The Garden Grows

Today we had a BLT for lunch with tomatoes and lettuce from our garden, and over the last three days we have eaten freshly picked squash for dinner. Yum! There is nothing like food from your own organic garden. Too bad it takes so much water to keep things alive here in Arizona. Here are pictures of how things are growing:

The squash and their plants on the right.

Lettuce and Tomatoes

The green beans are also growing, and I have harvested once already. 

Family Hike

Last reunion post. We got some fun pictures while on a hike with Dee's family. It was a fun nature trail just down from our cabins. It went by 2 small ponds, and had good scenery.

Trekking through the forest and meadow. The camp hosts spent a great deal of time warning us about wildlife, especially ticks, and poison ivy. But have no fear, all of us returned without incident. We did see deer several times, both on the trail and on the edge of our campsite. We weren't quick enough to get a picture of them. 

Heading up the trail.

Dee boulder hopping. 

Joshua and Landon crawling over rocks, and only getting stuck once. 

Dee's parents enjoying the view. Thanks mom, for arranging the whole week! What a fun time. 

Challenge Course

While at the reunion Dee went to a challenge course where he had to climb a cargo net, cross a staggered wooden bridge and take a zip-line. Some of the other siblings and cousins and even our niece and nephews participated.





Up the cargo net, and across the bridge














All hooked up...
















And away we go.

Landon steps across like a pro. "Don't look down? How can I see the next step if I don't look down?"

Brooklynn tackles the bridge, and although it is quite a stretch, with a few good leaps makes it to safety.












Joshua takes the zip-line with a smile the whole time.















Dee's mom, looking excited and a little worried while she watched with Joshua and Ethan.










Dee's Grandpa: Watching, without a bit of concern. Enjoy the show.

Family Reunion

Off to Heber Valley we went, for the reunion of Dee's mom's family. Most of the aunts and uncles and quite a few cousins were there, most of whom I have never met! This was a camping reunion in the mountains at the LDS Young Women's camp. It is the most amazing church campground I have ever seen. Fortunately we were in cabins because it was cold at night.





Here are our cabins, they can fit 16 people in each!!

Dee and his sister, Shauna, point out the one we stayed in.













Playing games, and entertaining the kids.













Craig plays referee during the golf ball throwing game. The kids loved it, and Brooklynn was pretty good at it. She liked showing the boys that she could beat them.










And as the evening grew dark, grandma decided that it was time to tell stories and jokes to the grand children.










It is a fun camp, multiple activities to do. We went paddle boating and canoeing, Dee did a challenge course, and there was plenty of hiking all around. (pictures later) The only problem with camping is the lack of sleep, well at least for me.

Pizza in Provo

We could have ordered pizza from a store, but that wouldn't be any fun. So we made pizza for 14 adults and kids. Dee's whole immediate family met in Provo at his grandparents condo prior to the larger reunion in Heber Valley (we'll get to that later.)

Stand back,  Kurt is making his attempt at tossing the dough. It didn't even hit the floor. But as we learned, this art is harder to do then they make it look on TV. 

So I went back to rolling it out. 

Then the kids went on and assembled the toppings under the supervision of grandma, and Chris.
Here are Brooklynn and Landon starting off with the pepperoni.

As you can see, the kids took turns... perhaps Joshua didn't want to be left out of the snacking. 

One for the pizza, one for me, one for the pizza, one for me.  Caught in the act.