RIley's 29th Birthday!!!

I know it was 2 months ago, but we had all of our families and friends over to help us celebrate Riley's birthday, which was Aug 24th. Here he is blowing out all those candles!!! (me trying to duck out of the picture, it didn't work!)
Our beautiful Mothers serving up the goodies!!! My dad holding Jeffery & Lacey's, Whyatt. & our friend Dan.
Mmmm... Dutch oven Chocolate Volcano cake!Grandma & Grandpa!!!Riley opening his gifts.Riley wanted a chainsaw, so I talked my family into going in on it with me and we bought him a really nice one. It will come in handy for our big trees, and firewood for the winter.Happy Birthday Riley. I love you so much! Thanks for all you do for me, and for our families.

August Birthday Cakes!

I had the chance to make 3 Birthday cakes in August. The first one was for my friend Alisha's lil girl, Taylor. She wanted a Runway cake...

The next one was for our nephew Brooks. He wanted a Baseball!

The last one was for Riley. He turned 29 the end of August. He didn't get a choice on what he wanted, I wanted to try my own thing.

Since we love the outdoors and hunting, this is what I came up with. Not the best, but it was fun.

Maple Mountain Hike

I promise one day I will be a lot better about Blogging again. Anyway so our big accomplishment of the summer! Riley and I hiked Maple Mountain with his family on Aug 1st. It was a very long, fun, painful, fulfilling day!!! So many emotions! We took 3 of dad's mules with us, for Riley's mom (Chris) and the kids! But of course Riley got to ride the whole time too, since Bonsai isn't the best behaved. But she did so good, and so did Bo and Buck. I'm really glad/grateful we had them with us.Riley helping Chris get on Buck in the parking lot. Nick & Greg, leading Brooks on Bo.Riley taking the lead rope from Greg.

Brooks riding Bo, Chris on Buck, and Riley on Bonsai.Unfortunately I got blisters starting like the first 20 min. So here we are taking our first break for me to put band aids on my heels and then get on Bo.

Nick, Payton, Laura, Jantsen, Brooks, Duke (mom & dad's dog came with us too) and Greg.Me riding Bo. Chris, Payton & LauraChris has a lot of stories about Maple with her father, Ruel Crandall. We had to stop and take a picture with this tree where Grandpa had carved his name, many years ago.

Chris, Brooks, Payton, Jantsen, Laura, Nick & Me.

Had to get Riley in the picture!

Me trailing behind because my blisters were killing me. But the hike was so gorgeous!!!!Stopping for another rest!We stopped at the lake for lunch. This is the camping spot that Chris spent many nights with her father at. She even had a letter that Grandpa had written the Fall before he passed away at the top in the mailbox about the last time they were up there. It was such a neat experience.The boys & Bo!!!A look back at the lake, on our way up to the top!!!The mules heading up the switchbacks!We made it to the Summit! It felt so good to get up to this spot. It was so pretty! You could look out over all of Springville & Mapleton. (plus I got to take my boots off and put on some mole skin to help my blisters).So happy to have made it!!!Grandma Chris and the boys!Greg, Laura & Boys.We kept going on our way up to the very top to the mailbox. This part of the trail was a little narrow for my comfort so my anxiety started. We stopped just short of the top and I decided to start heading back down. I wanted to get ahead start because I felt bad I slowed everyone down on our way up because of my blisters. So Nick and I got a head start.Riley & Chris rode the mules all the way up! Chris wrote something in the book, but when I asked what she wrote she said, "You'll just have to come back up to see!" Although it will probably be years, we WILL go back up there to see what she wrote. After seeing how much it meant to her to have all of us up there, I would do it again, even with major blisters on my feet. Only next time, I'm going all the way! Shauna & Bruno Frampton (some friends of Greg & Laura's) hiked up to the top as well.Heading back down!!!The boys were all troopers. Stopping for our last break before the very LONG trek down.Unsaddling the mules!This doesn't do it justice, but just a lil shot of my blistered hills! It felt so good to get my boots and socks off!We did it!!!! The whole group (minus Nick...poor kid was dehydrated and was laying down in the car).

Chris, Payton, Greg, Laura, Riley, Me, Shauna, Bruno, (front) Brooks & Jantsen!

**Papa Rich was waiting for us in the parking lot with a cooler full of Popsicles**

(did I mention it took us like 12 hours to do this hike! But WELL WORTH IT!!!)

24th of July...Camping trip!

Like always we went camping over the 24th of July! Our good friend Dylan drew an Elk tag this year so we went camping up Hobble Creek so they could go scouting for the big one. Unfortunately the guys all had to work on Friday, but mom and I didn't, so we made them take us up Thursday night. So all day Friday we had "Girl time!"

Mom & Joslyn playing with the cuddlebug & making pictures.

Joslyn painting Grandpa's boards before he got up there!

After doing our "girly things" we thought we better make use of ourselves before the boys got there, so we went and gathered firewood!

Unloading the wood from my 4-wheeler!

It was a really warm day, so Joslyn wanted to go swimming in the Creek! I took her down to put our feet in and show her how cold it was!

Joslyn being a lap monkey!

The boys finally made it! Dad and I cutting up the firewood!

Hanging out around the campfire!

The next morning the boys got up really early and went for a Mule ride to try and find where the Elk were hanging out! Mom, Joslyn and I slept in!

The boys got back before breakfast because Jake had to go meet his girlfriend! Joslyn kept begging to go for a 4-wheeler ride. She had Uncle Riley wrapped around her lil finger! He kept taking her around and around, and every time they came back it was.... "Just one more time....PLEASE!" and he gave in every time!!! He loves that lil girl, and she definitely has the whole family wrapped tight around her lil finger.

Time for target practice! I wanted to shoot, so I set up the target and started shooting & soon everyone joined me!

Have I mentioned how much I love my pink/purple .22?

After lunch we decided to hike up to one of the guys tree stands to set up the tree camera!

Joslyn, Mom & Dad! Jojo was a pretty good sport. She hiked for quite a ways, then Uncle Riley got to carry her!

Me, Riley & Joslyn!

We made it! Dylan, Dad, Jake, Nicki, Riley, Me & Joslyn! Mom is taking the picture!

See Riley all the way there in his tree stand! Jake & Nicki mounting the camera!
Me, Mom & JoslynThe hike down was a little harder on Joslyn! Dad thought he had found a better trail for us to follow with her, but he ended up taking us up & down the side hill! Dad, Mom & Joslyn!
Mom, Me & Joslyn!!!! Joslyn again wanted to go swimming, so she put her suit on and I took her down to the freezing cold creek! we stayed in it long enough this time that our feet were numb! But it was refreshing after our hike!Dad & Mom relaxing!Me playing fetch with the dogs!!!Gus all tuckered out from all that hiking!Duke (mom & dads dog) hiding out under the trailer!

The guys headed out again that night for another ride! So mom and I stayed back and made them a yummy steak dinner!
Mom & Joslyn shucking corn!
Me cooking the yummy dutch oven, cheesy potatoes!Hanging out the next day eating creamies!!! (that's right we take Creamies & Otterpops when we go camping!) :0) Jake, Dad & DylanMom, Riley & Joslyn relaxing and enjoying their creamies! Joslyn loves her Uncle Riley!

Joslyn singing for me in the back of dads truck! (so nobody else could see her!) The flashlight is her microphone! (P.s. she was singing Mama Mia! her favorite show, yeah she's only 3)Heading out for another hike before packing up to go home!
Dylan, Zach, Dad, Joslyn & Mom!

Riley trailing behind!!!

We had a really fun weekend! And the boys did get into some Elk, so let's just hope they get one now that the hunt is here! Good luck Dylan!