Weekend I will never forget

This last weekend is probably a weekend I will never forget. We went camping with Mark and Cheryl. It was there big annual two week camping trip they have every year with a big group of family and friends. Eric and I didn’t make it up until the tail end up their trip. Me and the kids and my friend Krista and her little boy Kendrick went up Friday afternoon, July 1^st. We got unloaded and set up camp and then fixed yummy tin foil dinners. I did something different this time. We had sausage, red potatoes, and green beans. They turned out really good. Eric arrived at camp about 8:00. He had to work until 7:00. We ate dinner and then relaxed around the fire. Saturday, Krista and I woke up early and went for a 3 mile walk/hike. It ended up being a really good walk. It was a lot of up and down hills, so it worked us pretty hard. We did a lot of relaxing and hanging around camp. We decided to go for a four wheeler ride later in the day. We rode up to the top of the mountain and could see down into the valley. It was really beautiful. Eric, Mark & Daniel (Mark’s brother) had a good time throwing rocks off the cliff trying to get them to roll down the hill. We then continued on our way back. We were about 1.5 miles from camp when Jared (Mark’s little brother) and I’s four-wheeler's right break locked up and Jared couldn’t turn the wheels. There was a slight bend in the road to the left, but he could turn the bike. We went down the embankment about 12 feet and into the creek. The four-wheeler landed on Jared and he was a under water for a second. He was able to flip it over, but it landed on me. I was laying exactly vertical under the bike with my body between the tires. It had me pinned under enough that I couldn’t crawl out. Jared was in shock and didn’t really know what to do. He ran up to the road and threw his helmet and gloves in the road so that the others would know to stop. He came back to me several times to check on me and I told him I was fine, but just to make sure that they stopped. When I realized that I was okay and remembered my camera was on my back. I was in tears thinking that I had probably lost everything. Cheryl, Krista, and Kendrick arrived first. Cheryl dropped them off and rushed back to camp to get more help. Eric and the kids were next. Eric asked Jared where I was and he said over there. Eric and Krista jumped in the creek and thought I was over on the other side of the bank. I saw Eric looking for me over there and I said, “Eric, I’m right here.” He jumped right over and Eric and Krista lifted the bike and I was able to crawl out. My camera bag was stuck on the bike so it took a second for me to get unstuck. I crawled out and was pretty shakin’ up. I couldn’t believe that we both walked away with only minor injuries. We missed a huge boulder by only a couple of inches. During all of this several people from camp came hauling up to help. When Cheryl left she had no idea what the extent of the accident was so everyone came as fast as they could to help. They didn’t know if maybe we were still under water and couldn’t get out. Everyone was very shakin’ up. Both Mark/Jared’s parents were very worried about me. Their mom came up to me and was in tears. They kept asking to make sure I was okay. I kept telling them I was fine. I didn’t feel any internal injuries or broken bones. After Jared was able to relax a little bit, they thought his arm was broken. Mark and their mom took him to the Montpelier hospital. They did an x-ray and his bone was curved and cracked, but should heal fine. That night I was still really shook up. When we finally went to bed, I told Eric just to hold me and I cried. He tried to be tuff and act like it was no big deal, but he told me he was very worried about me. I am so grateful for my guardian angel. It could have been so much worse. I am glad that it was me and Jared on the bike instead of the other’s with kids.

The boulder I almost hit. I was laying on the left side.

Sunday I was really sore and realized there were a lot more bruises than I thought. We stayed on Sunday until about 3:30 then we packed up and went home. I had to take Launa’s family pictures later Sunday night.

Monday, July 4^th, I got up and picked strawberries, weeded the garden, and then got ready to go to the Hyrum parade at my friend Michelle Wilson’s house. She lives right on mainstreet, so we had a great view of the parade. After the parade they had a luncheon. When I got home I worked on editing some pictures and then me and the kids and Sallie went to Misty’s parents house for a BBQ and then fireworks at their family farm. Their farm is really close to where Brigham City lights the fireworks so we had a great view. The kids had a good time.

I am proud to be an American. I love the 4^th of July. I am also grateful that I was blessed and protected this weekend. I will never take life for granted. Life is so fragile and in a blink of an eye things can change.

Summer.....

Summer….

I think summer is my favorite time of year. I love being outside and playing. BBQ’s, cookouts, fishing, camping, swimming are all things I love to do.

Me and the kids went fishing with dad, Jarom & Dakota, Shanna & Jason & kids on Saturday, June 11^th. It was free fishing day in Idaho. We went to Deep Creek reservoir and caught 5 fish and then towards the end of the day headed to Devil’s creek, but didn’t catch anything. It was slow catching, but it was nice to just sit and relax. The kids had fun reeling in the fish. Parker was a little freaked out and refused to take a picture with the fish.

We went camping with Mark, Cheryl, and Jeannie again up North Canyon (by Camp Bartlett).  We had a lot of fun as always.  Got on a kick of singing old campfire songs. Eric thought we were crazy and rolled his eyes, but I couldn’t stop laughing.

Maisie & Katie play really well together. They have quite the little imaginations. They were cooking, shopping, working, all in the woods. They pretended to have a house with a kitchen & bedrooms. They make their food with leaves and sticks.

Parker wanted a mustache like Mark’s so bad. Eric took a little piece of ash and painted one on his face. He was so excited to have a mustache.

We ended up leaving our trailer up there. Mark’s family and friends are having a camping reunion June 22 through July 4 and we are planning on going up for a few days. We were a little nervous about leaving our trailer, but figured since there would be someone there most of the time, it should be okay. I am having a hard time focusing on work, I just want to be camping. 

Timber.....

This last weekend we went camping with some friends, Mark & Cheryl, to help cut firewood. We didn't get to our campsite until about 9:00 since we had to wait for everyone to get off work. We tried building a fire, but everything was so wet, it ended up being a small Indian fire. We eventually bagged the whole fire idea and went to bed.

Cutting down trees...... I have to say this was my first time witnessing a large falling tree. I was scared for my life and my children. As they were cutting the first tree I prepared the kids to run. Of course, it fell in the opposite direction they were hoping. Right across the road. The boys started right away with their chain saws and axes to get it off the road. Luckily no cars came. It was a fun and busy weekend. The first tree was so big that the chain saws had a hard time keeping up. They cut it down at 9:30 and finished probably about 4:00. With a few repairs and two trips to Montpelier for blades, it was finished. They then cut down two more by the end of the day.

Oh, and don't send women to town. We parked the truck at the True Value hardware store, went and got our chainsaw blades. Decided to walk across the street to the grocery store. Some nice gentleman came up to us and gave us a ticket for a free vegetable peeler if we listened to a demonstration. Well of course we got suckered into buying the mandolin slicer. It worked really well for our tinfoil dinners that night. Then we walked across the street again to Maverik to get some sodas. We got back to the truck with all our bags and drinks and then Cheryl spilled one drink all over the floor of the truck, so she headed back to Maverik to refill it. Then we were on our way back. Well after all that, the blades ended up being the wrong size even though they said they would fit. Mark decided to go the next time, but ended up clear in Soda Springs because everything was closed in Montpelier.

Parker played in stick piles, collecting stick antlers. By the time he was done he had the perfect fire stack, but wouldn't let me burn it. He could tell you what each antler was. Antelope, elk, moose, deer, caribou. You name it, he found it. Parker could live in the mountains. He loves camping.

Maisie went with the girls to town and then when Cheryl's little sister showed up later that night, she had a lot of fun playing with her. They are really close in age and play really well together. They cooked up some concoction with leaves and sticks and pine cones. To be a kid again.

It was a fast camping trip, but we enjoyed our first trip with no rain. It was perfect weather in the 70's.

Yet another update

My how time flies by, I need to get in a better habit of writing more often. The last couple of months have been busy. In April, we took the plunge and bought a new camp trailer and a used truck that could fit the four of us. We ended up with a 1999 Ford f350. It is very nice and roomy. We have used it a lot more than we thought we would. It is fun to jump in and go for Sunday or evening rides up the canyon. The weather has been really wet this year. Here it is the first of June and we haven’t had too many sunny days yet. The rivers are flooding and it just keeps raining. We have managed to get a few camping trips in. For Easter, we went to Daniels reservoir in Idaho by Malad. It was cold, but we had a nice toasty trailer to stay in and still managed to have fun.

My photogenic boy. It will pose for me anytime.

Hunting for Easter eggs.

CHEESE!!!!

"I'm a Princess"

The Easter Bunny sure does spoil my kids.

May 7^th, I had my first wedding photo shoot. The bride was one of my sister-in-law’s cousin. Misty came along and helped me. It was nice to have a side kick. I could not have done it without her. I was so nervous the whole time, but they turned out really good.

The middle of May, Eric had a week off of work, so him and Parker headed up Blacksmith Fork Canyon, yes right next to the flooding river. I threatened both Parker and Eric that they were not allowed to go next to the river. Parker is such a good boy, he didn’t go by the water without asking dad. He would say, “Dad, let’s go look at the water.” It rained on them most of the week, but they still had fun, watching movies, reading books, and a little bit of fishing when the sun managed to come out. The other thing Parker got on a kick about is what do "Good Ol' Boys" do. Parker, "Dad, do Good Ol' Boys wear their hat backwards?" Dad, "yep". Parker, "We're good ol' boys aren't we dad". He proceeded to ask if Good Ol' Boys go fishing, hunting, and several other things. He just wants to be a good ol' boy with his dad. Maisie and I went up a couple of nights and had dinner with them. Wednesday night we stayed the night and got up and went to school and work from there.

Friday, May 20^th, Maisie and I were on our way to work and got in a little fender bender. Nothing serious, but it still was scary. I was turning onto the highway by Cox Honey. There was a truck that was behind me and to the left a little. Apparently he was turning right too. He turned right into my back end because he didn’t see me. He got the citation, but is probably going to fight it. He claims he was there before me and that I pulled up to the side of him. I honestly don’t know, but I do know that if he was there, he wasn’t in the turn lane and he didn’t have his signal on because I wouldn’t have pulled up next to him if he did. We will see how that pans out. I was able to take my car in Monday morning and it was fixed by Tuesday after work. It looks like a brand new car. It was almost worth paying the $100 deductible to have the nice car wash.

Friday, May 20^th, after work I went to my sister’s to watch her kids for the weekend while my parents, Shanna and Jason, and Josh & Kirsten were in Hawaii. Saturday, May 21^st, Kyle and Misty brought their kids to Shanna’s house for me to watch while they helped Misty’s parents move cows. It was amazing how well 9 kids behaved. There were a few times that I had no idea there were so many kids there. They were really good. We went to the park for a little while and I had to keep counting heads to make sure I didn’t lose anyone. Later that night, when Kyle and Misty where finished with the cows, we loaded the kids and headed up to Eric’s camp and roasted hot dogs. It was nice to get the kids out of the house for a little while. They had a good time.

Memorial weekend – I was a brave woman and drove the kids with truck and trailer to Grace, Idaho to camp with a co-worker, Shannon, and her family and friends. It was a little scary driving. The truck likes to wander and I had a hard time keeping it on the freeway, so I didn’t go over 65 mph. I made it though. Kyle & Misty and their kids joined us. It was fun for the kids to have someone to play with. They played on the playground and road their bikes around. Again, it was rainy and cold. The sun did shine on Saturday though. We took the kids to Lava Hot Springs. We only went to the hot spots, and man were they hot. We were there for a couple of hours swimming and ate lunch. Afterwards, we went for a drive. We were trying to find Black Canyon. Well we headed west of Grace, Id, like we were supposed to, we drove over a bridge and remembered looking at the river below thinking, wow that looks cool. Well we drove around some old farm roads, up the mountain a ways, turned around, drove around some more farm roads, and ended up right back where we started. The Bridge, with a landmark sign, “Black Canyon Gorge”. So apparently that is what we were looking for. I think there are several places to see Black Canyon. Where we were it was straight down the black, rocky, ledges to the river. It was beautiful though. Of course, I forgot the camera. After that we drove back to camp. Sunday, it rained most of the day. We drove out to Chesterfield. Just as I was leaving camp, Eric’s truck’s overdrive light was blinking. It freaked me out a little and that is all I could think about. Chesterfield is a little ghost town with houses and buildings from the late 1800’s. We then drove to the reservoir. We decided that it would be a fun place to camp sometime. Then we drove to the “Last Chance Canal” which is east of Grace.

This site is the point on the Bear River where water was first diverted by Mormon settlers to develop an agriculture industry in Gem Valley. Features at the site include diversion dams, hand excavated basalt rock tunnels, flumes, pipelines, and ditches to move the water to the dry plain. Several previous attempts to capture the Bear River waters had failed. This became the settlers "last chance." It epitomizes the 

development of the agriculture industry in the dry west.

When we got back to camp, I talked Eric into coming up and taking a look at his truck. He drove up and fiddled with a few things and finally got the light to go off. It seems to be driving fine, so hopefully it was just a fluke. He stayed for dinner and then went home so he could work on Monday. We woke up to snow Monday morning. We ate breakfast and packed up and headed home. After doing loads and loads of laundry, my parents had a luau at their house. My dad cooked shish kabobs, we had a yummy coconut cake. It is always nice to get together as a family. I am glad we all live close enough that we can get together.

Update

I just typed an email to a bunch of family members and thought I would post it here. Just a little update of what we have been doing.

It seems like life is crazy doing nothing. When asked what we do in our spare time, I have no idea, but we seem to stay plenty busy.

Eric is still working at Presto Products (plastic production plant). He works as a team manager over one of the shifts. Don’t know what that means or even what he does other than walk around with a walkie talkie. Most days he likes it. His schedule is a little crazy, but after 8 years I have gotten used to it. The one thing he loves is having days off. He gets to stay home with Parker 5 days a month and they just love doing boy things. He will definitely have Parker withdrawals when Parker is in school. Eric has taken up leather crafting and enjoying this new hobby.

Me, Amy, hmmmmmm, I am not sure what I do other than, work, take care of kids and husband, and go totally crazy. Things I do in my spare time: I attend a boot camp exercise class twice a week and love it. It really does kick my booty, but I need it. I just got a new bike trainer for indoors so now I can ride my bike in the winter and don’t have to freeze. A friend and I are going to do the Little Red Riding Hood bike race this summer. I think we are going to try for the 50 miler.  I enjoy reading, but usually they end up not being fun books. I have taken up photography and love every minute of it. Most of my reading has been photography books and how to improve. This last fall I took the plunge and invested in a really nice camera. I have my first engagement pictures this afternoon. We will see how it goes as long as we don’t all freeze to death. I love digital scrapbooking and do that when I don’t have anything else to do. LOL. So that doesn’t happen very often anymore.  

Maisie is in the 2^nd grade and loving it. She is a great little learner. So far, I think she will be my easy one to get through school. I don’t have to remind her to do anything or worry about if she has done her homework. Her teacher has told me numerous times, that she is the only one that turns in homework every day. I have to say that I am the bad mom that never even looks at her homework or questions if she turned it in. I am very fortunate that she attends school right next door to my work. She goes to the Edith Bowen Laboratory School here at USU. It is nice that she gets to ride to work with me and go home with me. After school she attends Boys and Girls Club where she does her homework and plays games and fun activities. When at home she loves her babies. Anything to do with babies she loves. She will be a great mom one day.

Parker is 4 and 100% a boy. He loves cars, tools (real tools just like dads), and believe me they are all over the house. Everything is broken and everything needs fixed. He loves to just play. I put him to bed and think he has gone to sleep and then find out he is in there playing. He also will wake up on the weekends and just start playing. It’s kind of nice that my kids are old enough that they can entertain themselves and let me sleep in for a little bit. Parker still attends daycare/preschool at Regina’s. Regina is my saving grace. We are very blessed to have her. I am so grateful I have never had to switch daycare providers. She is amazing in everything she does. She does a wonderful job teaching and caring for the kids. On days when Parker is staying home with dad, Eric will ask him, “Parker what do you want to do today”. Parker’s reply, “Watch the Dukes”. Parker loves the Dukes of Hazzard shows. Eric has all the seasons. Can’t remember how many there is, but there’s a lot and they have been through all the seasons at least once. Parker’s favorite part is at the beginning when the dukes of hazard car does a big jump, he has to say Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaa as loud as he can. Such a funny boy. His most exciting thing he got for Christmas was a set of 3 dukes of hazzard hotwheel cars. He would have totally been happy with just the cars.  I had to do some hunting online to find them and probably spent way too much for little hot wheel cars, but he absolutely loves them.

So much to do so little time

It is that time of year when I feel the pressure of all the things I want to do and all the things that need to be done. I love the holidays and spending time with family and friends, but always relieved when they are passed until the next year. I have almost all my christmas shopping done with just a few more items to make (that's the pressure) and buy.

It has been snowing like crazy. Last week we had a few good storms and I am sure the snow is here to stay. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving they pretty much such down the city for a blizzard. USU closed at 2:00 and the storm hit about 4:00 and the wind was blowing like crazy, which made it very hard to see outside. Glad we were all home safe and warm.

We went to Price for Thanksgiving. It was nice to be there for the Vea family tradition of killing pigs and making sausage. It is a three day ordeal that the family looks forward to doing every year. We haven't been to Price for Thanksgiving in 4 years. Parker thought it was really cool. Maisie, Parker, Marissa, & Zoie decided to play killing pigs. They took turns shooting each other and then falling on the ground and shaking like the pigs did. Kind of disgusting, but pretty funny at the same time. Got to love kids.

Here is a picture of Grandpa Vea. He hates getting his picture taken, but I got one when he wasn't paying attention.

Christmas is here

It is hard to believe that christmas will be here before we know it. Tomorrow my sister, mom and sister-in-laws are going on our annual shopping trip. We have a lot of fun and enjoy helping my mom get her christmas shopping done in one day. It has worked out very nice since we started doing this and we sure have a lot of fun.

Everytime we see christmas decorations Maisie keeps asking why people can't celebrate Thanksgiving and then Christmas. She is so funny. I agree let's do one holiday at a time.

This last week, Eric got a elk up Causy. The boys always have a fun time going hunting together. While he was gone, I painted our living room and hallway. I even managed to shampoo the carpets. The day he came home us girls had planned a scrapbooking day and then we found out the boys were coming home. We were a little disappointed because all our houses were a mess and we weren't prepared for them to come home. I don't know about the rest of the wives, but I like to have the house nice and clean Eric comes home. Eric said it didn't bug him, but I felt bad. I was just still in a mess from painting.  I will post pictures of my painting project as soon as I get my decorations on the wall. I am still waiting for a couple of things to come in the mail.