They even have a park in their backyard
We had a visit from Amie and her clan for a few days because Matt was with his girls basketball team at a basketball camp here at USU. His team did pretty well at the camp too, winning games against some 4A and 5A teams. (Oakley is a 2A team, which means a smaller school) Amie and her kids joined us and Lindsay and the kids for a hamburger cooked by their dad, grandpa, and father-in-law at Willow Park for the school district's end of year party. After dinner we went over to the Logan Aquatic Center and did some swimming. It was a great way to kick off the summer.
Andrew and Lindsay also celebrated their 6th wedding anniversary, however Andrew's been working in Illinois so they had to delay their celebrating.
While he was in Illinois he got to do some sight-seeing on his down time. He made the most of it and hit some of the church sites while he was in the area.
The Liberty Jail
Nauvoo Temple and Nauvoo City
The Browning Home
(the guy who started the Browning Guns and was a member of the church)
Andrew got home and didn't waste anytime at getting outside to enjoy our mountains. He invited Dale and I to go hike up to the Wind Caves up Logan Canyon for a FHE activity. The kids hiked most of the way up even. It was a beautiful hike and so fun to see the outdoors from the eyes of a child. Titan and Eloise noticed every ant, flower, or bug along the trail it seemed. We ate a little picnic along the trail and made it back before dark.
We live in a beautiful world, sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers.
We got a letter in the mail, addressed to Danica Hansen from Dixie State College's Office of the Dean. I opened it and was pleasantly surprised to see that Danica had made the Dean's List this last semester! Way to go Danica, hard work pays off!!
Speaking of Danica, she saved up her hard earned money and bought herself a airplane ticket for Austin, TX. A group of her friends went there to watch the X-Games! What a thrill to see all that action in person. Something for the books, for sure.
She's following in her brothers footsteps and has taken up canyoneering. She's getting out and seeing new areas around Zions National Park and St. George that most people pass by. Her sense for adventure and the outdoors is keeping her busy and in shape for her upcoming soccer season at DSU.
Garrett and Zandra pulled us all together (minus Nate and Kim) for the Dale Hansen Reunion. They had our days packed with fun and adventure. They even had shirts for all of us made up to wear. Nate and Kim were thrilled to get their cool shirts.
Day 1: We carpooled with Andrew, Lindsay, Amie and Matt and met Garrett and Zandra at Lagoon for a full day of thrills, spills, laughs and screams.
The caravan unloads and lathers on the sunscreen
We got a spot at a pavilion to gather for lunch and snacks and then took turns manning the littler tykes. We all had a great time. Lagoon has changed a lot and stayed the same a lot.
I remember taking pictures of Nate and Amie when they were little on this ride
Eloise said, "I'm going to work like dad" before they got on their helicopter
Langston looks thrilled and Kennlyn's enjoying being squished in the ride
Jorie's first carousel ride
We wore a few out early and we got wet, but it cooled us off
Some got wetter than others
Our sandwiches, chips, and fruit hit the spot
Sunglasses were very helpful, it was a beautiful sunny day
The brave and still smiling Cannibal survivors
The die hards in the group that stayed till almost closing
Garrett and Zandra headed to their house for the night, while the rest of the group stayed at the Comfort Inn in Layton to rest up for Day 2 for more fun in the sun.
Day 2: We went the back way and found a parking spot pretty easy to go to Hill Air Force Bases Open House and Air Show: Warriors over the Wasatch. We just had to pack everything in and walk what felt like 2 miles, (thanks Lindsay for letting us load up the stroller) but we eventually got in through security and found a spot for all to gather.
Andrew was like a kid in the Cargo plane. Do you think he has some of that Hansen
aviation blood in him?
Matt manning the coveted shade
Garrett and Zandra and Danica and her friend, Jason FINALLY joined us. Both had to endure long lines in traffic and some frustration with parking etc., but we all got to see an amazing show of skill in the sky!!
The noise level was a bit loud, luckily the kids were prepared
The Breitling Jet Team from France--very impressive
Mazin even liked the show
The U.S. Air Forces famous Thunderbirds
Say what?
Andrew looks like he's not very interested in what's going on up above him
Feeling a little cramped. It was close quarters
There were a ton of people, and it was hot, but we were prepared. We got out faster than we got in luckily though. We all met at the Golden Corral in Layton for a tasty buffet dinner and to cool off. It was very much way to end our time in Layton.
Garrett and Zandra, again headed back to their new home (I think they like it) for the night, while the rest of us headed over the mountain to our house to try and get in some R&R. However, a few of us (Danica, Jason, Jaxson, Kennlyn, Langston and I) ended up making the most of it and played Capture the Flag. The girls ruled too!! Thanks Kennlyn for being our detractor at times, our plan worked!!
Day 3: After a tasty breakfast of bacon, pancakes, and fruit made by Danica and Jason and I, we all went to Sacrament Mtg. It was a mission report, so not many noticed us walk in late and sit in the back. Garrett, Zandra and Jorie joined us.
We all enjoyed a yummy meal of Dutch Oven Potatoes, Cauliflower/Bacon salad, BBQ racks of ribs, and corn on the porch, that Andrew and Lindsay, Dale, Garrett and I helped make up.
After things got cleaned up we all got together and had a family picture taken.
Notice how Nate and Kim joined us? Danica's editing skills are awesome!! We missed Nate and Kim, but included them in the judging of the Lagoon Instagram contest and by photo-shopping them in this one. Pretty tricky, aren't we?
With Garrett and Zandra doing the planning, of there had to be games, so we broke into groups by couples or families and played some games. The Baseball spin relay (which really got you spinning. Dad almost ran into the porch trying to run back), Water balloon toss (where I got the wettest), Raw egg and spoon race (where only one egg was broken), and a "listen to me" type game, where one was blindfolded and the other had to yell to them the way to walk through a obstacle course. I realized even more that Dale cannot hear me after that game.
Then we all went on a Nature Scavenger Hunt and had to get pictures of things like a yellow flower, a bee, a pheasant, a dog, a cat, a four-leaf clover, a snake etc. with one of us in the picture with the object. That was HARD!! We were all walking all over the neighborhood and some of us even knocked on a few doors to get pictures of the animals we knew they had.
(Dale and I actually cheated on the snake, our neighbors had a Gila monster and we just got a picture of the tail and called it a snake) Sorry guys, we told you a little white lie, but we needed the points!!! It was a fun way to spend a Sunday evening with the kids though.
To top the evening off, Garrett rigged up a sheet on the back porch, and we popped up some popcorn and made treat bags for everyone and watched Zootopia on the big screen.
It got a bit chilly, but nothing jackets and blankets couldn't fix. I think Danica and Jason were the only two that fell asleep in the movie, go figure. They headed back to Ogden after the show though, to stay with Jason's dad, so maybe they needed to get in a nap (It was great having them here for the time they were with us though).
Day 4: Garrett and Zandra stayed the night here with the Mallory clan and after another tasty breakfast Andrew's crew joined us and we all headed over to Hyrum Dam to take the boat out for some water fun. It was a beautiful day and their weren't a lot of people on the water, so we had a great time.
Of course, Amie got in the first ride, and then Jaxson tried to get up. He gave it a good effort, but it didn't happen. I'm thinking it will take some getting used to the new boat. It's bigger and doesn't pull you out of the water as easy.
Amie's cheering section
Andrew's next
The flag crew
Dad's still got it. Somehow we didn't get pictures of Jaxon or Garrett skiing, next time I guess.
All that wanted to skied and then we got the tube out cuz the water got ruff, and had some good rides. Amie got the award for the white knuckles award. I don't know how she stayed on the tube when the top of the tube, where she was, was probably 5ft. off the water. Jaxson and Andrew were on the lower end of it. Too bad I didn't get a picture of that one.
I won the save the kids award for keeping Eloise on the tube, as well as the big splash award for falling off when we got some air. We apparently got some air and as I let go to push Eloise back we hit a wave and I flew off the tube. Another one where we didn't get it on camera, but they said it would of won the America's Funniest Home Videos award had we got it on video. Fun times!!
Jorie sporting the beach look. Notice how they're faces have the same expression?
The whole reunion went off great. No one got fried, no one got sick (ok, maybe Lindsay did after riding Cannibal), and we all came away from Hyrum Dam in one piece after some CRAZY tube rides (thank you Dale).
Thanks Garrett and Zandra for all of the planning. Nate and Kim were the judges of the #hansenclan2016 Instagram photo contest, so they could be part of the reunion. They got pretty creative with the awards too. Many fond memories were made. Until next year!!
Speaking of Nate and Kim...Kim found a gym, Grit City Fitness & Performance that she'll be working with. So, it looks like she'll be back to teaching classes and pumping iron again.
Nate and Kim fit in time to enjoy the great outdoors of Washington State and hiked into Blanca Lake. It looks like it was well worth the hike. Beautifully breathtaking!!
Andrew helped Dale load up the Razor and kayaks on the trailer and even pulled it over to Bear Lake. Then we got the trailer set up for our stay. We grabbed a bite to eat at Firehouse, and they stayed the night with me. (Dale had to work). It rained and we had some thunder and lightning, but we all stayed warm and dry.
Do you want to build a snowman?
Dale in his element
Andrew trying to remember how it's done
The happy fishermen and a cheerleader
We'll be at Blue Water on Bear Lake until next month. We need this time to recover from all the jaunts we've had the last two weeks. I think everyone needs to recover! It's been a great month though.
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