Funnest (although Miranda's English Teacher says this isn't a word) Summer Ever!

I always love summer and this one was better than most.  Here we are kicking it off with a cookout to the mountains.

 Opting out of the hike.  Boo!

The granddaughters minus Athena.

 Firepit with Collin.  We do love a good S'more.

 Impromptu swim party at Shepherds.  They started out doing a lemonade stand and ended up here.  Does it get any better?

 I think it does not.

Another summer tradition - Paradise Hills Pool.  It's our favorite.  Here are a couple of bathing beauties.

 Whoo!  Swimming can really wear you out.

Rorey is definitely a water baby!

And now for the big trip.  Actually it's the second big trip.  I whimped out taking pictures in Mississippi.  Darn!  Bethany went to EFY with her cousins Abby and Isa after which we had the funnest week ever with our cousins and cousins-in-law (what Miranda calls my roommate Sonja's kids who I also didn't get pictures of. Double darn!)  Here they are checking in.  It was about 108 degrees.  Yikes!

Here they are again with Bethany looking really excited.  They actually had a great week and I think they would probably do it again.

 As I mentioned, it was kind of hot so we needed some serious ice cream from the BYU creamery!

Dave and Jeannette took us boating at the lake and man was it fun.  It was warm at the top and cold underneath.  Perfect!

Miranda and Amber loved, loved, loved intertubing behind the boat.  You should have seen the smiles on their faces.

Cousins on a hike!  Best day ever - the day I found out that Chad would become a Lobo. Still wish he had been here with us too.

 Miranda, Emery and Anna at Aunt Karen's.

 Siblings and in-laws chilling out.

 Aunt Karen's trampoline.

 Sophia, Grace & Mary being silly.

 Early fireworks.

 Gabbing as usual.

 4th of July at Aunt Jeannette's.

 Getting ready for fireworks.

 Cousin time.

 Dave tweeking the feast he and Jeannette made.

 The esteemed chefs.

 Oh my gosh. Dinner was so divine!

 Dinner is served.

 Yum!

 Davey, Emery and Amber.

 Some older cousins.

 Full!

 A lot of the family.

 Sam and his sisters.  He is so spoiled.

 Here they are again.

 Grandkids oldest to youngest.  I wish we had them all but it's almost impossible.

 From oldest. (Holly here although it's actually DeMiesa)

 From youngest (Lucy here although it's actually Eva)

 Their attention span is not long.

Temple Square Visitors Center

 The Christus.

 What a bunch of cuties.

 Watching a film.

 After the film.  Crazies.

 The fountain.

 Visiting again.

And here's Aaron while we were in Utah.  He spend his 4th with the Hurst fam in Childress.

And since I didn't take pictures of our stay with the Downey family, I'm posting pictures of them from days past.  Here are Sonja, Chad & Emery.  Miranda loves Emery so much and would see her every weekend if it weren't so far.  We're trying to talk them into meeting us in Monticello.,

 Nellie is one of the few people I have ever seen Amber hug.  She is the best.

And we love Sophie too.  We even got to here her play her violin.  She comes up with the most fun things to do and she has a million legos.  Sophie, come see us.