Elementary Play

One night, the weather was perfect, and my elementary school was just down the street. So we spent some time playing. We raced to see who could go down every slide the fastest. Either I was out of shape (completely possible!) or the altitude was getting to my breathing! But I loved every exhausting second of it!

Handy Man

Ryan can't sit still. Even on vacation, in someone else's house, he needs a project! While he was at my parents house, he replaced the guts on one of their toilets, fixed (then broke, then fixed again) one of their ceiling fans. Its nice, because I can consider him paying for our room and board through service!

More Dress Ups

Meet Christina!!! 

To Ryan's horror, Cannon dressed up in a dress, wig, and accessories! And he introduced himself in a higher pitched voice as "Christina". It didn't last long, but I had to immortalize it in picture. Haha!

Fun with Friends

(Steve, Wee One, and TJ) 

After the family reunion, we headed back to Utah. We were considering making our way up to Rexburg, ID to visit our first home as a Bushman family....but the kids were in much need of a break, a slow down in the routine and driving. So we spent a few quiet days in my hometown. We went to see the movie Brave with the kids, and one night we had a BBQ with some great friends from High School.

The kids played great, the food was fantastic (thanks Steve for grilling!), and the weather was perfect! It was so fun to see their cute kiddos, and both their pregger tummies! I love that we can sit and talk like no time has past, and that Ryan completely fits right in.

Escalante Parade

 The Parade is Coming!

 And we are waiting!

 And here are the "floats"! I loved that the majority of the floats were pulled by tractors. Some driven by kids who aren't old enough to have a drivers license! I think anyone who wanted to decorate a 4-Wheeler, or their truck, they could participate in the parade. And EVERY participant in the parade had candy to throw out. Or even popsicles! The kids were kept very happy!

 A Midwife Float, with a real pregnant woman on it!

 

The grand finale was the fire truck! He parked it, and the kids came running! The fire hose went off, and sprayed straight into the air, and the kids played in the rain. All of them were SOAKED!

After the parade, there was a street show outside the real General Store. It was funny, and played up their country appeal, and loud! The kids did not enjoy the gun fire.

Ryan said this was the best parade ever. It was short, the morning air was cool, it wasn't massively crowded, and the kids stayed entertained the entire time. I would agree, Escalante does a parade right!

Escalante Kid Rodeo

The Escalante Kid Rodeo puts kids in the spotlight! They have Mutton Riding, baby Steer Riding, Barrell and Pole Racing for the more experienced kids. We signed Cannon up for Mutton Riding. They put them on the back of a sheep in the bull pen and everything. I could tell he was nervous, but he did pretty good! He held on for about 15 feet, then was bucked off, landing face down in the soft dirt. And stayed face down in the soft dirt until the helpful cowboys picked him up and dusted him off. It cracked me up!

He was so excited he got a $2 bill afterwards!

 Brooklyn kept hounding me about wanting to ride a horse. She wouldn't stop! And finally, we came across one of the barrell racers, Rainn, and she offered to take her on a ride around the dirt "parking lot". Then of course she had to take the other two on a ride. Brooklyn in particular was in HEAVEN!

I thought this RV was too funny!

Swimming at Calf Creek