School Pictures

I always debate if I want school pictures or if I should just take my own. The packages are expensive and the package I could afford is missing one picture size. So the debate was over, I was taking their pictures again.
Picture day was the windiest day of the month! I usually take the pictures outside and that wasn't an option this year. I wore KayDee out trying to figure out light settings on my camera to avoid shadow and other color issues. Crazy enough I picked the very last picture I took of each of them. I'll have to print them and see how the lighting looks. I may still retake them, but for now I am happy I have some wall worthy pictures.

August Sunset

Elk Archery Hunt

This year Kevin went archery hunting and he invited our enthusiastic nephew to go with him. We all went up to Boulder Mountain together and stayed for the weekend and then I took our kids home since they had school. Our kids hunted Saturday with their dad. Kevin and Matt stayed for the week and had a few opportunities to get an elk. One was so close that an unseen tree was in the way and the elk was missed by just an inch.
They also had the experience of a tree nearly falling on them. They heard a loud crack and wondered what it was, and only 10 feet ahead of them a tree fell. Kevin said Matt did great with a spooked horse.
I drove back up the next weekend and the trip ended with Kevin's horse getting spooked while walking down a steep incline. Kevin was pushed off the horse from tree branches and landed on rocks. His pack padded his back but he had some bruises and cuts on his hands. We packed up camp and decided the trip was a success! There were plenty of stories to tell when we got home, even without getting an elk.

First Day of School

Another school year has started and the kids are ready bright and early 6:30am. Samantha is in 6th grade, Derrick in 4th and KayDee in 2nd. We took a quick picture before Kevin drove them to the bus stop.
Here is our school morning schedule:
6:00am wake up get dressed, brush hair, PUT ON SHOES!
6:10am eat breakfast
6:20am read scriptures and say family prayer
6:40am get in car to drive to bus stop (4 miles)
6:52am bus picks up kids
7:00am Kevin gets home from bus stop

Cove Fort Days

We decided to go to Cove Fort Days this year. We had a great time looking at all the old pioneer stuff. We learned how to make soap, make wool balls to play with and many other interesting things. We tried to ride the carriages but ended up coming when the horses needed a  break. We had a great time and after went to Beaver for some ice cream at the cheese factory. We ran into one of our friends from our old ward, the Arave's, getting ice cream too. It is so fun when coincidences like that happen and we were so happy to see them again!

Erickson Reunion 2013

We joined my family for a reunion up East Canyon. We had fun at the lake, and all the fun the resort had to offer. There was even a relay race this year everyone competed in. Many thanks to my parents for creating ways for us to spend time together as a family and inviting us to such fun events!

My Parents. The creators of reunion fun!




The pictures are taken by LeAnn.

Ipson Reunion 2013

 We went to the Ipson Reunion, which is Kevin's mom side, up Beaver Mountain. The group was smaller this year but we still had a fun time. I only got pictures of hiking to the ice caves.

Farm Bureau Mid Year Conference

 We enjoyed a night stay in a hotel while we attended the Farm Bureau Mid-Year Conference. The kids loved the pool and I had to take pictures of their splashing. We lost the goggles but a nice lady found them and returned them to our room.

 The kids enjoyed the huge bale roll that was for the "Olympics" which Kevin participated in. That roll was HUGE!

Kevin participated in three out of four events: the bale roll (which they won), horse shoes (which he did with his brother Travis with toilet seats) and roping the steer head. The one he didn't participate in was the small bale toss. It was very entertaining to watch the men from different counties compete against each other doing some very silly things!

4th of July 3013

 To start the week right we had to have our girly toes painted. Samantha really wanted to have pedicures so we used her little kit and we three girls have really cute toes now!

 Samantha was in the parade for the 4th. We put her and KayDee in a summer dance class focusing on tumbling and technique. Sam's age group practiced a flag routine to perform for the parade. Her friend Nikayla was in it too!
Right before the parade Samantha doused her shoes with water by walking through a river. She changed her socks and we tied her shoes to the car so they could dry a little on the way.
She claims her feet were just fine but her mom was still unhappy.
The girls did a great job with their routine and I think they enjoyed doing it too.

 KayDee and Derrick enjoyed picking up candy from the parade. Kevin's parents came to support the kids. Travis and Bree with their girls, and our friends the Judd's sat by us at the parade too.

 After the parade we went to the town program. The kids were asked to sing the song "God Gave Me Dear America" during the program and also memorized parts of the Gettysburg address. They did so great and we really enjoyed the program.

 We were able to slip in some camping over the holiday. We would go up when Kevin was off of work and then come back in the morning for him to work. We did this for a couple nights. We joined our friends, the Kleins. They showed us how to river fish and the kids LOVED it! They all caught at least one fish. Kevin even caught a fish.

Here are the kids enjoying the end of the week. They were eating ice cream and swinging on the porch swing we bought with Great Aunts Mary and Viola inheritance.