Summer Fun

We love summer! Too bad there's only 3 weeks left. Here are a few photos from some of our summer activities.

The cabin in Fairview Canyon is always a lot of fun.

Laura and Miles on the cabin swing. Laura went off the platform for the first time and loved it. She's scared of heights but you would'nt know it by looking at her...she's even going paragliding in a couple of days.

Miles LOVES throwing rocks in water and would do it all day if we let him.

Miles doin' a little slack-lining...gotta start 'em young right?

Snowbird in the summertime.

Had to include some geology right?

We saw a nature-style documentary on babies the other day and I've decided that Miles thrives best in a habitat with plentiful rocks, water, and sticks.

He looks innocent...but don't let him fool you.

Miles' best photo yet.

Stuart flying my kite from the top of Notch Peak.

Pioneer Day!

Alvin and I ran in the Deseret News 10k yesterday. 43:49 and 48:17. The downhill course made for a fast, energizing race, and during the last mile, I waved at my cousins who were camped along the parade route. I'm not sure if they recognized me.

Alvin trained by running twice during the week before the race, and resting a lot. :) If I had been smart about my training, I would have increased my weekly running mileage to include some 6-milers starting a month ago. Unfortunately, we just decided to race a week ago. Consequently, my legs HURT today.

But it was so fun to race, we are thinking of doing the Skyline 10k. We'll be at the Anderson cabin down the street for a reunion, so it will be perfect.

We finished the day with a barbecue at Alvin's sister's house. I swallowed a quip for not bringing any meat with some delicious black bean-jicama-jalapeno salad. The evening shade and damp cool grass were elixir to my race- and summer-weary body. Plus it was so fun to watch Miles explore all his cousins' toys: swingset, trampoline, battery-driven jeep, sandbox, tetherball. He loved them all and was so absorbed that I could relax, eat, and enjoy some adult conversation.

Daniel Dean and Mom

My grandpa passed away a few weeks ago. I'm glad my grandpa was such a great man. I am especially glad that he brought my mom into this world. My mom is surely one of the greatest people on earth!My grandpa flew the Grumann TBF Torpedo Bomber for the U.S. Navy. He received his wings in July 1945 just as Japan announced its unconditional surrender. I'm glad the war ended when it did or this blog or me or this poorly diagrammed sentence may never have existed...

My mom and her parents. I never met my grandmother...she died of cancer in her 40's. However, my mom has told great things about her. Grandpa went on to graduate with a Master's Degree from Cornell and work in labor relations and management.

Mom, Aunt Sally...sweet car

Nice catch mom! Who knew mom could fish?

The Cirque of the Towers

Here are a few pictures from the land northward. Which reminds me . . . has anyone ever seen the movie Lost in the Barrens? It's a definite classic. Anyway back to the pics, my brother Stuart and I headed north for Independence Day weekend. We hiked to the Cirque of the Towers in the Wind River Range, then headed to the Tetons, Yellowstone, and on to Island Park for a little fishing. We stopped by Angela and Brian's place in Teton National Park. It was great to catch up . . . and Brian even made some tasty quesadillas. Life is good!

This first picture is the view from Brian and Angela's yard . . . not bad (it's Teewinot).

Toddler Tabling

Or would you call it "chairing?"

Moved in and back to our hiking escapades

Ferguson Canyon - our new favorite trail.

After assembling a new kitchen table and waiting a month for a couch to arrive, we finally feel more settled in our new place in Cottonwood Heights. The move was a great opportunity to unpack and use some 3-year-old wedding gifts, read and try some decorating advice from Alvin's sister's blog, and let Miles graduate to sleeping in his own bedroom.

Things I love about our new home:

• a ward with lots of young families like us
• proximity to Big Cottonwood Canyon (I stuff Miles in the backpack and go hiking a couple mornings a week)
• we don't have to do yardwork! But we smile and wave at the grounds crew everyday when they drive around in their golf carts.
• the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center. It has 5 swimming pools and a couple acceptable yoga instructors. I don't think anyone can compare to the yoga instructor at our old gym; she was unsurpassably amazing.

Things Miles loves about this area:

• ~ climbing in parked golf carts
• ~ pointing at robins on the lawn and in trees
• ~ parks with swings
• ~ a neighbor who is only 30 minutes younger than him (but she can already touch her nose, eyes, and mouth and give kisses)

Things Alvin loves about this area:

• the beautiful mansions in nearby neighborhoods
• the freeway entrance is 2 minutes away, so his work is 10 minutes closer
• a new friend who shares his last name and hair color
• the plethora of pinecones on our sidewalks, which are useful for throwing at the basketball hoop, which greatly amuses Miles

P.S. We also recently hiked Notch Peak near Delta, Utah, heard Peter Breiholt perform at the Brigham Young park, and went to Ashley Ross's wedding. My highschool friend is now Mrs. Jason Eldredge.

Miles with cousins Mallory, Avery, and Sophia (aren't her natural ringlets precious?)

Miles in his element

Little Cottonwood Creek Floods

The Little Cottonwood creek reached record highs this spring due to a cool, rainy May and a couple hot days in June. It flooded several houses and parks in Murray and took out a trail bridge in Little Cottonwood canyon. We spent Family Night checking out the raging, chocolatey water.

Imagine the "thunk, thunk, thunk" of huge granite boulders clonking into each other beneath the watery torrent above. I held Miles' hand very tightly while we walked along the trail.