just have to see it IRL next year.
This is why we come and take so many pictures... I love how beautiful it is behind the kids as we're zooming around the lake. Headed back to shore. Good, good lake time.
In Page, AZ, where we stay, we always drive by Big John's BBQ, which looks like it was a gas station and they've just turned it into a BBQ pit... so all this seating is outside under the pavilion, and the meat smokers are just out there as part of the allure. A stage band is set up to play country music, and I'm sorry, but it's not well sung... it's kind of hilarious. So we decided to try it out this year. We ate our pretty amazing meat & nachos,
and then skipped out quick before the band really got going. Here's our dirty table as they're starting to clear it for some really big fans who reserved a giant area of the old gas station... we are definitely going to have to at least drive you by this... you can decide if we're going to stop and stay for the show. =)
Saturday morning, we all slept in, unpacked, worked out, cleaned the house, and went our separate ways. CarMor went to Jurassic World 2, Miranda went to her temple assignment, Jeff & I went on a shopping date, and Grandma & Grandpa took the 3 littles to see Pinocchio at the Hale Center Theater.
When everyone came back home together, there was a movie upstairs, a movie downstairs, with kids everywhere, and little Jack had a sleepover. I think he thought I said to pretend he was asleep. Eh, it was midnight, so maybe he had fallen asleep that fast. We know how to party at our house.
Last picture: Brooke had her homecoming today, and I had to snap this picture of her wearing her head lei to show Jeff who was working. Love it.
Themed ones.
