Lead Line

What is "lead-line", you might be asking yourself?

Well, in my opinion, it's the greatest horse competition for "yung uns"

E.V.E.R.!!

Items needed:

A 4 year old daughter that LOVEs horses - check

 A Horse - check

A Line - check

A Leader - check

So...

with everything in "check", Tessa was able to

 join us this year and compete also.

It's all about holding on and how fast your leader/runner can go.

Hence, the blue ribbon and big smiles!

August 13, 2011

The afternoon started off with Hudson and Abbi carrying the flags

for the National Anthem.

 aww... tears in my eyes

 Beautiful!

 Amazing!

I just love our country and our freedom.

Let the games begin!

Go Dani Rae. Go Ty!

 A few (cute) fans.

 Go! Go! Go!

Hold on Tess!

 Run Hudson!

 A few more (cute) fans.

It was a fun day in Evanston, WY!

SALT!

And lots of it!

Back in August we took a family trip to the

Great Salt Lake - Antelope Island

A few known facts:

1- The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere,the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around 1,700 square miles.

2 - The Great Salt Lake is endorheic (has no outlet besides evaporation) and has very high salinity, far saltier than sea water.  Because of its unusually high salt concentration, most people can easily float in the lake as a result of the higher density of the water.

(resource: wikipedia)

We have talked about going for years - each year. 

The kids ask, we talk about it, we think we are going to go

and then....

we don't.

This year - WE DID!

We hiked up, up, up.
Checked out the views.
AMAZING.

Climbed the rocks and hiked around.

Tess

Abbi, Elizabeth, and Maggie

Hudson carrying the Hunk for a bit.

WOW!

Where's the Beach?
That way!

Crazy Mountain Kids

Our Incredible 9

Tess and Daddy

So not fair!

All of us!

On top of the world.

(well, not really)

We saw several buffalo and antelope.

THEN...

we went to the beach!

Some of us (actually just one of us) took a nap.

While the others played in the sand

and swam/floated in the salty water.
Very salty.

Found a few "soft spots"
and sunk

Me and Cooper enjoying the beach
(along with a gazillion brine flies)

The Coop!

Awake and happy

We all had a blast and highly recommend it.

Definitely a highlight of this summer.

Mountain Man Living

Back in June (yes, way back then), we went to a

 "Mountain Man Living" 

Day at This is the Place Monument.

I guess we don't get enough "mountain living" up here so we went down to the city for a bit more :-)

Oh, we had fun!

A pioneer woman showing the girls how laundry was done back then -

By Hand!!

Then each of the girls got to try it.

And then they hung the laundry to dry.

We all decided we like doing laundry with our machines.

Spoiled!

A lady was spinning yarn.

A fun tree swing for Dani Rae

Hudson playing "pick up sticks

Caleb and Coop enjoying the shade.

Weston trying a few games with the pioneer boys.

Tessa taking a turn at it.

And Elizabeth

Ahhh...

Home Sweet Home for my boys.

They loved this tent.

Look at those hides!

Beaver, fox, coyote...

Oh, the envy!

This guy was a trader looking for Indians that might be interested in trading for some of his things.

It was fun to see and hear about his belongings and what they were used for.

The Mountain Man Blacksmith.

Very interesting to watch him pound out the shapes.

Our Crew of 9