Utah in July

My kids had their sights on BYU volleyball camp this summer... and earned the $$ to go.

Cole does landscape maintenance, Summer cleans Tom's office, 

and Meg babysits regularly for a large family down the street.  

So, we packed up the car and I made the 10 hour drive minus Tom and Cole.

They joined us after getting a couple more days of work in.

Call me crazy, but I love long drives.  Tom does call me crazy. 

I like it now that my kids are older.  I just make sure I have a good book on tape and 

playlist to get me through the rough patches. 

 I lay out a few rules and we usually have a pleasant drive in close quarters.

One of the rules is that you do not ask "are we almost there?"

Cole can be a hooligan in pictures  

Summer's pals and roommate. 

 Meg and Claire Wright 

Our home base for the 2 weeks we were there was Park City...thanks to our friends, the Oklands.

 Kaci is always the best host and walking partner.

My buns miss walking those Utah hills. 

  

Karli Okland and Summer went to EFY the first week.  They have been friends....well, since diapers.

While Summer was at EFY, we spent the 4th celebrating with the Verhaaren family.

and later met up with our good friends, the Zaharis family.

While the older kids were at volleyball camp,  Isaac and I met up with family.
My sister Aryn came down from Idaho and my brother Chad and his wife, Carissa, were staying in Utah before their big move out to medical school in Kansas City.
It was also fun to have Carissa's mom and brother (far right) join us.

We decided to hike to Timpanogas Cave for Chad's birthday.
As Chad put it- "The most supervised and safest hike in the world."

  

A little cool off at the Henley's pool afterward. 

 Never any rest for the only adult male in the water.

Give this worn out man some birthday cake.

The next day was Isaac's 9th birthday.

His wish was to do the Wicked ride at Lagoon.
He has lived with a year of regret for not being brave enough when he was 8.

Hiding a few tears and looking a little sick prior to take off, he pushed through and

 got off the ride wearing a smile and looking quite relieved.

We had a celebration.

After Lagoon, the fun ended and we drove home the next day.