5 Reasons Why I Hate Swimming Suit Shopping

The older I get the more I hate looking for a new swimming suit (I'm sure a lot of people can relate). That's why I have put if off for about four years. The reason why I finally had to break down and go by a new one is because I'm taking the Beehives to Bear Lake this weekend, and my old suit is well.......shall we say not as appropriate as it should be. So on Monday Jaxon, Brynly and I set out to go find a new and modest swimming suit. It was a very long and painful experience and I'm pretty sure this swimming suit is going to last me for the rest of my life. Therefore my five reasons I hate swimming suit shopping.
1. Everyone that works in the store is a super-model and looks great in a swimming suit. (Where do they get these people?)
2. Who do these swimming suits fit? They sure don't fit me!
3. I have failed as a mother, Jaxon and Brynly think one-pieces are ugly and I should go for the string bikini.
4. Why do all the ugly board-shorts fit me, but the cute ones don't?
5. I hate gravity!!!!

Thanks to 2 brutally honest children, I finally found one that pretty much fit, and shorts and a tank top so I don't scare away the beach crowd.

Bloomington Lake....Brrr.

We woke up the morning of the 24th and thought "hmmm, why don't we take the kids to Bloomington Lake?" Totally random I know! I'm turning into a Foster in my old age. It was fun though. We obviously drove up there, but you have to hike a little to get into the lake and the kids really enjoyed that. Unfortunately Brynly has begun marking her territory and randomly squatting along the trail when "nature calls". It was awesome trying to explain that one. We let the kids splash and play in the lake for a while (surprisingly the lake really wasn't that cold), then I tried out the rope swing (way fun!). We considered heading over and cliff diving but though better of it because Brynly would have wanted to try it out with us. After a couple of hours of playing in the lake we headed back down into Bear Lake for a burger and then home. Jaxon informed me next time we go we're taking fishing poles. I'll have to get my old one out and dust it off.

We Came, We Saw, We Made IT!!!! Trek 2009

Our first stop Independence Rock
This is "boot-strap"...the baby I mean

(Info: Boot-strap's real name is William Wignall and he was a 3 month old baby that crossed with his family in the Martin Company, but the girls nicknamed him "boot-strap because the poor baby was dressed in pink. He needed to feel like a man)

DISCLAIMER: From this point forward my hair goes from "bad" to "words cannot describe" so don't hate!!

Can you just see the excitment of pulling a handcart to camp

Pit Stop

This is right before we went into Martins Cove

Me and the girls

Our last family pic with our "cousins"

Note: my mom and dad should be in this picture because they were apart of this other family, but they booked it out of there as quick as they could. Party poopers.

Our last family pic

The kids having way too much fun on the bus ride home

We made it back from our Trek to Martin's Cove! The coyotes didn't eat me, the snakes didn't get in my tent and I even came home tick free. I think I came home tick free because I smelled to bad they didn't even want to try. I tried to put the pictures in the order that they happend. First day, got up and the un-holy hour of 3:30 in the morning. Loaded buses and drove a very long and boring six hours to Independence Rock. On the bus we were able to get to know the "kids" and "aunts" in our family. I have to say that I really enjoyed our family. The kids and the aunts were so much fun. Independence Rock was really neat. We didn't get to spend as much time there as we would have liked, but it was still neat to see. We were hoping to go explore a cave at the back of the big rock where there is still, supposedly, names carved in from those who came across the plains in the 1800's. I guess I'll just take their word for it. After the rock we headed over to Martin's Cove ,which is where we camped, and got our handcarts and headed to camp. One really neat thing; there is a dog (Great Pyrenese) there and when a group shows up for a Trek he comes and walks with you and protects your group from rattlesnakes and whatever else comes around. His name is Oscar and you can actually read about him in the July Friend. He's a pretty popular dog. The next day was the "Big Day" of Martin's Cove which was a really neat experiance. What a peaceful place, it was neat to finally see the place that I have been reading about for so long. An interesting note, Oscar didn't follow us up into Martin's Cove, he headed back out to the picnic area. He followed us everywhere else though. After the Cove we headed over to cross the Sweetwater another really neat experiance. Then dropped our handcarts off and walked back to camp. That day was a lot of walking and a lot of people came back to camp with blisters. The next day we broke camp and loaded the buses up. We then drove to Rock Creek Hollow, where the Willie Handcart people had such a hard time. That was probably my favorite day. We came and started to walk down into the hollow, and each family got a baby to carry with them through the whole trek, and at the hollow they take your baby away. Obviously representing the many people that died there and other places along the trail. That part wasn't easy but it really hit home. After we got down into the hollow we had a devotional and the last song was "Come Come Ye Saint's " which is a tear jerker, but add random people standing up and putting a white shawl on to represent the people that died, nobody made it through with a dry eye. I looked around at the end and I only had 5 out of my 10 famliy members left.

We had some really great experiances on the Trek and one of my other favorite parts was that I got to be in the same campground as my mom and dad. So our familys did about everthing together. It was awesome being able to do those things with my mom and dad. It's always great to go home though, especially after three days without a shower. And of course I missed Jaxon and Brynly so we were excited to make it home. I am really grateful to have had to opportunity to go on the Trek. It was something that I don't think I'll ever forget.

The Lewiston 4th of July

Mom always takes great pictures of the grand kids

Phil right before he hit one of his many home runs (:

I'm pretty sure this picture is on mom's blog, but she's SO CUTE!

Phil is letting Molly have a taste of the Otter Pops!!

This picture is right before Brynly put Molly in the "choker" hold.

I love the Lewiston 4Th of July, it's like Christmas in the summertime. My friends from college always wondered why I love Lewiston so much. They should come to a 4Th of July celebration and they would understand. First we start off with a hearty fireman's breakfast (can't celebrate on a empty stomach). Next is the huge (I'd say even bigger then the Parade of Roses) Lewiston parade, where Phil and I.....well mostly me try to keep our kids out of the way so they don't get flattened by the floats. Then, of course, we need to eat again, so over to the park for games, rides and FOOD. As well as a lot of chatting with old friends and family. For those who aren't really into relaxing on the fourth (that would be my husband), there is the 3 on 3 basketball and the softball tournament. Phil really enjoys putting on the softball tournament so we've been doing that for the past four years. It's fun but it's a lot of work and I'm hoping to talk him out of it for next year. So far I'm losing the battle, but I've got a whole year of persuasion, and I don't give up easily! After the fun and games is the final finale, the "Lewiston Fireworks". Now I wouldn't compare it with the "Stadium of Fire" (we couldn't get the Jonas Brothers to come this year), but it's fireworks!

The fourth of July was always my favorite summer event growing up. I always hated to miss it. I think I have already trained Jaxon and Brynly to feel the same way. They really seemed to enjoy the fourth. The rides at the park were their favorite. They would have done that all day if mom and dad kept forking out the money. It was a great day, although it seemed to fly by. Thankfully Mom got some pictures because I am still forgetting to bring my camera everywhere I go. Thanks Mom!

Lagoon!

At this point Brynly is still deciding if she even likes the rides or not.

At Pioneer Village after a wet and wild Rattlesnake Rapid experience.

When we first walked in Jaxon thought this was the water rides.

You can't go wrong when you take your kids to Lagoon, but if you bring Grandma Sally, Kade and Jessica, Kelsey and Brady, your guaranteed a wild and crazy Lagoon experience. We had a blast a Lagoon, I'm sad we didn't have time for Lagoona Beach, but by the time 5:00 rolled around we were exhausted and ready to go home. The next time we go Phil and I are determined to stay until Lagoon closes. This first time was our warm-up. Jaxon and Brynly loved the rides (well Jaxon more the Brynly). Brynly was indecisive on a few, I think next year she'll be ready. Brady and Kelsey got Grandma Sally to go on Wicked (I'm impressed). I'm pretty sure I heard Grandma swearing throughout the whole ride, Wicked lives up to it's name. The poor kids that sat in front of us (me, Phil, Kelsey,Brady) I'm sure their ears were burning by the time we were through with the ride. Jessica, Brady and I tried our nerves out on The Rocket, and I'm pretty sure my stomach has not returned to it's normal place yet. Jaxon and Brynly even tried out the Haunted House. Brynly came out crying and Jaxon made it through un-traumatized, and they even slept through the night with no nightmares. I'm sure we'll be heading back to Lagoon in the near future (hopefully with Grandpa Brooks next time).