Summer Summary

The summer is about to come to a close. It has been great and full of adventure. We kicked it off with a Fourth of July weekend up at the Stout family cabin east of Zion national park. We had the time of our lives zooming around on ATVs and go-karts, target shooting with an array of guns, swinging on a rope swing, enjoying the scenery, temperature and seclusion. We can't wait to get back up there. Maybe we can spend some time there on Labor Day weekend.

Another highlight was a 2 1/2 week vacation (less for me, who had to work) where our family was able to spend considerable time with extended family, attend family reunions, go to the zoo, go to multiple pools/water parks, go camping, go to a parade, go boating multiple times, spend a week in Alberta, Canada, etc. I could go on about this trip for pages but you get the gist.

Another highlight was a trip up to Price Utah where we were able to spend time with my sister Liz and her family, and my sister Sarah. Sarah and I took off for two days to go river rafting on the Colorado river near Moab, Utah. While Sarah and I were off rafting, Haylee and the kids were able to spend some time with my parents and my brother John's family. Another highlight of this trip was a brief stop at the Hurricane fair on the way up to Price.

Our next and last trip of the summer is to Hurricane on Labor Day/"Peach Days" weekend. We will be going up on Thursday night so that I (Joe) and several of Haylee's brothers/sisters and spouses can hike the Narrows. I try to do this hike every year. It will be good to arrive in Hurricane a day earlier this year so we can better enjoy the Peach Day celebrations on Saturday - including a community rodeo.

School starts on Monday. Emma will be starting second grade and our young Sara will be starting half-day kindergarten. She has been counting down the days to kindergarten for the past year and a half. Haylee will have a busy fall shuttling kids back and forth to school, keeping house and babysitting. Then, at the beginning of December (preferably a bit earlier in mid to late November), our fifth baby girl will arrive. At that point, we will max out the seats in our van and enter a new and exciting stage of our lives.