We played alot of, "Ticket to Ride, " on our camping trip...everyones goal was to beat Shawn Shawn, Kyle, and Ben-they are trying to get Kyle alittle wet because he got his swimsuit on and told them he would swim with them and realized it was way too cold for that!

Ben, Shawn, and I at Provo Falls

Kyle and Gabe-Gabe is the sweetest little boy and he always seemed to seek Kyle out and then jus sit on his lap and chill with him. I think Kyle had fun playing with all of the crazy nephews

Eugene, Kyle, and Shawn with our make-shift kitchen-we had rain storms that would come and go the whole campling trip

Kyle and Shawn at the Provo Falls (I dont know why they were called that because we were hours away from Provo) Uncle Shawn with Gabe, Jonathan, Cael, and Corbin

Shawn and I sitting around the fire (it was very cold)

Shawn and Vince after we visited Mirror Lake

Part of the group together at Provo Falls

Finger Puppets!!!!

One of the things that kept my mom and I very busy while in Oregon was making these cute finger puppets.
While looking on the Etsy website I found some cute little felt fingerpuppets that I wanted to get. They cost $5 for 1 + shipping. I did not want to pay that much so I decided to show them to my mom so that we could make some ourselves.
I ended up bringing home 19 puppets and my mom ended up with that many as well. They took awhile to make-but once you get the hang of it they actually go pretty quickly.

Boondocks!

Shawn and I met up with his sister, Amanda and her husband Ben, at Boondocks on Saturday. I had never been there before but we all had so much fun together. Boondocks is such a fun place-makes me feel like I was in junior high again, we use to love to go to the Family Fun Center close to home.
We went miniature golfing, we raced on the go karts, played some arcades, played air hockey (which is my favorite) and went on a 4-D ride, which was a simulated space roller coater ride that felt very real to me and I was screaming the whole time.
Me on one of the arcade race cars (which Shawn loved to race on and I was not very good at) Shawn at the shooting booth

Inside the Boondocks Fun Center

Shawn in the front blue car and I am in the car behind him-we raced and he won!

Miniature golfing-Shawn beat me by 2 points.

We had such a fun date at Boondocks-now that we have experienced the fun of Boondocks I think we will be going back!

Thanks Ben and Amanda-we had a fun time spending the evening with you!!!

The firework man

The fourth of July-is Shawn's favorite holiday-and the main reason for that is because for the last 3 years he has gotten the chance to help put together the firework show at the end of our 4th of July party. Although most fireworks are illegal in Oregon, my uncle Todd was able to get a license to shoot off huge city fireworks on the farm. So alot of $ is spent on fireworks and then Shawn starts to dream of the hour that he gets to help put on the show. He got up on Saturday morning and went to work building a board thing to nail all of the rocket launcher things on (sorry I really dont know what I am talking about now) and he sets up his whole area that is roped off and then gets all the fireworks lined up and ready for the show that starts as soon as it gets dark and and lasts for about an hour. The whole time he is in heaven-lighting off all of the fireworks-and I am down below watching with everyone else and worried that he is going to get injured. My favorite part of the show is when it is over and I know that he is safe. Now that this 4th of July has come and gone...I know my husband is dreaming and anxious for next year.
Shawn with some fireworks that I know nothing about

Shawn with a box full of little bomb firework things (no idea what they are called-but I think he told me he drops these things in the tubes that are nailed to the board and then he lights the long wicks)
And Shawn standing behind the light off zone-he lights the fireworks out of those tubes...I think???

And a cute picture of my husband and I on another wonderful 4th of July in Oregon!!!

Oregon

Shawn and I kept debating back and forth if we should go out to Oregon for the 4th of July- we really wanted to but with work and Shawn possibly taking a chemistry class in the summer we were not sure. Then w few days before things just worked out right so we could drive out and not only spend the 4th of July out in Oregon...but to spend about 2 weeks out there.
The first week there was hot-so we spent alot of time swimming and at the river-we took the boat out to the Willamette River for awhile too. Then we had a Pizza, Swimming, and outdoor movie night at Uncle Todds house with lots of cousins, aunts, and uncles. Then we headed out for the annual trip to the St Paul Rodeo the day before the 4th of July. There we took up a section of about 50 seats. We love eating all of the carnival food, watching the rodeo, and then finishing it all off with a great fireworks show at the end of the night.
Here is a picture of some of our crew at the Rodeo. I love watching the bulls and the wild horse race. We got Maddie, Brycen, Kyle, Diane, and Brooklyn. Shawn and I at the Rodeo

Eating dinner at the carnival before the Rodeo starts. Mom, me, Savannah, Davis, Dad, Shawn, and Kyle.

Brax, Blake, and Savannah on the triple tube in the river

Shawn on the boat

Shawn, Kyle, Bridger, Brighton, and Brax going for a ride around the farm.

Kyle and Jared at Todds

Swimming and hanging out.

Maddie, Charlie, and I after a swim

Week 2 in Oregon

Week #2 in Oregon was alittle bit more relaxing then the first- and almost just as fun!
Shawn and I had a great opportunity to meet with a counselor up at OHSU Dental School in Portland. There we got to ask lots of questions, go over Shawn's grades and things that we need to do now before applying next spring. We also got to tour the campus to check out the school and the clinic (while touring we meet 4-5 other BYU students that were now students there). OHSU Dental school is also where my Grandpa Nelson graduated from Dental School and Orthodontics School, so it was fun to see where he went too. After visiting the school we stopped by the Portland Temple and then had lunch at the new Osweigo Grill (it was delicious!)
Here we are in front of the fountain at the beautiful Portland Temple.

We also did alot of swimming on our trip home-2 of our aunt and uncles have pools so it was nice to go and cool off during some of the hot days.

Here is Shawn with Brighton and Brax in the pool with Savannah in the background.
While in Oregon Shawn kept busy the second week helping Blake finish up his new house. Blake and Savannah moved in 1 week earlier and there were still a few thing that needed finished up-so Shawn used all of his amazing construction talents and helped Blake get his finished up.

Shawn also spent alot of time driving around his RC cars. He brought 2 out and then also got a new one too. So, Shawn, Kyle, and some of the boy cousins spent alot of time out racing the cars around the drive way and on the farm.

While Shawn was helping Blake out at his house, racing his cars, and hanging with the boys....I got to go to the dentist, make a lot of cute little finger puppets with my mom (I will post some pictures of those later), did alittle shopping, and pick lots of raspberries and make some homemade strawberry and raspberry jam to take back to Utah with me.

Amy, Savannah, my mom and I went out one morning and picked enough raspberries to make about 12 batches of jam, 1 raspberry cobbler, and raspberry waffles. After picking we spent the rest of the day making all of our jam. I cam home with almost 2 batches of raspberry jam and 2 batches of strawberry jam as well. I do not like jam but I know that both Shawn and Brock both love it!

Amy, Savannah, and I wighting all of our raspberries after picking.

After 2 weeks at home in Oregon....it was time to say good bye and head back home to Utah. We were sad to go but so happy for the chance to have stayed for so long and also for the fun memories that we made while we were there. We were happy we got to be there with Jared and Amy as well as Blake and Savannah living there now too. We also loved visiting with both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins too! We loaded up the car on Sunday morning and started our 12 hour drive back.

Thanks again for another fun trip back home to Oregon....we hope to come back soon.