July has been my favorite month for the year 2011 because I was able to be around the people I enjoy most. From Katie & kids, Olesia & family, listening to Emma, Stacy & April gabbing, the Barrus reunion, and of course my own children that played together for two weeks.
We all enjoyed having Amy and the kids here. We tried to do something everyday. We discovered a great new park in Kaysville which is where we met up with Olesia, played at the Wave pool, went to the movies, climbed Mt. Timpanogos to see the caves, enjoyed the Aviary in Salt Lake with Jean,Katie & kids, attended the Salt Lake Temple and toured Temple Square, had our pictures taken out on Antelope Island, played water games in the back yard for Lydia's fifth birthday celebration, cheered at the Days of 47 Rodeo, sweated at Zumba classes together, shopped a little and played lots of games.
While we were doing most of this, Andrew was finishing up his preparations for the bar. He completed the test on July 26, 27. Andrew is a big fan of the show 'Diners and Dives'. He had seen an episode where the Burger Bar in Roy was featured. For the 'celebration' of finally being done we headed over to try some 'amazing burgers.' I think the shakes won out over the burgers for most of them. Andrew and Willow will spent the next 10 days in Oregon with her family and then they will move somewhere in the Orem area. Andrew started working two days after the bar exam but the commute from Syracuse to Orem is a killer.
April, Emma and Stacy went to Outdoor Youth Adventure (OYA) up in Idaho for a week. From what I gathered as I listened to them 'decompress' on the ride home to Utah they had a ball. They participated in rope courses, white water rafting, horse back riding, uplifting speakers, crafts, and even a dance. They slept in tents and were able to shower only once during the week. Poor Stacy, we didn't give her instructions on how the air mattresses inflates so she just rolled out the mat and slept on it flat all week. When we picked them up at BYU-Idaho I was impressed at how tan all the kids were as they filed off the buses. When I got up close I realized that they were all covered with dust and dirt. They are a great! group of girls.
The Barrus reunion was a week of rejuvenation for me. I know that the Aunts get a lot of flack for their 'cackling' but it is a real treat to be around their laughter. If you haven't noticed, David and Robert can certainly add their version of hilarity as well. It has taken me two days to be ready to start cooking for the family again. I could get used to someone else doing the meal planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning up! My favorite activity was the family games in the ball field where we competed with the other 6 or so family reunion groups that were there. We rotated through 12 or so games where we had to work together. Perhaps the funniest one was Aunt Chris, Aunt Jean and Aunt Carole and some of the younger cousins walking in a giant black rubber band-like thing to get to the goal line.
April thought using the pottery wheel was the 'funnest' thing ever. I got a kick out of watching Grant and T.J. get their own fountain drinks. Each meal they would create a new concoction that they claimed was great. Looked like mud or bug juice to me! There were so many things to do and I think we did almost all of them...or at least Gene Park did! We enjoyed playing with Erika, Jean'er', and Reid, listening to the guest speakers, horse shoes, miniature golfing in puddles, hiking to the falls and playing games every night. Curt did not want to admit that he was severely sore for two days from playing racket ball with Julie and Bruce.
Four years ago Curt broke a rib when he rode the calf in the family rodeo. This year he also broke a rib. This time he was acting out a barrel going over Niagra Falls while playing charades. Thank you all for a great week. Grandpa would have really enjoyed watching everyone have so much fun. It was a bitter-sweet week without him there.
Now that we're home April gets to take off again for girl's camp. She is less than thrilled to start her third week in a row without the comforts of a real shower, bathrooms without bugs and her own comfy bed.
I am ready to go back to work, participate in Primary, and generally be 'happy, cheerful' again. I've got a lot of family history stuff that I'd like to get to and some personal study.
Love always,
Aunt Susan and Uncle Curt
He really broke a rib? Like laughing too hard or what? Why haven't I heard:)
ReplyDeleteOK, here is the story. We were playing an intense form of charades (where you act things out). I was trying to get Mom to guess Niagara Falls. She just wasn’t getting it from me watching the falls or getting wet at the bottom of the falls. So I decided to try going over the falls in a barrel. I climbed in an imaginary barrel and started floating downstream (or rolling on the floor). When I got to the edge of the falls I wanted to make it look as though I was falling, so I lifted myself off the ground with my arms (like a push-up) and then dropped my chest to the floor when I hit the bottom. That is when I cracked the rib.
ReplyDeleteDon’t laugh. It hurt until two weeks ago.