Cowboy Up!

What a great evening! We drove to Birdseye to spend the evening with the Daybell's. The kids spent time playing with the dogs, pigeons, and horses. Payton even tried to rope a calf, and he did it! He thinks that he is pretty cool now. He told me that he maybe wants to be a cowboy now instead of a golfer.

Taylor was quite the impressive rider. She really knows what she is doing. She moved those cattle like a pro. I think that she would live with the Daybell's if I would let her. Baylee was a bit timid at first, but after a little while she was riding around the arena by herself. Kelsea liked to ride, but she really liked loading the steers in the chute and releasing them. Payton was really excited and was determined to rope a steer, which he did! Man is he cool, just ask him. I think that the hat tells the whole story.

It was nice of the Daybell's to have us up. Our kids are about the same age, and my kids really enjoyed having our own little rodeo. I think that the kids are worn out. I know that I am. Who needs Disneyland when this much fun is just 35 minutes away?

Timp Cave

I really do not know what has gotten into me. For the third time in four weeks I planned a hike early on a Saturday morning. This time I planned a trip up to Timp Cave. I really hoped that we could get a lot of people in the family to go, but everyone is so busy this late in the summer. Stacy (my sister and hiking partner), Baylee, Kelsea, Payton, and myself ended up leaving around 7:00am to head up American Fork Canyon. It had been years since I had hiked to the cave, and it was the first time for everyone else that was with me. As usual we had a blast. I was so proud of my kids, and Stacy, for making it all the way up...with minimal whining. I forgot how steep the canyon is, but it sure was beautiful.

The kids were so excited when we entered the cave. Kelsea kept looking for the cougar or bear that she just knew was living there. Baylee thought that the cave formations were beautiful. Payton was very curious. I think that he may of set a occicial cave record for the number of times he hit his head on the rocks. I just was glad that we got out of there with no stitches needed. Stacy was just glad that she bought a sweatshirt at the gift shop before the hike.

We topped off the morning with the long hike down, followed by lunch at the Training Table. Nothing like "cheese fries" to cure the aches and pains of a long hike.

I can't wait to do it all again.

I Really Dislike the Delete Button

Okay, I think that I have finally calmed down enough to write a little. Darn delete button on the digital camera. As you can see this is the first post in a couple of weeks. We have done a lot of fun things, things that I had pictures of, but the darn delete button almost caused me to lose my cool, okay, I did lose my cool but I am okay now.
Two weeks ago, we hiked the Y again. This time Stacy and I took Baylee, Kelsea, Becky, and Sydnee. We had a great time and even ran into the BYU football as they descended from the Y. It was pretty neat, but you will have to take my word from it because I pushed the darn delete button.
Later that same day I took Payton, who was extremely disgusted that he was left home from the hike, up to Hobble Creek Golf Course. We had a great time hitting balls on the range. The kid even has good form. After hitting balls we went to the clubhouse and had a plate of fries. Again we had a blast. It was a beautiful day, and I intended to show off the pictures, but the darn delete button. I think that I am actually calmed down enough to try to post some other things. Hopefully the darn idiot with the camera will not push the wrong button again.

The Johnson Family Pool Party

Each year, around Grandpa Johnson's birthday, we have a pool party at the Spanish Fork pool. It is nice to get together with the whole "Johnson Clan." It is nice for Grandpa Johnson and his sisters, Lois and Helen, to bring everyone together. We usually start with something to eat and then head out swimming.

This years party was missing someone special. Aunt Lois, Grandpa Johnson's older sister, passed away on July 23rd. There was some thought of cancelling the party, but Uncle Earl insisted that we have it in honor of Aunt Lois. He said that there was nothing that she liked more than getting together as family. She was a neat lady, and we will all miss her very much.

The kids, as usual, had a blast at the party. They had fun eating, but they had a blast at the pool. It is times like this that make us grateful to have so many family members around. Payton claimed that we must be cousins with the whole town. There is more truth to that statement than he could ever know. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa, Earl and Lois, and Aunt Helen for providing this opportunity for us to get together. Lets do it again next year.

Fun at the Cabin

This has been a fun week. Scott had a conference at Daniels Summit and thought that it would be a great time for a family vacation, especially since BYU was paying for the room. The family planned on staying Tuesday night at the lodge, and then spend the next two days at the cabin. When Scott checked into his room, it only had one bed. So Mom and the kids decided to let Dad spend the night at Daniels Summit while they slept in comfort at the cabin (It beat sleeping on the floor in the lodge).
On Wednesday Grandma and Grandpa Johnson as well as Bobb and Val came up to spend the 24th of July at the cabin. Bobb put in a new sliding door in the upstairs bathroom while everyone else had a good old time. Sitting on the porch was the favorite activity of the grown-ups, while the kids spent time hiking to "little rock" and "big rock". Kelsea and Baylee made friends with the kids in the cabin next door. Everyone, including Taylor's friend Kayla, seemed to have a great time. It was hard to leave the 85 degree weather of the cabin and return to the 100 degrees that greeted us at home. But the great thing about leaving the cabin is knowing that the next trip is just a couple of weeks away....we hope.

Miss You Dad

It is hard to believe that it has been 17 years since the phone call telling me that my Dad had passed away. As a young missionary I was not sure what the future would hold. I just want to let you know Dad that I have tried my best to be the kind of person that you would want me to be. I also want to thank you for the life that you lived. I am always proud to tell people that I am your son.

Tradition has been that I take a diet Pepsi to the cemetery, just in hopes that you may someday like me more than Keli. I also take my kids up to the cemetery and share stories about you. They are such great kids. I really know that you would enjoy being around them, as well as your other grandkids. But even though you are not physically with us, I know that you watch over every one of us. I know that you would be proud of who we are and how we try to live our lives. I guess that I just want you to know that I love you and that I miss you every day.--Scott

700 South Reunion

Saturday July 19th was the first annual 7th South Family Reunion. Deborah and her family owned a home on 7th South in Springville for over 30 years. In fact, Deb and I lived there until we built our present home. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about "neighborhood reunions", but that all changed on Saturday. Deb did not grow up with her family around, and so the people in her neighborhood became her family. It was really neat to see her and her family see people that they had not seen in years. It was interesting to hear their stories, and listen as they tried to "catch-up" with each other. The people that have lived in that neighborhood truly have a bond. It was an afternoon filled with laughter and love. One family even drove from Oregon to attend the reunion. What a great afternoon it turned out to be. Hopefully it will be an annual event.