County Fair Time

The Piute County Fair starts out the same for us pretty much every year, well every year that I am not pregnant or just had a baby, we run the annual 5k.  The 5K started out as the Brayden Blackwell Memorial Scholarship race and since Brayden was a big part of our lives we all like to try to run the race.  This year there were not many of us who could run the race but those who were able to went out with a bang! Miss Krista won the whole race, I guess hiking on fires is a great way to cross train. Jordan ran really well too.  I came in 3rd  for the females and PR'ed on the course.  I was pretty happy with myself.  I scoped out the bathroom situation before the race started just in case I had to stop like I have in years past- that is another story for another time though. The race had some amazing prizes this year and a great raffle.  It was very well done. After the adult race there is a kids race.  The little kids just have to run a 200 M dash.  Sawyer ran this year to get his own medal.  He keeps telling me he wants to do a marathon like I do to get medals like mine but we think he should probably start a little smaller.  Sawyer wanted me to run the 200M with him.  He took about 5 steps and turfed it.  We still crossed the finish line though and got his medal.  He was really excited.

The parade is after the races.  We took home tons of candy.  I was super excited.  Sawyer was a little shy at first but once he got the hang of it he got a little competitive.  Jaylee even got in on the action. The park with the games and blow up slides would have been a lot of fun if my kids were a little older.  We played a few games but had to wait in line forever which really made Sawyer antsy which in turn made for one hot and bothered mommy.  We played our games and got our prizes though.  

In the afternoon we took naps and recuperated.  We played with the new toys we got at the park.  Travis hitched the kite up to the fishing pole to make it easier to us for the little ones.  We started flying at Grandma's but the power lines kept getting in the way so we headed up to the elementary school.  We got the kite really flying high there.  It almost lifted Jaylee off the ground.  We sure do love our engineer for a dad.   

After the kids went to bed we indulged in our favorite activity of the the fair the dance with a live band.  I think the band has been coming for the last ten years or so.  It is so much fun, a little crazy with a lot of people who may or may not be violating the Word of Wisdom but it makes for some good times.  Krista got cornered by some silly guy whom we then had to avoid the rest of the evening.  Travis and I tried to do our country swinging but eventually there were too many people.  It is fun to dance though. We had lots of laughs and lots of fun. 

These two on a Sunday afternoon lounging at Grandmas.  I am glad they like each other now and I hope they continue to want to be close as they grow up. ..... We can all hope right. 

Someone gave me an ice cream cone, now who wants a kiss?  Daddy???

Lebaron Lake

Travis and I were fixin to go to Piute for the County Fair, which is quite possibly the coolest county fair I have ever been to, and we thought why not go have a good old fashioned "weinie roast" on the mountain.  We invited my grandparents to join in the festivities of the evening.  I love the Beaver (Tushar) Mountains.  They are so beautiful and peaceful.  We used to spend a lot of time on them growing up.  My dad loved taking us on "wild goose chases" my mom called them.  

We found an excellent spot that Travis and I actually constructed during out days with the Forest Service.  We set up camp and ate our dinner.  After dinner Travis and Grandpa wanted to try their hand at a little fishing.  Grandma and I cleaned up camp and met the boys down by the lake.  I got a little restless so I decided to hike around the lake with Miss Jaylee.  She is a great companion,  always good for a laugh, listens to everything I have to say, and doesn't say too much.  She did get a little tired on the ride and fell asleep.  I guess she got tired of me talking. 

It was a great evening.  We didn't catch any fish though.  During my travels around the lake nobody had had much luck with the fish though.  We packed up and headed home to get ready for the Fair the next day. 

Travis' Day of Birth

To celebrate Travis' birthday we headed up the mountain to Girl's Camp to be the guest speakers.  I was a little nervous to have the assignment because I remember back to my days of Girl's Camp and all the speakers they had were so inspirational and amazing.  There is no way I could be the type of speaker they were looking for to inspire the girls. 

We recruited my mom to come and watch the kids so we didn't have to find a sitter since most of the young girls I know were at camp anyways. Plus, I needed someone to put the kids to bed, that is quite the feat in and of itself- my kids may be a little spoiled but they are only babies once so I indulge them. 

I made Travis his favorite cake.  We had cake and presents before we left since this is the part of the birthdays the kids really enjoy.  When we were getting ready to leave I walked into the front room and say something suspicious on the floor.  I went to examine.  Much to my horror it was something that belonged in a diaper- we were in the midst of potty training.  Sawyer was no where to be seen.  We found him in his bedroom trying to clean up his "mess", and boy was it a mess.  I through him in the tub and scrubbed the "mess" off of him while Travis cleaned his room. I am so grateful for a husband who helps out.  After that whole fiasco we headed speedily up the mountain.  I may have gotten car sick and I was in the front seat.  Travis is one heck of a driver.  

At camp we ate with the girls.  It was fun to see what girls camp is like for others.  I loved Girl's Camp back in the day.  We had so much fun. Anyways, after dinner it was our turn to talk to the girls about making good decisions and how decisions we make today can impact our future.  We actually had the fireside at the camp fire which was nice.   After the fireside we played basketball with the girls for a bit and headed back down the mountain before it got too dark.  The ride down the mountain was a lot better, no car sickness.  Thank the good Lord.  Ever since I had kids I get vertigo bad.  One fast turn and whoa. 

Pioneer Day

The 24th started off as normal with the big Beaver Switchback 5k run.  I have been running the 5k on the 24th for 15 years- minus a couple of years due to childbirth.  I love this race.  It just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  This years race was actually a smaller one though I suspect because the 24th was on a Wednesday which makes it hard for people from out of town. This race had me really worried this year.  My brother in law was going to pay my 10 year old nephew $20 if we could beat me in the race.  I was really worried because 10 yr old's have endless energy and he wouldn't even have to train and could still possibly beat me.  We started the race and I was in head of Spencer.  I got to about 1/2 mile in and at that point there is a hair pin turn.  I took advantage and looked behind me to see if I could see Spencer.  Not 20 ft behind me was not only Spencer but my mom- whom I haven't beat in this race for 10 years- and we were starting the downhill part of the race, which is my mom's best area of racing. I picked it up and tried to keep my pace.  I got passed by a couple of people but not my mom or Spencer.  I finished the race and ended up beating my mom- not by much but I still beat her.  Spencer ended up getting a side ache.  It was fun to run.  I love that a my family likes to run.  This race is one of my favorite races. 

We headed down to the parade after the race.  Sawyer got a ton of candy, especially after he got a little aggressive.  The parade was fun as usual.  We headed down to the park for visiting and races for the little kids after.  This year Beaver decided to spice things up a bit and have a tug of war.  It was so much fun, I hope they do it again next year.  The men were so much fun to watch.  Travis got in the action and helped the 4th Ward out.  The sides may have been uneven so it wasn't very fair.  

The kids races were so crowded.  Jaylee ran with the one year old girls.  She wasn't very happy to run.  She made it half way and started crying but kept going crying until she met up with her Daddy.  Sawyer ran his race.  He was super pumped to have a race.  He keeps wanting a metal like his mom's.  I told him he has to finish a race.  

We visited at the park for a bit but we had to go to the El Bambi to make our lunch reservations.  We always have lunch with the Smith's. It was nice to have a little break from the heat.  

We hit up the golf course for our annual golf outing.  Dan, my mom, my grandma, Sawyer, Vanessa, Jaylee, Spencer, and I went golfing.  We had 3 carts.  We were quite the spectacle.  We were able to catch some amazing horse races.  We even saw a rider fall off right in front of us.  It was nuts.  Fortunately, the rider didn't get hurt. Golfing is the best while the horse races are going, we get front row seats. 

Allison, hosted the annual Yardley BBQ again this year.  It was nice to visit with family and catch up.  We don't do it enough these days.  Life gets busy, that is why it is so nice to have holidays and traditions.  

Fishlake

Travis decided we needed a trip to Fishlake to experience the phenomenal fishing up there. We rented a boat because apparently you have to get out past the algae to catch the really big ones, and trust me there were some HUGE ones. The water is so clear though it was fun to watch them swim.  If only they would have ate our bait.  We did catch some great perch, which are really good to eat so I won't complain.  

My parents met us up there to partake of the fishing.  We were told we could only have 5 in the boat and with Jaylee we made 6- really the baby counts as a whole person?  So my mom volunteered to stay ashore with me.  We walked along the lake shore trail down to the old Fishlake Lodge.  I had Jaylee in the backpack.  She didn't think the hike was very interesting so she snoozed while we walked.  We met the men back at the dock and headed over to the famous Bowery Haven for some delicious lunch.   After lunch my parents took the kids for a ride to let them take a nap while Travis and I went back out to see if we could land the big ones.  The weather started to get pretty windy and our small boat was struggling so we headed back to the dock, right before the rains came. It was a great day! I love the weekend adventures Travis takes us on.  

 Travis cleaned the fish for Sunday dinner for us.  The perch, like I said, are great for eating.  We had a great day fishing even though we got rained out in the afternoon.  Fine by me, it was stinking hot before the rains came in.

 I was pretty tired after eating and hiking with Jaylee on my back. Also, I caught a fish on the way back in.  It ripped the pole out of my hand.  Good thing I have cat like reflexes, hahaha. We reeled a nice trout in.