What an amazing week it has been! My dad and step mom came out from Kentucky to visit. I have been so excited to see them since we don't get to see them very often. We started off with a family gathering up at Bear Lake at my grandparents cabin. I love being able to go there. It is so relaxing, beautiful and nice to get away from life for a little bit. Me and Kenzley drove up separately because me and the kids were going to stay a couple extra of days and Dallas was going to have to go back to work. Once we got there Kenzley was shy like most kids but warmed up and became her feisty little self. Once Cohen and Dallas got there it was so cute, Cohen came running out of the truck yelling grandpa and ran right into his arms. I was a little nervous that Cohen wouldn't remember my dad since it has been a year since he has seen him. But boy was I wrong he totally remembered him. It was such a precious moment.
Where's Cohen?!
Cohen and Kenzley playing at the pier. It was so nice this year the lake was all the way up to my grandparents beach. Usually you would have to walk aways just to get to the water but not this year it was right there! The kids were loving it! It was so beautiful to sit there and hear the waves and see the water.
We played alot of games. This was one of them called Corn hole. I wasn't the best at it so I enjoyed watching.
The hammock is quite a hit between the adults and the kids. The adults love to take naps in them while the kids like to turn them over while the adult is sleeping and knock them out. It is so funny to watch.
Kenzley thought she was right at home in the sand. She kept calling them the sand dunes.
We brought the razor up so everyone could get a taste of the "hint of lime" The girls loved it when they got back from their ride they were all fun of giggles.
Cohen and grandpa cuddling before bed.
Cohen wanted to bring his dirtbike so he could show everyone how he can ride it with no training wheels. It was fun to watch my parents and grandparents stand there in amazement and so proud. They kept saying I can't believe he can ride a dirt bike and he is only four years old. They had to show him off to everyone that was there. One time they were showing someone and all four of them at separate times said Can you believe that he is just barely 4 years old and he can ride a dirt bike. I was laughing so hard. I am pretty proud he is quite the rider!
Kenzley taking a quick nap in the trailer.
Loading up the toys to take out to the water.
Cohen having fun on the boat in the little cubby. It reminded me of me when I was a kid because I would play in there as well.
Kenzley fell right asleep on the boat ride.
Dallas doing amazing jumps on the wake board.
I even got out there and wakeboarded and got up on my first try. A couple weeks ago I went wake boarding and was crying as I got in the water because I was so terrified. I don't know why I freak myself out but I do and I start shaking and get so scared. It's fun but yet I'm terrified when doing it. But I'm proud of myself for trying again. I need to get some practice before we go to Powell next month. Hopefully by then I wont cry at all!
Kenzley playing with the games.
It was fun to have other grand kids for my kids to play with. They hit it off and played real well together!
We even talked my Grandpa, Uncle Steve and Aunt Jan to go for a ride in the razor. It took some talking them into it since they were scared but we go them out there!
I love seeing my kids hold hands I think it is so precious and always need to capture these moments so I can remember them when they're not being so nice to eachother!
My grandpa has these trees that have faces in them and my kids loved them. We had to get some pictures of them giving silly faces with them. Kenzley would call them pirates and we would put her binki in their mouths. She was always talking about those tree pirates.
Kenzley giving her dirty looks in the hammock. Maybe it's time for a nap!
Doesn't she look like she could be on baywatch?!
Kenzley going for a ride on the jet ski with grandma!
I couldn't resist getting a picture of all the sand caked onto her butt! She was quite the dirty little girl!
Time for some family pictures!
Right after family pictures Dallas went to load up the trailer and put things away. While he was using his drill to put away the jacks on the trailer he didn't hold onto the drill tight enough and it got away from him and made quite the cut in his chin. He showed me and I said you need to go get some stitches. At first of course he said no he would just go put on a band aid but I said you really should got get some stitches. He decided to agree with his smart wife and him and my dad drove over to Garden City to meet the on call doctor to get three stitches. After that I told him it was getting late and he might as well spend the night and go home in the morning. I'm glad he listened and we were able to play games that night and have lots of fun!
Me taking Cohen for a ride on the jet ski and Grandma taking Kenzley. It was alot of fun to be back out there on the water!
Kenzley giving me a dirty look because I was telling her she needed to keep the door closed. She figured out how to slide it open and shut and thought it was a fun game.
I need to tell a story that happened one of the last nights Dallas was there. Since we had the razor up there we were looking for a trail that we could take it on. We kept looking and all the ones that we would find would have no trespassing signs. Finally we decided to ask a local and he told us of a trail that would get us up to Hardware ranch that is on the way to Logan. We took my cousin and his wife on the trail and it was pretty and all but I thought it would be perfect for a night ride where we could go faster since you can see headlights alot faster. Later that night me Dallas, my step sister Tavane and her friend Derrick decided to head up there for a night ride. We told my parents we would be gone about an hour and then be back. We left about 1030 or 11. We cruised up there and at the beginning of the trail caught up to a four wheeler and a side by side. The four wheeler let us pass them just fine but the side by side wouldn't get out of our way so Dallas honked and then they moved over. We cruised past them and away we went. We were having a blast. We saw some deer and their babies on the way up. We past a couple of camps but no one else on the road. Right when we were about 4 miles from Hardware ranch we noticed that the razor had over heated. It's not suppose to get over 200 degrees and it was 246. Not good! We pulled over and Dallas was looking into what the problem could be. He realized that the fan was not on so it was not cooling off the radiator like it should be. Not a good sign. He was working frantically trying to fix what was wrong or figure it out. While we were pulled over the four wheeler and side by side drove by once they saw us they sped up and didn't even ask if we were in trouble. Thanks alot people I know we probably shouldn't have honked at you but you should never leave people in the middle of no where late at night like that. By this time it was midnight. We waited there a half hour hoping it would cool down. Dallas got the fan to turn on so we turned around and headed back we made it only three more miles when the fan turned off and it over heated again. Uh oh not good. I think Dallas was getting nervous but for some reason I was quite calm and positive about it. Usually I get upset when the razor breaks down because it can be so irritating and I don't understand why we can't leave it the way it was when we bought it and why he has to change so much to it to make it faster. We waited another half hour hoping it would cool down and it wasn't. Dallas kept driving hoping to get us a little farther or to pass a camp site where we could hopefully get some help. We only made it another mile when it wasn't cooling down at all and was still super hot. Dallas decided it would be best for us to start walking and look for a camp site verses blowing the motor up. By now it's about 1am. We started walking and luckily the coat I always wear for night rides had a flashlight in the pocket of it. I was so thankful to find a flashlight, it helped us aton. We started walking and none of us was in the best gear to be hiking in the middle of no where. I had only flip flops on, Dallas had only one sock cause he lost the other to a stomach ache, Tavane didn't have any socks on and not great shoes. But yet here we are walking in the dark, in the middle of no where, no phone service and there is a lightening storm not far from us and it's starting to sprinkle. And no to mention we are in Bear Lake so aren't there bears in this mountain?! At 130 in the morning Derrick's phone received a text message from my step mom asking if we were okay. that's a good sign because at least we know they are awake and worried about us. Instantly I knew that my dad would come find us. I kept telling everyone. Growing up my dad would never go to sleep until I would get home and apparently it still rang true! Except that we couldn't get service so he tried sending a text message and we just prayed that it would eventually send. We come across our first camp site where there were horses, a four wheeler and trailer but no answer. We keep walking and walking. We start heading up a hill that goes into the mountain areas. By this time it's getting super late, we're all tired and ready to be home. None of our individual prayers were working so I decided that it was time for us all to come together and say a prayer. Dallas gives a prayer and thanks for our safety and prays that we will be found. No sooner than 5 to 10 minutes later Derricks phone makes a noise. We all stop in our tracks hoping that our text got sent. He looks at his phone to read text not sent. That was a sad moment. We start walking again and another 5 minutes pass when his phone makes another noise and it says message has been sent. We all got so excited. The text message said we were 9 miles up cottonwood canyon so at least they would know where we were and be able to find us. We got a little burst of energy at least knowing they were awake worrying and got a message to come find us. It was crazy though because where we finally got service was in the middle of the mountain. Trees all around us and up hills both ways. We start walking again and get to the top of the mountain where his phone beeps with text messages and he finally got service to where we could call. We get ahold of Celeste where she says our kids were still asleep and that my dad and the sheriff were on their way! Great news for us but really a sheriff how embarrassing. We start walking down the hill and about 20 minutes later we see headlights. I have never in my life been so excited to see headlights. We were so happy to be rescued. We get in the sheriffs car and start driving home. I guess when they first called him he was just barely getting home and getting ready for bed. He told my dad that there wasn't much he could do because they weren't search and rescue and didn't have the proper equipment in case anyone was hurt. My dad told him that the driver was an experienced driver so he didn't think that would be the case and that something must have happened to the machine so if they could just please drive up the canyon where they thought we could be to see if they could find us. He said ok and asked where we could be. Earlier that day we had taken my cousin on this trail so they called him in the middle of the night to ask more questions and get descriptions of the trail that we were on. While they were on their way we had finally gotten a hold of Celeste so they knew they were on the right track. I am still shocked and amazed that we got service and how everything turned out. However I was quite embarrassed and felt like a 15 year old being rescued by my dad and yet Dallas is 30. We finally got home safe and went to bed to get some much needed sleep. The next morning Dallas and my dad drove his truck back up there to rescue the razor. Where we had left the razor and to where we had gotten rescued we had walked 5 miles. Also where Dallas told my dad we started getting text messages they said there was no way we should have gotten service. Just a few weeks ago I was telling Dallas how I wish I had one of those stories where my prayers would get answered. Well I definitely got that story and it has definitely strengthen my testimony and prayers. Now that we are home we are realizing that there is quite a bit of damage done to the razor. The water pump when out and maybe even the head gasket which isn't good. We were going to take my dad to the dunes while he was out there but that wasn't going to happen now. However I am glad it broke down up there then at the sand dunes. What an adventure we all had. I think we all learned alot and strengthened all of our testimonies and we all helped build eachother up at different times. This will definitely be a story to tell for years! The pictures however don't even do it justice.
Here we are at a restraunt in Garden City. It was delicious pizza. Cohen was taking pictures of all of us! He's quite good at it.
Of course we had to ride the rides. I love how Kenzley is holding Minnie Mouse. She goes every where with us.
My dad taking both kids for tractor rides and four wheeler rides. They were loving it. Cohen even was steering it all by himself.
Boys will be boys.
Cohen and Grandma building a sand castle.
I love Kenzley's face in this she is always sticking out her bottom lip so cute.
Cohen and Kenzley making silly faces. Kenzley's dirty look.
Surprise.
The kids and Great Grandma and Grandpa Cottrell.
The kids and Grandma and Grandpa Cottrell
Cohen was so sad to be going home. He wanted to stay at cabin number 2. After Dallas took the trailer home we moved into Cabin number 2 Cohen would call it. He would call cabin number 1 that because it was built first. And he would say we eat in Cabin number 1 and sleep in cabin number 2. What a funny kid.
Us getting ready to go home.
Kenzley saying goodbye to the tree pirates.
Me my kids and Grandma and Grandpa
The kids, Grandma and Grandpa and Tavane their new babysitter. I'm so excited for Tavane to move out here to go to BYU. It will be nice to have a babysitter near by that I trust and am excited for her to start the college adventure.
My grandma and grandpa always wave goodbye to their guests as the leave.
I just want to say thank you to my grandparents so much for all of their hospitality in letting us stay there. I am so thankful for all the food that they prepared for. I am so thankful for them for not killing my husband for getting us stranded in the middle of no where. I am so thankful for the late night games and talks or pillow talks ;) Grandpa! I am thankful for them for creating this gorgeous place where we can make wonderful memories as a family and in all that they have done to make it fun for us. I am so thankful for all that they do for us and can't imagine my life without them. They truly are amazing grandparents and I am lucky to have them. I am also glad that my dad and stepmom were able to come out and visit and get to know my kids better and vice versa. We had alot of fun together and built memories that will last a life time. I am thankful for Tavane and how well she hit it off with my kids. They both love her to death especially Kenzley and Kenzley doesn't alway love everyone. We had an amazing week and one that will never be forgotten!
What an amazing week it has been! My dad and step mom came out from Kentucky to visit. I have been so excited to see them since we don't get to see them very often. We started off with a family gathering up at Bear Lake at my grandparents cabin. I love being able to go there. It is so relaxing, beautiful and nice to get away from life for a little bit. Me and Kenzley drove up separately because me and the kids were going to stay a couple extra of days and Dallas was going to have to go back to work. Once we got there Kenzley was shy like most kids but warmed up and became her feisty little self. Once Cohen and Dallas got there it was so cute, Cohen came running out of the truck yelling grandpa and ran right into his arms. I was a little nervous that Cohen wouldn't remember my dad since it has been a year since he has seen him. But boy was I wrong he totally remembered him. It was such a precious moment.
Where's Cohen?!
Cohen and Kenzley playing at the pier. It was so nice this year the lake was all the way up to my grandparents beach. Usually you would have to walk aways just to get to the water but not this year it was right there! The kids were loving it! It was so beautiful to sit there and hear the waves and see the water.
We played alot of games. This was one of them called Corn hole. I wasn't the best at it so I enjoyed watching.
The hammock is quite a hit between the adults and the kids. The adults love to take naps in them while the kids like to turn them over while the adult is sleeping and knock them out. It is so funny to watch.
Kenzley thought she was right at home in the sand. She kept calling them the sand dunes.
We brought the razor up so everyone could get a taste of the "hint of lime" The girls loved it when they got back from their ride they were all fun of giggles.
Cohen and grandpa cuddling before bed.
Cohen wanted to bring his dirtbike so he could show everyone how he can ride it with no training wheels. It was fun to watch my parents and grandparents stand there in amazement and so proud. They kept saying I can't believe he can ride a dirt bike and he is only four years old. They had to show him off to everyone that was there. One time they were showing someone and all four of them at separate times said Can you believe that he is just barely 4 years old and he can ride a dirt bike. I was laughing so hard. I am pretty proud he is quite the rider!
Kenzley taking a quick nap in the trailer.
Loading up the toys to take out to the water.
Cohen having fun on the boat in the little cubby. It reminded me of me when I was a kid because I would play in there as well.
Kenzley fell right asleep on the boat ride.
Dallas doing amazing jumps on the wake board.
I even got out there and wakeboarded and got up on my first try. A couple weeks ago I went wake boarding and was crying as I got in the water because I was so terrified. I don't know why I freak myself out but I do and I start shaking and get so scared. It's fun but yet I'm terrified when doing it. But I'm proud of myself for trying again. I need to get some practice before we go to Powell next month. Hopefully by then I wont cry at all!
Kenzley playing with the games.
It was fun to have other grand kids for my kids to play with. They hit it off and played real well together!
We even talked my Grandpa, Uncle Steve and Aunt Jan to go for a ride in the razor. It took some talking them into it since they were scared but we go them out there!
I love seeing my kids hold hands I think it is so precious and always need to capture these moments so I can remember them when they're not being so nice to eachother!
My grandpa has these trees that have faces in them and my kids loved them. We had to get some pictures of them giving silly faces with them. Kenzley would call them pirates and we would put her binki in their mouths. She was always talking about those tree pirates.
Kenzley giving her dirty looks in the hammock. Maybe it's time for a nap!
Doesn't she look like she could be on baywatch?!
Kenzley going for a ride on the jet ski with grandma!
I couldn't resist getting a picture of all the sand caked onto her butt! She was quite the dirty little girl!
Time for some family pictures!
Right after family pictures Dallas went to load up the trailer and put things away. While he was using his drill to put away the jacks on the trailer he didn't hold onto the drill tight enough and it got away from him and made quite the cut in his chin. He showed me and I said you need to go get some stitches. At first of course he said no he would just go put on a band aid but I said you really should got get some stitches. He decided to agree with his smart wife and him and my dad drove over to Garden City to meet the on call doctor to get three stitches. After that I told him it was getting late and he might as well spend the night and go home in the morning. I'm glad he listened and we were able to play games that night and have lots of fun!
Me taking Cohen for a ride on the jet ski and Grandma taking Kenzley. It was alot of fun to be back out there on the water!
Kenzley giving me a dirty look because I was telling her she needed to keep the door closed. She figured out how to slide it open and shut and thought it was a fun game.
I need to tell a story that happened one of the last nights Dallas was there. Since we had the razor up there we were looking for a trail that we could take it on. We kept looking and all the ones that we would find would have no trespassing signs. Finally we decided to ask a local and he told us of a trail that would get us up to Hardware ranch that is on the way to Logan. We took my cousin and his wife on the trail and it was pretty and all but I thought it would be perfect for a night ride where we could go faster since you can see headlights alot faster. Later that night me Dallas, my step sister Tavane and her friend Derrick decided to head up there for a night ride. We told my parents we would be gone about an hour and then be back. We left about 1030 or 11. We cruised up there and at the beginning of the trail caught up to a four wheeler and a side by side. The four wheeler let us pass them just fine but the side by side wouldn't get out of our way so Dallas honked and then they moved over. We cruised past them and away we went. We were having a blast. We saw some deer and their babies on the way up. We past a couple of camps but no one else on the road. Right when we were about 4 miles from Hardware ranch we noticed that the razor had over heated. It's not suppose to get over 200 degrees and it was 246. Not good! We pulled over and Dallas was looking into what the problem could be. He realized that the fan was not on so it was not cooling off the radiator like it should be. Not a good sign. He was working frantically trying to fix what was wrong or figure it out. While we were pulled over the four wheeler and side by side drove by once they saw us they sped up and didn't even ask if we were in trouble. Thanks alot people I know we probably shouldn't have honked at you but you should never leave people in the middle of no where late at night like that. By this time it was midnight. We waited there a half hour hoping it would cool down. Dallas got the fan to turn on so we turned around and headed back we made it only three more miles when the fan turned off and it over heated again. Uh oh not good. I think Dallas was getting nervous but for some reason I was quite calm and positive about it. Usually I get upset when the razor breaks down because it can be so irritating and I don't understand why we can't leave it the way it was when we bought it and why he has to change so much to it to make it faster. We waited another half hour hoping it would cool down and it wasn't. Dallas kept driving hoping to get us a little farther or to pass a camp site where we could hopefully get some help. We only made it another mile when it wasn't cooling down at all and was still super hot. Dallas decided it would be best for us to start walking and look for a camp site verses blowing the motor up. By now it's about 1am. We started walking and luckily the coat I always wear for night rides had a flashlight in the pocket of it. I was so thankful to find a flashlight, it helped us aton. We started walking and none of us was in the best gear to be hiking in the middle of no where. I had only flip flops on, Dallas had only one sock cause he lost the other to a stomach ache, Tavane didn't have any socks on and not great shoes. But yet here we are walking in the dark, in the middle of no where, no phone service and there is a lightening storm not far from us and it's starting to sprinkle. And no to mention we are in Bear Lake so aren't there bears in this mountain?! At 130 in the morning Derrick's phone received a text message from my step mom asking if we were okay. that's a good sign because at least we know they are awake and worried about us. Instantly I knew that my dad would come find us. I kept telling everyone. Growing up my dad would never go to sleep until I would get home and apparently it still rang true! Except that we couldn't get service so he tried sending a text message and we just prayed that it would eventually send. We come across our first camp site where there were horses, a four wheeler and trailer but no answer. We keep walking and walking. We start heading up a hill that goes into the mountain areas. By this time it's getting super late, we're all tired and ready to be home. None of our individual prayers were working so I decided that it was time for us all to come together and say a prayer. Dallas gives a prayer and thanks for our safety and prays that we will be found. No sooner than 5 to 10 minutes later Derricks phone makes a noise. We all stop in our tracks hoping that our text got sent. He looks at his phone to read text not sent. That was a sad moment. We start walking again and another 5 minutes pass when his phone makes another noise and it says message has been sent. We all got so excited. The text message said we were 9 miles up cottonwood canyon so at least they would know where we were and be able to find us. We got a little burst of energy at least knowing they were awake worrying and got a message to come find us. It was crazy though because where we finally got service was in the middle of the mountain. Trees all around us and up hills both ways. We start walking again and get to the top of the mountain where his phone beeps with text messages and he finally got service to where we could call. We get ahold of Celeste where she says our kids were still asleep and that my dad and the sheriff were on their way! Great news for us but really a sheriff how embarrassing. We start walking down the hill and about 20 minutes later we see headlights. I have never in my life been so excited to see headlights. We were so happy to be rescued. We get in the sheriffs car and start driving home. I guess when they first called him he was just barely getting home and getting ready for bed. He told my dad that there wasn't much he could do because they weren't search and rescue and didn't have the proper equipment in case anyone was hurt. My dad told him that the driver was an experienced driver so he didn't think that would be the case and that something must have happened to the machine so if they could just please drive up the canyon where they thought we could be to see if they could find us. He said ok and asked where we could be. Earlier that day we had taken my cousin on this trail so they called him in the middle of the night to ask more questions and get descriptions of the trail that we were on. While they were on their way we had finally gotten a hold of Celeste so they knew they were on the right track. I am still shocked and amazed that we got service and how everything turned out. However I was quite embarrassed and felt like a 15 year old being rescued by my dad and yet Dallas is 30. We finally got home safe and went to bed to get some much needed sleep. The next morning Dallas and my dad drove his truck back up there to rescue the razor. Where we had left the razor and to where we had gotten rescued we had walked 5 miles. Also where Dallas told my dad we started getting text messages they said there was no way we should have gotten service. Just a few weeks ago I was telling Dallas how I wish I had one of those stories where my prayers would get answered. Well I definitely got that story and it has definitely strengthen my testimony and prayers. Now that we are home we are realizing that there is quite a bit of damage done to the razor. The water pump when out and maybe even the head gasket which isn't good. We were going to take my dad to the dunes while he was out there but that wasn't going to happen now. However I am glad it broke down up there then at the sand dunes. What an adventure we all had. I think we all learned alot and strengthened all of our testimonies and we all helped build eachother up at different times. This will definitely be a story to tell for years! The pictures however don't even do it justice.
Here we are at a restraunt in Garden City. It was delicious pizza. Cohen was taking pictures of all of us! He's quite good at it.
Of course we had to ride the rides. I love how Kenzley is holding Minnie Mouse. She goes every where with us.
My dad taking both kids for tractor rides and four wheeler rides. They were loving it. Cohen even was steering it all by himself.
Boys will be boys.
Cohen and Grandma building a sand castle.
I love Kenzley's face in this she is always sticking out her bottom lip so cute.
Cohen and Kenzley making silly faces. Kenzley's dirty look.
Surprise.
The kids and Great Grandma and Grandpa Cottrell.
The kids and Grandma and Grandpa Cottrell
Cohen was so sad to be going home. He wanted to stay at cabin number 2. After Dallas took the trailer home we moved into Cabin number 2 Cohen would call it. He would call cabin number 1 that because it was built first. And he would say we eat in Cabin number 1 and sleep in cabin number 2. What a funny kid.
Us getting ready to go home.
Kenzley saying goodbye to the tree pirates.
Me my kids and Grandma and Grandpa
The kids, Grandma and Grandpa and Tavane their new babysitter. I'm so excited for Tavane to move out here to go to BYU. It will be nice to have a babysitter near by that I trust and am excited for her to start the college adventure.
My grandma and grandpa always wave goodbye to their guests as the leave.
I just want to say thank you to my grandparents so much for all of their hospitality in letting us stay there. I am so thankful for all the food that they prepared for. I am so thankful for them for not killing my husband for getting us stranded in the middle of no where. I am so thankful for the late night games and talks or pillow talks ;) Grandpa! I am thankful for them for creating this gorgeous place where we can make wonderful memories as a family and in all that they have done to make it fun for us. I am so thankful for all that they do for us and can't imagine my life without them. They truly are amazing grandparents and I am lucky to have them. I am also glad that my dad and stepmom were able to come out and visit and get to know my kids better and vice versa. We had alot of fun together and built memories that will last a life time. I am thankful for Tavane and how well she hit it off with my kids. They both love her to death especially Kenzley and Kenzley doesn't alway love everyone. We had an amazing week and one that will never be forgotten!
