Bear Lake with the Hammerstrom's, Mark and NO KIDS!!!

(Above: After our cold hike we decided to stop and get shakes, brilliant I know, and Jaycee and I got our picture taken, don't we look stunning?)

(Above: This is one of the 1st little lakes you come upon at the beginning of the hike.)

(Above: The hale was still coming down at this point, Ryan was even cold, yes, that's how cold it was.)

(Above and Below: The storm cleared off for a minute to take a picture of the beautiful, clear water.)

This trip to Bear Lake was quite relaxed and TOTALLY awesome! We decided to leave the kids with Grandpa Thayne and Grandma Shell and just go spend some time with some GREAT friends, the Hammerstrom's and Mark of course! We didn't take many pictures on the beach or on the boat, more videos of wakeboarding than anything this time. We did go on this beautiful hike to Bloomington Lake, which is a natural glacier lake. When we got up to it, a storm was rolling over and the temperature plummeted to I think 45 deg. BURRRRR!!! It was a 1/2 a mile hike in and about half way it started to hale and rain on us! It was quite adventurous! But when we finally made it to the lake, it was totally worth it. The videos here at the end are of Ryan and I wakeboarding. My video is kind of long, so if you want to watch it, just fast forward to the 2 min. mark, that's when I finally start getting a little air, which I'm very proud of! It doesn't look like much, but it feels awesome!!!

Bear Lake with the Vincent's

(Above: Another BEAUTIFUL sunset at Bear Lake.)

(Above: Joe, Sam and Jamie, relaxing on the boat!)

(Above: Mazzy jumping in from the boat to take a swim.)

(Above: Ryan and Brons out swimming.)

(Above: Maz and Sam, two little bathing beauties!)

(Above: Bronson just OOOZING with coolness!)

Our next trip to Bear Lake was with some of our good friends the Vincent's, they hadn't ever really been, so we had to share our "heaven" with them. We had a BLAST!!! Thanks for the good time Fred, Jamie, Joe and Sam!!!

Bear Lake with My FAM!

(Above: Grandma Shell and Brons playing in the water.)

(Above: Bronson and Stryder swimming)

(Above: All the kiddos...Stryder, Kaden, Bronson and Mazzy)

(Above: Stryder playing dead)

(Above: Maz and Grandma Shell playing on the beach)

There are going to be quite a few posts over the next few days because I am so behind on my blog and our summer vacations and fun. So check it frequently. It's mostly going to be pictures, so enjoy!

We got my family to come up to Bear Lake this year with us to celebrate Bronson's birthday. We all had so much fun visiting and laughing and just having a great time together. My best friend since the 1st grade even made it up for a day to hang with us, so it was really fun for me!

My Bronson is 6!!!!

On July 21st, our little boy turned 6 years old! He had quite the extended celebration too! We were up at Bear Lake on his real birthday, with just my family, so we decided to have a little party for him. We spent the whole morning and afternoon down at the beach, played in the water, boated, and just had a good old time.

Bronson the b-day boy lounging in the water.

Grandpa Thayne and Grandma Shell brought him up a cake and we brought the ice cream! (I forgot the candles:(

Here he is opening presents. Big sister Mazzy seems REALLY excited!

Mom, Dad and Maz got this cool bike for one COOL dude!

Here is Bronson shaving like Grandpa Thayne with his new shaving kit from Grandpa and Grandma.

When we got home the fun and presents did not end. We finally ordered his Transformer wall clings to finish up his room. They didn't show up in time to bring them to Bear Lake, but they arrived while we were up there. So we hurried and decorated his room. He also got Transformer curtains that my mom made for him, but I didn't have them hung yet. But his room looks SO complete with them now!

Bronson declared this "Autobot corner"

This corner is declared "Decepticon corner".

And of course the door had to be decorated as well. And if you couldn't tell Bronson learned the "Rock On" sign with his hands from his dad.

And now here we are at the main family and friends birthday party. Yes I made his cake (it didn't turn out too shabby, right?), he picked it out and I delivered. And yes it was oh so yummy if I do say so myself! We also ALWAYS make homeade raspberry and apricot (seperate of course) ice cream for his birthday party, which usually hits the spot, cause it's so hot out!

Our blow up water slide has had some issues and we didn't think it could hold a ton of kids, so we opted for a good old fashioned water fight....buckets full of water and cups.....oh yeah, and thanks to the Hammerstroms for water balloons.

Refilling the buckets.

Present time. THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who came to celebrate this FUN day with Bronson! We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends who care so much about us!!! We LOVE you all!!!!!
P.S. If anyone listens to the birthday song on the video at the bottom of this blog, it might cause your ears to bleed.....please don't say I didn't warn you....the Jones' really know how to take a simple song and do it OH SO WRONG!!!

Crystal Lake

(Above) Ryan was goofing off with the camera.
(Below) Mazzy just waiting for that fish to take a bite.

(Above and Below) Bronson and me, patiently waiting for a fish to bite our line.

(Below) Bronson and Mazzy at Crystal Lake

(Below) The next few pictures are of the Provo Falls. (We hiked all the way up to the top of them, I didn't realize there was like 5 different levels to these falls, it was gorgeous!

(Above) Is the trail to the top of the cliffs, by Cliff Lake. We all started up it, but Bronson got scared 1/2 way up, so I took him back down while Mazzy and Ry continued to the top.

(Below) Ry and Maz at the top.

(Below) One of the views from the top. That is Washington Lake that you can see.

(Below) Crystal Lake

(Below) Bronson's fish he caught all by himself, casted and reeled it in!

We packed up and headed to the Uintah Mountains the first part of this week, just us and the kids. We backpacked in to Crystal Lake and spent the night. We fished and hiked all that we could until it was time to go home. It was absolutely beautiful and relaxing!