Wrappin' up summer..

So I am in a sad spot right now. We just came home from a trip to California and I realized it is the end of any and all planned trips, and pretty much the end of the summer. How did that happen? I know we have lots of warm weather still ahead of us, but all of our adventures are mostly over. I guess I have been pretty spoiled this summer, always having something to look forward to. All I have to look forward to is the ward campout (which we are in charge of so it makes it more work than fun) and in September, 10 days all alone while Jevan is out of the country. Bleh. I probably sound like such a whiner but I can't help myself. So to cheer me up, I'm posting a bunch of pictures from this month that make me happy.

My dear friend Elisa came into town a few weeks ago and we were able to spend time with her up at her ranch house in East Canyon. It was so fun to be with her, Marie and Marisa and all our little ones. We were quite the group. It was very chaotic but really fun.

Elisa & Nat

Jane sharing her many pairs of beloved sunglasses with Noah.

We made it to the pond!

The whole crew of kids..it was a miracle we got this shot.

Allison's "don't mess with me" face...

Jevan's summer work party up at Snowbird. Jane LOVED the alpine slide and riding up on the ski lift.

Have I mentioned Jane is obsessed with sunglasses?

Woohoo!

Doesn't get better than face painting and balloons...

A hike up near Alta in Albion Basin to see the wildflowers:

Allie the drunken hiker

Allison trying to keep up with Jane.

True trouble...

Giggle fit...

The flowers were really pretty but it's hard to tell in our pictures...

And finally, California. Last weekend we went to Newport Beach to Jevan's cousin Cameron's (the groom) wedding. Jane and Allison were flower girls, along with their cousins, Hazel and Chloe. We went with Jevan's sisters and had such a blast.

The reception was held in backyard in a town outside of Newport and it was a picture out of a fairytale, seriously one of the most amazing yards I have ever seen. It had a pool made to look like a mountain pool, complete with rock waterslide...a covered dance floor, a huge willow tree with tables and benches underneath, pathways through fruit trees, ponds with fish connected by a bridge, and even had a rabbit that made it's home there and nibbled at the grass at our feet from time to time. The huge attraction for the kids was an amazing playhouse - one that looked like a house down to the tiniest detail such as a doorbell, wooden shutters, mailbox and a working light on the outside by the door. Inside there was a complete little kitchen, living room with couches and a TV and a loft that several kids could sleep in. Needless to say, they stayed in there through the whole reception.

We also hit the beach while we were there and once again, the kids were in heaven. They played so hard, jumping in waves, building huge sand pits, even making pans of sand lasagna (we could not find beach toys ANYWHERE! Weird huh? We had to resort to buying kitchen utensils and pans for them to play with...). Jane loved spending time with her cousins and I had a great time with Jevan's family. We were all in the same hotel with rooms right next to each other and so at night, after the kids were in bed, we would play games until all hours. Such a fun trip!!

A rare moment when Allison wasn't running wild or busy being tired and angry.

Jane as a flower girl

Flower girls with Cameron's new bride. Hazel and Chloe, Jane and Allie's darling cousins, are on the right.
Crazy that these kids are cousins, huh?
In Jevan's family all the kids are either the "black hairs" or the "white hairs".

Allison checking out the amazing playhouse...

Beach day!!

Jane burying herself in the pit...

Jane and her cousin Calvin.They are only 3 weeks apart and together they are darling (most of the time :)).