A Friday we will never forget.

Me and Steve took off to the cabin on Wednesday to spend a couple of days alone and catching up on projects that needed finished.  Thursday we spent outside doing yard work and spraying weeds.  We decided to take a break and drive up the road to Tom's cabin.  Once we left Tom's cabin I had the strange thought that we should see if we could run from it to our cabin.  We set the speedometer on to see how far it was and it ended up being around 4 miles.  To most people that would be an easy run, but I hate to run and it's never been easy for me.  The feeling persisted and we decided that night that we would do the run around 10:00 in the morning.  That night I went for a walk and Steve took the four-wheeler out for a drive.  He was late getting home and I was worried that I would have to go look for him.  He said he was talking to the trapper "Pete".  I said his name is not Pete and finally remembered it was Robert.  We would usually see him up here and talk to him during the year.  He is from Duchesne and married to my second cousin Linda.  That morning we got dressed and climbed in the ranger to do the run.  Almost to the top of the dugway Steve noticed something out of the corner of his eye at the bottom.  He slammed on the brakes and we backed up.  We both jumped out when we saw the truck and the horse standing at the bottom. 

I told Steve I would go call 911 and he headed down the mountain.  I raced back to the cabin and dialed 911.  It was very frustrating when she kept asking for my coordinates and what the mile marker post was.  Also I had no idea what Steve was going to find at the bottom.  Finally she got the sheriff and ambulance on the way and I went back up to the top.  Two hunters had stopped and Steve yelled that he was still alive, but barely breathing and to make sure an ambulance was coming.  I ran back down to call 911 and they told me they were on there way and life flight was also coming.  I called my brother's cell phone to see if he was anywhere near the ranch to come help.  No answer so I called my Mom and told her what had happened.  She then called Nancy to see where Ken was and Nancy called Linda, Roberts wife and picked her up and flew up the road.  Finally the sheriff got there and surprisingly made it down the mountain.    Soon after the ambulance from Tabionia made it and the emt's got down to Steve.  He had been  down there holding Robert's head and talking to him for about 40 minutes.  When he first got down there he couldn't find him.  The truck was sideways leaning up against some trees and he had been thrown behind the truck.  He had hit so hard his boots had come off. 

 We felt pretty calm after the emt's got there and life flight was on it's way.  We assumed everything would work out.  They asked Steve if he could drive the ranger up the canyon to help carry Robert out.  Steve meet them halfway and they were performing CPR on him.  They got him out to the clearing by the cabin and one of the ambulances came down.  By then Steve had brought Linda down to him and the sheriff was trying to direct life flight to us.  It landed up on the hill by the other ambulance so they loaded Robert up and continued to work on him while driving up to life flight.

 Life Flight had kept going while the ambulance was driving up and after 10 minutes it shut down and I knew he had not made it.  Talking with my brother later he said alot of accident victims keep breathing until you move them and then their heart gives out.  We have both had a pit in our stomach since then and our hearts break for Linda and her children.  We both know how hard it is to lose a father and he was so young.  Only a year older then Steve.  We will miss seeing his truck and visiting with him.  His horse had a broken leg and they had to put her down and his favorite dog was also killed.  So he was able to take his horse and dog with him.

parasailing

 I bought Taylor a coupon for para sailing and gave it to him for his birthday.  Me and Steve went up to watch him and it looked like a blast so when another coupon came up I bought me and Taryn one.  I'm deathly afraid of heights and was a bit nervous that morning.  But once I was strapped in and we stepped down the para sail lifted us up and suddenly I was flying.    Unfortunately my instructor did not get us high enough up and 3 minutes after I took off we landed.  He acted like that is what we were supposed to do, but I was mad.  I didn't say anything and waited for 15 minutes for Taryn and the other kid in the group to land.  Steve was up at the top of the mountain and he assumed they would bring me back up for another ride.  Nobody said anything and on the ride home I decided I would email and ask for a refund. 

 Here is the shot of me heading down to the landing strip.  We did not get very high.

Taryn had a much better experience. 

   

 She got to loop-de-loop and enjoy the ride. She said she was ready to land and had a fun time.  I got home and sent an email saying that I loved my three minutes but the coupon said a 15-20 minute ride.  They quickly replied back to my email and said they would refund my money or give me another ride.  I choose to go again, so the next morning we headed back up to the point.  I had the same guy that took Taryn and he was great.  He took me for a long ride.  It is so peaceful up there and my fear of heights never came into play.  I loved it.  The loop-de-loop was my favorite.  I would definitely go again. 

Fair time and high school reunion

Thursday morning after a final me and Heather and the girls took off to Duchesne for a weekend.  It was Duchesne's Fair week and my 30th high school reunion. 

 We went over Thursday night to eat and ride the carnival rides.  We meet Kellee and her girls there.  I got my Navajo taco and was a happy girl. 

Bellamy sat in the stroller for about 15 minutes that night.  We got the girls wristbands so they could ride all they wanted and they did.  On one ride Berkley hooked up with Tyler's little girl Navyie and then declared she was Berkley's new best friend and wanted to ride all the rides with her. 

Braelyn has wanted her hair cut short for along time and we called Jodi and she fit her in.  I did not get an after shot, but she looks darling and loves it.  After the hair cut we loaded up two cars with 8 little girls and headed to Amy's house to see her ducks. Navyie was so funny chasing these ducks around the yard.  Then Karsen decided she was a duck and spent over an hour bent over with her arms like wings and quacking like a duck. 

 Saturday Mom and Heather walked around the fair and then watched the parade and fireworks.  Friday night me and Leisa and Gini went up to the lake and visited with some of our classmates.  Saturday night was the big dinner and get together.  We had 18 of us and it was nice to visit and catch up on our lives.  I'm excited to get together in another five years. 

Another fun weekend

 Most people would not think building a rock wall is fun.  I would agree but the satisfaction of doing it and having it look so awesome is fun to me.  I got a crazy notion and decided to do another wall on the side of the cabin.  It took a few days but the cost was zero only a sore back.  Braelyn helped shovel dirt to finish it.

 Kellee brought her girls up to play on Friday.  After swimming Berkley took Karsen downstairs and found her a outfit to wear.  They played so well at our cabin and Grandma Moon took Braelyn and Kiley to the ranch house to play for the afternoon.

We have a deer that has adopted our cabin.  She could care less if your outside and just keeps on eating.  Berkley named her Bambi.   

There are three of the cutest puppies at the ranch house and Heather is in love.  She is not a dog person so this is surprising to all of us.  The girls have had a great time playing and holding them. They named each of them and I wish I could remember who is what.  One is a stinker and here she is hanging on her mom's tail and beating up a sibling.   

 

 One is very shy and at first they named her panda but changed it to peaches.  She is so cute and roly poly.   Bellamy just gets so excited and wants to pull their face.   

July 4th

 I did not pull the camera out much on the 4th.  We had a great time at the cabin and Starvation so I don't know why I didn't get more shots.  Me and Steve and Heather and the girls went out Tuesday afternoon.  That night Taylor and Taryn came and our good friends son Jared came out.  On the fourth we headed to the lake.  Our first time at Starvation this year.  When we got there it was overcast and the water was not smooth.  Regardless me and Steve got in and

skied.  It was chilly and with the sun covered by the clouds I about froze.  We set up camp at Indian Bay and the girls had the best time playing in the sand and climbing the rocks.  Kellee brought up Kiley and Karsen and the girls had fun playing with their cousins.  Here the girls thought they were so cool as they jumped off the cliffs.  At their age that is brave.

Taylor and Taryn being goofy on the boat.  Someday I am hoping they will outgrow the need to slap each other.  Soon the water smoothed out and everyone got a good run in.  Braelyn even came out with me and rode the skim skate and loved it.   

 The sun rarely made an appearance, but that made a nicer day for Bellamy.  She was really good and loved playing in the water.  Taryn and Taylor went home that night to watch fireworks and the rest of us went back to the cabin for dinner and a very dusty four-wheeler ride.  It was a fun day for me. 

Here is Heather and her friend Alex driving the mustang to her 10 year high school reunion. 

And the little one who is spoiled rotten and has us all wrapped around those chubby fingers. 

The best Grandma

 On Monday my sweet Grandma passed away.  She would have been 95 this August.  She was lucky and able to live on her own.  She had a massive stroke on Wednesday, they life flighted her to the University Hospital and was conscious for a few days but unable to speak.  She will be missed terribly, but I'm thankful she didn't have to spend the rest of her life in a rest-home unable to communicate or walk.  I know most people would say they have the best Grandma, but hands down I did.  When I was born my Dad told her to get her sewing machine out because she had a granddaughter to sew for.  I loved the things she would sew for me.  I remember the sparkling red pant suit she made for me in elementary.  I thought I was hot stuff and wore it all the time.  One year she made me and Jodi and our barbies matching pajamas.  She was an excellent seamstress.  She gave each of my children a quilt when they were babies.   Very talented.  She grew up in the depression and was very frugal.  She made a doll house out of a box and the furniture out of cardboard.  I loved playing with the doll house and would get it out every time I went to her house.  When Mom would come pick us up, I would bawl because I didn't want to go home.  She would also take us up to her cabin in strawberry.  We were in heaven when we got to go up.  She would fill up this big steel round tub and we got to swim in it our she would drop us off and we would tube down the river.  I still remember her killing snakes up there because we were scared of them. 

She told me a story of when she was in her 80's and was out mowing her lawn on a riding mower and somebody stopped and told her that her lawn wasn't big enough for a riding mower.  I'm impressed that she even mowed her own lawn.  She was very independent and would not allow anyone to help her.  Last year me and my Mom went over to wash the outside of her windows and do some light cleaning.  She was so embarrassed that she had not gotten outside and done her windows yet.  When I went to dust her bedroom I noticed on her night stand she didn't have any pill bottles.  I asked her where her pills were and she said all she took was a vitamin daily.  I hope I can say that when I'm 94.  She was such a sweet, quiet woman and I'm so lucky I got to have her in my life.  She got to be reunited with my Grandpa who has been gone for 23 years and her two daughters who passed away.  What a beautiful reunion.  Love you Grandma.

Mothers Day

 This year I had all my children and grandchildren over for mothers day.  In the morning Steve and Braelyn made breakfast for us.  Then after church they all kicked in and made a wonderful lunch.  It was a great day and ended with Bellamy soaking my skirt.  You would think I would learn by now and keep a diaper on her. 

 And what mother's day or Sunday I should say would be complete without everyone wrestling Taylor.   I guess some traditions they never outgrow.  Love my kids.