Flashback Friday - Ode to the Valley

The 4th of July is just around the corner, geesh! I swear summer just started in Utah? It's my favorite holiday, next to Christmas. And that holiday always makes me remember the childhood summers spent at "the Valley". There is an awesome old house/cabin on a beautiful piece of land in Eden, Utah near Pineview Reservoir. It's a mile down the road, west, of The Valley Market and Maverick. I should ask my parents how we ended up calling it "the Valley". Close friends and family know it as the Valley too. To others it's just some old house/cabin at the base of a mountain. I want to make it a tradition with my kids to go up there at least for a day and play at Pineview. We go to Huntsville and the best beach is on "The Bluff". Maybe we'll get a boat one day too. Greg would love that!

It belonged to my dad's side of the family, but most of the time we were up there with my mom's side.

I love the drive up Ogden Canyon or taking Trappers Loop up Mt. Green. I love going to Pineview also. All the years of going there and only like once did we have a boat to play on. Kinda funny how we'd just have hours of fun using air floaties.

The best times and some of my favorite memories all belong to being at the Valley. Here are a few... Running and playing on the big lawn, playing volleyball, old swing sets, HORSES, tennis court that rarely was used for tennis, night time hide-n-go seek games, bright surrounding hanging yard lights, campers, cousins, big breakfasts, sand box, pump house, dry riverbed to wander in, on good years - a running river to skip rocks, sharing one bathroom for everyone, freezing in the morning cold, long tables and chairs always set up to eat, hang out, and play games on with extended family, burning the garbage in a metal barrel, playing in the barn, big metal "teeter totter" to run and play on - and someone always got hurt, old blue tracker/mower, sprinklers, allergies - gotta love hay fever, driving in a caravan to Pineview, getting excited when we'd see another car with family members driving down the rocky lane to the house, fun fireworks, and illegal fireworks - thanks dad.
And I can't forget the years I'd go up there with friends, summer or winter, parking on the street entrance because the snow was too deep to drive in, having fires, runs to Maverick to use the bathroom, hanging out at the Valley Market, picking couches to sleep on, dancing to the stereo music, sun burns, staying up late, a few times being scared, talking , relaxing, and laughing non stop.

It may sound weird, but I also LOVE the smell of the Valley. I suppose it was the weeds and alfalfa in the fields, and Cottonwood trees, but I love it. If you're up there, just roll down your windows and you can usually smell the freshness up there by Pineview also.

Below is me as a baby being held by my mom with my sis. Amy and bro. Cameron. I chose this picture because it shows the big outdoor fireplace in the back ground. It got washed away one year with the flooding river.

Summer of '84. We brought up our "Wet Banana" water slide thing to play on. With my siblings, I'm on the far left.

Below is Labor Day weekend of '89 eating out with cousins and grandparents.

Below is my immediate family at a reunion in '93, with the tennis court and old swing set stuff in the back ground. Don't we all look lovely?

Inside the house, big living room playing the piano and hanging out with cousins. And this was just last summer, my Jax playing on an old toy. I played on this when I was his age. It has stood the test of time. I had to add this picture of my Great G-pa Ren Williamsen. Here he is pretending to ride a pony. This was about 1958. He was the one who bought and started "the Valley". A lot of the trees are now gone. I liked this because it is a classic fun old time. Volleyball net, swing sets, pony, sunshine in black and white.

Has Summer Arrived?

Well I'm sick of looking at my same old post, so here are some new pictures. My work party at Fat Cats, Jax attempted his first time bowling. He refused to put on the cute little bowling shoes, and he didn't want to use the ball ramp for him to get some speed down the lane. So we watched the ball inch it's way, but he always was able to knock down some pins. He had fun. But in the end just wanted to play at the arcades. We didn't even have to put money in, he just thought it was fun to "pretend" to play. Finally in the 90 degree temps. I don't know if that's actually a good thing, but pool time and playing outside is always nice.
Jax jumping at my mom's house with his favorite person, cousin Liam.
Woooeeeeee! Creed zipping down the slide at grandma's fun house. I love my new camera, it takes the shot instantly, no blurry boy zooming down the slide.
I need to go up to my parents house more often, the boys loved it. So much to do. They have their own little park going on in the back yard. Good job mom!

*Hanging Around*

On Saturday we went up Ferguson Canyon and rock climbed. Jax loved swinging around like Spiderman. He did pretty good at climbing up the rock. He went up about 12 feet high. Greg helped him a little.

Above is picture of Greg climbing. And below is me. I haven't been in years. But I did reach the top. It was tricky keeping Creed happy and entertained while we all climbed. Here he is throwing a big rock.
Here is my burrito. Jax loves to use his imagination. I had to wrap "tie" him up so he couldn't get a way. But he is a super hero, so he finally broke free.

What Disney Princess are you?

I wouldn't have thought to pick Ariel for myself? But I was always good at flipping my hair out of the pool just like Ariel does in the ocean. Kinda fun.
You Are Ariel!

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

click above, I'd love to hear back who you are?

Schools out, and how!

Not so little Jax had his preschool graduation. Such a big kid now. He now has 2 years of preschool left. He is young, but they had an opening in Jan. so I thought I'd send him to play, and get out of the house this winter. In the fall he'll do the whole year of 3/4yr. olds. But for an hour and a half a day, Skyline's preschool was perfectly what I needed. He made things, played, snacked, learned something I'm sure. I don't know what I'm going to do with him all summer? Help!

The graduation was in the courtyard at Skyline High. He really liked his high school buddies. I loved hearing from the "big kids" what Jax would do that day, or the funny things they would say they had to do with him. Jax loves to play and has a wild imagination. That's his favorite guy, Parker, reading a page he wrote about Jax. I loved it, he knows Jax. Here is Greg and the boys blowing out the candles on his birthday. Doesn't that cake look delicious? (if you can see it through all the cans of soda on the table) I want some now!

Maybe Creed will be our child prodigy. He got this out this morning and just sat and played. Poor guy has been sick. So I am glad to see him getting some life back in him.

We've taken him to our pediatrician and other doctors of sorts about 12 times this year. This year, meaning 2008! It's only May. Can anyone top that? This last week I had to take him for a hearing test. He's not speaking words yet, so this is the place to start. This visit was a nightmare. He can hear good, but the experience was not good at all. I couldn't find anyone to watch Jax, so I had them both, in a sound proof quiet room. And I'll just say that when I left, the nice Dr. handed me a pamphlet on handling, behavior, and parenting children. I suppose he was trying to give me a hint, but I choose to smile and know that it's not me, it was a bad day. Right?

Flash back Friday - All about Greg

Since Greg's b-day is this Sunday I thought I'd show some fun pictures of him through the years. I don't have many to choose from. I didn't make it down to his parents in Alpine to find some good ones. I don't even have a baby picture to use. So here is the first one, he is probably not quite 2 years old? He is the cute, cute one on the left, his brother Rick is the older kid.

This one Greg is now a kid. I don't have any idea how old he is here, maybe 12? Greg doesn't even know. It just shows how important it is to document pictures. I always make sure I do that.And here he is a senior at Highland High. If I try hard to remember and put myself back in his day, his hair would look normal to me and I totally would have a crush on him if I knew him. The mission. Dig his hat. Russians had to keep warm somehow. This will date him, but I will just say that he was there when communism fell.
Below: What a HOTTIE! This is around when he graduated from the U of U. I was graduating from high school. I would have really had a crush on him if I knew him then! Next time I'll have to get a picture of him in law school, when I met him, with his longer hair.

Years later, present day, and he is married with two little boys, one looks just like him. It's kinda neat to see how much Jax looks like Greg. I can see photos and picture what Jax will look like.
Happy Birthday to the love of my life. I am so happy to have found you. You are the best husband. You work so hard and play hard too. You always love to have fun. The boys are always so delighted when you walk in the door. You make me want to be a better person, you are always encouraging me and helping me with goals I want to reach. I love that you are so organized. You can fix just about anything. Or know who to call for help. You are a great father to your children. You are my best friend and I look forward to our life together for years to come. Is that cheesy enough? Greg is very good at writing anything, songs, letters, contracts. So I hope this works for him.

And word to our mothers! Happy Mom's Day everyone!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

We just got back from a week in paradise! Kauai is my favorite place. We took the boys this year and my mom and sister Amy came with us. It was an incredible time. The flights were not so wonderful. Jax loved the airplane and the beach. Creed finally learned to like the water and was able to sleep some on the plane rides. I already miss it so much.

Pictures say a thousand words.

The family

Jax at Poipu Beach, he loved his first time in the oceanMe and the boys at the cliffs by our resort.
View from our balcony, Greg and Jax walking around.Having this stroller was the best!

View from our front door. The pool was awesome.

Salt Pond Beach, so much fun exploring.

Jumping off into soft sand, more fun stuff to do.

Jax loved playing and playing. He got covered in a wave at this beach, and never got back in the ocean after this.

Check out my Slide Show of more Kauai!

Going to sleep

Well last night was a cute moment. The boys share a room, and we always put Creed to bed first so he will be asleep when we take Jax in there to go to bed. But last night as I kissed Jax goodnight, turned to leave and Creed is standing up all excited. So I laid him down and left the room. The boys continued to giggle and laugh for another 20 min. I went back in a few times and told them to lay down and be quiet. They were good and laid there looking at each other and laughing. So finally I had to take Jax back out and wait for Creed to fall asleep. I was trying to be firm like I was mad but it was just so cute.

Flash back Friday

2 years ago today we got home from Europe. Here is a picture of us in Lugano, Switzerland and then in Venice. It was a wonderful time. I missed Jax. I cried only a couple times on this trip because I missed him. I'm much tougher now. The last trip we took I never even cried.

And here is a picture of Jax (while we were gone) with Greg's bro Chris. Check out his Bubba Gump lip. Jax was 16months here. I was showing Jax this picture and a few others at this time of him today and he kept asking where Creed was? It was cute, he was so concerned about where he was. My scanner is not working, so I tried to find something from as long as I could find on my computer. And this is it. I wanted to find a golden oldy of Greg or I and laugh. I love seeing people I know when they were younger. It's always fun. Maybe the next flash back.