Bye Summer 2008!

This summer has been a quick one! Seems like we didn't get out camping as often as we have in past summers. We purchased my grandparents property in Elsinore, Utah about 3 1/2 years ago and have a trailer down there so we spend at least 1 weekend every month if not 2 there with them. The kids have joined us on a few occasions to make it a real family affair. Everyone loves to go to Grandma D's house!!! The summer started Memorial weekend, but not with the weather cooperating. Brent & I took Jennie & her boys to camp on the San Rafeal (sp) Swell, but got hailed & snowed on the first couple of days there. So, we packed it up & went to Elsinore. The weather was a bit warmer there & it was fun for Jackson to be outside instead of traped in the 5th wheel with his crazy grandma!

In June, Elsinore celebrates "Danish Days" - the settling of the town by the Mormon Pioneers. There are fireworks on Friday night followed by a parade on Saturday (the only one Brent will go to because it's 15 minutes long!) & activities on the park. This year, Grandma & Grandpa D were the Grand Marshalls over the festivities. Brent, the kids & our grandkids were all there to watch them in the parade. Ahhhhh, little towns. Nothing like them. Only place you see tractors as floats!!!

The 4th of July was a holiday spent at home. We went to the Layton parade to watch Patrick ride his BMW bike (doing his figure 8's quite nicely) & then went back to my house to play in the pool, B-B-Q & do fireworks! It was relaxing & a lot of fun. No traffic or crowds!!! Great!!! Everyone came over to eat & play kickball.

The 24th of July has become a tradition in Elsinore! The whole family went down & camped out on our property. We planned a huge 4-wheeling trip up to Monroe Peak (elev. 11,226 ft.). A day trip up some of the most beautiful mountain trails. And of course, we got almost to the top & again it hailed!! Weather is not our best thing this year. Brent being always prepared, had tarps, raingear & matches. We soon had cover & a fire. Everyone had packed a lunch, so we parked ourselves there until it cleared enough to head down the mountain. Not the best weather, but a great day & a lot of fun!!

We went on our annual trip to the Palisades mountains above Manti, Utah in August. Not the whole family could go this year. Jake & Whitney and Whitney's sister, nephew & brother went with us. Cameron was off on his annual training and Jennie & Patrick were home working on their house. (They are getting it ready to sell.) It was 4 days of 4-wheeling, good weather & great fun!! I love riding my quad, especially through puddles. In the past years the weather hasn't been the best (imagine that), but this year it was great!!! We put 80+ miles on our machines seeing some great landscape, wildlife & riding through rivers!

The weekend of August 22nd, I spent with my grandparents in Elsinore. Upon arriving, I knew that it would be the last time I would see my grandma. Her health has been failing rapidly over the past few months. We talked, laughed & shared many cherished and private thoughts. She has been my lifelong friend & confidant. A great woman with a very special countenance & enormous inner strength. It was a beautiful weekend & even though it was hard to leave her, we had said all we needed to & our life together on this earth was complete. No regrets, no "wish-I-hads". Over the Labor Day weekend on August 30th, she passed away quietly in her home. I will miss her more than I can say. She understood me so well & loved us all so much. It was a holiday weekend filled with mixed emotions but a lot of great memories. Not wanting to tackle the holiday traffic, we opted to camp at Cherry Hill with Cameron & his family. Jennie brought the boys over to play. (Patrick was working.) We miniture golfed, swam & then the whole flam damily rode the FrontRunner train to Salt Lake for dinner (& back again). It was fun and helped to soften the news of Grandma's passing for all of us.

It has been an amazing summer!! Even with accidents (Patrick got hit by a car while on duty, Jackson fell out of their Durango on his head, Harrison took a trip out of our 5th wheel door, Erica fell on her face while walking with her hands in her pockets) & Mushu (our shitzu) lost his tail, it has been a summer to remember. Brent's business is soaring, I started a new job, Sammy began Kindergarten & life is good. We enjoy spending time with our kids, grandkids & most of all with my grandparents. I am probably one of the few at my age who still has them around. And I am so grateful for that. They have lived to see 5 generations follow them & been able to spend time quality time with them all. Nights of dutchoven dinners in the driveway of their home, playing Phase 10 & building bon fires in the dirt are memories that not only I cherish, but my whole family. My grandkids love Grandma and Grandpa D & get really excited when we are going down there. Grandpa will be 92 next week! We are heading down to celebrate with him.

How's this for a photo to remember!!! Grandma and her first great-grandkids!!! Aren't they cute!!! :)

Our Blog is Born!!!!!

Today is the first day of the rest of our blog!!!! We have decided to join the rest of the 21st century and begin blogging. As our family grows and spreads around the U.S. of A. this is probably the best way to keep everyone up on us, our adventures and link you to our family. We're beginners, so no judging!!!! Enjoy and we'll try to keep up on this.