Bear Lake 2010!

Finally, Here are our pictures of our short, but sweet trip to Bear Lake. Although we did it in half the time we usually do, we felt like it was JUST RIGHT, and we really had a fun time.

Shooting

Right when we got there, (literally), we met up with the family and went shooting (this was a first for both Axel and I). I know this is weird to many people, but my family just isn't into guns. I am still queasy around them but I am sure will get a little less afraid each time we go.

It was...Fun? I don't know, I am not really a fan of shooting, but Kory had fun, and Axel had fun wearing the ear muffs Grandpa gave him. So over all fun for all

Kory with a really scary looking (in my opinion) gun.
my handsome boy not quite sure what we were doing

Kory, Jerome Vic and Grandpa shooting
Vic and JeromeJust hanging out

Another scary gun
"uh dad, what are we looking at again?"Beach

The next day we spent the morning at the beach

Axel and Story
"Mom! Story wont share her shovels!"
We were all COVERED in sand, but not as much as this little girl...These two boys tuckered out within a few minutes

So I went to work and made good use of my time..We also made a hot tub that got taken over by other people while we were on the boat. They were litereally sitting on our blanket and using our sand toys. AND they stole Axel's soccer ball. (FYI these were adults, NOT children) On the boat
Later that day it was our turn on the boat

Of course we had to put them in life jackets!
I think story had a bit more breathing room, what do you guys think?
Papa's

Who's ready to go?
Chillin' with the papas

and then with mamas

This picture is great, her hair looks like the wind was still blowing, but its not. we were completely stopped. SO great.

Such a cute picture of these two! Don't you all agree!

So rad! We got to spend some time with Keri, Erik and Taryn too. Erik and Axel had the SAME glasses, because, they both have GREAT style. :)
The gross Fishies/carp: Seriously the sickest looking fish EVEr
Tubing
And of course there was tubing, not a whole lot of it, but that's ok, we had fun :)

Kory and Jerome

Our little Family

We didn't last very long, the minute the water started hitting his face, he was all panicked...Ok, and I wasn't too thrilled either.
Its a toss up who lasted longer, Axel or me on the tube? Jerome kept trying to tip us, and asking them to go faster, I am such a chicken and was scared out of my mind! What happened to me?

Dinner
What's bear lake without Raspberry shakes?
That night we went to dinner, and Axel and Story did a GREAT job with saving our table for every one :)

Campfire
We camped at the KOA, and this was Axel's first experience in a tent, and I am sooo mad we didn't take a single picture of us in the tent. But he thought it was pretty neat.

But see the tent behind Kory in that picture, that's where we stayed.
Toasting marshmellows

Axel wanted in on the toasting action!

We even let him try one :)
At first he wasn't sure...But then was pretty happy with it, and gobbled it down no problem. And was only a Little bit sticky :)

I think Taryn was lonely this year without Riley ...

I really like this picture of Kassie. This kid loves to eat paper, I am not quite sure what to do about it.
"Look mom!" (no help from dad here)

Its all been a blur

Two weeks ago my Grandmother passed away.

Two days later we drove to Idaho and rejoiced the life of my dear sweet grandmother, Laura Grace Pratt Call. What an amazing woman, a woman of love, sacrifice, service, compassion, and happiness.

Two things that stood out to me at the funeral:

1. SHE WAS LOVED. So many sad faces, but also so many happy faces, as people reminisced and told story after story about her life and what she meant to them.

My Great Aunt Letti ( her baby sister) has Alzheimer's Disease, and doesn't remember a thing. Cute little thing, big wide eyes and so friendly, even though she doesn't remember anything, she knew who her sister was. She went on and on about my grandmother. She went up to my grandmothers casket and said "Ohh that's my sister, that's laura, doesn't she look soo pretty, Charlie doesn't Laura look soo pretty?"

At which point my Grandfather turned to her and said "You should have gone first."

uh yeah, nice Grandpa, BUT I know my grandmother would have found that situation HILARIOUS. As she had an amazing sense of humor.

2. SHE WAS WISE. My Uncle told a story that she once shared with him. She Counseled:

If you hand a child of a glass of milk and tell them "Don't Spill the milk" They will focus so much on the negative and in turn only hear Spill the milk, and eventually Spill it.

But instead instruct the child to "HOLD IT STEADY" and they will hold it tight and not spill it.
He said she was a positive person and was always looking for the good in everything and every situation. And instructing her children to do so as well.

My grandmother was a miraculous women. I will miss her everyday, but am glad she is healthy now and can go about her work in the Lord's Kingdom. I know she is watching over our family, and getting my babies in heaven ready to come down here to meet us, by assisting God in "...greeceing their butt's and Sending them down the Rainbow." -Said by Grandpa Call to my mother when asked where babies come from.

Love you Grandma!
Laura Grace Pratt Call
October 29, 1929 - July 15, 2010

Happy 3rd and 5th of July!

This year was so fun! I am not sure if it was because once you throw kids in the picture everything is THAT much more exciting or if it was because instead of having one really LONG day of partying we had 3 days of fun. Whatever the reason it was a great weekend. And I am pretty sure Axel was a huge fan of this holiday!

BALLOONS

With Axel's obsession with balloons how could I pass up an opportunity to go see the Hot Air Balloons? (even with the 6:30 am launch time I was pretty excited to see this boys reaction.) However due to winds and such, ACTUAL launch time was somewhere around 8:30, but it was well worth the wait.

As seen here he was ALL SMILES when the balloons took off! This picture was worth every minute I lost of sleep. (lets be honest though, how much sleep do I REALLY get anyway?)

Lucky for us we sat RIGHT infront of the only 3 balloons that took off!There was a lot of waiting going on before and as you can see, the kids started to get a little grumpy waiting for things to happen.
Who likes waking up in the morning? Not this kid. (Like father like son!)

But his spirits were soon lifted after we walked over to the park and he saw all the balloons, and his silly cousins.
Cute Patchett Family
Us with my cute mom, (In case you were wondering Kory said he was "almost tempted to come a little", but sleep won in the long run, are you surprised?)

Liesel, Liam, Amy and Axel
The littlest boys club ever, and still growing (Oldest to youngest) Nicolas, Jacob, Hinkley, and Axel Don't forget the newest member, Liam (uh who is envious of those long locks and lashes?! What a cutie!)

Swimming

After the Balloons we went swimming with my family at grandma J's

FIREWORKS
That night we kept Axel up and drove to the Fireworks. Sad to say he thought the mosquito wipes and the sprinkler box we were sitting by were much more interesting.

PARADE / PICNIC
On monday we along with the rest of the Vally went to the parade, and I can say, this was my least favorite part, but I think we will still attempt it next year (no pictures either)

But after the parade we went on a picnic in the park, and while walking to our blanket, my mom tripped on the sidewalk and fell and hit her head, and it was scary at the time, but we laugh about it now.

This is my mom getting mad at me for taking picturesHowever, when I saw the fire truck driving across the lawn before the guy helping us got off the phone I couldn't help but laugh.
And here is the offending curb

ANDERSON BBQ
I pretty much just have pictures of swimming, but there was a BBQ, we were late, but the food was great!

Riley

Andy
RaineyKory

Cole
Kyle
Rainey and Syd
Story trying to get in
Andy
Cole, Jeremy and Austin
My baby holding on to the side all by himself!
Fattest baby award goes to AXEL
Trying to blow bubbles with mom
Cheese!
Cole (he came up to me and said "Amy I am a really good swimmer this year, watch!" Turns out he was trying to convince me so he didn't need lessons :) ALL good things come to an end. Some how, some way my baby slept through ALL the fire works, and they were LOUD. He was out! But don't worry he woke up once they stopped.
Side note: I was playing around with some Editing Actions in photoshop ( I have seen them all over peoples blogs for years now, and thought they were all just amazing photo editors, turns out all it takes is a click. (Big thanks to Kassie for saving me many many hours of trying to teach myself how to make my pictures look like that too) But I was trying to decide which ones I like the best. I opted not to do the Anderson BBQ because I thought people might want to snag the pictures from my blog and not have them vintage-a-fied.

Crappity Crap crap CRAP

About two months ago we loaded up are family to go to IKEA...
and BAM RUMMBLE RUMMBLE RUMMBLE we had a flat tire.

Three hours later...

All loaded up with 4 new tires BUT one less door handle we were on our way. -$300

About a month later...

Kory got pulled over for his expired registration, and got a ticket. -$40

A week later...

He got pulled over AGAIN, and got another ticket. -$40

A week later...

We decided it was time to get his car inspected so we took it to Jiffy Lube and had it spruced up before the big test. -$100

Same day

Took the car in for its exam. - $40
FAILED

Safety Failed for
1.Broken handle ---BIG THANKS TO COSTCO for pulling that off, and NOT telling us and then acting like we were jerks for asking them to replace it.
2. Hood wont latch

Emission Failed for
1. O2 Sensor
2. Catalyst System ????

Half hour later

Drive to Autozone for some answers.
purchase an O2 Sensor. -$150

I also get a hold of a salvage yard and am able to purchase a replacement handle. And hood latch because they don't make our car anymore. -$50

A few days later

Kory fixes the door handle
My pops replaces O2 Sensor and Latch. -$FREE 99

The next day- Wednesday of last week actually

We take it in for a Retest
SAFETY-PASS
EMISSIONS-FAIL- Need to replace the Catalytic Converter

Same day-Wednesday

Take the Car in to the repair shop and get that replaced and the other o2 Sensor -$440

Next day -LAST THURSDAY

Take it BACK to Jiffy Lube and get all the fluids topped off
Take the car BACK in and RETEST
PASS! YIPPEE

Renew Registration. -$115
Pay tickets and get $20 off our tickets, and think to myself , "hmm was this really worth saving $20? Oh well at least we have another year to drive it..." WELL...

One Week Later

Driving back from the airport, it starts shaking and clunking, so we pull over (NOTE that it was the same area we got our flat tire in that started this mess.)

Scared that its something bad we call both our dads, and they both advise us NOT to drive it so
Kory's dad comes to the rescue and tow's it away to the shop.

This morning -After two days of waiting
We called and found out it died. Engine seized!

But right now we are sure wishing we could have seen that coming when we got that flat tire, we would have just called it quits from there and been $1255 richer AND had a car to trade in. SIGH.

PS. Did I mention that I got it DEEP CLEANED for Kory for Fathers day? Carpets and all. Sucks, AND I got rear ended as I was pulling out of the parking lot to pick him up. yeah. I guess I should be glad it's gone.