Greatest Show on Earth

I remember going to the Circus as a child...thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Bloomfield for taking us!  So I wanted to give my kids the same experience.  Needless to say, 11 is a little too old to get excited about it - that is unless you can take your buddy Kade McLeod along.  You will notice that neither Ethan or Kade is in any of the pictures though...so maybe still too old - even with a buddy.

 Isn't she a poster for going to the circus, or what???  

 Devin enjoyed dressing up in the costumes that they had for the kids at the pre-show.  In fact the pre-show was probably one of their favorite parts.  The clowns all came out and did various acts before the show with the kids on the floor so they could get up close and personal with them!

 At least Devin and Aubrey had a good time.  Grandma and Grandpa Gray came with us and they seemed to have as much fun as the rest of us!

Fugal Family Reunion

So, as I mentioned earlier...my life is to do fun things, blog about it later.  So here I go catching up on some summer fun that never got posted before.  This was the last time that Lois and her sisters organize a family reunion for their families.  Since it was also Don and Lois' last year at Heber Valley Camp - it worked out wonderfully to have it there.

 This is one of the trails that Dave and I went jogging on.

Little Miss Rachel was a little ticked off that everyone wouldn't go to sleep when she was ready to...so she borrowed my sunglasses to see if that might help her acclimate.  I know, she doesn't really look all that mad in this picture.  

There were two cabins for all the Rawlinson kids, spouses and grandkids.   We decided to put the older kids and teenagers in one, and adults with youngest kids in the other.  We could have names them...Smelly Cabin and Snoring Cabin...you guess which was which.  Thanks so much to Natalie for bringing ear plugs.  How come I never remember those w/ the Rawlinson boys???  Guess I got lucky marrying the only one who DOESN"T snore, or maybe he does but I am used to his snoring. 

 Water fun!!!  Almost everyone went to the lake during water time and had a great time.  Devin really knows how to work the paddle boat...I know, ask your big brother to ride with you - then put up your feet and
enjoy!

The picture above is of everyone that was in a canoe...tied together in a train.  Good times for teenagers (or Ethan who thinks he is a teenager). The picture below is of Dave with his "Natures sunscreen" on.  We had a naturalist tell us that the powder off Aspen trees acts like a natural sunscreen, but she forgot to tell Dave that it may not be the most attractive sunscreen you can wear.                        

How sweet is this.  Aubrey and her Aunt Donelle - eskimo kissing :)

 One of the kids favorite things at night was to create crazy jewelry with the glow sticks.  Here Aubrey and Skyler model the latest in flower style.

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 How come Skyler is in EVERY picture.  This one is the bed that Dave and I slept on in the cabin...with Ethan and Skyler keeping it warm - or each other warm.

Playing cards was one of the kids favorite things to do.  Rebecca is such a cutie smiling at me.  Kaleb, as you know is much too cool to look at the camera.  The pavilion was great to house all kinds of social activities.  From reading...our favorite of EATING, game playing and crafts.

Ethan the Egyptian

In the fall, the 6th graders of Grovecrest studied Egypt and got the chance to have a day where they could show off all they learned.  Ethan wanted to be the mummified king in the tomb, but was too big (we think it was his fauxhawk that made him too big for this).

 The kids did a parade for the Parents and Ethan was a Cyptic jar holder...I think it held the entrails of the king - who knows.

Devin's first ski day

What a cute little dude this is.  He had such a good attitude about the whole experience.  I thought 8 was too young to start to ski - apparently I was wrong!  Park City Mountain Resort had a great program for Utah Residents who haven't skied before, called Start Now.  They allow you to rent skiis or a snow board, 3 hour lesson and a pass for the day - all for 25 dollars.  The best part...you can bounce back up to 4 more times at the same price.  We can hardly wait for next time.

Ethan and Mitchell riding up ahead of us.  We yelled and yelled for them to turn around, but apparently they are too good for photos.

Kaleb hadn't skiied before this winter.  I asked him when he was about 10 if he wanted to, but he never did.  I think that had to do with the fact that none of his friends skiied.  So with Skyler and Brooke here for Christmas, he took advantage of some new skiiers and went up to Alta just before New Years for the first time.  Needless to say, the first run down was pretty rough for him, but after that he really liked it and is now motivated to get good enough to go with his friends.  For only his second time skiing he has progressedamazingly well!

So one of the craziest things was seeing this horse and carriage on the ski slope.  They were taking people on rides on the bunny hill and left some droppings on the snow to prove they were there....just ask Mitchell he skiied right through it :)Actually after the first day, but Cafe Rio is always good.  Ethan wasn't too pleased that I was taking his picture with hat hair...