LAKE POWELL

With much anticipation, we finally made it to Lake Powell!

Our first time, ever.

Kind of sad when you are an Arizona native.

Justin and Stephanie invited us to go on their houseboat, how could we pass that up?!

Some of the other Goodman's came as well, and it was a grand time!

We had to come up a day late because of work.

Which we felt bad about.

I didn't realize the amount of WORK it took to get there,
 and to set up once getting there.

The prep work alone before leaving was insane!

You are basically camping on water.

Shopping for food, prepping the food, packing the boat,

packing bags... wowzers.

The boys rode up with Stephanie and Justin so they

could help get the house boat situated on the beach.

I loved this picture she took of them digging deep holes for the anchors.

We finally made it up with Lindi the next day.

By my choice, Della was not invited.

I went back and forth on the decision.

The second I got there I never regretted it!
She had a much better time with aunt Marcie!

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The water levels were record breaking low.
They kept wondering if the trip would get canceled because of it.

We had nothing to compare it to, besides the water lines on the rocks
where it normal is.
In fact, we hit a sand bar while Casey was surfing!

Came out of nowhere. 

Even with that, it lived up to its name.

SO much FUN.

There weren't enough hours in the day.

I think a boat was out every hour there was sun light with kids

itching for a turn.

My favorite was going out with only the adults after dinner each night.

I called it golden hour.

Sunsets at Lake Powell are unreal.

I feel like Lake Powell is just like a beach house.
Kids run around all day with cousins and hardly bug you for anything!
It's the best!!

Top deck with rows upon rows of kids sleeping on pads.
There were 3 rooms on the house boat.
We got one, but by room I mean a bed and 3 feet of walk space to move alongside of
the bed! You sleep in there, and that is it!

Justin took us on a tour of Powell.

We are in the Narrows.

So beautiful.
And sadly, you can see 2 different white water lines on the rock where it

normally is.
Crazy to think how deep it can be!

We stopped for ice cream at the Antelope marina. 

A bad snap of the house boat docked on the beach.
It was super cozy.
With only 2 bathrooms and around 30 people, it worked great!
Kids showered on the back of the boat in their swim suits, or not at all, lol.
Can't complain about the pebble ice machine it had, either!

Playing Big Booty on the deck.

The guys were working on our boat that was having issues. 
While they were doing that, the women whipped up breakfast for the masses!
Pancakes, eggs and bacon.

Our boat broke, wahhhh!!
V -drive busted.

We were dead in the water.
Luckily Stephanie was out and we called her over to tow us back to the house boat.

To make our boat lighter for the tow, we had all the kids get off onto her boat.
But then all H*!# broke lose.
We were getting pushed to a cement wall by the dock very quickly.
In the chaos, the tow rope slipped and the few grownups left on the boat had
 to use their hands to keep our boat
from getting slammed into the wall and getting wrecked up!
It was intense for a minute, but soon enough we were getting towed to safety, and unscathed!

And not long after that, the generator on the houseboat broke.

Talk about having all the issues happen to us!

It was too hot to not have the AC running, or have lights and what not.

So we had to pack up ALL of the things and move the boat back to the slip.

Here is Dan driving the houseboat back to the dock.

We were still able to stay and have fun our last 2 days.

In fact, I was grateful to experience Powell docked on the beach, and tucked in a slip.
Perks to both.

Fishing on the mini dock next to the boat.

Weirdly enough, I was nervous to go down the slide!

It was tall once you got up there.

More golden hour goodness.

Games late in to the night.

Packing up to go home was an experience in itself.
It was the weekend, so the dock was PACKED.

We had a houseboat dropping off people with ALL of our hoards of stuff,
kids everywhere with no adult supervision
 because they were either getting a trailer or driving a boat.

I guess keys to a boat got dropped in the water and started sinking.
Kristen took one for the team and jumped in fully clothed to save them!

 

We survived!

With great memories to boot!

End of the school year

The school year was over!
We survived the craziest school year to date.
It ended up being wonderful in every way.

Which meant the sadness started flooding in with all the "lasts". 

Group field trip to Butterfly Wonderland.

Preschool programs are the best!
She knew every word and action to their sing along.

They each had a speaking part.
"When I grow up I want to be a mom".

I try to decorate the kitchen for breakfast on the last day of school.
It's a celebration, even for me!
No more waking up early deserves a toot, toot!

Aren't these ice cream water bottles the cutest?

I stuffed them full of goodies and gave them to teachers as a thank you

for a wonderful year!

We were blessed with 5 wonderful teachers, not even including all of

Lanes in Jr. High!

Last day of the school swim party for Lindi's class.

I was so happy to get this picture from a mom who
somehow finagled a bunch of 8th graders to smile for her!

Farewell Franklin Jr. High!
Sadly, he never really experienced it to its fullest.
With 7th grade ending early, and 8th grade starting out at home on the computer.

Rusty got to go to Science Camp!
Probably the only one out of our family.
Mrs. Arnett made that happen for them, lucky ducks!
They headed up to her parents cabin and had the BEST TIME.

We got to have Olive while Stephanie was on the trip.
We kicked off our Summer in the pool, duh!

Welcome at last, Summer!!

 

Shenanigans

I was sitting at the computer when out of the corner of my eye I spotted this one

headed on some type of adventure with her babies!

I chuckled and thought, this is a true depiction of real life motherhood!

She makes herself busy with anything she can find.

This time was with the Costco delivery:)

I was clumsy and dropped a heavy cutting board on the top of my foot!
Yep, it sure hurt like a mother.
And left me a doozy of a hematoma.
 I freaked out a bit.

It kept getting larger the more I walked around.
I propped it up on the chair, put a pack of frozen mixed veggies on top
and called Casey in a worried, "when will you be home?" voice.
Luckily he was on his way home!
And just like a man, said I would be just fine, lol!

Welp, I wasn't so sure.
I called our family friend, Dr. Coffey who is a podiatrist,
 and he got me right in!

X-Ray confirmed no fractures!
He said I could wait a few months for the hematoma to (hopefully) go away on its own.
And run the risk of the blood not leaving properly, harden, and surgically needing it removed.

Or he could stab me with a needle, drain it and be done with it right then and there.

I'll take option B!

Now, I've witnessed his numbing needle when Rusty needed warts removed.
The thing is the size of a horse tranquilizer!
Not going to lie, I was not looking forward to it.

He sprayed some cold, numbing air on top of my foot then BAM!
Jabbed the needle in like he was puncturing those milk pouch blob things from 
elementary school with a straw!
Pretty sure I yelped like a hurt dog.
Then turned my head to not see what the bleep was going on down there.

 Once numb, he gouged, suctioned, and squeezed as much blood out as he could.
BLESS LIDOCAINE!
Just wish there was a less invasive way to administer it!

He wrapped me up, told me to keep it compressed and said come back in a week.

Wearing a boot is for the birds.

This was 2 weeks after the mishap.
 My foot was still pretty bruised.
I had a ton of weird tingly tightness.

If I moved it just right it would take my breath away.

He said it dropped right on top of a major tendon AND nerve.

He didn't think I damaged it, but said it would take some time to feel completely normal.

Let's pray so!

We got a last minute text wondering who could make it to dinner

at The Sicilian Butcher.

I guess this place is the bees knees.

And boy was my Ribeye top notch.

Probably one of the best steaks I've ever had!

 

Tuck and Tumble

Lindi started with Ms. Rachel the very first year she opened her Tuck and Tumble studio!

The classes were tiny and only had 1 coach, Ms. Rachel herself.

It was a great one on one experience!

The following year she branched out a little with adding a few more coaches and 

 students per class. 

Plus, added an end of the year performance. 

Unfortunately due to covid, they never got to perform after practicing all year long.

This year she tripled in size and was finally able to have their tumbling recital!

It's been fun seeing it evolve. 

Della had her first year of tumbling and has loved it!

She surprised us with how quickly she is picking up and mastering her tumbling moves.

Her performance song was, "Baby, I'm a Star".

There is nothing cuter than little girls in leotards.
I wanted to pinch her buns all night!

Lindi got to perform the routine from last year she never got to do.
Which meant 2 years of listening to Megan Trainers song, Me Too on repeat!
(Insert crazy eyes emoji)

I guess when you put Rusty in charge of pictures, you don't get much of a variety.
Sorry, Lindi.

But she did great!

They had a great cheering section!
Fun that her cousins Evelyn, Jera, and Jada take from the same place.
Just different classes. 

Ms. Rachel, their coach.