end of summer

My parents left for Texas today. We were so spoiled to have them here for the month and we are sad to have them gone. Here are some of the remaining main events of their stay.

We happened to drive by the city of Roy and Rach and I remembered seeing a restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network from that city. So, we had to find it and try it out. I had the best banana and strawberry shake.

The picture we took before I took Matt to the airport where he flew to California to start training for his new job. I am so excited for him.

Rach turned 21! I can't believe it. We had a wonderful dinner at the Smith's and the next day, her and our friend from Plano, Jordan, went skydiving. I couldn't believe the little amount of instruction they gave them compared to what I got when I skydived in Dallas for my 20th birthday. They skydived in Ogden, the same place Matt went in September of 2007.

One day, we went to Park City Resort and ziplined and rode the Coaster. The Coaster was awesome. I saw a white, furry mountain goat on my way down. It was so cool and it jumped right over the track in front of Rach and Manti. You go so fast on the coaster, they are lucky they didn't hit it.

Now that Matt has started his job, Rach starts school this week and my parents are gone...I am going to be pretty bored.

park city

We got to spend some time relaxing with my parents and sis. Most of the time we are just making fun of each other/me. We went to another art festival, a couple of free outdoor concerts and drove past Kamas to see beautiful Provo Falls and Mirror Lake. I had never seen this area before was surprised by the cute towns and great camping.

Provo Falls and Mirror Lake

Concert at the Canyons. I have never seen so many hippies before. Afterwards, Rach put together her delicious pesto salad and I made peach and blackberry cobbler. (The same cobbler we had with Matt's family at Lake Powell. Super easy and so good. Recipe can be found here.)

8.9.10

I turned 23 yesterday, 23! It crept up so fast and I'm not sure if I'm ready for it.

The special treatment started at Lake Powell when Matt's family surprised me with a krispie treat cake covered in chocolate frosting and sang to me.

Then we went up to Park City the day before my birthday to visits my parents, where I opened presents and had a birthday cake. That day we went to the Art festival and there was so many different kinds of beautiful art.

These coffee table/wood drums were so cool!

These kids loved playing with the nozzles of this machine/sculpture, water would dump on them unxpectedly from different parts.

The day of my birthday Matt gave me our last wedding gift card to buy whatever I wanted and we found hiking shoes I needed. I'm excited to try them out. Beau also made delicious, made from scratch, chili and bought Kneader's bread bowls to eat out of. Best chili I have ever had. After dinner, we went to Rock Canyon park for the movie showing of Penelope, I've been meaning to see it and it was really good. It was fun to be outside at the park sitting on blankets with the view of the sunset waiting for the movie to start, listening to people karaoke, then watching the movie and having a view of the stars. My sis bought pints of Costco gelato (my favorite) for us to eat while watching the movie. I will never shop at Costco again without stopping at the food court for a cone of their gelato.

I had a great birthday and I am so grateful for everyone who made it so special!

water + manure + dirt = salem mud volleyball tournament

Last weekend Beau played in the Salem mud volleyball tournament with Manti and their buddies. Matt will be cleaning mud from his ears the next few months.

Manti is somewhere in the middle of that.

lake powell

Drive pictures

"Matt's Rock"

Matt remembers peeing on this rock off the side of the road when he was 3 years old.

Pictures of the Lake

Obstacle course

Tubing

Matt wakeboarding. He is so good at this kind of stuff.

Knee boarding pictures. I've never done it before and I am so glad I got up on my own.

Rainbow Bridge

Cliff jumping

We are so glad we had the chance to go to Lake Powell (Matt's happy place) with Matt's Family. Lake Powell is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.