Summery Summary

Can't put it off another day . . . nope . . . can't do it. Another summer has passed at the speed of light . . . a full, full summer. Autumn is fast approaching and once again I stand in awe as I think about all that's transpired this summer. Without further ado . . .
Laura and Jordan eating the breakfast of champions on an early summer morning. Have I taught you two nothing?
The granddaughters. Four of the Minnesota Five (Erin, Abbie, Landon and Noah) arrived on June 16th for a three week stay in Utah. A slice of heaven for this grandma.
How I miss my little Noah.
Making cupcakes with a patriotic flair.
Happy Grandma with her baby grandchildren. These two are salt and pepper in their coloring.
Beautiful Abbie with her long, long hair. While Abbie was here, she had her hair cut to donate to "Locks of Love".
Papa Hale with Landon and Abbie on the "V" above our house. It was quite the climb to get where they are.
Brent on his 60th birthday, June 19th. This was his favorite gift . . . the Binford 2000 hammer driver.
This is the balloon that the grandkids picked out for Brent's birthday . . . perfect! (refer back to photo of Brent's favorite birthday gift)
Brent's 60th was on the first day of the Hale family reunion and THIS is what happened on the way to the reunion in Paradise, Utah. Funny thing is that Brent just didn't see the humor in this at all. I, on the other hand... I, who had warned him just five minutes before THIS happened that we were driving on fumes and needed to pull off for gas . . . I thought it was hilarious and somehow fitting because Brent used to do this on a weekly basis up until a few years ago! Loved the thrill of coasting into a service station and making it to the pump, having run out of gas a few blocks back. Didn't think it was so cool on this day, however. Nope. Tee Hee.
This is who sang Happy Birthday to Brent when we arrived at the reunion. An adorable assortment of nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and grandchildren. What could be better than that!
Oreos and milk . . . mmmm. . . need I say more. Check out Abbie's haircut. A boating day at East Canyon. Lucy had a bad cold and was in pain from teething AND THEN was unimpressed with her new life-jacket and hat! Sometimes life just stinks.
Noah, on the other hand, thought the whole experience was just ducky!
Abbie, observing important boating protocols.
Steve? Where did he come from? I'll explain in a minute.
Nothing like a "chooch" (as my brother calls it) to soothe a troubled little soul. Lucy absolutely adores her daddy. Is there any doubt that she looks like him? Abbie, Papa and Landon showing off on the tube.
Papa and Abbie REALLY showing off on the tube. Landon, however, sees the wave coming that caused . . .
THIS to happen! Abbie was absolutely unimpressed with Uncle Steve's driving Okay, back to Steve. And Mike. With their dad the week following his 60th birthday. Surprised him. Completely. FOR his 60th birthday but not ON his 60th birthday. Flew in late the night before from Boston and Minneapolis, respectively, and snuck into the house after Brent went to bed. Came down the stairs the next morning while we were having breakfast, just like they lived here! Shocked . . . Brent was.
Scott enjoying his dad's happy surprise.
Abbie and Noah happy to see their dad . . . even if he could only stay for 24 hours . . . that's all the leave he could get from residency.
Spending the morning at Rachel's family's swimming pool.
Home from the pool and watching the USA play Ghana in the World Cup. Eating steaks and other good stuff. After the game was over Brent and the guys and Abbie and Landon went on a hike up the mountain above our house with a warning to be home by 6:30 PM because we had reservations at the Mandarin Restaurant which was actually a big, fat lie and a smoke screen to cover the fact that we had a surprise party planned for Brent's 60th and had about 90 friends and family coming to the house. The stupid World Cup game went into double overtime (or whatever they call it in soccer) so they didn't get out the door for the hike until after 4:00 PM! Panic! Thank goodness for good friends who arrived to help set up tables, cut up fruit, bring me stuff I needed and a variety of other things. Actually, before Brent left, he and the boys set up a big shade tarp in the backyard to help out our neighbors, the Smoots, with their "family reunion". Another great smoke screen . . . brilliant! Cafe Rio arrived with all the food, the DJ arrived and got set up (thanks Kyle), and by the time the hikers returned all the guests had arrived and all was at the ready. Oh yeah! Brent and the rest of the hikers came off the mountain and straight down to the backyard to see which of the people at the Smoot reunion was having a birthday (since everyone was sining Happy Birthday, you see?) Got a little closer and realized that several members of his extended family were there! Realization dawned. We GOT HIM! Didn't think it could be done. Weeks of planning and lying through our teeth. We really surprised him. Party turned out great. Wish I had thought to take some photos. I think Laura got some. I hope.
Moving on to . . .
The Fourth of July! What's the fourth without the Centerville City parade, eh? Laura, Lucy and Jordan in their red, white and blue.
Papa is a happy guy with all his grandchildren at the parade. Abbie and Lucy are wearing matching skirts that Erin made. So cute.
Abbie and Landon playing on the bungee blow-up toy at the fourth of July fair, after the parade.
Since the 4th was on a Sunday this year, different communities did their celebrating on either the 3rd or the 5th. We celebrated on both days! Why not? On the fifth we headed up to Park City. Here's Scott and Rachel at the Loco Lizard restaurant. Gotta love their salsa and chips.
Papa and Noah at the Loco Lizard.
Erin and me at the Loco.
Had to show you these t-shirts that Erin got for the little ones. Hysterical . . . and often true!
August 17th . . . Brent's and my wedding anniversary. Does that man know what I love, or what?
What? Steve's back and this time Kalli is with him! That's because they joined us at . . . Lake Powell. There just isn't any place like it. This year we stayed in Annie's Canyon. Without Annie, that is. It was pretty weird to be at Powell without Annie there.
Kalli and Steve and Rachel and Scott watching a movie after being out on the speed boat.
Had my sister, Elaine, along on the Powell trip this year. Loved having her!
Our faces say it all.
Brent's nephew, Levi, was with us at Powell this year. He's a seasoned Lake Powell veteran and was an absolute pleasure to have along!
We also were pleased to have my nephew (Elaine's son) along on the trip. Good looking, is he not?
Chow time on the "Black Pearl". In the foreground of this photo is Brent's dad. He's eighty-four but didn't let that stop him from water-skiing a few times on this trip. I wish I had some photos . . . Brent took some with his camera.
Brent and I eating our chow at the little kids table!
Rachel trying to choke down some Kix cereal. She was sick for most of the trip because . . . she's pregnant! She and Scott told us just before we came to Powell because they knew we'd figure it out when we saw her with her head in a barf bucket for a week! We're sooo happy for you Scott and Rach and we're sooo excited for another grandchild. Sorry about the sick stomach, however.
Our Boston kids, Steve and Kalli. Actually, for the next few months, Kalli is in Boston continuing to work on a master's degree in speech therapy but Steve is in Connecticut working in an internship for his master's program (combined engineering and business). He comes home on the week-ends but the rest of the time they have to be apart.
Not ideal but, at least, temporary. We loved having you with us for the week at Powell.
One big thing that I've missed here is a trip that we took to Canada in early August for my niece, Erin's wedding to Scott Terry. We had a great time with my family and the wedding was absolutely beautiful but I didn't get any photos because Brent was always off adventuring with MY camera! Erin and Scott were married in the new Vancouver LDS temple.
Anyone still with me out there? I know . . . ridiculously long post. Crazy, busy summer. As long as my summers are always full of the people that I love the most, they can keep on being crazy. Til next time . . .