Belated Bear Lake post

It's one of our favorite weeks of the year. Bear Lake is always fun, but especially fun with extended family. I'm kicking myself for not getting a big group photo, but it was challenging enough to try for a family picture—notice a very mad Joey in this one:

Yeah, we pretty much gave up on that.

The Oreo game was back, by popular demand:

The kids loved swimming just for fun.

And of course the kites came out.

I love it when I accidentally capture a "then and now" moment, and remembered this photo of Robbie, taken 11 years ago:

Other fun activities included playing "Jail" at the tennis courts,

miniature golf,

Ice cream from the store,

climbing,

and, thanks to the Stringhams, lots of boating.

A few fun activities went undocumented: playing cards, reading, riding bikes, LaBeau's, yummy dinners, movies, hula-hoops, playing on the grass, and just talking.

We love Bear Lake. We're so thankful to Ralph and Judy for a wonderful week, and for this great tradition with so many happy memories over the years.

Bear Lake Weekend

I'm so far behind posting this that I can't really muster the right words to go with the photos. We only had three days at Ralph & Judy's condo, and it was overcast or rainy most of the time. Still, it was like coming home. But with new siding. :)

The kids played to their heart's content at the playground, and Rob helped both Ellie and Ainsley try to learn to ride a bike, since we have hills in every direction at our house.


He was also super-dad and sat at the swimming pool while they swam, along with almost every other person up there. I tried to get photos of the kids in the rare moments that they weren't surrounded in a mass of humanity.

I need to start buying the dark lens goggles...the squishy eye look just isn't attractive on anyone.

I can't remember if Robbie stayed in the condo to read, or if he just swam the other way when he saw me coming with the camera.

One highlight of our weekend was the fact that the Griffiths were there too. Ellie and Ainsley played (and I use that term loosely) croquet with Eli.

While Cole and Joey plotted a screenplay.

The construction hole made a great set.

Forget the Pickleville Playhouse, we had all the drama we could ever want right here.

We fit in dinner and malts at LeBeau's.

And a little more practice on the bikes.

No luck yet. Hopefully they'll get it when we have a full week there in August.

I can't wait.

Since I wasn't blogging at the time...

Another photo from the archives. Sunday just isn't a day I pull out my camera. This photo isn't very old, but last May through July I was on sabbatical from blogging. I don't think it's a coincidence that it's the same location as my last archive photo. I'm still craving blue skies and sunshine. After scrolling through my favorite photos from 2009, I'm kind of wishing that I'd done a collage of them for our Christmas card. This one would have been front and center.

Photo Scrooge won't like this...

I can't believe this was taken almost four weeks ago! The summer has been flying by. Here the short version (that seems long because of the photos):


The kids think Bear Lake is the greatest place on earth, and I have to agree. We love spending time with our extended family there. Thanks again, Ralph and Judy!

Here's a more complete cousins photo at the Smolka's on the 4th—check out cute Clara:

If the Marshes weren't already sick of us after a week at Bear Lake, plus a picnic, swimming & BBQ on the 4th, they had another chance at the family reunion in Alpine on the 5th. It was fun, and I think I could live in Alpine... 

We celebrate all Riley birthdays on the second Sunday of the month, so Rob and Robbie got to celebrate early:

We took the boys to see Kung Fu Panda on the 3rd (four thumbs up), and Robbie was excited to get the game for the Wii.

We were able to go and see Ralph set apart as a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple on the 15th. It was great to meet President Uchtdorf, although Rob called him Elder Uchtdorf, so now he figures he'll be consigned to years of service as a nursery leader. Everyone laughed at me for bringing my camera, so if they want copies of the photos there will be a charge. :)

Not pictured here (You and Photo Scrooge can breathe a collective sigh of relief here) is lots of swimming, Webelos Camp, weeding, soccer, remodeling, weeding, piano, and The Police concert. Did I mention the weeding? The remodeling is going to be covered in another post, possibly on the next holiday, when I have time to blog again.