22nd Birthday Bash!

It's official; I checked off another year of my life yesterday. As I kissed goodbye to 21, we welcomed 22 with a day of boating and fun on the Jordanelle Lake in Park City. My gracious mom rented a 21 foot pontoon boat decked out with a on-board grill, table, surround sound music, and my mom's entire kitchen. I felt so special and grateful to have my mom and pop, my mooder and dad (in-laws), Jake, Ashley, and last but certainly not least, my amazing husband. We all had a blast! Mid-day we came home for lunch while we waited for the bad weather to pass. As soon as the clouds broke, we headed back out for some more boat time.  We didn't get off the water till 9:30! What a day! Thank you everyone!

Handsome Dare-devil

Clark Family Clan

Captin Pop

Boat Extraordinaire Mom

Brent and Jake doing tricks

Tubing

Brent and Me high-fiving out on the water

Action shot

Who let the dogs out?

Make a wish!

Pioneer Day!

Being fairly new to the "Utah Scene" and traditions myself, July 24th was never anything more than just a regular day.  Though, out here the 24th holds a very important meaning to the Mormon religion. The first company of Mormon pioneers, led by Brigham Young, officially entered the Valley of the Great Salt Lake on July 24th, 1847. For Latter-day Saints, this event has come to signal the founding of a new homeland for the purpose of establishing their earthly Zion. It became established as a major Mormon tradition, Pioneer Day was celebrated as a birthday, an independence day, and a thanksgiving day for Mormons.


This Pioneer day we celebrated with a parade on Main Street, a softball tournament during the day, ending with a family bar-b-que in Manila at Grandma and Grandpa Smith's.

Some of the family at the BBQ

Grandma Clark came to watch the parade with us.

The theme for Pioneer day was "What they did, and why they did it." 

Flaming Gorge

Two Sundays ago, Brent and I took a trip up to Flaming Gorge and went boating with our good friend Rob.  He invited us up for the weekend for fishing, campfires, and cookouts.  We headed out on the boat for an evening fishing trip around five, and within the first ten minutest, Brent snagged a fish.  The fish just weren't biting as much as we would have liked, but Brent caught 2 of the 2 fish! We headed home, had a buffet full of the fresh fish, steak, and bratwurst all done on the grill.  Good eatin’! 

4th of July

What better of a Holiday than the Fourth of July? I think my fascination began when I was a little girl, sitting on our boat in South Florida. As a kid, my mom and pop took my brother and I out on the ocean and we would watch the fireworks. One other years, or other firework shows, I remember being with my Aunt Vicci, walking down to the intercostals watching a firework show. My most vivid memory were the loud bangs let off before the color explosion in the sky. Now that I am older, and like every other holiday, understand the true meaning behind it. It almost brings tears to my eyes watching fireworks with the patriotic songs playing in the background.

God Bless America

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

This, then, is the state of the union: free and restless, growing and full of hope. So it was in the beginning. So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith. ~Lyndon B. Johnson
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

America is a Nation with a mission - and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace - a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman.

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George W. Bush