Colorado Trip

BYU had a scheduled game at Colorado University in Boulder this year, so we decided it was time to visit Nathan and Benazir and their kids.  We drove through the night arriving late Thursday night.  On Friday, we did a gorgeous hike in Chautauqua park. 

 Afterwards, we got ice cream cones and let the kids play at a park.  That night Nathan made us a nice steak dinner and Benazir made yummy pesto potatoes.  The boys had fun playing computer gamnes with their cousins.  

Saturday, we have the most delicious pastries made by a Michelin chef from France.  Then, we played at another park and went to a pumpkin patch.  We all found our way through a huge corn maze (except Nathan- he couldn’t figure it out).  We rode a little wagon ride around the patch.  

That night, Derek and the kids went to the BYU football game. It was a close exciting game, they loved getting to see Ralphie the Bison run the field.  The Watkins came out for the game too and had seats close by.  

I stayed back with the nephews and played hide n seek, got some good baby snuggles, and Daniel read me Dog Man.  In the morning Benazir made us some delicious French Toast and then we headed out on the drive home.  We drove on I70 which was a gorgeous drive through canyons and near the Colorado river.  We got to see tons of gorgeous fall leaves starting to change color.  I don’t remember ever driving through this portion of freeway so it was so fun. 

Our Performing Kids

Lots of performances for these so very busy and talented kids.  Camden had a final band performance at the piano gallery at the end of May.  He is getting better and better and his concerts are so fun to watch.

 Rise up and Amplify had their big end of the year concert at the Covey in June.  Liv absolutely killed it on her Amplify solo- she is really coming into her voice.  

It was a bittersweet farewell to Rise Up Children’s choir for both Carter and Liv her are taking a break from choir this year.  

At the end of May, Liv performed in a Mama Mia concert.  She played Rosie part of the Donna and the Dynamos trio.  She did such a great job- it was a bit of let down performance for her because it was supposed to be a full length play, but the theater ended up having the rights to the show revoked and so they instead just performed all the musical numbers they had been choreographing and rehearsing in a concert type performance.  

Cam’s band just had one more bonus super fun performance at the Orem city center outdoor stage.  They played at the start of Orem’s first every Taste of Orem and it was a super fun venue to watch them rock out in.  Babi and Papou came up for this performance and it was fun to have them there, then we all sampled the taste of Orem.   In between Babi taking Liv for a birthday lunch date, the boys flag football game and Papou fixing all the broken things in my house. 

Liv's 15th Birthday

Liv had a whole weekend celebrating her and Emma’s (whose birthday is just 2 days before hers) birthday.  Emma and her Mom invited Liv and I and couple friends to stay overnight at their cabin Friday night.  Liv and I had to leave early for a callback audition.  They have a cabin near mirror lake in the Uintahs and the leaves were starting to change.  It was so beautiful the girls took loads of pictures. 

 That night they made homemade pizza, snuggled on the couch and watched a movie, and stayed up till 2am talking before finally going to sleep. 

 Saturday night, Liv and Emma threw the hugest Glow in the Dark Party in our backyard.  

Derek hung up black lights around the pickleball court transforming it into a glow in the dark dance floor.  The girls set up glow in the dark games around the yard- tic-tac-toe, glow pong, ring toss, and a place for people to write favorite memories with the birthday girls.  Derek and I ran a soda bar.  

Daniela made it cool with signs announcing Liv’s choice- “The Game Day” Dr. Pepper with cream and coconut, Emma’s choice- “The Sponsor” with Baja Blast and Cream or kids could create their own choice.  They had 70 kids there! 

 The girls tried to hide all the basketballs so the boys wouldn’t play basketball.  However, they ended up smuggling in a basketball hoop so the girls decorated it with glow in the dark tape and decided to allow it to stay.  It was wild and crazy night, but Liv came up and gave me a huge hug during the night and said “Thanks for letting me have a party Mom.” And I decided it was all worth it.  On Liv’s actual birthday, I took her to take her driving permit written test after school.  She passed and has loved driving all around town wherever we will let her.  

That night we went to dinner at Olive Garden with Grandpa.  We gave her some much wanted Doc Martin “stompy clompies,” a Paige Fish necklace, and digital camera. 

Quick Capital Reef Trip

 We have declared capital reef our family’s favorite national park and try to get there most years.  We had such a busy summer with church campouts that we weren’t sure if we would make it, but decided we could quickly squeeze in a one night campout over Labor Day weekend.  We left Sunday after church (because we needed to stay Saturday night for a BYU football game and wanted to catch church).  Chase came down with us since Daniela was out of town.  We got down there, set up the trailer and then finally for the first time took our kids and Chase on the Cassidy’s Arch hike.  

We got done in just enough time to have Slackers for dinner.  The next morning, we got up and got pie (strawberry rhubarb continues to be a favorite).  Then, we drove out to the capital gorge and hiked in that slot canyon before heading back to pack up camp and drive home.

  It was a very quick campout, but totally great to get away in one of our favorite beautiful Utah places.