What I Love About Summer

1. Ami & Pop's House- Ami (Isaac's mom) grows this beautiful flower garden in front of her house that makes everything look so bright and pretty. Perfect place for family photos. This was our first stop on our tour of the LARSEN dwellings in Northern Arizona. We ate good food (as always), enjoyed good company, painted railings, and pulled weeds.2. The Church of the Lobos- I love football! Mainly because Isaac played football and it sounds like such a romantic tale when I think of his great achievements as a high school and college athlete. The 2nd stop on our tour was to Snowflake (hence The Church of the Lobos). Isaac and I went to help with the Snowflake High School football camp. Isaac coached and I cooked. Tara and I made meals for the team each day. We made a record 8 trips to Bashas in 5 days but successfully fed 50 HUGE football players while taking care of 7 little children. I really enjoyed my visit with Tara. Most nights we went to bed way to late and got up way to early. It was so much fun to reminisce about the good ol' days and ponder on the mystery's of perfect parenting. Neither of us came up with a solution to perfect kids but will reveal our findings in a book or something if we actually figure it out BEFORE our kids leave home. Isaac also enjoyed his visit with Adam and using his knowledge to coach the athletes.

3. Family Pictures- My mother -in-law takes theeee best pictures. This year she offered to take our family pictures. The experience was such a treat. We got to go to the La Pasada in Winslow which has beautiful flower gardens and a waterfall. The pictures turned out great and will be a great addition to our newly painted walls.

4. 4th of July Family Picnic- Each year Isaac's Family has a picnic out on the old farm. The farm is just north of Winslow and right in front of his parents house. Decades a ago Grandpa Hancock farmed Alfalfa and Oats. The farm is very special to the family, especially Isaac and I. Isaac did much of the work on the farm from planting to harvesting and raising cattle. Most of his memory's as a youth come from working on the farm. I have a special connection to the farm because when I first went to Winslow to meet Isaac's family it was on the 4th of July. The days leading up to the picnic I hauled hay and rode horses with Isaac on the farm. That weekend I made a very close connection with Isaac's grandpa who thought is was pretty neat I that I could even pick up a bale of hay let alone help load a trailer full. He also was pleased that I could ride a horse with the best of them. I even jumped on one of his horses bareback and rode him around the pin. The picnic this year was just as memorable. The neatest part was the 18 grandkids of Elaine and Marshall's that were able to attend. What wonderful memories we are getting to share with family. It was also pretty cute that every time Grandpa Hancock would sit down Autumn would run over and sit on his lap. She, like myself, enjoys grandpa. We always send him pictures of her riding horses down at my moms.

5. Haircut-I cut my hair as you may have noticed. Everyone keeps saying "wow you look so young" and it is getting me pretty worried because I am not really all that old. Anyhow I donated 12 inches to locks of love and I love my new dew. Isaac the first day made 5, yes 5, nice comments about my hair, what a relief (you know the whole guys and and long hair thing). 6.Sitting babies-Our little Bruce can sit up. It is so cute. He enjoys his new perspective on the world especially since he is less likely to get trampled when he is sitting like a big boy.
7. Home- So if you missed any stops I will break down our 9 day vacation by town: Winslow, Snowflake, then Winslow. Now a break down of actual place: Ami & Pop's, Church, Adam & Tara's, Bashas, Snowflake football fields, Adam & Tara's, Bashas, Snowflake footaball field, Adam & Tara's, Bashas, Bashas, Snowflake football field, Showlow, Adam & Tara's, Bashas, Snowflake football field, Bashas, Snowflake football field, Adam & Tara's, BASHAS, Snowflake football field, Rachel & Justin's new house, Ami & Pop's, Church, La Pasada, Ami & Pop's, The Farm, Ami & Pop's, Church, Rachel & Justin's, Scott & Shandi's. PHEW! When we got home it felt like the first day we moved in, you know 3 weeks ago. HOME SWEET HOME!