4th of July Weekend!

This weekend we had the opportunity to see both mine and the hubby's family. It was so much fun! My brothers and sisters came from West Virginia, Washington State and Puerto Rico to be together for the 4th of July (actually the 3rd this year, but whatever). Our family always does a big shindig on the 4th since my parents live real close to the river where they do the big fireworks. We have a big bbq and then walk down to the river. It was awesome to see everyone! My sister-in-law ("hi Megan!") is a great photographer and took pictures of my siblings and I as well as family pictures which I'll post when I get them.

First, on the 2nd, we celebrated my sister Kynwynn's birthday which is on the 15th. We celebrated by cake, s'mores and badmitton.











Everyone celebrating Independence Day:







The 4th of July we went to Logan to see the hubby's grandparents and other family. Unfortunately, I didn't think to take any pictures. Lame. But on the 6th, we went with his sisters to Lagoon. It was soooo much fun! I was afrain that B would be a rotten child, but he was amazingly well behaved as well as Beast and her cousins. Before we knew it Lagoon was closing. Thanks, Selena and Tauna for inviting us!

Kershaw-Ryan State Park

This last weekend we fought the boredom by heading to Caliente, Nevada. These is a cool state park called Kershaw-Ryan where pioneers had homesteaded this little oasis where they grew grapes, apples and peaches. They are still there and the park service also created some hikes, really nice shelters, camp sites and a wading pool. It is such a nice place and way different from the normal brown desert. We had lots of fun! We hiked to the overlook, hung out in the pond and ended our Caliente adventure with yummy pizza in town.






On the way home we stopped at Cathedral Gorge. I didn't think it was anything cool as we always drove by on our way to St. George until we actually stopped. It is awesome! Although I was freaking out the whole time thinking that TJ might drop B or Beast might slip and fall into the abyss. One of these days we are going to hike it when I overcome my irrational fear of mesh metal stairs bolted into sheer cliffs so that you can look down and see your death. Someday.

Puerto Rico!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We love, love, love to travel. Obviously. This time we got to go visit my sister in Puerto Rico. We had the best time ever. Beast says that "Puerto Rico is AWESOME!!" It was hot but the kids were amazingly well behaved and we got to be beach bums and see the sights and see my sister I haven't seen in a while. It was so darn hard to come back to the frozen tundra. Blech! Thanks, Eva and Scott, for letting us bug you!
Here's what we saw:

Cerro Gordo, great snorkeling there:





These are some cool forts that Puerto Rico is supposed to be famous for. I can't remember their names:



This is this really cool waterfall where my daughter almost drowned (thank you guick-diving puerto rican who saved my child) and my son almost got a concussion (I fell and was holding him. It was really, really, really slickery)


The breathtakingly beautiful Seven Seas beach:



Ponce:




Hiking in El Yunque:





Mar chicito:

Vegas, baby! ...With a Baby

Before we left for Puerto Rico we spent a couple of days in Las Vegas. The hubby's uncle and aunt live there so we got to visit with them and do some shopping and playing. In these pictures we had gone to the Mandalay Bay hotel to their super cool aquarium. Beast wanted to go there for her birthday so, for once, we did what she wanted.