Spring Break- Big Water Yurt 2009

Big Water Yurt

Millcreek Canyon

April 9-10, 2009

We are all ready to start our trek up the mountain with all our gear, enthusiasm, energy and excitment enough for all seven of us. We had to haul in our own water, food and sleeping equipment. We decided to pull it in on sleds rather than try to carry it on our backs.
Sophie had a free ride most of the way, but she did get out on occasion when the hill was too steep, and then we had to sing songs and ask a hundred questions to keep her mind off the fact that she was actually walking up hill in the snow.
Everyone got their turn to help get everything to the top.

She really was happy to be there, she just looks tired and worn out.

There were mile markers every 1/2 mile and so that is when we chose to take our breaks.


The girls were such good sports, first they each took turns pulling their sled, then they decided to use team work and hook it to both of them. Their sled was not light and it was a long way-Way to go girls!

We made it!! 4.5 miles and about 5 hours later we had arrived at our luxury suite- oh I mean Yurt. We were just glad that we didn't have to haul in our own wood.
Everyone was exhausted and worn out but the first thing the kids asked when we arrived was if we could come again next year. I think they felt a real sense of accomplishment.
First things first, get the fire going so we can dry out all the wet gear and then start to prepare our gourmet meal of dehydrated soup, bread, hot cocoa and lots of candy.
We were so grateful for Shaun's burners that he had given to us for Christmas, it heated our water in seconds.
Just happy to be there-you know Mark.
I know what you're thinking, wow comfy beds-well you can stop thinking that now.
We had to hide the swedish fish from Sophie, but she found them.

The next morning we awoke to a beautiful day with a few snowflakes-just perfect for making snow angels, sledding, snowshoeing and a little snowboarding.


We'd had our fun and so now it was time to head on home.
Mark, the clever packer- loaded everything onto two sleds so that the others were free for rides down. Everyone we passed would ask us if we had stayed at the Yurt and then comment "wow that's a lot of gear" What do you expect for 7 people? You know me and my thought process I was ready for that question to come at me one more time so I could give them my answer of "The Yurt? oh no, we just went for picnic."
Once again the journey for Sophie was nothing but smooth sailing. She fell asleep for most of the trip down in her comfy little bed.
2 and a half hours later we were unloading at the car. Another great adventure that I am sure we will attempt again.

(maybe I can find one that is only a 2 mile hike.)

Reed Summer 2008

Since our arrival back in the states, we have been very busy and wanted you all to know what we have been up to.

This photo is after a very long day of traveling-9 hour flight-8 hour layover and then the final 3 hour flight. We were all very excited to hit ground at midnight.

Grandma to the rescue- We had told her one of the things we missed the most were her homemade rolls, so she had 3 pans all ready to go into the oven, even at our midnight arrival.

YUM!!!!! Thanks mom, you're the best.

The next morning it was off the girls camp for Annie. She had a great time and helped her make a quick time adjustment.

Same girls with showers.

With Ron and Louise home as well, and Dawn on her way back to Texas we were able to have a family gathering at Garth & CayLynnes with most of the cousins.

Ice Cold Lemonade for sale!! Oh the sound of that sure did ring nice for the boys. This is not allowed in France and so they could not wait to have their first sale. They did pretty well- they each made enough money to buy their first webkinz.

How fun for us to come home to the Tennessee cousins. We had so much fun with all of them, but having baby Zoe around made our day (every day).

Then it was off to the Rodeo with the Thompson cousins and Grandpa T. Of course it was great and we loved all of it.

How many puzzles can you put together in a day? I'm not sure what the count was but it was a lot.

We had yummy American hamburgers!

Highlight for all of us was seeing Great Grandma.

Made lots of cakes.

Loved, loved the baby.

Can you guess who thought of this?Sleepy cousins.

Lots of pool action- thanks to the Rowberry's who let us act like it was our own private pool.

Sophie learned Uncle Brandon's trick. Annie & Oakley went to the Salt Lake Temple and did baptisms for the dead. Mark was able to baptize and confirm them both. What a great morning we had.
LICE!!!
The official shampoo party. A little souvenir from France.

Bowling at the U.

We journeyed to the center of the Earth in 3D.



A "little" fishin with Grandpa.


Went to Andy's wedding in Park City-Beautiful until the hail started.

Neighborhood party with cousins.

Jesse turned 11.

Saw the Declaration of Independence on it's tour of the US.

Annie gets BRACES!

Being lazy together.

Annie falls in love.

Sleeping under the stars on top of each other in Grandmas back yard.



Picnic at Snowbird and then a hike to Cecret Lake.

The sign said "No swimming" but as you will see they apparently couldn't read it.


The clothes were too wet to wear home.


Nearly got trampled by a moose and her baby on the way down.

Mark hiked Timp.

Dallas & Logan's new collection- aluminum cans- they have quite the system of smashing them.

Logan loses a tooth- very painful to watch, I finally told him I would pay him $10 if he pulled it out that day- It came out at 11:25 pm. (Thank goodness)


Bird show at Hogle Zoo.

We all went back to school.
Sophie went to the dentist and got some great new teeth. Well she did get a pretty little silver one that she is so proud of and tells everyone!


The princess turns 5 and wins a quilt (the cutest one ever) from Grandma T- she's not excited or anything.

Having a little birthday tea.

Mark rides the Snake in Jackson.

The big magic as Dallas turned an 8 into a 9 on 9-9.
Fun party with a great magician.


He also received a great quilt from Grandma T.


Grandma is a smart lady. She knew if Dallas got his Logan would want his as well, so she brought it just in case-obviously it was well received.

We love, love, love our quilts Grandma. Thank you Thank you.

LaCross started for Dallas.

Another golden-Annie turne 13 on the 13th. 13 Gold balloons fly away with Annie's golden wish.
A little tea party at the Beehive tea room with Annies best friend Ally.
(Check out Annies skirt, she made it-something else we've been doing)

New Cruiser for the golden girl.
Mark thought he was pretty golden too.

Great American concert at the Conference center with the boys.

Logan loses another- Tricky to eat food now.
Jesse gets a new do.

Logan turns 7!

Yummy peaches from Karen's tree = 21 quarts all ready for the winter (as Logan would tell his friend Will who wanted to know what we were doing).

Waht a terrific summer we had and are looking forward to an even better Christmas with all of you.

July 23, 2008

One of the best things about coming home was that our Tennessee cousins were here for the summer. Not seeing them for a year was hard, but spending the rest of the summer with them will be a real treat.
Sophie and Salem clean the car.

This is always so fun when you are a child.

He looks pretty comfortable up there.

Obviously a favorite spot at Grandma Ts.

Sparklers is always a fun part of the 24th of July.
Sleeping under the stars was a fun way to end the evening.

Annie could not get enough of Brighton-she loved him and had a great time pretending to have a dog for a couple of months.

The Spanish Fork Rodeo

Lucky for us our cousins live in Spanish Fork and Chris has "connections" and got us tickets to the rodeo, we were excited to start our Holiday celebration doing something so American.

We were able to spend the day with them and get cowboy'd up and head to the rodeo.
Howdy pardner-the boys are ready!
What a group, we look pretty official.

We dragged Grandpa T along with us.
The night was full of great cowboys and lots of intense moments.

We loved the rodeo clown. He was a local and really made the kids laugh. We didn't know that he was also a stunt man and pulled off a motorcycle jump over the trailer.

If you look close he is directly over the trailer.

The tradition at every rodeo, the royalty presenting the flags of our country and our state.

Here is the flag arriving into the arena for the big events of the night.I've never seen a cuter cowboy.

I love looking at these cowboys like this, I don't really ever want to see them on a bucking bronco.Thanks Thompson's for the fun day!!

"Ice cold lemonade only 25 cents"

One of the first things the kids wanted to do was have a lemonade stand. These are not allowed in France and the kids really missed making their small stash of cash, so today was the perfect day to sell their refreshing homemade limeade.
Sophie flashing her best "buy my limeade grin"
Dallas & Logan having a great time on a hot day.

The Reed Clan

July 13, 2008

Cousins waiting for the car to round the corner as we arrive to the family get together with the Reed family.
Annie & Natalie

Sarah & Jess

Sophie & Annie
Our new little cousin baby Mary.
What a good lookin group of boys.

We were so lucky to even have Aunt Dawn there with her darling children. They had made the long trip from Texas and we caught them on the tail end of their stay. Dawn was a brave woman to make the long drive on her own.

The whole clan.

Girls camp 2008

This is the same group, just 24 hours and a shower later-pretty cute!

We were home just in time for Annie to make it up to the last days of girls camp. She could hardly wait to get there to see all of her Utah friends.
She had such a great time and was happy she was able to be a part of the craziness of girls camp.