This little summer...(Part VII)

Bri and I did a lot of traveling this summer. One of the first places we went was the Wisconsin Dells. It was the strangest place, but we had a lot of fun. :) A really nice family from the ward let us stay in their cabin, which we really loved. :) Even though the Dells is the water park capital of the world, we didn't go to any water parks. But we did walk along their main street to look at the weird souvenir shops, get carmel apples and mini golf. :) Also, this was the closest we came to mountains in the midwest. :) I guess they count. :)

I would like to say that Bri tried these on
voluntarily, but we all know the truth...:)

Mini golfing. I don't remember the score,
but I think that it was a tie. :)
Obviously. :)

They also had a petting zoo at the
mini golf course. I was trying to pet
Bubba the Donkey, but he didn't feel like it.

We also spent a day at Devil's Lake. We went on a really
awesome/beautiful hike. And there were tons of huge, tall
rocks! I was not expecting that. :) 

Ya, we climbed a few. :) 

I'm not sure what this is all over the rocks,
but I thought it made a pretty sweet design. 

Such a pretty view. :) 

Bri trying to hold a boat. Or something...

More rocks and Bri. :) 

There were also a lot of really
pretty, green trees. :)

Bri tried to swim. Unfortunately, the water
was cold and he didn't get very far. But
look at him go! :) 

 I was too chicken to get in the cold water,
so I collected rocks and made sure Bri didn't drown. 

Later that night we went to a drive in. :) We packed a ton
of junk food and pillows. It was really good until it
started raining. 

We only stayed for the first movie, which was World War Z.
We couldn't handle the rain. But we still had fun and that
movie was intense. 

On Sunday we went to a branch in WI
to meet up with the scouts. This occurred
on our drive home. He really wouldn't stop
doing it. Weird. 

Since we've gotten back to Utah it's felt like we've been crazy busy. Mostly because we have. :) Luckily, there have been fun parts too. Here are some photos of our life lately. :)

Bri took me to Tucano's for my birthday. We both loved it. :)

This is birthday cake. Haylee made it.
It's very age appropriate, right? Especially
the fish sprinkles and blue frosting. :)

Oh, I had two birthday cakes. :) Soo
good. :)

We went on a little camping trip to Deer Creek
with my family. Typical Dad...

Haylee's first time paddle boarding.
She stayed up long enough to take a
good picture.  :)

Bri was obviously pro at it. :) 

Such a pretty place. :)

We were the only ones in the camp site. :)

We made tinfoil dinners again. It worked out a lot better
this time. :)

Soo perfect for camping. :) 

This little summer...(Part VI)

Bri and I made a few trips to the city this summer. This trip was the one where we went to the Field Museum, which is soo cool. Chicago is seriously a museum jackpot. They're all so good. :) I met Bri in the city and we had a long day of walking through the museum and we ended it with "The Taste of Randolf" street festival. Which I don't have any pictures of because we were too busy eating everything and listening to jazz. :) Which was awesome. :)

This is a sand mandala. It's all just sand poured on the
ground in a pattern. 

We saw these window washers just swinging around up there.
They really looked like they were having fun.

The Buckingham Fountain. I'm not sure why
 we passed this, but it is very pretty. :)

Lake Michigan with all of the party boats. 

This is the view of the city from the Field museum.
They even have a little map so you can name all
of the buildings. 

The Field museum. Apparently most of the stuff that they
own is in underground archives. Kind of like Night at the
Museum, only they probably don't come alive.
Probably. :)

Sue, the T-Rex. I think it's a boy and
 I'm pretty sure he/she is famous. 

I sent this picture to Haylee since that's what she looks like
when she's mad. :)

I really liked all of the weird animals.

But, I'm not sure that I believe that they're all real...

Like this guy? Really? 

I also sent this one to Haylee. For fun. :)

This one's for Dave.

I was defintely most excited about seeing
all of the rocks. Oh man, I just love rocks.
Especially these cool neon ones. :)

This guy looks like Michael Jackson. Big time.
It has to be him. 

Sue, again. 

Such a pretty view. 

Bri and I walked all the way from the museum
to the street festival. We went through a lot
of sketchy alleyways.

Looking up gets a little crazy.
There's so much stuff up there!

At least Bri took the time to pose for me. 

Even next to garbage cans. 

Goodnight, Chicago. 

This little summer...(Part V)

Something really important that happened this summer was my little Haylee's graduation. From high school. Totally a big deal. She didn't think that I'd be able to make it, since the plan was to be across the country. But we decided that it would be pretty cool if I made a surprise trip home just in time for graduation. Everyone knew, my mom, dad, grandma, probably even Dave. Haylee was oblivious. A few days before her graduation, my dad picked me up at the airport, I snuck into Haylee's room, she saw me in her mirror and said,  "shut up, you're not here" and then started crying. :) I was not expecting such an emotional reaction. (And she probably doesn't appreciate me telling people about it.) But it was really sweet and I was glad that I was able to be there with her. :) 

Cute little duck family causing a traffic jam. 

I don't know about this, but it seems like
a pretty typical Haylee picture. 

Dave was really excited that I was home. 

Can't you tell?

I think he was expecting Brian also.
Sorry, Dave.

Dave really liked the spaghetti factory. :)

Haylee was pretty decked out for graduation.
I think she had a rope or sash or medal for
everything. 

So grown up! :)

Leatherby's tradition.

This was a bad idea...

We went to a pretty/cool/random/strange garden near
downtown SLC. 

All of the stones had scriptures, quotes or
hymns carved into them.

Joseph Smith as a sphinx?

I love rocks. :)

Haylee in the bucket cave. 

Back to Chicago! :)