Birthday Month

My big milestone birthday is coming up this next Saturday. Rather then have a nervous breakdown, I thought it would be fun to do something different with my blog this month. I will also being doing a giveaway toward the end of the month since its my 2 year anniversary of blogging! Stay tuned in to find out when and what it is!!

Weekend Fun

This is Mantua lake they shot the fireworks up on the pier

kind of a fuzzy picture of Maya but she was in midswing:)

Notice how dirty Elijah's legs are he couldn't get enough of the stream

Anya always has something to show you

Grandpa Glen always loves to get his picture taken!

Grandma Opal loving Ivy

Anya loves "lemon water" that is what she calls watermelon

her cute watermelon mustache

how cute is Ivy!!

Phil and Stacie taking the kids out for a ride on the lake

Denise making a cute turtle in the sand love that farmer tan!

such a beautiful lake!

look how overcast it is this is when we first got there

Anya loved taking the shovel and putting sand in the little cups


I was able to go home to Utah for a very short trip. It was pretty busy but we had a great time. We had a dutch oven cookout at Box Elder Campground and had some of the grandparents there. I was also able to meet my new niece Ivy she is so cute and pretty calm. My dad made a make shift swing for the kids out of a lawn chair and it was a hit! The town of Mantua has a celebration every year called little valley days that was on Saturday. We didn't go to any of the activities except the fireworks that night. We spent the day in Bear Lake and it was fun once it got a little bit warmer! It was overcast and kind of chilly when we first arrived. It was hard keeping the kids out of the water once we started packing up. We tried a new place instead of getting the usual raspberry shakes at LaBeau's. Its called the Berry Bowl and its really good and there was hardly anyone there. Overall it was a great trip it would have been better had it not been in the 100's!! I was so glad to get back to 73 here in Oregon! I love spending time with family and really miss the fun summer activities. Thanks for all the time spent in planning!

this and that

Sorry I haven't blogged much this month. Its been a crazy month with lots going on. I just got back from a quick weekend at my parents house. I will post more on that later. Can I just tell you how nice it is to come home to weather in the late 70's! It was so hot there in the triple digits! I dont know how I dealt with the heat when I lived there. Anyway it was a fun trip and we crammed a lot in so stay tuned for lots of pictures! Now back to work..........:(

Fireworks at Boiler Bay

I really wanted to see some fireworks over the coast this year. They were having them on the 3rd and 4th so we went the 3rd. We got to the place early and it was good we did or we would have missed the whales!There were about 5 whales 3 mom's and 2 babies. The ranger that was there said they come in close so the babies can nurse while the mom's relax. When they are out in deeper water the mom has to keep pushing the baby up to the top for air. It was really cool to watch them.I had to really zoom in on the picture so sorry its small. Then the sunset was so beautiful to watch. I didn't really plan very well weather wise. It was so cold and I really didn't have much to keep me warm. It would have been good to have a heavy coat. I will remember next year! Overall it was really fun and great fireworks!

The fourth and memories of grandpa

Just in case you were wondering my favorite holiday is the 4th of July! I love everything Americana ask my family. I am sure they think I am over the top sometimes. Oh well I would rather have this as a weakness then other things:)My grandpa Braegger was a marine in the war. We could never really get him to talk about things since it was painful memories. He watched a few of his friends die right in front of him. He was lucky to come home. Something that I have found very touching is he was at the bottom of the hill at Iwo Jima. He saw them raise the flag to victory. Years later when his birthday rolled around he always said it brought him back to that very day. Such an amazing experience to witness for him and to hear about. I get really choked up every time they play the song for the Marines. I found this really touching video on you tube that I hope you enjoy. I am so grateful for those who have gone before and paved the way! I love the last verse of the star spangled banner it goes:


O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!