Labor Day at Bardwell

I continue to stuggle with the archaic interface of blogger, but here are pictures of our day at Bardwell. Oh what fun it was to ride in a two-person open tube!


Katie, otherwise known as Magoo, and Julie whooping it up
Drew and I bouncing around to songs we made up as we went

Dustin showing us one way NOT to get back on the boat, haha

Jacob is supervising the tubing activity of his cousin and brother

So this was supposed to be a Nestea plunge, but someone chickened out. The water was great!

Jacob and Julie sittin in a tube, the little one's not at all a boob!

Some tubing is safer when the tube is parked :>)

Drew, like his cousin Dustin, have similar aversions to being photographed in any kind of relaxed and normal settings, always the ham...

Finally, King Jacob smiles his approval on the events of the day, particularly the food. This guy can EAT! He's gonna be a whopper!

SHOW LOW, AZ

It was a cool, rainy day when we went to visit Susan's old stompin' grounds--110 in Phoenix, 60 in Show Low! Here are best friends and sisters on the Mogollon Trail
Pretty as a postcard!

Dustin was our sidekick all day. And look, we actually got a smile out of him! Well, that's because he was trying to pull his shirt up over his face...

What a Summer!

Welcome, Charlotte Lauree! Your arrival was the highlight of the summer. Glad you could join us:-)

OKAY, so these are all in reverse chronological order, even though that is not the way I uploaded them...

These are my boys at Monahanas Sandhills State Park, trying out the slopes on the dunes just about sunrise on our way home from AZ

Sweetheart Kinsey jumping over grandpa for the camera!

Kinsey plays fetch with Uncle BJ, Moose and Duke

Katherine trying to avoid the spinklers and...wet dogs--good luck!

No trip to AZ is complete without at least one hike up Camelback Mountain. Dustin and I did it three times!

Howdy, Connor! Is the watermelon good?

This may be the ONLY good picture of Clint I have ever taken. I think he was too tired to pull any faces. Congratulations, pops! Good job with Ms. Charlotte

There is nothing like a good Sunday afternoon meal with family. Susan & Scott stuck around with us for a few days too. I don't have the trip to Show Low pics, but we did it. While it was in the 110 degree range in Phoenix, Show Low was 60! What a nice change.

Try as I might, I did not make any major advances in my efforts to be on Sage's preferred person list, although I must say that list is VERY short (mom, dad, and grandma Shari, and maybe Dustin)

OK, what's on your mind?

BJ and Katherine, so what do you think BJ was thinking?!

Hello Kinsey! Let's play ball!

Kenedi and grandpa had fun in Kinsey's pool!

McKay came to joy in the fun too. These two cousins whooped it up

There isn't another grin like Connors. What a easy going guy. Did I mention that he is pretty much always hungry?

Chance has an idea!

There were no dry eyes at GG's funeral. Very hard to sing

Laurie saying goodbye. This was tough.

So back in July we went to VA and DC

Zac greeting Mr. T-Rex

Doug's family and ours (sans Dustin, who has a serious aversion to being photographed) at the palace gardens in CW

Dustin enjoying the beach, haha

QB Dustin at work

No score and two months ago, Zac acted like a crazy man. Scoot over, ABE!

OK, I'm about to cream my brother Doug in a friendly game of beach football. Actually, it was more like Rugby, or just a free-for-all! But any excuse was good enough to take out some aggression

This ride at Busch Gardens, called Griffon, was exceptional! Zoom in on the front right to see some familiar faces.

Our June high adventure was whitewater kayaking. We spared no luxury when camping!

Well, that's about it. Summer has been loaded. We've seen, felt and experienced a wide variety of experiences and emotions. Thank God for all of it.

Alice Cooper - School's Out!!!

I won't write much, but the fun is on! Since last I wrote, Katie had a dance recital, Drew was baptized, and Zac was ordained a teacher. Zac & Dustin had birthdays, as did Amber and soon Audrie then Chance. Marianne & Clint had their anniversary (on Zac's birthday). Nick has graduated, school is out for summer and already Amber & family have come and gone, both grandmas have come and gone, and Audrie is here for another week or so with her kids, but Craig is gone. Nick has announced that he will be leaving to AZ at the end of this month! Dustin left this morning for scout camp and Zac & mom leave for scout camp and girl's camp respectively next week, followed by Brad to high adventure on the river the week after. OMG! (as they say...)

This beautiful butterfly would not be captured on camera!

Drew was pretty excited as were we all about his baptism & confirmation!

Gma Y hosted a fine birthday party!

The birthday person wears the birthday hat

Paintball warriors Z & D (Z has new gun--unfair advantage, according to D). Craig & Trav were in a war too. The primary injury was to Craig's ring finger--he couldn't put his wedding ring on the next day, haha

"What is my line??"

"Free at last!"

Kinsey & Grandpa on Blackie

Madagascar is on!

Chance is learning the rudiments of snake handling from his Uncle Zac

Kenedi's opinion of the snake, facial rendition