Payson with the Reeds

We were anxious to share one of our favorite places with my family. We love Payson! It is beautiful and peaceful. When we arrived it was pouring rain! But it cleared up and then it was perfect. We walked around the lake with the fam to show them the beauty as soon as we could! 

 The kids had a blast again playing in the water, eating as much watermelon as they want and playing with Ashton! We were so glad Tony's family could make it!

 This photo cracks me up. My little social butterfly Carter made friends quickly who had fun water toys and talked them into pulling him around the lake on a tube pulled by a paddle board! Hilarious.

 Little Ry again was content on the edge of the water filling up a bucket and dumping it out. And these were the coveted comfortable chairs tony brought.

 Even the big kids got in to play and took turns with a tube out on the lake. The water was again perfect!

 Snack break!

 The fam!

 Poor Bri has Much Bum and this is how she looked most of the trip. Jeans do NOT love this girl. But I sure do!

 We hiked the Grotto Hike with the siblings before we left. It's always a fun hike and alot more water at the waterfall this year than 2 years ago.

 Whenever I take a pic of the girls together someones arm is always around someones head. This was a pretty sweet pic even though Rylee can't move her head!

We were sad to go, again! Proof my life is too stressful!! I need more nature! But I was so glad we could go. It was a great trip!!

Shopping with kids. ..

Ain't for the weak! I am not a home body so I am always out with the kids shopping. My kids like to be out too so most days it looks like this. :)

 I have DOZENS of Rylee selfies because she recently started requiring my phone to get through a shopping trip...which I comply to to make it through it!

 But one day at Costco turned into this! Who doesn't love costco!

 Their faces in this photo captioned the picture best!
 Get me out of here!
Feed me more samples!
 And I have to poop!

As a seasoned mom of 4 you'd think I have this figured out. But every outing is an adventure with kids for one reason or another. But I'm grateful for my little sidekicks that allow me to get out of the house and get some retail therapy every now and then.

A funny story in the middle of the night

Oh the crazy things we do when we are woken from a dead sleep. The night before we went to Bear Lake we packed the truck completely so that I could go pick up Chad from work and get on the road and not have to load the truck myself! We packed many valuables in the back but tied things down tight and hoped that our truck would be safe overnight outside. A few car break ins have happened to our neighbors so we had good reason to be paranoid. We went to bed.

About 1 am my phone rang and it was my neighbor. I sprang up and answered the phone. In Chad's paranoia he flew from bed thinking that that she was calling to tell us our truck had been broken into. The worst thoughts were going through our minds!

We are tiling our shower and so we have some stacks of tile sitting in our room. When he hopped up he kicked one piece of tile on the pad of his foot right under his toe. He screamed. I thought he screamed because he saw someone in our house. (He was screaming and running out our bedroom door.) It scared me so I started screaming and following him out to the hall. ( Keep in mind I'm still on the phone with my neighbor and all I've said up to this point is hello!)

When I started screaming Chad started screaming because he thought I saw or heard something from our neighbor. We both barreled down the stairs screaming and frantic. (My neighbor is still on the phone by the way) We reached the door and peaked out.....

Nothing but a calm night. The truck was still loaded....everything was in its place. No prowler about.
It was then that I realized my neighbor had just heard all our screaming and was still on the phone. I FINALLY said - HELLO?

She said "Oh I'm so sorry to wake you...I just wanted to tell you that you left your garage door open!"

WHAT?! HAHA! We had been so paranoid about the truck we forgot to secure our own house! We peaked around the corner and sure enough our garage was wide open. With complete access to our house! We were relieved and climbed back into bed still not really sure what just happened.

We sat on the bed and Chad realized he was bleeding and had cut his foot really deep. As he was taking care of it we both looked at each other and burst into laughter! It might not be that funny to you but we laughed well into the next day every time we thought about it. It still makes me want to laugh!

Glad we have neighbors watching out for us!

Bear Lake part 2 - Beach Day!

We got up early and had a yummy breakfast so we could get down and get a spot on the beach. The water is higher than its ever been before and so there really wasn't much beach. But by the time we got there it was PACKED! I couldn't believe how many people were down there already. 

We got there and set up and got in the water and sand! The kids LOVE sand ( i do not) so they were in heaven! Rylee and Bri especially loved the sand. 

 Lots of water toys were brought and Chaz and Maddie brought paddle boards! They were so fun!

 My little treasure hunter was ALL about finding treasures! She had buckets full by the time we left and she was sad we had to leave some behind.

 Bri and Ry were starting get get TOO comfortable in the water so I had to make sure to watch them closely!

 Ry spent hours filling up a bucket with water and dumping it on the sand.

Paddle boards!

 The girls found food in the shade and were happy!

 Can & Nan! We were glad the Eash family came to help our family reunion be more lively! It was a nice relaxing day! Annnndd we ALL got deathly sunburned!

 Chad had an owie on his foot (funny story in the next post) so he did a lot of sitting and not walking around in the sand.

 My lover....and a photo bomber!

 I had fun burying the girls in the sand. There's something about smooth hot sand running through your fingers that calms you.

 Rylee and Mollie got in on the burying too!

 It's getting harder and harder the older I get to leave these sanctuaries in the mountains where I feel so much calm and peace. It's nice to have a few unstructured days and let my kids play in the dirt and not even care! They all are happy when they are outside too so it's usually a pleasant trip for all!

 Good Bye Bear Lake! I'd love to come back to you but I wish there weren't so many people there! Nonetheless we had a blast...As you can see in the following picture!

Bear Lake Part 1

Mid July we planned a Hymas Reunion with all the Hymas' at Bear Lake. At the last minute almost every family backed out (sad) except us, Chaz and Mason and Clyde and Evelyn. We decided to still go and have a blast. Which we really did! 

The night before I braided the girls hair and it was the first time Bri got hers done. So cute! We stopped in Logan at Pizza Pie Cafe to fill our bellies before we hit the hills. 

 As always for camping, we were loaded to the gills. Glad we have a truck now we can all fit in and take as much gear as we like.

 We set up a little hammock/cot....it was not cool for a big person, but the kiddies sure loved it despite them tipping it every time they got into it.

 It was just our family the first night so we had a nice peaceful fire that Carter got to help start.

 Ry warming her toes.

 just like her big brother.

 That next day we everyone else arrived and we went for a quick trip in Bretts boat in the afternoon. It was Rylee and Brielles first time in a boat.

 Grandma always loves being in the boat and she came too. Here is my husbands happy place.

 Kayson came with G&G and the kids all had a blast. They were all timid about the boat and water first but it didn't last long.

 Chad's still got some moves. The water was pretty choppy because....well its bear lake! But we still had a blast.

 Bri was a little nervous at first but soon she too was swimming around like a little fish.

 Rylee loved it despite her face here...the life jacket not so much.

 And I was pleasantly surprised that I could still get up on the first try and that my minimal skills hadn't disappeared. The water felt SO good!

 The kids got on the tube after a while and after 1 ride they were hooked! It seriously made me happy watching the kids enjoy boating as much as Chad and I do.

 Ry was the flagger...once she got it she wouldn't let anyone else share it!

 That evening the Eash family joined us and Chaz and Mason. We all slept well in the tent and looked forward to the beach day on the next day! Stay tuned!