A Busy July

July started with our family heading to Payson Lakes for some camping.  I have stopped over at the Payson Lakes campground and lake on various bike rides I have taken up the Nebo Loop, but have never stayed at the campground.  We borrowed Dan and Brandee's trailer to hook up to our Dodge.  It does not have racks on top and so we could not use our cargo box.  The trailer made it easier to take a lot of stuff.  So we also threw on the kids' bikes.  The campground was beautiful.  This spring and early summer we have received lots of water and so everything is still very green.  It has made the trails and mountains extra beautiful.  We had a nice site in the campground.  We were on the outside loop of the campground so our tent was baked up against trees and wilderness and not the road or another tent site.  The campground was full as is to be expected.  We hiked on the Loafer Mountain Trail, the Grotto Trail (a new family favorite), and just around the campground, and Eric and Rubie rode their bikes all over the campground.  We played in the lake and played games and tried some crafts around the campsite.  Friday evening the Tulett's and Andy and Beth Wilson came to join us for playing and dinner.  We had a great time playing in the lake.  And dinner time was great with hot dogs, brats, chips, melon, s'mores, and other goodies.  We did have planned to stay through Sunday--even Monday, but other things came up.  So we packed up Saturday morning.  We were surprised by how many others left Saturday morning as well.  Except that some campers left due to the raucous party the night before of some single guys.  We arrived home, literally just dropped our stuff off, through some laundry in, had showers and then we were off to Kaysville to celebrate the 4th of July and Mom's birthday at Ben and Cassie's place.

We enjoyed the celebration at Ben and Cassie's.  Her parents were also here visiting from Tennessee.  And some of their friends also stopped by.  Jared and Chantel were here in town with their new baby.  We had food and playing and then stayed to watch fireworks from the elementary school/park a few houses down.  We were able to see the Davis fireworks pretty well and some other fireworks shows around us.  I would like better to actually go to Davis High for a better show.  Maybe we will try that next year.  We knew it would be late when we were done there and since we were going to be back for Sunday, we decided to get a hotel in the area.  Hotels in Farmington and Kaysville were booked but we found a room in a Hilton by the Layton Mall.  It was so nice to only have to drive 10 minuets at 11:00p.m.  The hotel was very nice and had a pool.  We all slept in and didn't make it to church as planned.  Scott and Eric and Rubie played in the pool as I got ready for the day and then after seeing the pool Samuel realized he wanted to swim too.  So they swam and then we checked out.  Ate a late breakfast at IHOP.  Then we went over to Mom and Dad's to spend some time until we went to the Christensen's to participate in Jared and Chantel's baby blessing.

Jameson Coe Jeppson is such a cute little boy.  He has chubby, round cheeks, and big blue eyes that are so hard to stop looking at.  He looks as if he is taking everything in and very curious about what is going on.  Like most babies, he feels most comfortable with his parents.  But I can tell he is going to be lots of fun.

The next weekend was the celebration for my Grandma Jeppson's 90th birthday.  Scott had to work on Friday and so we planned to go to Toquerville when he got off of work.  But Ben called me that morning to say that everyone already in Toquerville was meeting up at Quail Creek reservoir and I should try to come.  Since Joe was coming after work too with his two kids (Tai was not coming on this trip so she could stay and see her two recently returned missionary nephews speak in church.) Scott was able to ride down with him.  So the kids and I rushed to get ourselves ready.  We made it to the reservoir just as everyone (my Auntie's and cousins) were getting ready to leave.  But we had enough time for me to take a short ride in a kayak.  Sam was super tired and ornery and didn't want to leave me so I unwound myself from his grasp and ran from the beach to the water.  Heidi wanted to ride with me and Eric and Rubie each wanted to try a small kayak on their own.  I love it!  I want to buy a couple of those little kayaks now so that we can take them out and play on them.  Maybe that is what we could get for Christmas.  Hmmm?  We rented a townhome/condo in Washington for the weekend.  We, and Joe, and Ben and Cassie.  It was so nice.  I wish we could have stayed for at least a week in it.  It is new and built beautifully!  Ben and Cassie took the very large master suite.  Joe had a room with a queen bed and pull-out upstairs.  Koen, the twins, Eric and Rubie shared a bunk room, and Scott and I with Sam had a room with two queen beds.  Most rooms had a deck.  We had a nice family room with a patio and a nice kitchen.  There was a fun pool and if we had wanted we were right on a golf course.  I got Ben and Joe to go running with me on Saturday morning.  We found a "nice" hill called Mt Everest (aka Heart Attack Hill) to run.  I love my brothers and it was absolutely so fun to all be in the same place together where we could eat together and hang out together.  We are definitely doing that again.

Grandma's 90th Surprise Birthday Party was at the Toquerville Park.  After the run and breakfast, the guys were off to get food and cake for the party so I loaded up ALL the kids in our vehicle and took them to the park to play before the party.  It turns out were were just on time.  We had a fabulous time visiting with cousins that we have not seen in so long.  Some were missing.  We really missed Jessica Emmanuel and wish that Jared and Chantel could have been there.  (Jared went back to New Mexico to study and take the Bar test again.  Chantel has stayed with her family for the month so Jared can concentrate.  This will be his second attempt.)  Grandma really was surprised at the party and was pleased to see everyone.  What a great lady!!  She still gets around pretty well.  No canes or anything.  She is still pretty active.  It is great for her to have a couple daughters living with her and the rest right there in town.

There was a mishap later that day.  Jeremy was riding Joan's 4-wheeler in Toquerville canyon with his son Skylar and no helmets.  He got a little carried away and crashed.  Thank goodness for a cell phone.  He was able to call for help.  Skylar ended up with some stitches on his face.  Black and swollen eyes and lots of scratches, bumps, and bruises.  Jeremy ended up spending a couple days in the hospital with broken ribs, a punctured lung and blood filling his lungs.  It was dramatic there for a while.  Because of that Lacey and CJ wanted to stay in Toquerville with him and his children and so we ended up bringing Cassie's kids up here.  Cassie had spent the week in treatment.  Ben was able to pile luggage and stuff in his truck and so between Ben, Joe, and us we were able to get Cassie's 4 children here.  They stayed here for awhile and I fed them dinner until their Dad, Nick was able to come and get them.

We missed a couple weeks of church but are back now.  The Jarvis' have been here all summer and so we have spent time with Noah, Max, and Sarah.  We have spent time with the Tulett's and other friends.  We have been going to the pool and hiking around the area.  Rubie has enjoyed gymnastics and cooking class and Eric had had a few guitar lessons and is making some progress.  This week we look forward to celebrating Scott's birthday, celebrating the 24th of July, and then Saturday participating in what we can of the Iron Cowboy's return to Utah--his final day of the 505050.  I have been helping some of the Young Women prepare for an upcoming 5K at the end of August.  Eric has done a bit with scouts.  I was able to have 2 girl nights in one week.  Angela Lowe came to town and wanted to get together.  We met up at Jody Gabbert's house and Rachelle, Tana, Keri, Angela, and I were able to join in.  We could have kept going all night talking, laughing, crying, reminiscing, but I broke it up when I realized it was 10 p.m. and I needed to get my children from Cassie.  Scott was at a Rush concert with his brothers.  Then the Thursday night I went to the old Orem ward book club.  Carly Pendleton was visiting and so I thought I would make the effort.  I love good friends!!  I was so pleasantly surprised at the great time I had with my old friends.  Our gatherings have not always been that great due to what each of us have been doing in life over the years.  But it felt like we had never drifted apart and those girls love me and accept me and love me.  And I felt that and my soul needed that.  Then on Thursday those girls, I felt the same.  Though our bond may not have been so deep, it was close.  Good friends will always make a great impact in our lives!!!

Speaking of which I have had some friends that have made me sad.  Sarah has had a bit of a faith crisis since she went to Flagstaff.  She is not so strong in the church right now.  I am concerned about that and want to help.  I am also concerned about the effect of her loss of faith and her boys and thus onto my children.  Juliana Viegas-Haws has gone through a big faith crisis and is now calling herself a Progressive Mormon.  She is actively writing articles about her thoughts and feelings now.  I have decided to not follow her on FaceBook anymore.  I have the greatest desire to help my children and my young women develop strong testimonies that will withstand the storms.  It is an every day struggle.