Month in Review

Wow! September was a busy month, we're probably on the inactive list since we haven't attended church in our home ward since the first of September. We started the month with Lotoja, where we spent a great weekend with some great friends the Stucki's ( ok not really sure how to make that name plural). A week Later we flew as a family to Tennessee, Cameron and I stayed with my amazing sister in law Vicky and her kids at there place while Kevin and my Brother in-law Todd rode their bikes around Tennessee. Cameron and I then flew to Oregon for my cousin Janel's wedding and spent about a week with my Grandparents. About two days later Kevin and I flew to Florida to go on a cruise to the Bahamas while Cameron stayed with Kevin's parents for the week. We've been all over the this month; Wyoming, Minnesota, Arizona, Chicago,Idaho, Tennessee, Oregon, Florida, and the Bahamas. We were swimming, snorkeling, eating, shopping, biking, hiking, eating, walking, flying, climbing, eating, touristing, playing, singing, cruising, dancing, oh and did I mention eating. We all had a great time and Cameron did better than expected on the plane. I need to thank Vicky, my parents my in-laws and my Grandparents for all there help with Cameron while Kevin was riding his bike across Tennessee and I was a single Mom, and while Kevin and I were both gone on the cruise they made things a lot easier and more fun. All in all we had a great time, It was fun and exciting, but I am soooo happy to be home. There is nothing like sleeping in your own bed, eating in your own Kitchen and being together as a family again in your own house.

Well, I had better get back to real life now and do some Laundry Yippee!!!!

McMinville Tennessee

Vicky and Cameron at the Carter House (civil war site)
Walking along the river in Portland

Playing at the Park in Eugene W/ Grandpa and Grandma C.

Janelle and Matt's Wedding

Aquarium at Atlantis Hotel in Bahamas

Kevin's new Bike in Key West
Catamaran to go Snorkeling in Key West

Fun In Tennessee

Tennessee is beautiful Kevin, Cameron and arrived on Sat the 15th and we all had a great time. Kevin and Todd left early Monday morning for a bike ride across Tennessee. Kevin says that the country side is beautiful and the weather has been great. This ride is not quite as serious as LOTOJA they call it a rolling picnic. They stop along the way and check out the local attractions such as the Jack Daniel's brewery ( great place for missionary work right???) Vicky, Brennan, Jen, Cameron and I, met the guys in a place called McMinville on Wednesday night, we had dinner and walked around the park a little just to spend a little time with Kevin and Todd. Vicky, Cameron and I have been all around Franklin and she is showing us all the neat historical sites form the Civil War and we also went to the Grand Ol' Oprey and of course the mall for some shopping. We had a great time with the Scott Family and we cant wait to visit again. Tennessee is really a beautiful state. Here is a link to a newspaper article the one of the local paper wrote about the ride my brother in Law Todd is interviewed and quoted in it. http://www.t-g.com/story/print/1277766.html Now its off the Oregon for my Cousin Janel's Wedding!

LOTOJA 2007

He did it!!!!!

Kevin completed his fourth LOTOJA ride on Saturday the 8th. For those of you that don't know what that is, its a one day 206 mile bike ride from Logan Utah to Jackson Hole Wyoming. He started at 7:22 am and completed it in under 11 hours (his best time yet) he finished 423 out of 1000 riders. Kevin has been training with his friend Clayton all summer for this race , they were a great team and even got Clayton's employer T-Mobile to sponsor them with free Jerseys (real men do wear pink) They both did great and had an amazing support crew:)

It is amazing to think that less than 5 years ago he was going through chemo therapy and hardly able to walk from one end of the house to another. He sure has come along way, I'm so proud of him.

Catch Up (pics now included)

OK so is been a few weeks since my last post, but boy have we been BUSY! As I said before we went camping with Kevin's fam and had a blast. Kevin rode his bike up to camp (approx 113 miles) he left home at about 6:30 am and arrived before 3:30 pm tired and a little sore but happy and ready to camp (remember this is just a training ride the big one is 206 miles).
Less than 2 hours after we arrived with a huge scrape on the side of his eye and dirt up his nose Cameron had already managed to look like a solder coming home from battle. but was that enough? NO! not for my son, instead he decided he wanted to get a more authentic look so he face planted it on a gravel parking lot and added a nice gash above his eyebrow. 40 min later we arrived at the hospital in Montpeiler for stitches. What an exciting first night fortunately everything went a little smoother the rest of the time. We had fun singing songs around the camp fire and telling silly stories that we have all heard about 1000 times (burnt toast) good times. We spent one day at Bear Lake, rented wave runners and messed around on the beach. Cameron loved the water and the sand he and Kevin even got in a mud fight (the things we teach our children).
After spending four days camping we were all dirty and tired and I was ready to go home, but instead we packed out jeep up again and headed to Lava Hot Springs for our ward camp out. So it was a busy week but not over yet. We drove straight home Saturday afternoon just in time to get cleaned up and go to the Ogden Temple for Cindy to take out her endowment's. Wow a great week spent with family and to end it at the Temple, even better!

Sitting Around the camp Fire
The Bear Lake Mud Monsters Menatonka Cave
After all the dirt bumps, scrapes and bruises
a long ride home is something to look forward to.

Laundry Anyone?

Ok, if there is one frivolous thing you could do if money was no object what would it be?

I would pay someone to do my Laundry. I know its not exciting or glamorous or even very imaginative, but WOW would that be nice. Laundry seams to be the one thing around the house that never seams to be completely done. I can get caught up on the dishes, vacuuming, and even Cameron's toys are put away, but someone is always wearing clothes and so that means the Laundry is never quite done. We got back Saturday afternoon from the Larsen family camp-out and our ward Camp-out. We really had a lot of fun (I'll fill in the events of the trip in another post) but somehow when we walked into the house and left our bags in the Laundry room I got a pit in my stomach and reality hit we are home and that means Laundry. I guess I really don't have much to complain about, with the blessings of modern technology my Laundry will be done in a day if I stay on top of it, its not like I have to use a rock or even a wash board, maybe that's why back in the day people only had two sets of clothes its not because they were expensive its because Mom didn't want to spend all week washing. Oh well I guess I' ll stop complaining now and go fold some more clothes.

The Fourth of July "Good Times Today"

It was a Great day, it all started early at the ward breakfast where we ate great food and the kids got Pony rides, Cameron though it was great, he was so excited to see the pony's eating wasn't even an option. Cameron doesn't seem to be frightened of many things and so although many of the other little kids started crying when they got on the horse, Cameron got on and said "giddy up hosee"

SOOO cute.

Next it was up to the mountains where Grandma and Grandpa Cogdill are running a stake camp near Huntsville. The whole family was invited up for a picnic lunch. We played in the river ate a lot of food and caught up on family time. It was greatCameron with Great Grandpa Cogdill-They use this handy little cart for Grandma to get around in, but the great grand kids sure like it too (he wont let us "Grand" kids use it, we must not be great enough :) sorry its late). Cameron also had fun attempting to ride Ammon and Issac's bikes and scooters.

I think he needs a little more practice, but look how smart he was to put on the helmet first!

That's enough of that for today lets go see what Dads doing by river!

Next stop home for a much needed NAP for all then off to the Stucki's for a Bar-B-Q and fireworks with a few friends.

Cameron loved the fireworks but was not a happy camper when they were over, probably because he knew it was three hours past his bed time and we were going home.

We live in a great Country with more freedoms than we probably realize we have been blessed with so many wonderful things, and I'm glad that I am able to share them with good friends and family. "Good Times Today"

Happy Forth and God Bless America