JUNE RECAP

It is hard to believe that the kids have been out of school for over a month now. This summer is flying by!

Here's what we did:

A) Bailey Family Reunion

B) Visit to Yellowstone with Brazilian friends

C) "Encampment"

Here's how I FELT about it:

A) It was so much fun. Paula found an awesome lodge in Heber, Utah that was so beautiful and was a perfect fit for the entire Bailey family. There was a pool and basketball court and the cousins had a blast. We had the traditions of the park day with "steal the flag" match, and the annual Spud Derby. My kids look forward to this time every year and are never dissapointed. So much fun. Here are a few pics.

Grandpa stacking cups for Minute to Win It games.

At the entrance to hiking the "Y" on our way to the reunion.

Sitting on top of the Y

One of the best parts of any Bailey reunion is the seemingly endless supply of good drinks!

Greg and the kids playing in the pool.

Everyone was so exhausted on the way down the mountain...haha!

Making S'mores at the fire pit.

All the big boys watching TV on the big screen. Greg is so much like his dad - this cracks me up!

The little boys pretending to drive the razor.

Playing Minute to Win It games!

Stopping in for our favorite candy apples at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate factory after the Alpine slide trip!

Sadie won an award for "Couch Potato" at the Spud Derby this year - hers was the slowest to go down the track.

Greg and the boys eating their "catch o' the day" from their fishing trip that morning!

Cousin Ethan by the Spud Derby track.

Kids were getting a little bit weird with all the time together in the car!

B) My sweet dear mission companion and friend, Silvia, came up with her hubby and her three adorable daughters and we had a very quick and very memorable trip to Yellowstone. As always, the children just had more fun playing with each other than actually caring about watching Old Faithful go off. Also - on a side note here, it seems that the more times I go to Yellowstone - the less animals I get to see. So weird how that feels. Maybe the animals have a sense of fear when they smell me entering the park? Who knows. Anyhow - it was good for me to be able to use my Portuguese all weekend and  it was fun to see Sadie get along so well with her daughters and she was even trying to learn Portuguese words as well! What a blessing to see our children playing together and to think of the eternal impact that my mission has had on my own life! It was a great weekend. Here are a few pics.

we literally only saw a a handful of Bison this time - but they are always such majestic creatures.

On a hike out to one of the hot pots.

Silvia and Me - who would've ever thought 18 years ago in Brazil that we would be standing together in Yellowstone someday?!

Anna and Emerson

Elena and Maelynn

All the kids waiting on a log to watch Old Faithful go off.

Miles and Elena

Silvia and I near Old Faithful

Greg and Dener took the kids out to paddle-board.

They had a blast.

Seth and Miles near the fire pit getting ready to roast marshmallows.

Such an American tradition to sit around the fire roasting things!

Lane and Elena playing in the tent in the back yard that they were wanting to sleep in!

Dener shooting the .270

Silvia shooting the rifle.

Dener playing with the kids before they left!

C) "Encampment" was a very exciting and huge scouting event that was put on here in Eastern Idaho to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the LDS church being in partnership with the Boy Scouts of America. Greg took the time off of work and went as the scoutmaster and Landen and Seth went as well. They all really enjoyed their time there. They got to do a TON of fun things, like archery, knife throwing, BMX biking, zip line, rock climbing, skeet shooting, wheelchair races, etc. etc. They got a good dose of entertainment by visiting talent groups and they also got a good dose of spiritual enrichment by participating in various activities in order to earn the "Thomas S. Monson" award. They had the President of the Boy Scouts and the Young Men's president of the church speak to them. They learned all about 'putting on the Armor of God' and what that means. They got a special ring from their Bishop and all in all they just came home on cloud 9 about the 4 days they spent there. It was quite a site (and I only saw it in pictures) to see over 10, 700 scouts out in a hot field for 4 days. Impressive and memorable event indeed. I am grateful that they had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Here are a few pics.