Happy Father's Day!

Yeah, I know. It's nearly a week late. But...

Better late than never! Right?

This year we decided to celebrate Father's Day on Saturday instead of Sunday, because Lindsey had to work Sunday. (I wish they'd quit doing that to her!) And we had big Father's Day plans, so she had to be there.

We spent the morning doing regular stuff: cleaning house, playing video games, reading...
Then, around 3:00 or so, we gathered in the great room to commence the festivities.

You can't see all of us because my camera isn't that big.
As it is, everyone looks kind of tiny in this pic.

First Bruce had to open his presents, which were fabulously decorated in old Christmas gift bags.

Hmmm. Chocolate...graham crackers...marshmallows...
What's this all about?

When he first saw this beautiful present Bruce wondered what it could be. By the time he'd opened the first three he thought he might know.

What could it be?

While we were talking and Bruce was playing with his new forks, Lindsey went out to get the present she'd had stashed in her car...

Surprise!!

I had been hinting all week about chopping up the branches that Bruce had trimmed from some of our trees last fall—while trying not to give anything away. As a result, the wood still needed to be cut. So Ryan cut us some logs while Bruce set up the fire-pit. Then they started to built a fire with our new-ish wood that had been rained on for a lot of the previous week. It was pretty smoky, and didn't want to catch, but...

They used high-technology to blow the fire into a frenzy.

And then we had our very fancy Father's Day dinner.

Oh yeah! They hung up our patio lights too!
And then we all had fun hanging out, roasting hot-dogs,
talking, and laughing together.

When we were all hot-dogged out, it was time to roast the marshmallows and make s'mores. Actually, I think only two s'mores were made: Lindsey made one that she shared with me, and Michael made one (I think). We are not real big on s'mores, I guess, but we all ate lots of roasted marshmallows.

We had a lot of fun, staying out and cooking over the fire, singing, and talking, until 10 p.m.  (And then we cleaned up, and went in, and stayed up until midnight waiting for our turns to shower.) It was a good time.

And...

Happy Father's Day!

Visitors from a Far Away Land

This past Wednesday some of my Johnson family came to visit for the first time since we moved to Vernal—Melanie, her daughter Emalee, and my mom all came out to see us!

They came all the way from Salt Lake, and arrived here around 2:00. So the first thing I did was take them on a tour of my yard and my house. (They all "Ooohed" and "Aaahed" appropriately.) Then we visited a little bit, and we all went to see Remember the Maine Park. (Almost all of us...a few kids stayed behind and got dinner started.) Of course, on the way there we pointed out the city park, and the high school.

At Remember the Maine we stopped first to read the marker (which tells about the boy who painted the canyon wall as an Eagle Scout project.)

Then we all walked down to the river.

I can keep Bruce off-balance just by standing there, looking cute. ;-)

Bruce, me, Melanie, Mom, Lindsey, Emalee

Ryan and Rachel getting too close to the river for Mom's comfort (my mom, not me). She was afraid they'd fall in and be swept away.

We left the riverside (or is it a creek?), and walked through the trees and meadow together.

Bruce, walking with my mom. I love this picture!

Then we headed back to the cars so we could go see something else.

Jessica, climbing into our Montero.

We drove up to Yellow Hill next, stopping in front of the Ray's house first, just for a minute, so Mom and Melanie could see where we lived our first two years here. Then we went up the hill and found a nice parking space where we could go out to enjoy the view.

Emalee and Lindsey on the top of Yellow Hill

Bruce is pointing something out...
He is a little taller than the rest of us.

After that little tour, we went back to our house and had burgers, chips, and salads for dinner. We sat around and played games, watched a few videos (YouTube videos—just short ones), and visited until we were all drifting away in our seats, around 11:00. (Because we are all old, you know.)

In the morning I made breakfast for everyone. Normally I just make breakfast for Bruce and me, and let the kids fend for themselves. So either I was showing off for my family, or I figured that if I was making breakfast for five, I might as well make it for twelve. (You can decide which is more true.)

Then Mom, Melanie, Emalee, and I went to the Dinosaur Fieldhouse.

Here we are, in front of some weird animals. (I've never thought this before, but Emalee looks a little bit like me. I've always thought
she looked the most like her dad, but maybe there is
a Johnson family resemblance, too.)

And here we all are again, with a pterodactyl hovering above us.

We had a nice time, moseying around the museum and talking. Then we went and got lunch, and then they all headed back to Salt Lake.

I'm glad they came! Melanie said they got straight here (to my house) without getting lost and without any trouble. And they got home just the same. So now they can come visit again!