Oh my, how time flies!

I really did not realize that the last blog posted was when we were in New York with Ryan last spring. So here is a little catch-up blog for the summer without pictures because I am using Dan's Ipad and don't have pictures on it.
After our trip to New York we had a busy time getting ready for our family gathering at the cabin for the 4th of July. One of the big highlights of the year for us is to gather together to play, eat, and enjoy each others company. This year-unfortunately-Angie and Mike and the kids couldn't be with us. We missed them and wished they could have been there for the festivities. The fireworks were amazing as usual, even though we missed Barb and Rick Franklin and their spectacular show of fireworks because of other plans for the evening.
Next we had a visit from my sisters Simone, and Christiane. Chris's daughter Julie Defa and her husband Todd, and children Allan and JC came also. We also got a visit for the first time with Tami Dissel, our sister Marie-Jose's daughter who was sick of missing out on fun family time and left husband to get children to school and she flew up to join us for a few days. We had a great week of play during which Julie and Todd set up a new computer Dan bought for me and switched over my old files. Now if they were just closer so they could help me with the situations I get myself in it would be perfect. I don't think there is anything they can't do between the two of them.
After Tami and the Defa's left the girls and I drove to Lebanon, Ore. to visit our sister Rachelle. We had a great visit together for just a couple of days and got to know her family better. Carrie and David Franzwas and their children: Nia and husband David with baby Evelyn, Houston and Danny. What a cute group!
It was so sad for the sisters to go, but after a couple of weeks I drove to Utah and had a great time with Aaron celebrating his birthday. I stopped at Linda and Earls first and Aaron and Bree met me there for dinner and after we went to the Peach Days Carnival that is only a couple of blocks from the Harpers home. We had such a good time walking around and eating carnival food.
I helped celebrate Aarons birthday by going out to a movie and a show with him and Bree. We had a good time visiting. He has a new apartment and roommate. Both of which I approve.
I had a chance to visit with the Tuckers only for a couple of evenings. But had another couple of days to visit with Chris and Wes and Defa's in SLC. Julie had Tami and her husband Scott and two girls over for dinner. It was good to see them all.
And since the driving is so much fun I decided to just pop on over to Colorado Springs for a visit to the Adam Conlin family. Even though it was short, it was very fun and we went to 3 soccer games on Saturday.
Sunday I went back to see Chris again. Monday I went to visit Aaron again. And I drove home on Tuesday so I could rest Wednesday and watch Cami and Parker on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Alea an Zack left them for the firs time to go to a good friends wedding in Las Vegas. Ashley was there with me to help (OK, Ashley is a serious baby whisperer and I was the one there to help). I would be happy to go back as long as Ash is with me the whole way.
Since I had so much fun the first time I visited Rachelle I drove on back to visit with her and her family again for a couple of days.
A short hop skip and jump over the beautiful Samiam Pass and I got to spend a couple of days with Skip and Jan Madsen. Jan and I talk, shop and sew our heads off while we are together and Skip shops, cleans and cooks for us. What would there be to not love about this situation?
Back over the pass to Rachelle for another day and home I drove again.
Fall is a bitter sweet time for me. Sweet because I love the colors of Autumn. The glorious leaves turning and harvest celebrations are so much fun. But the shortening days and worsening weather really bother me. I love to drive, drive, drive but not in snow. About any other kind of weather is ok, but in snow i turn into a little old lady driver that is too nervous to have fun.
But the weather didn't keep Dan and I from flying to Denver to spend Halloween with Adam and his family. We got into the spirit of it by helping Colleen who was in charge of the ward Trunk or Treat night. A chili cook-off, a costume parade, and games and prizes for the kids. Adam and Colleen and the boys were a group of zombies from the game Plants vs. Zombies. My job was to pack up the make up kits and zombify the lot of them Even Tommy was great and wanted to fully participate in all the ghoulish fun. Dan and I were vampires and we really got into it. All too soon for everyone we left Colorado and red-eyed to NYC to visit with Ryan for a few days.
Whew! Sorry for the long blog. It turned out to be not so little after all. But there is so much to say about this NYC trip I will need to end this blog and start the rest of the story tomorrow.
We love you all