Our Summer

Now that we have a little time on our hands.... lazy sunday afternoon... We thought we would write a bit about our summer. We worked through the end of June then headed with my youngest sister Makayla and our dog Piper, to Denver for a few weeks. On the way there we stayed in Yellowstone for a couple of nights. We saw everything from elk to bison, Old Faithful to Mammoth Springs to bison, bald eagles and bison... lots and lots of bison.... though we do feel very lucky to live so close to such a beautiful, amazing place. This picture is of us in the park. Piper wasn't allowed on the boardwalks so she got put in a back pack.

From Yellowstone we headed to Denver staying with my in laws. Matts eldest brother Andrew flew in from Houston for the first week we were there and we were able to spend time with another of Matts brothers Adam, his amazingly beautiful wife Sally ( hair or no hair :)) and our two nephews, Mark and Robb, and our niece Kathryn Grace. We celebrated Robbs birthday while we were there as well. We really hate living so far away from them but it makes it really special when we do spend time with them. Picture is us with Kate at Adam and Sally's.
After our 2 weeks in Denver we met some of my family in in easters Utah and made our way down to Eagar AZ to take part in a huge 3 Sisters Reunion, one of the sisters being my 6th great grandmother, Betsy Jane Leavitt Hamblin. Her, her mother Sarah Sturdevant Leavitt and her siblings were an amazing family who came across the plains, losing family members along the way, and coming to Utah, settling areas along the way. They were key in establishing friends among the Native Americans and making sure that neither party crossed the line in anyway,and they paved the way for many settlements from Salt Lake down to Arizona and New Mexico. Below is a picture of my mom, sister and I in front of a monument of my 7th great grandmother, Sarah Sturdevant Leavitt in St. George Utah.
We then headed home, stopping in Salt Lake along the way, meeting up with my "twin" cousin Megan and her 2 kids. We were both born on the same day within a few hours of each other so we have always been like sisters. We did the Temple Square tour and went to lunch with my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Scott before we headed home for good. By that time we were all VERY ready to sleep in our own bed.

A few weeks later we went camping with our work family. I am pretty sure we started a tradition among the guys and their families. It was an adventure to say the least. Watching people who had never camped or hadn't done it in years.... makes me laugh a little. We hiked, swam and caught lots of fish, that alone made it worth it. On our way home we even saw a bear cub right at the top of Morres Creek Summit. Mama must have been close, but she was no where in sight. Heres to next summer!!