Happy Birthday to MEEE!

In the middle of all of the summer craziness comes my birthday!  It kind of turned into birthday-week this year!  Papa took us out to dinner the night before:

Wow ended up with the day of my birthday off work, so I took the afternoon off and we went to see The A-Team and Sarah and I went to get pedicures!  I got to visit my Old Ladies that night and when I came home, Wow had a few gifts for me - the Larry Miller book that I mentioned a few months ago that I wanted to read (it actually is REALLY REALLY good) and a new iPod!  He did good!

A few days later, Sarah organized a sisters get-together.  Beck brought her girls down early and we hit the splash pad:

We had a homemade (and BETTER) Cafe' Rio lunch at Sarah's house after.  It was a GREAT week - and made turning 30-something so much better!

Bryant Family Reunion '10

Our Bryant Family Reunion this year was at Bryce Canyon.  Yahoo!  I LOVE that place!  And after the MAJOR DRAMA last time we didn't take any chances - we booked our hotel there last January!  Not having to camp was a huge relief, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time down South!

On the way there:


LOVE the headphones on Tessa's cheeks!

 

We gathered at Beck's camp (thanks for taking one for the team there, Beck!)  I must say their campsite was amazing!  They even slept in a teepee!

The next day we went on a tour of the park.  This is us on the park shuttle bus - for MUCH longer than we expected...

 

At the Visitor's Center:

A little picnic:

Then a fun hike:

 

Lex & Dave with twinner back-packs

Driving through the park:

Later on, Wow and I splurged for an ATV tour.  It was AWESOME!!!

Of course we had to have ice cream!

That night was our generation dinner:
 

Our table with the Illinois cousins!


Then the "Show and Tell" (which I remembered much more important things to share about 1 hour after it was all over):


  Trying on Great Grandfather's old Park Ranger hat:

Early the next morning Wow, Dave, Lex and Allen hiked down into the canyon:

We journeyed into Panguitch for the 24th festivities:



I remember this Rhythm Band float from when I was a little girl!

  

They were serving home-made rootbeer off of this float.  I LOVE small town parades!

  We played at the Panguitch City Park and ate the always delicious pit barbeque:

 Back to Bryce to decorate family cookies (pretty close, if I do say so myself!):

And a combined dutch oven potluck dinner:

Then back to Beck's camp for fireworks - it was incredible hearing them thunder through the canyon.

Early the next morning we gathered one last time and posed for a bunch of pictures.

And headed home....

Phew!

It was a great reunion.  It was so much fun to see everyone again!  I wish my family didn't all live so far away, but I am so grateful that we make it a priority to see each other at least every couple of years!  See you in 2012!

4th of July Weekend

The Fourth of July is one of my most FAVORITE holidays!  We packed the weekend as full as possible!

Hanging out at Granny & Papa's:

Waiting for fireworks at the park:

Eating the yummy Boy Scout pancake breakfast:

Going to see Toy Story 3:

A family picture after church on Sunday:

Going to our favorite parade in Hyrum:

Love it all!!!!!!!