Ice Fishing

 This winter Dallin went ice fishing quite a bit, and Claire always wanted to go with him. On this particular day we all went.

 I have to admit that I was a little nervous walking with my whole life out onto a frozen lake. No amount of ice can make me think I am safe. I am always pretty sure that we are all going to fall through to our icy graves.

 But, luckily that did not happen. It was a little of an adventure, if that's what you want to call it, taking all three kids ice fishing. Sam just wanted to reach his arm down into the hole and step in it, and that would be another fear of mine is a child slipping through the hole and me not being able to fit through it to go get them. Wouldn't that be awful!? But Dallin reassures me that the hole is small and the bulk from the snowsuit would make it hard for him to fall through.

 I'm pretty sure that Dallin was put here on this earth to bring some rationality into my life.

 After the kids lost patience with the fishing...which didn't take long. They had fun pulling each other around on the sled.

 Dad gives some pretty crazy rides.

 All in all it was great couple hours because we even caught a fish!

Concerned Claire

Last week when we had a bunch of rain, Claire was concerned about Cody because his head was getting wet. This was her solution to the problem. I thought it was pretty cute and creative!

Meadow Lake

Our family decided to take a trip to a beautiful lake called Meadow Lake that is located near Gilmore. It is a fun drive up to the lake because you get to drive past old mines, buildings and homes. The lake water is very clear and beautiful.

I took this picture because I originally thought Dallin was just getting the kids set up to fish when low and behold 15 minutes later he was STILL fishing with it. I thought that was pretty funny!

Like father like daughter.

Cody patiently waiting for a piece of cheese.

Another Redfish Trip

Smoky mountains from the fires

We finally made our yearly trip to Redfish Lake. It dawned on me a few weeks ago that the summer was getting away from me and we hadn't even gone camping yet. That is so weird for us because Dallin usually drags us out Memorial Day to go camping and here it is late August. So, I thought I would be a good sport for my kids and brave two nights camping in a tent at Redfish/Stanley. The first night we spent camping was ssoooo cold! It was probably one of the top 3 longest nights I had ever had. I don't think I slept longer than 2 hours...literally. No exaggeration there. Our car thermometer read 27 degrees at 0800. And I was not the only pansy. Dallin was awake too and stated, "We are either getting a hotel room tomorrow night or we are going home, because I'm not staying another night here in a tent." That was music to my ears. So, the next morning first thing on the agenda was find a hotel room. And find one we did! And actually the smoke was probably worse in Salmon than in Stanley.

We had fun going out to eat, cooking over a campfire, roasting marshmallows, going to the fish hatchery, playing on the beach and in the water, going on a paddle boat, eating ice cream, and going to the hot springs.

Wallace Lake

Dallin, the kids, and I went for a quick trip one morning to Wallace Lake. We had to escape the small town and head to the mountains for fresher air and beautiful scenery. When we first got there it was slightly chilly. The girls opted for cuddling in a blanket and watching Dad fish.

We got skunked, except for this monstrous fish that Dad caught!

We went for a small hike around the lake and our trusty dog, Cody, had as much fun as anyone smelling new smells, seeing new sights, chasing new chipmunks, and stealing other campers' food.

Another Visitor!

So, we got some more visitors at our humble abode in little Salmon, ID. Mandy, Nate, and Zayley kindly graced our home for a weekend. It was so fun to see you guys. Zayley had changed so much since the last time I saw her...I guess that's what kids do between 6 months and 2 years. Dallin had some fun taking pictures of the kids in the sandbox. Claire was not being photogenic that day, but Zayley sure was. Every time I look at these pictures of Zayley it brings warmth to my heart. Who knew that a tiny water pitcher could bring so much joy!

I also just loved this picture of our trusty hound dog, Cody. It is pretty sad when the dog is more photogenic than your only begotten. It's okay Claire, we still think your cute too. Mommy, hardly ever wants her picture taken either.

Attempted Family Picture

I thought it would be good to get a family picture this year in the beautiful fall leaves. But between getting Claire to look at the camera and smile and getting Dallin's entire head in the picture and getting Cody to look at the camera was no easy task. Here's the best we took.