Snow in July

This weekend we set out to do something we have wanted to do all summer...hike.  We picked a hike we remembered enjoying a few years ago, Winnemucca Lake. 

Chase and Sadi were not happy about our choice of activities for the day, and made it known they were protesting.  The views hiking this trail are incredible.

There were wildflowers all over this trail and  I was glad there were not bee's in abundance.

There were plenty of places along the trail to sit and rest, including this tree we remembered from the last time we hiked here.

Just a mile into the hike there is a fork in the trail where you can take a short detour and head to Frog Lake.  Since we got such a late start to the day we decided that we would stop for lunch here.

The lake was much higher this year, and the view....

We ate lunch and decided to explore around the lake.  The kids loved climbing the rocks,

and exploring all the different view points. 

We even found a good patch of snow!  The kids wanted to stay and play.  We decided to stay here and enjoy the rest of the day rather than push them to hike more.

This snow loving girl was in heaven. 

I even helped her build a GIANT snowman.

Okay not giant, but man that snow was SO cold! 

We found a nice beach area on one side of the lake that was somewhat sandy, and let the kids play in the water.  

It was such an enjoyable afternoon free of wifi and texting.  I was sad when we headed back down the mt. and once again reached service and everyone's phone's started blowing up.  It was nice to be without those distractions, even if it was just for a few hours.

Bogie's in Nevada

The day after Uncle David left we were lucky to get some new house guests!  My sister Susan and my niece Tori came for a visit.  They always bring waaaay too many gifts for us, and our house was overflowing with treats and gifts.

One of the first days they were here we headed to  Lake Tahoe. 

It was pretty windy, and quite a bit colder than normal.  The wind was making some waves which started out small,

but by the end of the day were pretty huge! 

I actually think the kids enjoyed it more having all those big waves to play in.

We left the beach and headed over to South Shore to spend a few nights at a timeshare with Susan's friend from Galt.  Matt and Kelsey had work so they headed home.

Our home away from home for the next few night nestled in the woods.

We had fun hanging out in the room and my kids really took to this little cutie, baby Koral.

We played games, soaked in the hot tub, and spent and afternoon walking around the shops.

Chase loved that he had his own bank on the corner...if he could just figure out how to make a big withdrawal :/

We tried going to the beach another day but it was just too windy for anyone to actually get in the water.  The kids enjoyed this new rocky beach and exploring...until someone ran into a spider, then it was no longer fun.

We all went out to breakfast together the last morning before heading down the Mt.

We continued the fun with the Bogies at home doing all kinds of things.  Sadi gave Aunt Susie a spa treatment including painting her nails and a facial.

Of course whenever they come there is a craft or 2...or 3 or 4.  One of the crafts we did was painting canvases which were really fun, and all turned out super cute.

We spent lots of time playing games.

Susan brought a game they played at my Mom's 75th birthday which was pretty fun, and got a bit competitive.

We left the kids home with Daddy one morning to go grocery shopping and came home to Lego's gone wild!  This kept them busy ALL day.  Tori got in on the action and helped in building and searching for lost pieces.  The rest of us mostly just avoided the landmines.

We spent another day at the lake, did some shopping, and spent a day up in Virginia City enjoying an ice-cream and caramel apple lunch.

One of their last nights in town the older girls went out to dinner and got pedicures.

It was so fun having them visit and we were sad to see them leave, but excited we will get to see them in just a few weeks when we head to Utah for a family visit.

Fun on the Fourth

Our 4th of July has become kind of predictable anymore, but we still look forward to it every year.  Matt and Kelsey both had to work, but Uncle David was here visiting which was fun.  We headed up to Virginia City and got some ice cream to enjoy before the parade began at noon.

There is just something about a small town parade that I love.

It could be the fact that they never start too early also.

But really who else saw a creepy hearse in their parade?

The parade is generally about 30 minutes which is perfect, and the kids love the ridiculous amount of candy they throw....mom not so much a fan of all that sugar.

Kelsey got to see most of the parade before she was off to work (just a few shops down from where we were sitting) for a long day of scooping ice-cream.  We popped in to see the working girl in action before heading home.

Later that night we headed back up the canyon to watch the fireworks.  We had fun throwing our pop its, and making all kinds things out of glow bracelets.

We enjoyed just chatting with each other while we waited, and waited, and waited.  It was pretty windy and we were starting to worry as it got later that maybe they would cancel the fireworks. 

Finally well after 10 p.m. we saw them start.  Boom, boom, boom.  About 6 fireworks lit the sky, and then they stopped.  Suddenly just over the hill from us we saw smoke and an orange glow.  The firework show had sparked a fire just short of where we were sitting.  Not exactly the show we wanted to see.

We packed up quickly and headed home.  Poor Sadi was extremely panicked.  Luckily no one was injured and no structures were damaged, but sadly just shy of 2 acres were lost.  Not sure any of us are too anxious to go to another firework show for awhile.

Walking Away

June 29th the call came in "I have bad news, Mom and Dad were in a car accident.  They rolled their car."  It was my sister on the line.  My heart sank, and tears flowed.  My parents were traveling to New Mexico to visit my sister.  They had decide to take a scenic route through Arizona.  Somewhere between the towns of St. John and Springerville they fell asleep and went off the road and rolled their car.

My Dad in the passenger seat had to be cut from the car, and was airlifted to Flagstaff hospital.  When the chopper returned to get my Mom the winds had shifted and so she was airlifted to Albuquerque.

My sister was 2 hours from Albuquerque and 5 hours from Flagstaff. She got in the car and headed to see about my Mom, and my niece took the longer road to head to my Dad.  It was a waiting game to see what the prognosis was.  Being so far away was torture.

When word finally came in, it wasn't all good.  My Mom was checked out and okay and was to be released that night.  My Dad was in worse shape.  He had 3 broken ribs, and fractured his T1 and T2 discs in his back.

Besides having multiple lacerations needing stitches,

and severe road rash on his head, he was moved to the I.C.U. due to risk of catching pneumonia and having possible head trauma.  It was hours before my niece arrived at the hospital so information was slow coming through.

With my Mom now hours away, and needing some recovery time my sister and two brothers caught a flight out of Salt Lake the following day to get to my Dad and to be there for my Mom. I could tell just by talking to my Dad on the phone his spirits were lifted finally having family there.

Because he was facing the possibility of immediate surgery it was some time before they finally let him eat.

Although my siblings were there, I don't think everyone breathed until my Mom arrived on Friday (two days after the accident).

She was bruised, but looked good physically.

He was able to get up briefly and walk with a cane, and they were able to take the neck brace off after a few days.

My siblings had a flight back on Sunday afternoon and I think really pushed to get him discharged so they could help get him home.  On oxygen and still facing the possibility of surgery on his back he would have to make a 2 hour car ride to Phoenix and then take an hour and a half flight home.  It was risky, but in the end I think the best.

With updates coming in periodically this was by far the best picture, flying them home!

They arrived home late Sunday evening, just over 4 days from the initial crash.  After seeing what they survived, it's hard not to believe in miracles.  I know there is still a long road of recovery for both of them, but we are all so blessed to still have them.