pops!

The only time they can sit those close together and not fight... is when they are enjoying otterpops!

pizza and park...

We met up the BECKSTEAD cousins for a day at the park and pizza. What a fun time with cousins. The grandkid pose...

Bear Lake Family Reunion 2011...

I look forward to this week, every year. My mom's side of the family(50+) gets together for a week of fun at Bear Lake. We love to hang out with each other so it makes it a reunion to attend. I love catching up with all my cousins, seeing their cute kids, playing volleyball, apples to apples, gin, eating delicious food all week, boat rides, going on the jet skis, visiting with aunts and uncles, tennis (and I want a rematch), not having to do dishes everyday, riding bikes, playing in the sand, the beehive pinata, swimming in bear lake, and just being with family!
Its a great week, I can't wait til next year! With a great week comes a ton of pics!

The SMITH cousins, in order!

Happy Bear Lake, it was so good to everyone!

isn't summer about the water...

What a fun summer playing in the water, its almost daily around here. We love to put the hose on the trampolene, fill the pool, water fights, hanging out at the aquatic center, trying out the north shore and splashing at the providence splash pad. Here are some fun water photo's.

busted...

Check out this two! They LOVE to go out to the garden and pick the sunriped raspberries. In fact we all do, but these two just helped themselves whenever they were in the mood. too cute...A family favorite... raspberry freezer jam. Good thing they saved me a few berries so we could get our supply of raspberry jam.

Jackson Hole 2011

When we were camping we took off one day and went to Jackson. We had fun just roaming the shops, downtown, and hanging out as a little family. Bode and Rylie under the Antlers.
This girl begged and begged to hit all the toy stores. I had enough of trying to help decide what toy she wanted to buy with her few dollars, so I sent in Mike. He and Rylie agreed on these glasses and Bode got a tractor in a matter of minutes. Not sure how he did it. But she loves them!

And fell asleep with them on.

and Bode would not give in and fall asleep. How can you blame that cute face though.

Mike choose Bubbas to eat at and it was a bit of a disappointment. Remember that old building they were in and served you on tin plates. Well they moved across the street to the village inn building and its not the same. You don't smell the BBQ and you eat on nice white dishes, just not the same. I found a new decorating store in Jackson called Home Again furnishings. They take old furniture and make it new again. I loved that store and wanted so many items, we may be returning.

water party and Weston 24th celebration...

Mike's aunt Sallie invited all of us over for a water party. The kids had a blast; there was plenty of water, kiddie pools, slides and squirt guns. It was a great way to spend a Summer day.

Bode laughed and laughed while he chased Aunt Sallie with the hose. Josie, Holly and Rylie enjoying the day!

Weston 24th celebration...
Usually over the 24th, we are at Bear Lake. But it worked out this year that Weston (mike's home town) was having their celebration on Saturday and we could go. We watched the parade at Jared and Sharon's home which was perfect in the shade across the street from all the festivities. Perfect until the football team decided to drench Uncle Zayne who is one of their coaches, more laps for the team. After the parade we hit the town celebration and did all the kid games, slides and train ride. Then came the candy drop from airplane. It was fun to watch. We then headed home for the kids to nap before we came back for the rest of the activities. Sharon and Jared cooked up some great Navajo Tacos! We watched a western showdown and ended the night with a live band and fireworks. It felt like we sat right under the fireworks, it was so fun.

Rylie, Josie and Holly enjoying the fireworks.

Big Elk Creek...

We enjoyed a Week of Camping at BIG ELK CREEK. It is between Alpine and Jackson Hole by the Palisades. We were with some of Mike's extended family. It was so much fun. we had a great time just hanging out and visiting. Rylie was pretty adventurous on this trip and Bode was ALWAYS a mess! But he couldn't have been happier. Can't wait til next year!

Bode overlooking Big Elk Creek...
Rylie overlooking...

The CAMPING family before we headed to Jackson Hole (post to come) Rylie and Bode in the trailer

Dog Pile in the trailer, the kids slept awesome.

Karissa and Bode

Saige and Rylie, Saige is the best at painting nails.

Mike and Bode hauling firewood, we enjoyed the campfire every night. Smores and cobblers EVERY night too.

Bode just roamed all over, he was so happy to do his thing and he didn't have a care in the world.

Josie and Rylie are only 6 months apart and they are both pretty good campers. They were together the whole trip. They rode bikes back and forth from one camp to the next. They had to dress alike, do their hair alike, and always be together. We didn't see much of either one of them the whole trip. Its so fun to have cousins to play with.

Josie and Rylie talked Uncle Billy into taking them on a bike ride to the boat ramp. I thought for sure they would get a few blocks away and the girls would give up and come back. Well Uncle Billy did get them all the way to the boat ramp and it was quite a ride for the girls. He gave them pushes or jump starts. Then they would stop and pick every type of flower they could find on the way back. They couldn't stop talking about the bike ride, either.

Rylie and Josie were in her parents trailer, when the bathroom door kept slowly swinging open. They would shut it but it would not latch and the then the door would swing back open. Josie says that she hopes its not a ghost. When Rylie pipes in that she hopes its the "holy ghost". Yeah for Primary.

Rylie is hanging out with Aunt Sallie and pulling faces. Aunt Sallie brought the game Guess Who! Its a kids game where you pick out a person and the other team guesses who it is. We decided to play Human Guess Who with our group and what an adventure. We laughed so hard at the game. I think you had to be there to understand how funny it was. It was a fun night.

Uncle Zayne and Aunt Terri just bought a boat before we left and they let us help them try it out. Uncle Zayne took Mike on a pretty easy tub ride, so I went on the tub expecting the same deal. I however had a heck of a ride. For some freak reason, I ended up 5 feet in the air on the tube and then went head over heals off the back of the tube. The tube continued to go up in the air about 15 feet and stayed up there. They blame it on some freak thing, but I think Mike paid his Uncle to get me off the tube. After I was freezing cold from the water I decided to get water skiing a try again (its been 5 years or so) and I was able to get up. It was a fun time.

Rylie and Bode playing in the water. Don't you love Rylie's hair. Our family friend Lynette started braiding it when she had to help her son. So Aunt Terri and Aunt Sallie finished it up. It was perfect not having to deal with it or make it just right for her. I think we should braid her hair all summer.

Cousin Kasey helped them catch butterflies, they thought he was the best!

Bode's Butterfly!

Mike's cousin was telling Rylie how much she looked like her mom. She laughed and then told her that "she gets her fashion from her dad". Anyone who knows Mike knows she is full of it. ha ha. what a girl.