Lake Powell with the Hansen's

We had our annual trip to Lake Powell with the Hansen's the last week in June.  It is so much fun to go with Mark's family.  We had great weather and we were excited to have the cut open at Castle Rock this year which made it seem like a lot less boat traffic.  Half of the family stays in trailers and half stay in hotels.   We are the cheap half that camp on the beach.  That's right camp. But we have so much fun.  Our favorite part of the trip is sleeping out under the stars with everyones air mattresses piled in a big block and making each other laugh all night long.  Mark has some pretty funny siblings.  Marks parents even stayed and  slept out with us the last night and had us rolling pretty hard themselves.  This year was a little sad as well, since it will be the last year for the two oldest boys to come with us.  They will both be leaving on their missions this fall.  And let me tell you they will be missed, especially at Lake Powell.  They help do everything.  I don't know what Mark and Bert will do without their little errand boys.  They also do a great job of keeping us all entertained.  We will miss Jake and Logan a lot the next two years.   Luke and Sydney both rode the tube, no convincing them yet to wakeboard.  Mark's brother, Rich rented a pontoon boat which helped make the trip much more enjoyable for Mark and Bert.  They felt a lot of relief not trying to get everyone out on our little boat all the time.  And made it so most of us could head to one destination all together.  It ended up being quite a spunky boat to ride on.  Just kick up your heels and set to sea.   We can't wait to head down again in two weeks with my family.

Sydney was trooper of the year this trip.  She had been sick for a couple of days before we headed down, so I took her to the Dr. right before we left.  And of course my little girl that I always wait and wait to take to the doctor because she seems to act fine other than a little fever or something got me again when the doctor diagnosed her with Strep Throat and Hand, Mouth and Foot Disease.  She had a fever, sore throat, 20 cankers on her tongue another 10 inside her mouth, blisters on her hands.  It was so sad.  We would give her motrin to lower the fever and she'd go play for a few hour and then come back and lay down and the fever would return and we'd continue the cycle.  She kept trying to eat for 2 days and couldn't bite anything with her canker sores.  It broke everyone's heart.  I swear she lost 5 pounds in those 2 days.  And she never complained.  I always say she is the best sick person I know.  Then I really got to experience it.  I came down with the same symptoms right after we got back from Lake Powell.  I cried and stayed in my bed for 3 days and didn't move.  She was ten times tougher than me.  She is seriously my idol after this week.  I never want to be sick again.