Water Babies

I was trying to organize my pictures and found these from a Pineview boating trip earlier this summer. Oh how I miss having these kids around!

Annie Kate

Sam

Ashton, AnneMerie, Ellie and Haley playing King of the Tube

Victorious!

Henry getting ready to jump.

Julie and Abby

AMERICA! Independence Day Fun

So I'm still trying to get caught up on summer...

Freedom Days Parade with Blakely's family

In order for us to save a spot, Blakely and I had to make a run at 4:45 AM to put down our blankets and chairs. Anything laid down before 5:00 is taken by the police. People camp out all night to make sure they get the spot we want! Clearly we're not that hardcore.

Ah Utah. I don't think I will see any temple floats in Texas.

Other fun included light saber wars, (Aaron was the universal target)

playing with my cute niece Shelby,

   and my cute nephew Daxton

and enjoying the annual firework show in Uncle Calvin and Aunt Margo's front yard. 

Happy Independence Day!

Biking!

In June we were able to take a biking trip with some friends in our ward, Jared and Stacie Gibbons.We were able to stay with Stacie's sweet parents in St George and ride a couple of different trails including  Bearclaw Poppy Trail and a trail in Snow Canyon which were both super fun even though the second trail was a tad bit out of my difficulty level. The weather was perfect until it started to downpour the last couple of miles of our second ride but I didn't really mind, it just added to the adventure. Turns out I'm still a big wuss on a bike but I'm getting there. I even go down an occasional hill now and then! :)

These pictures were taken seconds before the downpour began that lasted the last couple miles back to the car.

Blakely and I were worried about what kind of biking we would find in Texas. We already miss the Utah mountains and the many outdoor recreational opportunities they offer, but we were pleasantly surprised by the biking trail we found today. We biked around Lake Georgetown which was beautiful, and surprisingly fun and difficult. Hopefully we can find some more just like it!

Ashton Family Reunion in New York

This July my family ventured to New York to visit my brother Spencer where he is completing his medical residency.We spent a week in a beach house in Sodus Day along Lake Ontario where we were able to visit Niagara Falls, Palmyra, and other surrounding areas. We were all able to make it except for Joe, Ashton, and Abby. All together there were 21 of us there!

Julie, Mom, Sam, Ben, Kenzie, Blakely, Ellie, Haley, Niki, Henry, AnneMerie, Matt, Annie Kate at Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls far exceeded my expectations. We paid extra to take the Cave of the Winds tour and take a ride on Maid of the Mist and they were both awesome!

Pre- Cave of the Winds Tour sporting our complimentary ponchos and sandals. 

At the bottom of hurricane deck, when we were still dry!

Post Hurricane Deck: Soaked! The ponchos didn't really help.

On board the Maid of the Mist after we left the foot of the falls. I couldn't open my eyes because there was so much mist! Crazy awesome

Luke was asleep the entire time.

We went to Palmyra to see all of the Church history sites including the Parlmyra Temple, the Sacred Grove, the Smith Farm, the printing press where the Book of Mormon was published, Hill Cumorah, and the Peter Whitmer Farm where the Church was organized. 

 In the Sacred Grove

Smith Farm

View of the Sacred Grove

Palmyra Temple

Inside the printing press

We went to an awesome children's museum in Rochester

Where we went to 123 ABC St

and were able to visit Big Bird!

and Papa Bernstein Bear!

We took a ride in Cinderella's carriage,

met an old woman who lived in a shoe had lots of kids :),

and witnessed a superhero save 3 children from falling off a high rise building!

Before the majority of the group left for home we celebrated my mom's retirement from teaching and her official graduation from school!

At the end of our trip we were able to take a beautiful hikewith Spencer's Family to Taughanock Falls and view the Ithaca Gorges. 

I am so glad we were able to spend such a great week with my nieces and nephews and siblings before we left for Texas. I will surely miss them all!