Heber Parade and Rodeo

August 2, 2013

Rick's parents, Neil and Carolyn, invited us to the parade and rodeo Saturday night.  It really was a lot of fun!  At the end of the night there was an amazing fireworks show.

Waiting for the parade to start

Standing as close as possible to catch the candy being thrown
Luke, Ivy, Alyssa, Jake, Apollo

At the rodeo:
front: Apollo, Rick, Ivy,
back: Ginger, Ryan, Spencer

Lorien and Luke

Alyssa and Apollo sitting with Grandpa and Grandma

Cousin Rhyen's Baptism

August 2, 2013

This past weekend we got to attend Rhyen Bell's baptism.  It was beautiful and sweet.

Such a great family!

Anderton Family Reunion

Heber Vallley Camp

The weekend after all the Bells went up to the Heber Valley Camp, we went back up there with Rick's side of the family.  So much fun!  

This was an exercise the couple missionaries did with us.  They told us to pretend we were all on a boat that capsized and we had to swing across a small body of water to get to an island of safety.  We had to get our whole family across.  It was a lot of fun working together as a family to get everyone to safety.  The missionaries then explained to us that we will all have "sharks" in our lives and we need to remember to go to our Heavenly Father and our earthly family for help.

Ethan in the back, Ivy, Alyssa, Jake, Luke in front
After the Shark Island game, we all got harnessed up to do the ropes course again.

The ropes course has you climb up a tall pole, walk across a beam, and go down a zipline:


Ivy walking along the beam after climbing up the pole



The missionaries helped Apollo climb up a few steps, then let him swing.  He LOVED it!



Luke did not try the rope course last week because he was too nervous, but decided he was going to try it this week.  He was definitely more scared than excited, so we were so proud of him!

Alyssa doing the ropes course.  I was so surprised at how confident she was as she did this!

Ivy zip line

Alyssa zip line

Apollo getting ready

Ivy playing in the sand at the volleyball court

All the cousins playing volleyball:
Shannon, Natalie, Spencer, Savannah, Ethan, Jake, Brita, Matt, 

Chris and Becca Anderton, Kay Anderton, Neil Anderton, watching the kids play volleyball.

Around the camp fire

Rick playing the ukulele around the campfire 

The next day getting ready play on the lake.

Savannah, Alyssa, Shannon, and Brita standing in line to get on a paddle boat

Rick, Apllo and Luke in a canoe

Bell Family Reunion 2013

Camping at Heber Valley Camp

So this year we didn't have an official family reunion, but those of us who were able to get together all stayed over night one night at the Heber Valley Camp.

Rick and Lorien walking to the Ropes Course with Apollo and Alyssa

Waiting for our turn

Apollo, Luke, Ivy, Jude, and Alyssa playing in the sand box until it was our turn to start the Rope Course challenge

Getting harnessed up

Ivy was nervous, but very excited!

Annie Telford's Birthday Party

July 10, 2013

The Telford's are our almost-family.  They are related to our sister-in-law, Emily, so we consider them cousins anyway.

This was Annie's 4th birthday party.  It was outside in their backyard and they had water balloons and shaving cream.  Our kids had a blast!!!

Alyssa, Rhyen, Ivy, Luke, and Caden

Auntie Kyndra and Lizzie

Landon (in the background) so how managed to stay clean.

Rhyen and Lizzie playing pinata with water balloons

Independence Day, July 4th, 2013

We had a BBQ in the afternoon with family and visited until dusk, then took the kids on a walk until it was dark enough to do fireworks.  It was so much fun because we took turns lighting off the fireworks with 2 neighbors across the street, so the show lasted quite a while.

Alyssa and Annie getting ready to go on a walk

Annie, Alyssa, Jude, and Parker

Walk around the neighborhood waiting for it to get dark

Family camped out in front of the house getting ready for the firework show to start

Cousins excitedly watching the fireworks.
Back: Luke
Middle: Ivy and auntie Kyndra
Front: Emily, Alyssa, Rhyen, Jude, Lizzie, and Annie

Provo City Freedom Run 2013

My sister, Kyndra, convinced me, Emily, Mikel, and Joryn to run a 5K with her on the 4th of July.  She is a runner, the rest of us are not, or haven't been for a while, but I am proud to say we all finished (walk/ran) it!