JULY

THE NEW MEXICO BIRDS
Everyone was so excited to have John, Holly, Riley and Jurnie come to stay for a week.



We don't get to see them very often, and we hadn't met Jurnie at all yet. The boys loved spending so much time at Grandpa and Grandma's house with such great aunts and cousins, and Uncle John, too. Riley and Uncle John were such good sports, playing with them and entertaining them. It was really hard to see them go but so great to have them here.

Cute sisters- Riley and Jurnie.










All the cousins in Grandpa's tree













Z had been wanting to make a movie so he wrote a script, the 3 Musketeers. He, T and S were the Musketeers, Riley was the bad guy, Uncle John was the king and Jurnie was the princess. Z wrote the script and did all of the editing himself, and was very happy with his finished project. Uncle John and Riley were very good sports to go along with his plan and to be a part of the movie. This wasn't the only film experience while the New Mexico Birds were in town. There were movies about balloon rockets, the 4th of July, and everyone playing the Wii game- Just Dance 2. It's fun to have them. Good memories!

Here are the 3 Musketeers. Love the mustaches!

On the fourth of July we celebrated with a BBQ. Sara brought out the pre-firework entertainment and the kids had a blast with balloon rockets. Then we roasted smores because Uncle John really thought we needed them. The kids had no patience, of course, so we did sparklers when it was still light outside. Finally we started the fireworks and then the rain came so we had to dash inside. It didn't rain long, though, and we were able to finish off the fireworks. It was a very fun Independence Day!










HIKES
One of our family goals for the year was that we would do 10 different hikes. We really arn't doing so good, through June we've done...NONE. So this month we've tried to get a few hikes in. Luckily we really don't have to go very far to find a nice trail.

Our first hike was up to the Escalante Cross above Spanish Fork Reservoir. I forgot my camera so didn't get any pictures. It was a really nice hike, not too hard and not too hot. Z was excited to be our trail guide since he had recently been on this same hike. At the end of the trail we had a great view of the valley, the windmills, and of course the Escalante Cross.

For our 2nd hike we found a trail off of the internet that we'd never been to before. It is called the Devil's Kitchen and it is up Payson Canyon on the Nebo Loop, almost all the way to Nephi. It was a pretty long drive for a very disappointing hike. The directions said it was about a mile but, not so. It took us all of 10 minutes to get to the end. There were some pretty cool red rock formations and an overlook area to look at them, but it was really more of a stroll than a hike. I wouldn't even consider it a hike, but we did walk around Payson Lakes afterward so I guess that helped make up for it.

This is us at the view area for Devil's Kitchen.

This is the view on the other side of Devil's Kitchen. I can't believe how much snow is still on the top of Mount Nebo in the middle of July. It looks crazy with the snow on the top and the green trees underneath!

Here are pictures of T and S fishing at Payson Lakes after our "hike". They were way too impatient and loud to catch anything but they had fun trying.




Our 3rd hike this month was on the way to Whiting Campground in Mapleton. It was a very nice hike, approximately 1 mile, with lots of shade. There was a river and irrigation canal that we followed- unfortunately we hiked right after a rain storm so the water was moving way too fast for the boys to play in it much. Another problem with hiking right after a rain storm- we were very muddy!
The boys led the way- Z in the front followed by T and then S. J and I bringing up the rear.

This is one spot where the little creek crossed over the trail. This small waterfall was about as close as they could get to the water.

Stewart Falls up Provo Canyon by Sundance was our 4th hike.
It is the longest hike that we've done so far. We all made it to the end despite the heat, and the boys wanting a drink and a rest at every turn, and S worrying about poison ivy the whole time. Seeing the waterfall at the end was well worth the effort. It was so beautiful and green up there and the water was falling very fast and was ICY cold. S didn't care at all and got in the water anyway. The 2 miles back to our car was much more difficult than the 2 miles to the falls, at least for me. I ended up with blisters on both heels and I was limping for pretty much the whole way back. It was very painful, but still we really enjoyed the hike.







PIONEER DAY CELEBRATIONS
It wouldn't be a 24th of July celebration without the childrens parade. This year only S was in it because Z and T were both at soccer practice. S wanted to ride his scooter instead of sitting on the trailer. Here he is in front of our ward's float "Home- The Place To Be".



And of course it wouldn't be the 24th of July without the Fiesta Days parade.


SCOUT STUFF
The scouts were invited to participate in the flag retirement ceremony during Fiesta Days. There was a nice program, then they burned the flags and shot the cannons.
They lit the big fire during the program and let it die down a little before they put the flag on it. S was worried because he was sure the fire was going to go out. He kept saying, "I don't think they're going to make it!"

Z and T and their friends in front of the fire after all of the flags had been burned. Each scout got to carry a flag to the fire and give it to a member of the National Guard, who then put it in the fire.

S getting ready for them to fire the cannons. He had his ear plugs in.

T was excited to go to Jeremiah Johnson for day camp again this year. They did a lot of fun things like BB gun shooting, archery, the raingutter regata, sling-shots, and the astronomy belt loop.


Everyones favorite was the sword fight.