Bear Lake - 4th of July Week

July 7 Jaxon, Morgan and I hiked into Bloomington Lake while Mitch and Ethan did a little target shooting. The hike started from a couple miles below the parking lot since there was still so much snow. It was a lot of fun playing in the snow in July and feeling the mix of warm and cold air pockets as we hiked in. The first lake was so smooth with an amazing reflection of the clouds, the surrounding mountains and trees. Bloomington, a bit further in, was still frozen over with some melting ice breaks starting to reveal the clear water beneath.

 

I loved the refection, this is one of my favorite shots w/ the floating log.

Ethan found a new passion, motor bike riding, thanks to his cousins sharing their little bike. Well,  Ethan got a little too comfortable riding and found out what happens with a little too much speed, gravel, a turn and using the front brake - the results are a little different than those of a 4-wheeler.

Some of the road rash.

Lil Fishin Buddies

The afternoon storms presented beautifully. We would watch the dark clouds and lightening roll in over the mountains and the air would cool nicely, while the ground soaked up the moisture. We would sit under the canopy listening and watching the display, then shortly after a bright rainbow would make a beautiful appearance.

Boys will be Boys

Bear Lake is Full!

What's a day at the beach w/o burying someone in the sand?!

I just love that my family enjoys and looks forward to our time in Bear Lake. There's family history there, as well as memories from my childhood and now adulthood. Its such a nice get away from our busy life. We just get to spend time and play together, enjoying the beauty of family and of St. Charles, Idaho

Riding 2 Wheels

Jaxon decided he was going to learn how to ride "2 Wheels".

Once again I believe his main motivation for this was to keep up with his siblings. He just doesn't like not being able to do something Morgan and Ethan can do.

 Mitch logged a few miles up and down the sidewalk with Jaxon, giving a good show to the neighboors with a couple of crashes when both of them went down!

 It didn't take Jaxon much to finally figure it out. But just like learning to walk as a toddler - it just makes it that much more of a challenge for me to keep up.... they just keep getting faster and faster.....

Trying to Beat the Heat

One would think that from the looks of this photo Jaxon's running through the sprinklers by himself having a great time trying to stay cool

Oh no - Ethan is behind all the water coming at Jaxon, oh how Ethan loves to torment!

Run Jaxon Run!

The Thoughts of a 4 year old

A few months ago, when it seemed like it was always raining, I was sitting at the table for breakfast having 'fwoot whoops' with Jaxon. He was watching the rain fall. I would have assumed 'mindlessly watching' since that was the state I'm sure I was in, but I guess a 4 yr old is always thinking, analyzing, wondering. So, he turns to me and says "Me need to get a cape so me can fly up to the clouds and turn off the hose" pause "but me need to be careful for helicopters and airplanes".

Another one... 
Strapped into his carseat in the backseat of my car running errands with me seems to be another time and place that Jaxon does a lot of thinking and chatting. This time he was apparently thinking back on the recent doctor visit he had had as well as going to see my doctor with me. He received 3 shots in one thigh and 2 in another thigh at his visit and then watched me have blood drawn. He starts out talking about doctors helping us stay healthy and then asks me what my doctors name was. I tell him. He thinks about it and then asks my what his doctors name was. I told him I couldn't remember at that moment. He thinks about that and says " Me think it is Dr. Shots."

And one with Mitch...
Mitch and the kids decide they're going to walk from our house to the 4th of July parade, about a mile away. Jaxon shows up ready to go with sandals on. Mitch tries to talk him into wearing his tennis shoes since it's gonna be a 'long' walk. Jaxon wins and away he goes with his sandals on. Well, he ends up tripping and falling two or three times on the way, scraping elbows and knees. Then on the way home he trips again, more road rash. When they're about a block away from home he spots a big puddle in the road and decides to splash through it. But instead he ends up slipping and falling in. Mitch picks up his dirty, wet, bleeding, crying little boy and figures now is a good time to instill the sandals vs. shoes lesson. " So what do you think you should have worn today?" asks Mitch. Without missing a beat Jaxon replies "Swimming shorts."