Canyoneering!

It’s been ages since we got out camping. We went down to Escalante Friday night and camped rough. Bill organized this trip with his f3 group back in March to do a few canyons, and we watched nervously all week as it was kind of rainy. It’s super helpful when your friend is high up at the National Weather Service though and can tell you exactly what the weather is forecasted to be! It was good weather and we had fun camping Friday night with our friends and then headed out Saturday morning. 

Goodness gracious, the road out was awful. Worst dirt road I’ve been on for years and it was 25 miles long. It was intense! Felt a bit like our van was going to shake to pieces but we made it. 

We did three canyons. Dry Fork Narrows, Peekaboo, and Spooky. This was the entrance to Peekaboo. We had a few good climbs and drops! There were ten kids along, including two toddlers, so we did a whole lot of passing kids up and over things, but honestly, they did amazing. 

Required f3 picture at the beginning of every event.

Hanging out waiting for someone to help them get over the top. 

It was not too warm, but pretty humid. We got so sweaty! It was about 70, which is crazy for June. I couldn’t have imagined better weather. 

It got SO skinny in Spooky. 

Post hike. 

And fries and shakes afterward in Escalante. Great weekend! Hopefully we’ll do a few more this summer. 

 

Another year of school in the books

Another school year in the books! I’m so blown away by how fast time is flying by. Spencer is going to middle school next year as a seventh grader. Genevieve will be top dog in sixth grade at the elementary school. Aaron is in fourth. Chloe is in second. They’re growing so fast. They’re such great kids. 

 

Spencer is living his best life partying with friends, celebrating the end of elementary school. He had his last soccer game Saturday for the season. He’s trying out for a comp soccer team this week. Lots of good things for him!

Genevieve had the best friends group. She has tons of fun with them. She has really gotten into digital art. She has this cool Roblox dragon design game she plays where she gets to create her own dragons. Her creativity is endless. She’s still playing soccer too and plans to play with some friends next year through Bluffdale’s rec soccer program. 

Aaron is the king of Minecraft and Roblox. He plays whenever we let him. He’s still a huge fan of cats. He loves his stuffed animals and has become a huge reader this year. He read all of Fablehaven and dragon watch. He’s read Percy Jackson. He has read The Last Kids in Earth series. It’s fun to see him enjoy those worlds. 

Chloe grew so much this year. She’s really grown in her reading. She also has great friends. Her best friend moved across the country this weekend, so that’s super sad. Thankfully we’ll be able to keep in touch. She’s really enjoyed her soccer season too. She played a couple years ago but didn’t love it. She really liked it this year. She’s doing a gymnastics class too. And next year she’s going to start the art class Spencer and Genevieve did this year. 

We got to go to the opening reception for the Bluffdale Art Show on Friday. Spencer and Genevieve had their art from their art class this year displayed there. It’s there all month. Their skills have developed and refined so much this year. 

 

MPA reunion and other fun things

Yesterday I attended an MPA reunion with a couple of my old classmates, and saw a few more in the evening on a Zoom call. It was way less friends than I'd hoped, but great to see the few I did! We went to the This is the Place monument and had a great time. I love all my old MPA friends. 

Just like last time we went, the kids really loved panning for gold. 

And the girls rode the ponies, but it got cut short because of thunder. They only got to go around about twice, but better than nothing I guess? Genevieve was only BARELY short enough to ride them, as you can see from her dangling legs. I'd say she was probably too tall, but she slipped in. 

We got lucky on weather. It was pretty stormy all day, but we only got sprinkled on and the temps were chillier than expected. Honestly, it was amazing for end of May. 

In the evening we went to an F3 Memorial Day BBQ. That was tons of fun. I snapped this shot of Chloe and Aaron chatting and drinking some ginger ale. So cute. 

 

Loving the warm weather

I’m so amused that Genevieve took a spring school picture in Bill’s old family reunion hoodie from 2004 or thereabouts. She has the best style. 

Chloe and I wandered the neighborhood last night. We played at a couple different parks and played catch. 

She wanted to show me her trick. 

I planted our planter. 

I snapped this at Chloe’s soccer game. She’s really enjoying it this year. 

 

Sports, activities, games

We're Gund stuffed animals and squish mallow stuffed animals lovers over here. We have SO many. The kids play with them all, so I don't even complain that much when we get more. 

Spencer has really been having a good time with soccer this year. He continues to improve his skills. Always fun to watch. And as every sports parent knows, also so incredibly aggravating to watch, hahahahaha! I love watching my kids play. I also hate watching them play because I always want it to go well, and it often doesn't. 

Activity days fun for Genevieve. She's so ready for young womens. The next oldest girl in our ward is probably nine and in third grade. Genevieve is almost done with fifth. But oh well. Such is life sometimes. They are still doing cool stuff. 

Aaron was in percussion club this year and they had a fantastic performance this week. It was so fun to watch!

Chloe played goalie for a minute at soccer this week. I was like what the what??? She said she wanted to, but she was also glad to get out of it a few minutes later. 

And she has some new soccer shorts with POCKETS! Woot woot! She loves them. 

Spencer woke up at midnight last night and mixed up some cheddar biscuits and curly fries as a surprise for Mother's Day today. It was QUITE the fun surprise! Bill helped him deep fry the fries and bake the biscuits this morning and they were both delicious. 

 

Lots of celebrations

Spring soccer. You NEVER know what the weather will be. Wasn't expecting cold and rainy this week. We all froze. 

Genevieve and I checked out a cute little waterfall in Sandy off of Wasatch Blvd last Sunday. It was a pleasant little hike. Not even a mile out and back, but a fun little place to explore. 

I hung my medals! Bill did too, but I didn't get a picture of his. He has his own cool set of medals from all the stuff he's done. 

Another new pair of glasses for Genevieve. Poor girl, her eyes are changing really fast. We're hoping to slow that down. 

Summer birthdays birthday bash at the school. We brought Chick Fil A for Chloe and Carls Jr. for Aaron. Good times. 

We were SO sad to not be able to be in Texas for my nephew's wedding, but I was so happy to be able to attend my cousin's daughter's wedding and see a huge amount of my Jones side extended family. Two happy weddings on the very same day. It was a great day!