Our Palisades vacation ~ Friday edition

Our last full day was a boating day. Which wasn't sad in the least.

What these pictures show... 

The cutest cousin Emma getting Grace up on a surfboard with her.

Matt consistently tilted at an abnormal angle on a surfboard and always coming out of it just fine.
 
Ben catching some pretty crazy air on the wakeboard. Over and over again. 

Nate catching several pieces of licorice thrown by Ben and enjoying a mid-surf snack.

What these pictures don't show...

Campbell's backflip (multiple times) off the surfboard and into the water while the boat was a going.
 
Jacob being the best dad ever by loving every second he teaches and helps his kids
get even better and more confident behind the boat (and that is saying something
considering they've been doing this for many years and are so good at what they do).

 It was an amazing last day.

Fabulous sunset picture courtesy of the darling Campbell Allen. Thanks son!

Our Palisades vacation ~ Thursday edition

Our Thursday consisted of getting up early to head to Jackson Hole for a rafting trip. Everyone loved
it and I was so grateful every member of our little family could be a part of it. After spending the
day in Jackson, we headed back to the cabin to use the incredible backyard for ultimate frisbee
and some soccer. While most of us moms sat on the deck and talked. It was a really good day.

Our Palisades vacation ~ Wednesday edition

 The third day we went on the most gorgeous hike. Oh my word, I loved it. Because it was more than
eight miles round trip, Grace, understandably, wasn't especially wanting to do it all. But I really wanted
to be a part of at least a bit of it, so I convinced her to just go as far as she could and we could turn
around at any time. She and I ended up going almost 5.5 miles round trip and the others did the entire
thing and made it to the lake at the top. It was a beautiful and fun way to spend a good part of the day.

 

 

 

Our Palisades vacation ~ Tuesday edition

Our second day of vacation was spent boating, boating and more boating. With some cliff
jumping, dance moves and ballet on the dock mixed in. It was a really wonderful day.

Our Palisades vacation ~ Monday edition

 
For the fourth year in a row, we spent a week during the summer on vacation with three of our favorite
families ever. We had some missionaries away (and boy did we miss them), but still managed to have
eight adults and nineteen kids (with several of those being adults themselves, but I still counted them
as children to their parents). It is the best week ever, hands down and we still have yet to have a fight
or issue with anyone (except siblings of course, because well, siblings) and all of the kids seem to tell
us every year it is too short. Love these people and this week so crazy much! And the new destination
wasn't half shabby either. Meaning it was my absolute favorite and I loved everything about it.

Freedom and gratitude

So deeply grateful for my country, my family and my God.

An evening on the lake

Sometimes, you spend the evening at the lake and the light is just something else.

This sweet boy not only learned to surf in just a few tries, but not long later,
learned to throw the rope into the boat and surf without it. And when I got this
photo of him with that light shining down on him...ack, I sure love our Nathan boy.

This darling girl (of the hand, not the ladybug) worked so hard at trying
to learn to surf. She is getting close. But when she decided to switch
gears and body surf, that was hilarious and amazing. She is a brave one.
She also spent a couple of hours with this ladybug being her best friend.

Because the sun was coming right at me, I wasn't sure how this picture
looked when I was taking it. But my mind wanted it to be fabulous.
So I asked Jacob to look at me. And when I saw the end result later...
oh my word, I love Jacob Allen. Have I ever mentioned that before?

I don't know of much I love better than being on the lake as
the sun goes down. This sunset reminded me of our Annie girl, as most
sunsets do these days. So much beauty. The horizon and the girl.

Our daring girl

She is just so, so happy. With the best companion (who we love like crazy),
learning the language so quickly, loving the members of the church and really
just anyone she meets and laughing her way through it all. Her testimony of her
Savior is deep and powerful. What she writes in her weekly emails about Him and
our Father in Heaven is profound and beautiful and it makes me cry. I often can’t
stop thinking about her insights for days afterwards. I’m just so grateful for
our Hermana Allen. Being her mom means absolutely everything to me.