Natalie turns "5"

I can't believe my little girl Natalie is five already! Our family definitely would not be complete without her fun personality in it. Congrats on surviving another year with your brothers tourmenting you Nats!

Trip to Salt Lake City on the "Tracks"

While Julie's family was here from out of town over the 24th of July, we took all the kids to down town Salt Lake City riding the "Tracks." We went to the Gateway Mall and just hung out and ate lunch. All the Kids had a great time.




Water area up at the Gateway


Brennan isn't afraid to get wet


Natalie and her cousins and aunt Joanne


Brennan with his classic picture smile

24th of July in Holden

As you can see the date in the title of this post does not match the current date of the actual post. It is not even remotely close. . . OK, so I am a slacker when it comes to keeping up with our Blog. Since one reason that I am "Blogging" is to keep a family journal I guess the cliche, "better late than never" can apply; right?

Every year we go down to Holden, UT with Julie's family and it is one of the highlights of the year. Julie's Moms side of the family is all from that town. Every year we go I am a little jealous of the small town atmosphere they enjoy there. The parade is about five minutes long and involves the whole ward. Following the parade there is a huge breakfast and allot of visiting and games followed by a Rib BBQ back at Norman's Place (Julie's Uncle). My mouth is watering just reminiscing about it. The kids really look forward to riding the horses, four wheelers and climbing the rope in the huge tree in Norman's back yard (one of Julie's uncle's said anyone that can climb to the top of the rope and touch the branch he would give a dollar to). All the kids had rope burns on their hands and legs in no time, but they were not complaining as they tried to win their fortune. As you can see from the pictures that follow; even I attempted the climb and succeeded not once but twice, and I have my two dollars to prove it!



Brennan and Jared, just riding the range :)


Madison showing the horse who is boss.


Julie and her "not" so little Cassidy (Niece)


Mckenzie holden the reins


Jared going for the "Gold"


Julie, starting the climb attempt


Nathan trying to earn his "Dollar"


Jared, driving the Tour Bus


One of the Parade Floats


Brennan and Nathan competing in the 3 legged race.





Uncle John and Brennan, just "Chillin"

“Cul-de-sac of Fire”

Every year we celebrate our Independence with the company of great Neighbors and Friends! This year was no exception. We started the morning of with a Neighborhood Flag Raising Ceremony and followed that with a Children’s Bike parade and the rest of the day was filled with good conversation, food, and company. What more can a person ask for? I got lazy after the bike parade and didn’t take any pictures but I tried to get as many of the kids in the parade as I could; If i missed anyone I apolagize.

Prospecting up American Fork Canyon

Nathan, Brennan and I along with some good friends (Peterson Family, Trosper Family, and Bryan Boshell) went up the canyon to do some exploring. It was such a blast that we ended up going back up there again a couple of days later to see what we missed. There were tons of old abandon mines (Silver and Gold) along with remnants of a ghost town, mountain man/mining cabins (at nearly 10,00 feet in elevation) and even some grave stones of victims of a diphtheria outbreak in the late 1800’s. There was a mining boom town up there called Forest City that grew to several thousand in the late 1800’s in anticipation on the American Fork Rail Road servicing it. The Railroad project ended up costing more money than it was worth and the down died with the news the railroad would not be completed. As we road our “four wheel drive” four wheelers up extremely steep and technical slopes and crawled over huge boulders, crossed snow covered passes (in July), and went through ice cold snow melt rivers all at between 8000-10,000 feet in elevation; all I can say to the long passed away residents of “Forest City” (who lived up there year round might I add) is . . . “You had Vision”, Determination, or where just crazy! (maybe a little of all three). It is so beautiful up there.

At one of the abandon mines, with the help of Marque Trosper, the kids discovered a ton of “Fools” Gold. They had a great time collecting it and planning out how they were going to spend their fortune.

We also discovered an old miners Cabin that someone was obviously homesteading and did some modern improvements since the 1800’s (such as plastic utensils scattered about). It was fun to find the cabin, but the experience would have been much more enjoyable if people did not do their best to destroy remnants of this past lifestyle for everyone else (windows broken etc.) Still it was fun and there was an outhouse on the very edge of the ridge line with the front door looking straight down to the mountain valley bellow. What a view he must have had each morning as he sat on the throne!

Foil Dinners after the Ride


Looking for more "GOLD"













Abandon mine loaded with Fools Gold












Look What I Found!!!! GOLD!!!





I saw it first, No I did!




Marque and Sarah also enjoy "Long Walks at the Beach."What a cute couple :)




























The Outhouse with a "View"