Photos by Sheryll

My friend Sheryll took these cute pics while she was in Kentucky using some of my hats and dresses - wanted to share - I love her work and am really grateful to know really talented photographers.

I am particularly pleased with this shot, cause I knew this dress was adorable and would photograph well. I have had this dress on my website for the longest time and it has not sold, and I think it is just because it doesn't look as cute on a hanger as it does on a cute model. So I love how this one turned out.

MS Bike Race

So obviously I have sinned, sinned in the blogging world and need to pay penance. I saw that it has been over a month since I have blogged, ugh I couldn't even tell you what my problem has been. So hopefully I will be able to catch up a little with a few quick posts. - although knowing me, I am unable to be brief... But here is a little overview from the last weekend in June (yes June I am a slacker!).

Three of the Four Ford brothers before the 150 miles, Tyler was convinced to join the biking craze and he seems to love it. This was Pete's 4th year riding and probably his worst - after having his last job where he worked for 70 hours a week, he really got out of shape and had zero time to train. But he did it anyways, they might have had there best time ever actually and he did get up the next morning to do the 50 miles on the next day. He was hurting but he finished it, one thing I know about my husband, is that he won't let pain shame him or stop him once he commits. (it's the committing that sometimes stops him)

Um really? What is that?

While browsing a crochet pattern site (lion bran) I came across this fun idea. They had the pattern in every possible color as well, as if you were not quite sold on the pom pom leg thing, seeing it in lime green would be the clincher. Ugh. It's bad enough that they had a pattern for these fun fur white leg warmer things....

But okay, I wouldn't shudder and run away if I saw someone wearing these. But Pom Poms? What are the people over at Lion Brand thinking? Maybe if you needed an embellishment for your Scottish festival costume, it would be just thing.... but please people not pom poms!

Cousins!

Kris (and family) came to Utah for a week to visit and have some fun. Yea we love cousins! First off was a father's day dinner at my house in the backyard. Some ribs, a little trampoline fun and ladderballs.

Here I think Tyler is thinking about how he is too mature for this crowd.

Uncle Adam and Pete were wrestling on the trampoline, so apparently the maturity level doesn't run too deep at our house. They were the great uncles until I think every child ended up crying from some hurt or another.

Action shot of Thaddeus and Pete engrossed in Ladder Balls. And yes we did have to go buy this game after they left, cause we love a reason to spend time in the backyard, its what its there for right?

Then one day we headed to Lagoon. Cadence was mysteriously absent this day, funny how we ran into another classmate at Lagoon who was also mysteriously absent (total coincidence).

For some odd reason, Cadence has become more frightened of the rides as she has gotten older. Not sure what that is about. Kind of takes the fun out of it when your child is screaming that she is gonna die on the boat ride. hmm.

We also went to the movies, Gardiner Village and out to dinner, the kids had fun playing with each other, and Kris got me back into making jewelry, which I haven't done in soo long! -

Windy

poor tree

Roller Derby

Oh yea! I have found a new obsession (ok obsession might be too strong a word) in Roller derby. This is where Pete and I went (with another couple) last Saturday night, and I am hooked. So I have always loved roller skating when I was younger, and after seeing the Movie Whip It last year, Pete bought me my own pair for Christmas. Turns out though, roller skating is really hard! It tires us out, our goal is just to skate for a 10 minute stretch before resting, its that hard. So with our love of roller skating newly refreshed, we bought tickets to the bout and went to find out what it is all about, and I am in love with it. As Pete put it, every aspect of this sport screams Laura, and he is fully behind me trying out for the team....it can't have anything to do with their short shorts.... All of the players have cool funky names and little outfits and shticks to go with it, and then the actual sport is awesome, just enough aggression, with no actual fighting on wheels no less. Loved it! The whole thing was just a lot of fun, and yes we have been brainstorming for the last few days what our roller derby names would be, and yes I am planning this years Halloween Costume right now.

Memorial Day Weekend - Boulder Utah

Always on the go - and looking for new spots to camp/ hike/ four wheel - we reserved a spot at the Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch for the Memorial Day weekend. I was turned on to the town by a couple of co-workers who worked there last summer. I was told that it was an awesome outdoor spot, with tons of four wheeling trails, and I was sold, also the fact that they had openings when I called in February didn't hurt either.

We had never been to Boulder Utah, nor had I heard of it, but it is in the southeastern part of Utah, near the Grand Staircase Escalante National Park. The Cabin that we stayed in, only had 9 rooms, which kept it very quaint and quiet, also the staff there was awesome, very laid back and friendly. Overall the weekend was a success, just entirely too short! We had so many more things we wanted to do, but ran out of time. (and energy)

We went on this awesome hike to a waterfall called Calf Creek, it was an amazing hike, visually, and not too tough terrain. It was only 80 degrees or so, but we felt like we were burning! A lot of the trail was red rock and sand, which can be hard to trek through, and yes we took our dog. Sushi was awesome for the first half (3 miles) she was jumping up the rocks and we were so impressed with our little trekking dog.

The kids had a lot of fun, there were a lot of rocks and caverns to explore, and of course lots of lizards and snakes!

This is Annie and Dan and little Gabe posing under a tree.

And then we turned a corner and there was the falls, and it was really visually stunning, made the whole trek worth while. Unfortunately the water was freezing!

But the kids had fun, playing in the sand. Then they devised an ingenious way to climb up the wet slick rock, by carrying the sand up and covering the rock to give them traction, so that they could climb up, and then slide down. Fun to be had by everyone.

This is Emilee Fike with little Sophie and Annie with Gabe. - Unfortunately the hike back was another 3 miles in the heat, and our dog was finished. Pete had to pick her up and carry her, and it was pretty embarrassing.

There was also plenty of four wheeling trails, some groomed just for ATVs which is always a nice bonus. We went out on all 5 of the ATVs up Hell's Backbone Road to find a bridge called - what else Hell's Backbone Bridge.

The actual ride was really cool, there are tons of drop offs and chasms, that gave my height anxiety a run for the money, but the scenery was amazing!

The bridge was not very long, which was good for me, (fear of heights and all). I thought it was going to be like half a mile long, but it wasn't, but my heart still stopped every time Cadence leaned over the edge to look at how far down it was.

This bridge was created to loggers along time ago, when they had no way to get from one mountain side to the other, so they felled giant trees and laid them down across the chasm, and then drove across on those two logs. Yikes! The original log bridge is still intact underneath the road bridge, and it took about 2 seconds for Dan to hop the railing and start climbing around underneath.

So of course all the men had to do, brave maybe, but I kept thinking about them scooting across on logs, and I held my breath until I saw Pete again.

Here is my brother Adam, leaning over the edge. - Overall the trip was very cool, and I can't wait to plan another trip back there for a longer length of time. I didn't get any pics of the guest ranch that we stayed at, but we thought it was great, and I fell in love with that area, and that part of Utah. We went out to eat at the Hell's Backbone Grill, (which has been on Oprah - snooty snoots) but it was delicious, and the scenery and fishing was really awesome as well. And who doesn't love a place that sets aside trails just for four wheeling and keeps them groomed and safe? Loved it.