Heading into the holidays..

So sorry if this is the same picture you get on your Christmas card from us. I am just sitting here uploading all my music to my newer computer so I will be able to make the annual Christmas music Cd. So realizing the blog hadn't been updated in a while again, decided I would post some photos etc. I really can't believe Christmas is right around the corner.
Every year I have the same delimma how do we do this without it being ruined by how worldy and gimmy gimmy it's become. And then I do too much.. so how do we do it?

Jackson Hole

For the July 24th weekend, we escaped Utah and more fireworks and headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I had forgotten how absolutely lovely it is up there. Our river guide assured us we might not find the winters quite so lovely. Did he really say -35degrees? Ugghh, no thanks. Scott and I rode our new bikes on a pretty road leading up into the mountains. Jackson has these trails everywhere. We are so jealous that Utah doesn't have trails all over like that. They were everywhere.
Our friends, the Stones, went with us and we had a great time. Had to do the downtown scene, ate some yummy BBQ at Bubbas, did the river, downtown in there again :) and the went to the Bar J for dinner and entertainment. We stumbled on that place totally by accident our one of our drives and it was fun. I would definatley say that is a fun family thing to go do. Now we our home for one day and back up to East Canyon! Then on to Washington. We are excited to see my mom and dad (the "other" grandma and grandpa- is that like the other white meat? ) The kids and I love WA, we are going while daddy works in Reno.

Maddie feeding the stingrays. Ryder dropped his fish in the water before they could eat it. You have to get your hand right under their body and then their mouth kind of sucks it up

April trip to Alantis

Just days after falling 14 feet to land on my head (the lovely stay in the hospital, the worry that the headaches and memory losses would be permanent) we traveled on our planned trip to the Bahamas and Atlantis. That was THE greatest fun.
What a neat place with all the water, the sea life, the beaches, we pretty much just stayed on the island. The hotel was huge, it wasn't one hotel but several large towers that were spread out. They had these amazing aquariums throughout the whole place not just with regular fish but with sharks, manta rays and all kinds of things.

Maddie and her friend Bailey before their dance recital . Yes the huge baggy pants were meant to look like that.

East Canyon

We went up to East Canyon this past week. So much fun, the weather is cooler so Scott and I would take turns going on a bike ride. You'd get up in the morning and it was still a nice cool 50-60 degrees. What a change from down in the SLC valley.
Scott's family reunion was on Saturday with his mom's Anderson side of the family.
Maddie was off at girl's camp all week so she missed the fun. She was pretty tired of camping by the time she got home on friday.
Did some 4 wheelin in the Rhino, some boating, all though the water wasn't real smooth so it was more about riding on the tube.
The Smith's came up and partied one night, this is Peyton, their son riding with Scott and Ryder.

Vote on the family picture

Trying to decide which picture to use for the Christmas cards. Please vote...