Mountain Bike Racing

We've been practicing twice a week all summer and race season is finally here!  Kate was super nervous for her first race.  Zack was normal nervous, but really hoping to do well.  He started pretty far back in his category, which makes it really hard, so he was hoping to move up a lot.  We have three races where both Zack and Kate race.  Kate is the first race of the day, Zack is the last race of the day.  Our first race was a Soldier Hollow right by our house, so no big deal.  The next two races are far enough away that we have to spend the night so that Kate can get to her race in the morning, then we have to hang out all day waiting for Zack to race.  Kind of crazy, and annoying.  The first one we travel to is in Powder Mountain over Labor Day weekend.  Right in the middle of the showcase of homes.  It's going to be a crazy, crazy weekend.  So we got a hotel to stay in as we'll be in no state to get camping gear together.  I'm looking at that weekend as a short vacation.  I mean, it is a beautiful area, and we will be getting a break from the showcase, so it could be worse.  The next race is in Vernal though.  Not so much of a vacation destination.  We love the mountain bike team, but it's definitely been a time commitment for our family this year!

Anyway, Kate did a great job.  She was able to ride the course a lot ahead of time, so that helped her not be so nervous.  She finished a lot faster than she ever did in practice.  But most of all, she had fun!  She walked up to the team tent after and yelled, "I'm so proud of myself!"  It made the hours we spent this year worth it.  As a coach, it was really fun to see all of the kids I worked with do so well.  There were lots of big smiles, which was fun to see.  Poor Zack had to ride when it was super hot and the trails were trashed from all the other riders.  Good thing he's young and strong because I could never do it.  He did a great job and was able to move up 20 spots for the next race.  We had lots of fun watching.  I love seeing my kids push themselves and feel so good after!

Kate getting ready to start

Zack is in the white helmet.  He passed a lot of people on this climb.

Hot and sweaty at the end.  He specifically requested a gatorade at the end of the race.

Cottonwood Lake

We made it back to Cottonwood Lake after missing it last year.  This was our third time going, and it's still one of our family's favorite places to go.  It's beyond beautiful, not too far away, and secluded enough that you feel like you're removed from everything (including cell phones).  We always go with cousins from my mom's side (who we don't see enough), so I think that makes it extra fun.  My mom grew up going there, so I always feel like she's close by when we're there.

The theme of the trip this year was fishing.  I think Jake spent more time fishing over the two days we were there than he's done for the last two years put together.  The kids all took turns going out on the raft with him to fish.  Jake said he was basically a fishing guide, but he loved it.  They all caught a lot of fish.  Enough that we had some for dinner one night.  Delicious!  Jake and Zack and I went on a hike that about killed me.  Good thing it was so beautiful.  Sage turned 10 while we were there.  She had birthday doughnuts and then Meg and Taryn shared their birthday cake with her.  Season brought stuff for crafts, so everyone was happy.  We had such a great time.  Can't wait to go again next year!

The kids had fun on this ghetto raft

Our cousins brought paddle boards, kayaks, and canoes that we had lots of fun in

Jake spent hours on this raft

Sage's fish!

The birthday girls: Meg, Taryn, and Sage

More Birthdays

I complain about having so many birthdays close together, but really, the boys are low-key.  Almost too low-key.  I can barely get them to tell me what they want.  The girls are a totally different story.  Kate doesn't say much, but I've learned over the years that if I don't somehow read her mind then she's not a happy camper after.  So now I ask her a lot more questions to get her to tell me what she wants.  It's kind of working.  And then there's Sage.  Sage talks about her birthday all year long.  This is no exaggeration.  It's a big, big deal.  Which is fun, but also stresses me out because I worry I won't get it right.  One nice thing about Sage, though, is that she plans out every detail of what she wants.  So it's just up to me to execute.  No pressure at all.  This year she even did a power point presentation detailing who to invite to her party, what to do at the party, what cake she wanted, etc.  Miraculously, everything went well and she was happy with her day.  Well, really she had a birthday week this year.  We were camping on her birthday and couldn't take her presents, so she had her party Tuesday, opened her presents Wednesday, and then still had birthday fun on the actual day.  So pretty much her perfect birthday.

Kate turned 13.  I feel like she's been a teenager for a long time.  But no, we're just starting.  She had a party with some friends.  I mostly tried to stay out of the way as they all looked at me weird when I was around.  So yes, I think they're officially teenagers.  They played games, decorated cupcakes, and watched a movie. 

Sage turned 10.  According to her this is her golden year.  Very important.  They had a pinata that was stuffed to the brim.  Then they watched Descendants 3 (came out that day luckily), played some games, and had cake and ice cream.  Obviously none of these parties were Pinterest worthy, but my girls were happy and that's what matters, right?  And yes, I'm loving that I'm officially done with birthdays for another year.  And Sage isn't allowed to even think about her birthday until after Christmas.

Decorating cupcakes

Cute girls

At the fair on her birthday

Sage loves doing heavy heavy

In case you were wondering it took Kate like 10 tries to blow out her candles

Sage requested this cake.  Ugh.  At least Kate helped this time

This is how we do pinatas in the country

More cute girls

Sage didn't think she was getting a moped.  I very strongly said no, but then Jake said yes.  She was surprised and VERY excited.

Now we see a purple flash as she rides by

July Happenings

July was a pretty great month I think.  So busy!  We managed to spend some time swimming, at Seven Peaks, we made it to Festival Days, had birthdays, went to the Oregon Coast, and a million other things.  Work has been crazy, so I was busy working more than normal (like part-time hours) while trying to help the kids have a fun summer.  It was a little stressful.  Gratefully, we recently hired some really great people who have picked up some of that load. 

Things that stand out from the month:

The 4th of July was awesome as usual.  I think that might be my favorite holiday.  Just a fun day to hang out with family and friends.  Jake and I started off the day on a long mountain bike ride.  Loved it!  Then we hung out with friends and family came up to take over the party at our neighbor's for a bit.  We got traditional scones at another neighbor's and finished the day lighting our own fireworks and then watching the Memorial Hill fireworks.  Perfect day that wasn't even hot:)

We floated down the Provo River for the first time as a family.  It was definitely an adventure.  It was such a wet spring that the river was still running really fast and high.  What's normally a two hour adventure only took us an hour.  We have a great raft that only holds four people.  Kind of a problem for our family of five.  We decided I would rent a tube and float down holding on to the raft.  Well, that didn't work well.  The raft went a lot faster than my tube.  When we finally caught up with each other we realized that when I held on to the raft Jake couldn't steer at all.  So I floated down the river by myself while the rest of the family was in the raft.  Hilarious.  But still a lot of fun and a great adventure.  In case you were wondering, floating that river in a tube is not nice and relaxing.  You have to do quite a bit of steering to stay out of the bushes and avoid big rocks.  It was also freezing cold.  Jake took his supposedly waterproof phone on the raft and got some good pictures.  Then his phone died and they told him it's slightly water resistant.  Super lame.

What Zack looks like after welding all day.

4th of July ride

Awesome water slide at the neighbor's

Good old water balloon volleyball

Waiting for the Memorial Hill fireworks to start

Our annual ride up Memorial Hill

The only picture we have from rafting

Grandma Tracy went to Peru and brought back these cute shirts!

For Christmas, Jake got Kate and I tickets for Cinderella at Hales Theater.  It was so fun!

Festival Days!

We finally got the rest of our pavers in!  We did the prep work and paid people to put the actual pavers in.  It was glorious.

Sometimes we do this at Red Ledges.  Also glorious.

Sage wrapped Zack's present

Zack was so excited to turn 15.  I wish he would smile in pictures.  He's my favorite because he always requests birthday root beer floats

A new tradition this year - pictures on the windows for everyone's birthday.  I kind of love it!

Jake finally turned 40!!

I love this picture.  Thought we had candles, but we didn't.  So he blew out a match.  Birthday fail.  We sure are grateful for Jake and everything he does for us.  We're blessed to have him!

Zack got his drivers permit!  I'm terrified.  I've got to get him driving more!

Demolition Derby date!  So fun!

Zack driving up a dirt road with the whole family in the car.  I only screamed once.

A moose we saw on a hike to Blood Lake.  

Random mountain biking picture.  But I had to include it because that's been happening a lot this summer!