Father's Day

This year for Fathers Day it was a little different. We were at Lake Powell so we didn't do a lot for our dads. It was hard because we didn't have cell service so we couldn't even call our dads and wish them a Happy Day. We went to Lake Powell with our friends the Scotts. Tara had a great idea of letting the kids put shaving cream all over their dad and then shave him with a wooden craft stick. The kids loved it and the Dads were really good sports about it. We love our Dad and had a great week spending time with him.

It was fun to watch Taylor. She really got into it.

Poor Jeff had shaving cream in his eyes and mouth.


Ryan thoroughly enjoyed making a mess on Jeff.

Yeah now he is all shaved.

Makenna, Seth, & Mason Scott





The beauty of this activity was that as soon as it was over they could just jump in the Lake and clean off.

I will post more Lake Powell pictures in the days to come. There are far too many to do in one post.

Official boat owners

Well it is official we are boat owners. We took the first non rainy night and went out to American Falls with our friend John Misner and his son Jayden. His wife Brooke was at a baby shower so she missed out on our fun. We also took our niece Taryn with us. The kids love going out on the boat and it makes us really excited to go to Lake Powell.

On a side note I have been messing around with photo shop so I thought I would post some pictures to see what people think. Remember go easy I am a beginner. Also if anyone has any tips for me please share I really just know the basics. Thanks Joanie for the tutoring so now I can say I know one or 2 things.

When we got to the Reservoir it was absolutely beasutiful with water like glass. By the time we left it was windy and we had some big waves. After all the slow rides on the tube with the little kids and the old Mom, Ryan wanted to take a crazy ride. Because he is so lightweight he was actually flying and the tube was no longer on the water. I thought a few times that we lost him because I could only see the bottom of the tube. Then it would come back down and he would be holding on. I wish I could have gotten pictures, but there was too much water splashing around to have our camera out. Ryan is such a daredevil.

He had a good day

We thought that Ryan was going to miss getting the sickness that had been going around our house this weekend. But...on Tuesday afternoon on our way to the swimming pool, it hit! We made it to the lawn of the country club before he lost it. He spent the next 12 hours so sick! It was sad because he missed his last day of flag football camp and swimming with his cousins.
So today he felt better and was able to go to junior golf this morning. It was the putting and chipping lesson. They had a putting challenge that earned them a ticket if they made their putts. Ryan missed the previous four and got down to his last putt and sunk it. He was smiling so big and I was really happy for him. The ticket was exchanged for a big tangy taffy at the club house.
Ryan has never been the best at anything, we are usually cheering just for him trying.
Tonight he had his first flag football game. Last year he didn't have a clue about how to play the game. He always wanted to hike the ball. He wants to be a part of the action, yet not carry the ball and get chased down by the other kids. So tonight I was hoping he would branch out and want to run the ball. The first series guess what...he plays center. Okay I know everyone needs a turn. Next series that he is in he carried the ball and then he lined up to snap the ball again, I was thinking can't someone else do it? Well it was a trick play even for me. He snapped the ball and then ran to the end zone. The quarterback threw the ball right to him and he caught it! Touchdown! I couldn't believe he held on to it. Usually we are cheering if he catches one or two at practice.
So the game goes on and he is snapping the ball again. Same play he snaps it, runs to the end zone and the quarterback throws it to him. This time the ball bounces off his fingertips and he manages to grab it back in and scores another touchdown. I was so excited and so was he. So today was a good day for Ryan. He brings me joy in my life and I love being his mom even when he doesn't sink putts and score touchdowns. Way to go Ry.

Cousin Sleep over

Last Thursday we had the cousins sleep over at our house. It was good timing because Jeff was out of town. We played outside had dinner, watched a movie and ate plenty of junk food. We also made a video for Grandpa & Grandma McMinn. Just thought I would share it with everyone. The do ray me was pretty good for a one and only take.

Jackson Hole

Last Weekend we got the opportunity to go to Jackson Hole. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to go and stay. We have been there several times in the last couple of years and there are still things that I am wanting to do and see there. This trip we took a boat that we are probably going to buy. We wanted to try it out before we purchased. We are excited to be boat owners and Jackson Lake was the perfect place to try it out. I have never been to such a beautiful place. Lake Powell is right up there on my list they are so different, but both so beautiful.

We went with our friends the Richards. They have 3 kids close to our kids ages so our kids each had their own friend. The water was so cold that even stepping out on the swim deck to get on the tube gave me frostbite. We did not get in the water, we just pulled the tube close and jumped on. Ryan was really trying to fall in and act crazy, but I am glad he didn't. We would have had to treat him for Hypothermia. As you can see from the pictures there was still a lot of snow in the mountains.

The Lake goes right up to the base of the tetons.


We put in at this marina on Colter Bay and then we rode up the lake for a few minutes and stopped for lunch at Leeks Marina. It was really yummy food and fun to drive the boat up for lunch. We did hit some pockets of rain and it was pretty cold driving in the boat for the first couple of hours. It did warm up in the afternoon. Here is a pic of the boat, the kids love it.

Austin Richards & Ryan. Notice Ryan trying to rock the tube from side to side.

The girls waiting patiently for their turn.

Halle Richards & Kaylee


Me & My girls. Taylor wasn't sure she wanted to go on the tube, but once we got out there and she saw how slow it was going she had a good time.

Stef, Jett, Kaylee, Me & Taylor


We were heading back to the Marina. Taylor was loving the ride. I took about 10 pictures of her and she was just posing and smiling. I thought I would delete the worst ones, but they were all so cute that I couldn't get rid of any of them.


Saturday Night we were joined by some more friends the Archibalds. Sunday morning we went for a little hike up a trail that I have wanted to try. It is really steep but short. It was a hot hot day and we were really sweating by the end. Taylor and Jett climbed up most of it themselves. Thank goodness, it gave us an excuse to go slow and we didn't have to carry them. The family picture at the top of our blog shows the view we had at the top overlooking the town of Jackson.

This parasiler(don't know if that is the correct term) went right over our heads. We could have almost touched him he was so close.

Yeah we made it. Lowell and Jett are still on their way up.
Here are all the kids. They all made it in one piece on the way up, but we had several slips and falls on the way down.

Kaylee smelling the sunflowers at the top.

It is so wonderful to have such great friends that are spur of the moment and ready for fun. We had a great trip.

PS. I am supposed to be at time out for Women this morning, but I am home instead taking care of my 2 sick girls. Jeff had to go to Lake Powell this weekend to launch the house boat. What terrible timing. Oh well, I at least got to go last night. It was awesome!

End of year for Ryan

The last day of school for Ryan was field day. The girls and I went over for a few minutes and shot some pictures of him and his friends. They were playing sharks and life guards with a parachute.
Kaylee & Taylor along for the ride.

Ryan ready to be eaten by a shark! I accidentally put the same pictures on twice. I can't find a way to remove it so you get to see double.

Another game was a relay race. Ryan had to hold an orange under his chin.

This was Ryan's first grade teacher Mrs. Johnson. She told me that she knows that she isn't supposed to pick favorites, but she couldn't help it and Ryan was her favorite. I wonder if she says that to all of the parents. This was her first year teaching and she did a great job.

Ryan also had a play that the first grade did for the whole school and parents. They performed about 5-6 times during the week. It was really cute. It was called How does your garden Grow? Ryan was a weed that chokes the pansies!

Our little weed.

Jayden Bell and Ryan

This is Ryan's part in the play. He is the one on the far right in the green shirt with the navy sleeves. You can tell that acting and performing are not his thing at this point. He did a good job up there.

Memorial Weekend

For the Holiday weekend we went to Jeff's parents cabin in Island Park, ID. The first day we went 4 -wheeling on two different trails and saw lots of wildlife. My parents went with us and they took pictures of our riding. The first road we took still had a lot of snow on it and we didn't make it all the way because there was a huge drift in the road. The kids loved taking a break and playing in the snow.

We also went to Yellowstone National Park. We spent most of our time walking around the trails at old faithful. We always love visiting the park.

Taylor loved getting down really close and looking at the water. It made us so nervous!
Kaylee had a hard time on the hike. She hates the smell of the geysers and whined about it the whole time. She also kept her nose plugged with her finger for the first hour and a half. When this girl gets irritated, watch out!

Grandpa Byington with Kaylee & Ryan

In front of Castle Geyser.

This is the bird that had died in the cabin over the winter. We found some weird stuff on the carpet that we knew we didn't leave there. We figured it was bird droppings and so we went to find the bird. Here it is! Jeff found it dead in the shower.

We had pretty good weather on the hike, but when the sun went behind the clouds we definitely wanted sweatshirts. The kids are wearing the adults sweatshirts to be funny. Taylor is wearing Ryan's. The Blondie on the left is my 4 year old niece Camryn. She is only 3 months older than Kaylee. She got the tall genes of the family.