Camp Smith

So Vance and Tricia and they're whole entourage came to Colorado and decided to camp most of their time there. So we all had to join. It was so much fun camping with over 30 people. Its much easier hanging out up at the campsite than squishing people in a house. One night while Vance and Tricia were up there a bear came up and tried to rip open their food box. Made a big whole in the wood lid, luckily the neighbors came and ran the bear off.

We went up and camped the next night and I was so scared that a bear was gonna be out there that when I needed to go relieve myself in the middle of the night I refused to go out without Sophie, but she wouldn't go out with me. So I went alone knowing for sure the bear was the reason she wouldn't come out. Turns out it was because her eyes were swollen shut and she'd had an allergic reaction. She had a bear face. It took a few minutes of shaking her in the morning to wake her up and there some huge bumps on her face all swollen. So we immediately headed back to Philip and Denise's and gave her some Benadryl. The rest of the day she spent getting better. Luckily the allergic reaction didn't close her throat and stop her breathing.

Here is Kimmy, Kelly, and Juli.

We thought this picture was so cute of Denise.

Here's Danielle and McKensie.

Most of the Pontious' clan. Philip, Denise, Audrie, and Hyrum.

I'm so glad Hannah put on a funny face for this picture. Otherwise its just me with some kinda wierd stink eye.

Most of the night involved all the kids trying to make more fire wood our of trees they found. Very hard to chop in half if you don't have a bunch of kids jumping on it.

This is so we remember everyone who joined.

Tamara & Steve

Juli & Kelly, plus 2

Tricia & Vance plus 9

Mary & Paul plus 5

Dave & Ashley plus 5 1/2

Philip & Denise plus 5

Elaine & Vance

Greg & Hillary Burn plus 2

WE LOVE PARKS

So time in Colorado was great and it turns out we're all park goers. We spent a lot of time just hanging out and playing games at the park, which was great since we have a dog that loves to hang out with us. On one of the sundays there we did a huge potluck with everyone and here is a picture of a few of the guys just fence sitting. (I've heard thats a dangerous choice.)

Lots of attention for Sophie. I think she might just die of boredom now that we're home.

And what's not fun about a phone booth? These two were so cute hanging out in there. The best part for us was when they would close the door and get stuck in there. So so funny. No worries we let them out... eventually.

On one of our drives I gave Ammon the camera and can you believe how good this picture is? He is a fine photographer.

JUMP

We Had a few motor bike days in Colorado. Dave let all the relatives ride. It was pretty fun but a little too much power in those bikes for me so I was was happy to hang out and let them be the super heros. Steve actually made a pretty awesome jump on one of his last turns and I just barely caught it on film. Lucky!

Steve's brother Vance is one of the experienced bikers and he climbed this hill a couple times. This picture really doesn't do justice to how high and steep the hill really is.

Most of Vance's kids came to Colorado to hang out too. It was a fun party. This is his daughter Kimmy.

This is the son in-law Kelly and grandson Beckham.

The grown-ups took turns teaching the kids how to ride. Look how teeny this bike is. Danielle was a pretty good rider.

Cedric refused to let others wear HIS helmet and just paced the trailer. He's such a cute kid.

Hiking Colorado

Since we've been married I've learned that one thing the Smith's are definitely good at is hiking. I'm cool with that since I love hiking too. (Except when sick) One of the hikes was straight up the mountain above Denise and Philip's house. It was kinda rough going since we weren't on a real trail for most of it. Just climbing a stream bed. but we made it to the top-ish. This is the one I was sick for so I wasn't all there, but it was pretty up there. Sophie adapted to Hiking quite well. though she was limping for a bit afterwards. Her paws weren't made to roam rocks too much.

Philip and me had fun egging the kids on so they ended up trying to float on this log down the creek. I figured it would immediately roll them over, but it decided sinking would be best.

We're the best :)

I'm not sure if these guys actually wanted to be in the picture but its too late now. Aren't they such a cute family. Lets play "Where's Waldo" with Steve.

Oh cactus flower

Road Trip

We are serious road trippers. Not the road trip masquerading pansy kind. We were so excited to get off the islands so we could travel normal and never get on a plane again. And now we are so tired of driving cross country. This trip was 7 hours to Kentucky, 20 Hours to Colorado, and 25 to Michigan. Of course it was through out a 3 week period but it still takes its toll. Any how here are some "beauty" pictures I took on the trip through the car window. (That talent might just go down in my resume.)

St. Louis Arch

Bridge in St. Louis

Sophie was crammed in between my seat and the backseat and this is one of her comfy positions. Silly silly dog. We're so glad she travels well. She doesn't throw up or whimper, but she also doesn't eat or drink or relieve herself. She was so skinny after our drives. Luckily she bulked up again once we got home.

Ohio scenery

Cincinnati

Canon City

Good ol' Kentucky

So this is chapter 1 of our summer vacation. Steve took his Step 1 exam which consisted of 8 hours of testing and the next day we took off for Kentucky where my Aunt Esther lives. She owns 100 acres of land. most of which is her back hill that has trails to ride on that never get used so its pretty over grown. I love my aunt's farm. We helped with chores and rode horses and just had fun. Its kind of like going into a warp zone out there. Being so cut off from everything else makes time fly.

So chores at my aunt's has always been fun for me. (Probably since I go out there so rarely) We got to feed the rabbits and goats, chickens geese, cats and a mare and foal. I wanted to teach Steve to milk the goats but my Aunt hadn't been milking them since she got surgery on her arm. Se la vie. Riding the horses on my aunt's farm is actually a lot more work than one might think. Before you can even think about riding you have to call the horses from the pasture and catching them is always interesting when they are so obstinant, but I'm determined so they don't stand a chance. One day we helped with the ferrier so we had to catch all the horses. That was a long day but we got to ride after so it was worth it. (A ferrier is the guy that trims the hooves and shoes the horse.) Anyway we loved it and had so much fun.

Here are a few pictures from Thoroughbred Park in Lexington. We couldn't resist pretending to ride the horses. IT started to rain before I could get on a jockey horse.

This is Catboy who kept stealing Sophie's bed. She's sucha chicken that she would just stare at him til she gave in and laid down on the porch next to the bed. The only cat there she liked chasing was one of the few black cats. (My aunt must have like 30 cats and keeps adding more. since she had 4 kittens when we were there.)

This is a picture of the riverfront restaurant. They keep a this flood pole up to record how high the water gets each winter. This year it made it all the way to the stairs. I think the worst year was in the '70's.

My aunt told us that year they went canoeing in their front hay field since the water was so high. This year it messed up her hay field pretty bad but it was fast crazy water that would have been suicide to go out in.

Isn't Kentucky pretty. I love all the horse fields with pretty fences and old barns. Its just breathtaking.

Steve learned to ride on Orchid, who is half percheron (which means BIG). Shes actually really gentle for her size and a personal favorite. Steve was actually a good rider. We rode with a mom and daughter one day and the daughter was a beginner and her horse was kinda stubborn so Steve was good enough to give her Orchid and he got to push around a smaller horse. That is really awesome progress for a beginner.

I got stuck on the iffy horses most of the time so I could feel them out for my aunt. Its not as fun but makes for an interesting ride.

Of course this horse wasn't cooperative and tried to kill me. She decided to rear and then came down against my cousin Monte's truck. So weird that it didn't even bruise me especially since where the horse and my leg hit there was a big dent left behind. I'm just lucky I guess.