Sam totally looks terrified in this picture. I was soooo sad too b/c I only brought our little camera and I didn't check the battery and the battery died before we even got to "the rock". The rock that lot's of people jump off of.
I missed great jumping pictures and great rope swinging pictures this year. Even a few of the kids, including Sam and Ellie jumped off a little rock next to the big rock. So sad I didn't get it on camera. :( Ellie was kind of a nightmare on the kayak trip. She would not let Dan touch the paddle for the first 15-20 minutes b/c she wanted to do it all herself. Oh and she was screaming the entire first half as well. I seriously love her and she is hilarious but she is stubborn. Dan and I were actually laughing at the whole situation b/c Dan had his hands up on his head b/c even having them down by the paddle was too much for her. It was pretty funny!
Seeing my glasses in the above picture kind of makes me sad. There were three casualties on this family vacation. All of the victims you ask? All three pairs of my sunglasses. Brigham broke one pair and somehow my other two got broken, I can't even remember. I have to have sunglasses on when it is sunny out or I feel like my eyeballs are getting burned out so I made a quick trip to Ross to get a pair today. Maybe that's why they all break b/c I refuse to spend more then $10 on sunglasses. I lose and break way to many things to be spending more then that.
The above pictures are the last two pictures I got before the battery died. Madeline is gorgeous and she was also the taxi for the kids back and forth to the jumping rock. The rest of us stayed back on the beach which was across the way.
There was a hot tub at the house and the kids LOVED it! I think they would have been in it every second we were at the house if we would have let them. They got in when we got back from the lake, from kayaking, from rafting, pretty much from wherever we had been they would get in the hot tub. I had to include both of the below pictures b/c Ginger is hilarious in the top one. I will make sure this makes it into her wedding video.
Mom S has a theme for each family vacation and this years theme was "Simmons Warriors, the Tough get going." She gave each grandkid matching shirts and warrior hats. Not sure how I didn't get a picture that first night when they were all wearing them at the same time. We were each in charge of a little devotional each night going along with the theme. Monica had the kids sing 'Nephi's Courage' and they loved it.
You can totally tell that Monica was a teacher. The kids were mesmerized by what she was saying.
I love this picture of Shell, Mom S and Libby singing along.
Papa enjoying the devotional as well!
Wednesday was girls day out. It was awesome but I somehow did not get any pictures, LAME! I'm so mad at myself b/c it was a lot of fun. We just shopped around town for a while and then went to the lake and had delicious sandwiches for lunch. The sandwiches are huge and so, so yummy. After we got back from girls day out Dan, Tyler and Dad S went for another 18 holes of golf. They were much, much faster this time around.
Thursday was white water rafting day. I think it might be my favorite day. We started going to a new place last year that is a little more mild and the little kids get to come with us. It's so much fun having the kids with us. Sam was terrified at first. He cried during the safety demo they were giving us and then cried all the way down to the river to get in. He cried for about the first 3 minutes and then realized it was going to be fun and stopped crying. I meant to get a waterproof camera this year but of course forgot so I have no pictures to show. I must remember next year. I did bring the camera to take some pictures at the beginning or end but we were pretty late getting there so we were running to the bus to start and then I forgot at the end. Fail, again! Ellie stayed back with all the new babies and their nursing mothers and Mimi and Papa. She did great while we were gone thankfully.
That night we went to the golf course to let the kids just play around. I sat in the car and read my book. :) I'm a real party animal like that.
Friday we went on the annual hike up to Boulder Lake. I love this hike (as much as I can love a hike) b/c it is so shaded. The sun has just been sucking the life out of me lately. Ellie pretty much cried the first 20 minutes and then I couldn't take it anymore so I took her out of the pack and carried her the rest of the way up. So, doing the calculations, Ellie weighs about 30 lbs. and I am carrying an extra 20 lbs or so, so that is an extra 50 pounds I was packing. I think Ellie may have seen me all the monster cookies and candy I had been consuming all week and thought she would help me burn some extra calories. :) I actually felt pretty good carrying her up. My arm was super sore the next few days after though. And Olivia put her in the pack and cruised down the mountain with her and I am so glad she did. I felt super shaky and unstable on the way down so I'm glad I wasn't carrying her down. Olivia is so great with kids too, so, so great!
Dan and Mom S look cute, me horrid! This might be the most unflattering maternity shirt I own.
Ellie and her hiking budding. :)
We are laughing in this picture b/c I wasn't even thinking when I asked someone to take this picture not realizing Shelley was nursing. She's a good sport. We went for it anyway. Which brings me to another point. These new mothers were so awesome on this trip. I feel like I am a mess for a solid 2 months after I have a baby and they were such great sports and had such great attitudes about everything we did with such little babies. I was impressed and still am. A great example to whiney little me that is for sure.
Luke, Sam and Gabe.
Boulder Lake is so beautiful! Right when you get to the top of the lake there is runoff onto rocks that looks like waterslides. Sam really wanted to slide down when we got there but we told him no. On the way down though we figured what the heck and let him try it. He loved it and started quite the trend with all the cousins.
After the hike we had to run to the store b/c Dan and I were in charge of dinner Friday night. We decided on breakfast for dinner b/c we do it all the time and who doesn't love breakfast for dinner? Dan has recommended it for a few years but it's a lot of work so I've always talked him into doing something else. Anyway, we got back to the house, I laid Ellie down for her nap and we did not stop until after dinner was over. We cooked for what seemed like forever. We had pancakes, waffles, roasted potatoes (hash browns), eggs, sausage, bacon and fruit. It was a lot of work but it was pretty tasty. Luckily we had lot's of help so that helped get it all together. Thanks again little helpers.
After dinner we decided to make one last trip into town for the splash pad and Ice Cream Alley.
This picture is horrid I realize. This was after a very long day and this shirt is too big which I feel makes me look even bigger then I am. Sigh, all for posterity Em, all for posterity.
Pictures of ice cream on a child's face never gets old. Much like a picture of a child in swim goggles. I can never have too many, classic!
And that is a quick or not so quick recap of a full filled week with the Simmons' clan! We had such a great time and I feel so blessed to be part of such a great family.
Our lovely room for the week!
The loft upstairs where most of the kids slept each night.
I always like to get a couple pictures of where we stayed. I just like to remember. It was a gorgeous house! And apparently I should have put more in Part 1 b/c this is super long sorry. Until next year!!
1 comment:
You updated your blog! Looks like a fun trip :) Love that you included some pics of you!
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