The Leading Lady: One Adventure After Another

**Disclaimer** I'm running on Nyquil right now... so if I post something that sounds a little wacky... that could be why, but I have been wanting to get this posted. Sorry.

So we all went camping a couple weekends ago. We went up Payson canyon. I have never been up Payson canyon but it was so amazing. When I got up there Rob and Mindy wanted me to go on a hike with them to find Lizard Lake. I went...

Rob of course (captain preparation) brought his compass and GPS. He frequently used it. He was teaching Mindy. I was never the teachable type, so I took pictures. Plus... I figured they had it covered. I guess it's not that I'm not teachable, but more that I don't ever plan to be out in the woods alone because I am afraid of wild beasts dragging me off and devouring me like a juicy double cheeseburger and I'm not a juicy double cheeseburger, I'm more of a chocolate sundae, soooo... I'll always just make sure I have someone with me that is more of a juicy cheeseburger type. That way, when Mr Bear is eating his main course, his dessert can run for the hills. Or call 911, which I HAVE been known to do.

Once they confirmed we were on track, which the big wooden sign with Lizard Lake and an arrow was my first clue... but then again, I'm not the boy scout... we ventured off... I tried to get the beautiful forest behind me... Hmm... all you get is my head and some grass mixed in dirt....

As we start off again, there are some cows blocking our path. Rob enlists himself to "scare them away", which involved him running and yelling while flailing his arms. I know... missed photo op. The cows moved a smidge, and slowly at that, while staring us down. It was as if they were saying.... "Screw you Bozo. Try anything and I'll romp you to death". I snapped pictures of their faces as I walked by, but I guess I didn't upload them from my camera. As I run to catch up with Rob and Mindy, and secretly I was afraid of the cows, I say to Mindy "So.... do you think Rob scared them away or just pissed them off? Cause I'm bettin' on the second. I think they want to kill us. They're back there plotting our death right now."

Oh... Rob is running in this one... LOL!!!

This hike was about 3 miles I think.

Dunt..dah...dah...dah... LIZARD LAKE!!! Wait... where's the water? Yeah, my thoughts exactly...

There it is... you have get closer. Although.. this I would safely say is more like a wallow than a lake... BUT...I'm no wildlife biologist or anything.

It is home to none other than a herd of.... Wait for it....wait for it.... ELK!!! Yep... those are elk prints. And I kept saying that I was SURE that there were Moose that lived her as well. FOR SURE...

Sure enough.... right behind us is this tree stand. I wanted to climb up it but there were only nails for steps and I could see the end of that adventure and it involved me and mud in my face and up my nose.. I passed.

Here is a view from the top of the mountain. This is overlooking Utah lake... it was beautiful.

Dad built the kids a swing, he's such a great Grandpa. Not "Great" as in OLD, but Great, as in good- just to clarify.
Davey swinging...

Abby swinging...

Of course... Keili breaks the mold...

My Dad brought his old bow, which is an antique. That sucker was used by my Grandpa when he was little. I shot it a few times- of course I rocked the house, but I burned my arm doing it. Hmmm... the price you pay for greatness I guess.
The kids loved to shoot it as well... I think these pictures are cute... My Dad just eats this crap up. He loves to play with the kids and teach them these types of things...

Case in point... Although, if you knew Alex, the last thing this kid needs is to learn to use another weapon... He is definitely a boy, this kid... and a bully at that. He can hold his own. He can take down Davey if wants to.

We hiked the Grotto hike. It was an easy hike and so beautiful. Don't ask me what Davey is doing. Having a seizure? Summoning the Gods? Throwing a gang sign... I have no idea.

Can you please look at Alex... I guess there was something on his shoe.. The picture after this one, which I didn't add... he was on his bum...

There were a few make-shift bridges like this one we had to cross.

Then at the end you reach a waterfall and small pool. The kids were in heaven.

We also went swimming in one of the lakes, it was cold, but eventually we all made it in. It might have taken me a few minutes to muster up the strength to just take the plunge- but it happened.

After swimming, we all dry off with a towel and plan to finish drying on the ride home, we are waiting at the truck for my Dad to come out of the restroom and I look over and literally my jaw drops and I say "ARE YOU SERIOUS? Look at him!!!" then I immediately run to the cab of the truck to get my camera because this is one of those "DON'T MISS" moments you have to capture on camera. My Dad, ladies and gentlemen... the cowboy. I told him the only thing that would have made this better was if he would have been wearing his cowboy hat. He tells us "Gosh, I started to put it on and thought... Man, I hope this fits, it's a little tight." I said "UH... Dad, that's beyond tight... that's like, Don't bend over or your seams will pop". He of course was laughing right along with all of us. Apparently he didn't want to ride back in his swim suit and he said this was all he could find in his truck to wear. We all dried on the way back, well all of us except Mr. "this outfit I had in junior high"...

LOL!!! Oh my heck Rustin, I hope you are seeing this.
Anyway... so after that we ate and I headed back home because I had to work the next day. This is a picture I took while driving down Santaquin canyon, it was so beautiful. I was totally snapping pictures while driving when I came upon a couple obstacles...

REALLY????? See the last cow with the white head. When I drove by, that sucker stopped walking and full on stared me down as I passed. I think the devil was inside that cow... it was creepy. I thought to my self... bring it cow!!!!... I'll run you down and I don't care how much my insurance goes up!!!

Last month my sister Misty and her family came in from Alabama. It was so much fun, we went to the zoo and just hung out. Here are some pictures from that time....
The kids, watching Zuri... their favorite part... (the baby elephant)

This is my sister Misty and her husband Brad is in the red. Sam is in the stroller, but I like to call him "Sam I Am", that's his nickname from Aunt Tahnee.

I love taking pictures of Sariah, all you have to do is point the camera in her direction and strikes a pose...

We all decided to tap into our inner child and ride the train. I was lucky enough to sit beside these two cuties...

They LOVED the train, to say the least... look how excited Sariah is. She is actually looking at me but I am holding the camera away. I was trying to get myself in the picture with them... hmmm... not exactly a success story.

Sarabeth with my Dad. I have to take this opportunity to tell you that Sarabeth... Uhem (clearing throat) ADORED her aunt Tahnee... heck yes she did. Misty was always come up to me and telling me Sarabeth wanted to walk with me. CUTE!!!! I thought this was a cute picture of Dad and Sarabeth, they haven't even seen in each other in like over a year... AWE...

The AMAZING bird show. This was so cool. The best part of the zoo.

I let Sariah and Bubba ride the carousel. Bubba wanted to ride the Ape so bad, but someone beat him to it. Here is the beauty of a 3 year old... they will believe you when you tell them that arangatangs are just as cool as apes, if you say it in a super excited cheerleadery way.

We come out of the Ape house and we can't find Miley... we look around the corner... There she is.... Measuring up.

I LOVE this picture. I love it because look at Sariah and Keili. Both posers for pictures, the rest of the kids are not even ready, but OH... don't you worry.... the girls are on it!!!