Meeks

Before we get into the purpose of this post I had to post this cute picture.  Every morning, other than when Bryan has surgery, Bryan takes Julia to the school bus.  Since Audrey doesn't go every day he still gets to do this sometimes.  It's a special little bit of quality time he gets to spend with her and she loves sitting in his truck with him.  We all get ready together and say a prayer before they walk out the door.  Julia is so lucky to have a dad that adores her so much he gets up a little earlier than he needs to so he can have that time alone with her.  

 Over Labor Day weekend we took a trip back to Wyoming for our annual family reunion to Meeks Cabin in the Uintas.  We drove to my parents and stayed the night and then headed up the next day.  Bryan went early with my dad so he could do some fishing and I drove up alone with the girls.  Lily fell asleep immediately and the girls were content to just drive and listen to music.  It was the most beautiful drive ever.  This picture doesn't even do it justice by a mile.  Driving towards the Uintas and looking over towards Bridger Valley was breathtaking.

 My camera battery was dead when I got there and my phone didn't get any service so I didn't carry it with me much.  Between my phone, the three pictures I was able to take with my camera and Bryan's phone (which I'll have to upload later) I did get a few good pictures.

Carli found some paint and painted all the kid's faces.  She did such an incredible job.  The girls were in heaven.  Audrey actually had her do it more than once.  Audrey also loved taking care of Eric and Aimei's twins.  She thinks they are adorable and they are so much smaller than Lily, she can actually pick them up.  Here she is with little Kiri.

 Audrey also had the time of her life playing with Jenna.  In face I barely saw Julia and Audrey the entire trip.  They run with their cousins from sun up to sun down.

 Lily begged and begged to be put in little James's stroller.  She would enlist anyone's help to make it happen.  I can't help but compare last year to this year.  Last year she was only crawling so Meeks was exhausting.  She just wanted to get down the entire time and couldn't.  This year was much easier.  She was able to play and run to her heart's content.

 Julia and Brookie.

 They have playground equipment that definitely got used the entire time.

 Each and every child was black with filth by the end of the day.  At one point Lily even played the soot of a fire pit.  Soot of a fire pit is not easily washed I'll tell you what.

 I even got the family to pose for a family photo with our home made t-shirts.  There was much complaining and gnashing of teeth but I never regret a family photo.

 We enjoyed the feast.

 Julia got spoiled by her Papa.

 This really is one of my very favorite places in the world.

 My immediate family.  It doesn't seem like this is a picture that we are able to take often enough.  It was great to be with everyone.

 Lily would dive from this rock and thought it was hilarious.

 The parents that make all of this possible.

 We had to head out a day early so we could make the long drive back home.  We decided to hit the Cowboy Day's parade before we left.  It was awesome!  They throw some great candy at this parade.  We enjoyed it even more than we thought we would.

 Lily really loved the horses.

 And back to Meeks with the three pictures I was able to take with my camera.  Carli and my mom arranged for us to make t-shirts with spray paint and masking tape.  It was a huge hit and by the end of the weekend everyone was sporting the new look.  Some got really creative.

 Bryan even convinced Carli to give him Duck Dynasty inspired face art.

 Making the t-shirts.  Such a wonderful, relaxing, exhausting and fabulous weekend.