Bear Lake 2010

Well, it's that time if year again.  It seemed not to come fast enough.  I know our family were talking and planning since the spring.  The kids were especially excited to meet their new cousin, Hayden and see Aunt Andrea and Uncle Joe since it's been years.......

This is our view from the deck of the condo.  Of which I bummed I didn't take more pictures, but we were so busy from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. It was truly an action packed weekend. 

 Day 1 at the beach.  We arrived early enough to get a great spot and we just lounged around and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and warm water.

 Grandma and Grandpa Michaelson brought lots of fun stuff to play with.

 Koen, Dallin and Kael all playing ball with Dad.

 Hannah building sandcastles

 Makai and Dallin

 Kael

 A look out into the water.

 Snack break

 My beautiful son, Kael...such a sweetheart!

 There were a flock of birds Kael was trying to approach slowly and quietly but every time he would get close, another boy would run through them and they would all fly away.  When they landed in a different spot, Kael would try again only to have his plan foiled again.

 Grandpa overseeing the sandcastle construction.

Love you Honey! **just saying**

 Now since I'm so behind in posting this, I forgot the name of this game.  But when I was looking at this pic, Barry had made some comment on how perfect his form was....LOL

Koen and Kael take a stab at it.   

 Afterwards we all cleaned up and headed to bless baby Hayden.  Koen is ready!!

Such a beautiful little girl.

Mom and daughter 

 Grandpa Michaelson, Hayden and Hannah

 I love Hayden's face in this one.  She loves her grandpa!

 Proud parents

 Grandma Nield and us

 Since we missed Dallin's birthday this year, we all celebrated together.  Cake and all!

 Day 2.....the Reunion.  We got there early to set up camp.  This is only part of our "section" of the beach.  And yes, they are all with us.

 Gy-normous sand castle.

 This is Kael mischievous face......right before he.....

 .....sent it my direction to catch.  I caught it on film, but that's about it.

 It's eatin' time!

 A look out from our main canopy.

 Last picture taken with Great Grandma Michaelson and her boys.

 Michaelson Grandchildren

 Grandpa and Grandma surrounded by their grandchildren.  Yeah, this was the best shot we could get at the time. 

 A quick shot of us.  So quick that some didn't even know we were taking it.   lol

 Group shot!  Love you guys, can't wait till we see you next year!

How Does My Garden Grow.....

.....How does my garden grow?

Well, to tell you the truth......I don't know.

I credit the beautiful flowers, fruits and herbs that filled our backyard throughout the spring, summer and fall to whoever planted all of it to begin with, and the timed sprinkler system to keep it watered....

I WISH I had time to create and keep up such a thing, but I don't.  That's on my retirement bucket list, or "when the kids are all in school and too busy with their social lives", To Do List....

....so in the meantime while I wait for time to garden, I just take pictures of how beautiful nature is.... 'cause that's what I do sometimes.

We discovered we had 2 different kinds of apples, a pear, peach and cherry trees; a grape vine, raspberry, blackberry, sage and currant bushes, along with LOTS of flowers that continued to bloom throughout the changing seasons.

I'm only bumbed I didn't have time to capture all the plants at their peak.

By the way, these were super yummy!  And I ended up eating just about all the strawberries we grew, which would have been quite a few if I had noticed them earlier.  But, by the time I got my busy butt out there and saw it was good pickin's I was able to serve myself up 2 bowl fulls.

At the end of the growing season made a fresh homemade apple pie and surrounded it with some of our other home grown fruits I grabbed from the back yard and there you have it.....a yummy, fruity summer.