"Memorial Day" Weekend...Part 3

We decided to go back to Lake Powell the next day and enjoy some more fun in the water. This time we went to "Antelope Point" Marina. We parked our cars and then got to ride in a golf cart type vehicle down a ramp to the marina on the lake. Here, there was a fun swimming place for the kids. It was a multi leveled platform that opened up to the rest of the lake (where it opens up, it's 400 feet deep). The kids, including Josh and Spencer, thought it was pretty cool.

At first, Jaron didn't want to get in because he said it was too cold, but that quickly changed because it was hot outside, and because Jantzen started splashing him. Josh got in on some of the splashing fun too, but not for very long because he didn't have his swim suit on.

Here's Jaron, Jantzen, and Zeben having fun splashing each other. There was three different levels on that platform that each got a little deeper. Jantzen was the only one brave enough to go in the deepest one (below), it only came up to his chest, but Jaron still wouldn't get in it.

While Jantzen was swimming, he was telling me a story all about a shark. He said, "The shark ate my body, so I'm only a head, but then it spit out my body, so now I'm a full human again." He then preceeded to tell me another story about a boy and a shark. I didn't catch all of it because he was talking so fast and the story went on for a really long time, it was cute though.



The water was still too cold for Jaedyn's taste, so we decided to let her sit out again, but she had fun hanging out with mom and dad and getting in a little nap.

I just love her face in the picture with Josh, I don't know what she was doing.



After the kids swam for a while, we went to eat lunch at the restaurant on the marina. We enjoyed pizza and pink lemonade, it was good. When we were leaving, the kids noticed a bunch of huge fish gathered by the restaurant. Austyn decided to feed them some of her pizza, which they seemed to enjoy. The kids all thought the fish were cool because they were so big. I think Jaedyn was just trying to figure out what they were.




The kids wanted to swim some more before we left, so we let them. This time Zeben decided to be brave and he jumped off the ledge of the platform in to the deep water, with Spencer after he chickened out at the edge. When Jantzen saw this, he wanted to do it too, so we put Zeben's life jacket on him and let him go.

As you can see in the video, Jantzen chickened out too and wanted Spencer to also help him jump in, so he did. If you watch closely, you can see at the very last second Jantzen hesitates to jump, but Spencer takes him in with him anyway.

After he did that, Jantzen thought it was a lot of fun. He had to show me his big, strong muscles. We all tried to convince Jaron to jump off, but he wouldn't.


Much to our kids' disappointment, we had to leave so we could get home at a decent time that night. They weren't very happy about it, but we told them we would come back again, hopefully with some wave runners next time so we can go out on the water.

Here's Jaedyn, enjoying a ride on a cart again back up to our car. She was so happy all weekend, what a perfect little girl!


We got back to camp and started packing everything up. While Josh and I were packing, this is what the boys were doing...playing on Josh's dirt bike. Jantzen can't wait to get his own bike, he loves them! It was cute to watch them play because Jantzen was making all the noises like a bike while he was sitting on it.



It didn't take very long to get everything packed up, so we were on our way home quickly. The boys were sad to leave, but we had a great time camping with good friends and we'll do it again.

"Memorial Day" Weekend...Part 2

...This was the beach we went to Saturday afternoon/evening, it was at Lake Powell. I've never been there before, but I've heard that it's a fun place to go. We wanted to have a BBQ on the beach, but it was so crowded, we couldn't find an open spot so we went a little further inland, we still got a nice spot though.

Jantzen had fallen asleep on the way there and didn't want to wake up, but eventually did. We didn't want him to miss out on all the fun.


While we were getting a fire pit set up Jaron enjoyed some fun in the sand. He was finding little clams/oysters (I'm not sure which one they were) and then made a hole to bury them in, but ended up burying his feet instead. He then played a game of Frisbee with Zeben and Spencer.



Josh and I decided we wanted to go see the water so we took all the kids with us. We told all the kids to not get wet because none of them were wearing their swim suits, but as the pictures show, you can tell how well they listened.

Here's Austyn, Zeben, and Jaron venturing out into the water, just to put their feet in as they stated. Jantzen didn't want to get in the water, I think he was still trying to wake up.


Here's Jaron's version of "nanny, nanny, I'm getting wet and what are you going to do about it" look. He's lucky he's a cute kid.


To get Jantzen to go in the water, Josh had to get in with him to show him it wasn't scary. He freaked out at first because he didn't want to take off his flip flops, but then soon realized that he was going to lose them in the wet sand if he didn't, so he finally took them off...


...and started to venture out on his own.


Here Jantzen's giving his "I don't know what to think about this" look.


I had to get a couple cute shots of Jaedyn in her new hat by the water. It was way to cold to put her in, so we spared her the misery and just let her watch the kids play.



I think Jaron and Austyn had the most fun. They played a lot in the wet sand and kept getting more and more of their clothes wet, so I gave up on telling them not to get wet.


Jantzen mostly did this...stood barely in the water, letting the waves from the passing by boats hit his legs and eventually his shorts.


The kids, minus Jantzen, continued to play in the water and with every minute became braver and braver until they ended up chest high in water. Jantzen eventually went out to about waist high in the water, but on his way back out of the water he fell and got completely wet.



here's my two little monkeys freezing because they're soaking wet in their street clothes and the sun was starting to go down. This is when we decided play time in the water was done.


The boys had told me after they swam in the pool earlier that day that they didn't want to swim anymore. So, because of that I didn't bring their swim suits or a change of clothes for them after they got all wet. I guess I should've known better and just brought dry clothes for them anyway, next time I will.

They stripped down to their wet shorts and undies and used towels and jackets to warm themselves up by the fire. Jantzen was a tough kid and didn't need to wear a jacket for very long, but Jaron wore his all night.

We all then enjoyed hot dogs and corn on the cob (cooked in the fire, it was yummy) and for dessert we had smores. It was all so good!



Jaedyn just chilled out by the fire, admiring it. I think she was fascinated by it, except the smoke kept following her, so we played musical strollers with her and moved her around a lot. I guess what they say is true...smoke follows beauty.


We got in some good chats and then decided to head back to camp for the night, stinking like a camp fire. We all had such a fun time at Lake Powell for our very first time going there. The boys can't wait to go back...

"Memorial Day" Weekend...Part 1

For Memorial weekend this year we went to visit our friends, Spencer and Jann, in Page, AZ. We left Friday after school, later than we had planned, for the 3 1/2 drive to Page. We got there after 10 pm, so we didn't visit long before we went to bed. The next day Josh and Spencer took off for some much needed bike riding time together. They haven't gotten to ride together since last July, so they were excited. Jann and I took the kids to a little park that was at the campground where we stayed.

The kids had a blast playing on all the toys, you would think they've never been to a park before. This one was pretty cool because of the red rocks and mountains behind us.

This horse was the first thing Jantzen got on. He thought it was awesome! He quickly got off though when he saw Jaron getting on the see-saw, so that's where he ended up next.


It was funny seeing these two play on the see-saw because Jaron couldn't kick hard enough to get Jantzen's feet to touch the ground, so he did all the work while Jantzen enjoyed hanging out in the air.


Next up was the swings. Jaron and Jantzen had a turn and then Jaron and Zeben had a turn together. I'm so proud of Jantzen, he can finally make himself swing really good so I don't have to push him anymore...yay for me!



While the boys played on the toys, Jaedyn just relaxed in her stroller...that is until her dad came to play. She loves it when he lifts her up in the air, then he drops and catches her, she giggles so much! She had fun hanging out and swinging with her dad.





After the kids played for a while, we decided to explore and go for a hike up the mountains/rocks. Jann and Spencer headed up with the kids while Josh and I took our time climbing with Jaedyn.


There were a lot of fun caves for the kids to play in on the way up. It wasn't a long hike, but it took me longer because I had decided to wear flip flops instead of shoes like I made the boys wear, I know, smart huh?


When Josh and I caught up to everyone, the boys were throwing rocks off the edge of a cliff. As soon as I saw them my heart sank into my stomach. I am deathly afraid of heights and I was freaked out, thinking they were going to fall off the cliff and I couldn't help them because I'm so afraid...I hate feeling that way. I just yelled at them to move back and Josh went and got them for me. I couldn't handle the rest of the trail because it was so close to the edge, so I walked back and took the long way around and met up with everyone at the end.



After the kids had had enough hiking, we headed back down the hill to go swimming in the campground pool. The boys had just as much fun running down the mountain as they did climbing up it. Jaron, Jantzen, and Zeben raced down a ditch and then Jaron and Jantzen had a contest to see who could jump up the side of the ditch the fastest. I don't remember who won, they both did pretty good.




I guess we wore little miss Jaedy Bug out...she fell fast asleep on our walk back to camp, so we let her have a little nap in her stroller under the shade of a tree. She was sleeping so peaceful, even with the noisy boys running around.


We then took the kids to the pool to cool off a bit. As you can see, Jaedyn didn't like it very much, but Jaron and Jantzen loved it! Jantzen did a lot of dancing and dunking himself, which he was very proud of, and Jaron enjoyed jumping in the deep end and then taking a break to enjoy the hot tub. Jantzen thought the hot tub was too hot, so he didn't get in very much.




The boys enjoyed some splashing time with Zeben...



...and then Jantzen decided he would be brave and go all the way around the pool by just holding on to the edge, he didn't have a life jacket on. He did good with it for a while and then one time while at the deepest part of the pool he let go. I totally freaked out because I saw him just splashing. I ran over to him to find him keeping himself up pretty good, but I pulled him to the side anyway and told him that was enough. I think two almost heart attacks for me in one day is just a little too much!


While the boys enjoyed the pool this is what Jaedyn was doing...chilling out with dad, showing us all how flexible she is. She's so stinking cute!



When the boys had had enough of the pool we left and got ready to go to the beach....