A Few New Favorites

A few of my favorite things that Aven has been doing lately:

• Dancing- Not in the traditional sense, but if I play OMG by Usher then she concentrates really hard, looks down, and stomps her feet as fast as she can.
• Talking- She chatters non-stop sometimes. A few words that I have been able to recognize are "dace daw" (Grace Dog), "shzzz" (shoes), and "fsh" (fish). She also says "ya ya ya!" if I ask her if she wants a snack or to go play outside.
• Playing with Grace- She is determined to get Grace Dog to play with her, but Grace is still a little nervous about getting too close, so Aven usually ends up chasing her around with a dog toy.

As frustrating as she can be sometimes, she is incredibly fun and always full of surprises.

Who needs the alps . . .

When you've got this?

Milcreek Canyon from the Pipeline Trail, July 2010

Swim Class

This summer I signed up for parent/child swim class with a couple friends at Kearns Oquirrh Fitness Center. So far the teacher is a huge disappointment, but it's fun swimming with Aven and our friends.

l-r: Nique, hiding behind her son Jaxon, Aven and me, Amber and her son Payton. Payton and Jaxon both took this class last year, so they're old pro's showing Aven the ropes.

Kick, kick, kick!

I thought this was a funny picture of Aven. It looks like she's lounging on the surface of the water.

Blowing bubbles. Something Aven hasn't quite got down yet but loves watching me do.

Brandi

Ian and I went to see Brandi Carlile with our old friend Becky, who we had not seen in over a year, at Red Butte Garden on Sunday July, 11th. I have been a Brandi Carlile fan ever since I first heard "The Story" which was made popular by Grey's Anatomy (or so I have heard). We have just missed seeing her here in Salt Lake a couple times and were ecstatic that we were able to go see her this time around.

Becky, also a huge Brandi fan, decided to accompany us since she couldn't find anyone to go to the concert with her since the majority of her friends are apparently un-hip enough that they had no idea who Brandi even was. We had a great time catching up with Becky and enjoying the tunes.

Following are a few pictures I borrowed from Becky's facebook page:

Brandi rocking out.

This was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. She was a great performer and had plenty of amusing stories to tell in-between songs. I loved how her encore wasn't just two songs. She just kept playing right up until the 10 pm deadline when music has to stop (because of the noise ordinance).

The closest I could get to a portrait of Becky and Brandi together.

Due to Ian's lack of wrap around sunglasses, he spend the first part of the concert enjoying the show with a dish towel on his head. Guess what you're getting for your birthday Ian?

All three of us enjoying the show.

Cute Aven Photos at the Cabin

I just wanted to post some more of the cute photos we took of Aven at the cabin over the 4th of July.

She looks like she's concentrating really hard on some deep philosophical problem, probably something to do with the nature of the rock she is holding in her hand.

It's okay she was fine, Cara caught her at the last minute, it was just perfect timing on the photo.

 She's taken off down the road looking for adventure or just another rock to pick up.

Fun Sprinkled with Sadness

We went on our first trip to Flaming Gorge 4th of July weekend. This trip was a little different for me than past trips. My dad and aunt have decided to sell our cabin. I am heartbroken about losing this place that has seemed so full of magic and wonder but at the same time I completely understand and support their decision. In between bouts of sadness we had a lot of fun and I took a lot of pictures of my favorite details of this old place. I won't bore you with those, but I will share a few favorites from the trip:

A family portrait in front of the cabin my grandpa built with the help of family and friends. My grandpa left this world in 2007 but going to the cabin has made me feel as if he is still here. I'm afraid that losing this place is going to feel like he is totally gone.

Now on to happier moments:

Aven was mostly interested in playing with rocks and sticks. I could tell she was hungry when she started trying to eat them.


Aven also enjoyed playing in the water at Mustang Ridge. Is was very cold, but she didn't seem to mind as long as she had a rock in her hand.


We went to a classic car show at Flaming Gorge Lodge. We enjoyed the cars, Aven had fun toddling through the field it was held on.


On Sunday it was 48 degrees and it rained and hailed like I don't think I've ever seen before. We tried to do a lot of indoor things like visiting the dam visitor center and Red Canyon visitor center. We walked along the edge of the cliffs at Red Canyon during a break in the rain.


And last but not least, here is Grace squeezing under the fence after pursing a chipmunk. Don't worry, she's far too slow to ever catch something. She's our big lumbering bunny.


In closing, I would like to thank my grandparents for a lifetime of fun and for the opportunity to have such a unique experience by providing this wonderful home in the mountains for all of us to enjoy. Not having a cabin won't keep me away from Flaming Gorge, but I will have to learn how to love camping. Here's to enjoying this place as much as possible while trying to sell it!
(L-R): My grandma (Carm), grandpa (Bob), and their friend Roma during one of the early years of cabin construction- they are standing on the very unfinished second floor.