July 16-31 Summer is FLYING by :(

July 16th, Today I was starting to have my doubts. Looking around my clean house (Thanks again to Tonja) and realizing just how nice it is here. We love our neighbors, friends are close, kids enjoy their sports teams, and I have my preschool established. I started to wonder just why are we trying so hard to make this farm work? When my friend Amy took me down to the farm and helped clear my head. This is the house causing all the stress. I can't even show you the inside because it is so gross and has so much work to be done.

But when I go down to the farm and just stand outside and looking North I see the beautiful Timpanogus Mountains then South the rather merky Utah Lake then green fields on both East and West. Then I walk in the musky arena and through the bird pooey horse stall barn and then into the hay barn I begin fantasizing about my kids swinging from the rafters on a big rope swing that lands in a hay stack. That is when all my doubts are immediately erased! We want this farm like crazy.

July 17th, Today was the kids 3rd swim meet again I just can't tell you how much fun they are to watch. I have got the kids racing races closer together so we start at 5:00 and are done by 7:00 instead of 9:00 so that even makes it better. Bowdee Townsend 3:38.44 200 IM 1st, 47.45 50 Back 2nd, 1:57.56 100 Fly 1st, Matia Townsend 1:38.65 100 Free 1st, 57.47 50 Back 7th, 2:02.22 100 IM 1st, Treg Townsend 2:04.16 100 Free 1st, 1:04.23 50 Back 3rd, 2:32.04 100 IM 2nd.

July 18th, Today was the day that all the work we have been doing in the basement for the last 7 years paid off. We were able to get carpet laid in the basement today. Ya we have a bathroom and one bedroom not finished but WOW it looks amazing. It is so fun to see it all coming together. It will even be funner to watch the furniture be put in and the kids start to play down there. What a fun day!

July 19th, We decided to take a break and go play at Seven Peaks in Provo. So we called the Callaways and they were game so away we went. Treg and Bode always have a great time together, Matia and Daisy are great together most of the time, then Bowdee, Adi, and Annie have all been such GREAT friends since kindergarten. Its crazy to think they will be going into Jr. High.

So on our way home I asked them what they were going to do after High School. Adi says "Become a Dr. because I hate math, then I can buy my mom a beach house." Annie is bouncing off her seat waiting for her turn and says "I am going to marry me a rich man, so I never have to work a day of my life, ya I will go to college but just to find a rich man!" Bowdee says "I am going to get a scholarship to the UofU hopefully, then continue on to become a doctor or dentist." It's such a blessing to have such great friends in each others life!

July 21st, Terry and I woke up early to go race in our Bob Phelps Steel Days 5k. We started this 2 years ago and now it seems we do it every year. This is also my dads birthday so I decided I was going to do my best for my dad this year. We also ran it with Terry's friend Greg, I heard his last race he completed in just over 27 min so I figured if I can just stick with him maybe I will impress myself. So I did that and we finished at 27.35 (6th) which is my fastest time ever. Thanks Greg! Terry did it in 25.25 (9th) I wish I could keep up with him!

Then I hustled home to get the kids for their 1/2 mile fun run. The got off to such a good start we didn't even get them starting. They all amazed me how fast they completed it. Bowdee was 4.19 and took 3rd, Matia's time was 4.50 and took 3rd, Treg's time was 5:10 and he probably took 4th. Bowdee and Matia were way excited for their trophies, and we also won some goggles and head phones! I love what we are teaching our kids by doing this every year together.

After the races we went home and packed to go to Strawberry in the trailer to do a little fishing. Bowdee had to pick up his equipment so we had to wait until 4:00 which was pretty sad but we finally made it up there and found Troy and Jolynn at about 7:00. Terry and I went out and did a little fishing in the dark, Terry caught 2 which one was a keeper. I just had fun taking pictures and casting my line out.

In the morning we packed up the trailer said goodbye to Terrys friends that run the campground and then headed to the Ladders to see if the fishing was any better. It wasn't much better and they rain would come in and then go away and repeat. CRAZY. The kids loved playing around on Terry's new pontoon boat and Bowdee was the best snag releaser we have ever found!

July 26th, This week has been football tryouts for Bowdee. He is excited to start playing tackle football again. He really gave it his all at practice and it was fun to watch him sweat his guts out. Last night the A Team coach called Bowdee to let him know they were excited to have him on their team again. So most likely he will be playing start center again, but we will have to see. I feel football in the air and smell it in my garage! Can't say I love the stinky gear that comes with the game. Bowdee is so excited to be on the same team.

July 27th, Terry had to be to the Timpanogus hospital at 6:00 in the morning to have a colonoscopy. We figured there is so much cancer in his family that it would just be better safe then sorry. So I took him in I tell you what this prep just about killed him, he loves his snacks and to miss out on that and be deep cleaning his body was just not fun. He did great though got a A+ for best attitude and sweetness. The Dr. did find 2 polyps that they removed to have diagnosed but didn't look threatening.

We came home at 9:30 and Bowdee had mowed the lawn cleaned the kitchen and made us a pancake and sausage breakfast because he figured dad would be starving. What a sweet boy! And Matia has been so sweet to take care of her dad and she wanted to eat just what he could eat so he wouldn't feel bad. Treg was another sweet boy just the way he would hug Terry because he knew he was hungry but couldn't eat. Many I love my kids!

This photo was taken on July 23, 2005 and that was the last time we have been to Bear Lake with our family. So we decided it was time to go again since none of our kids really remember that trip. We are also considering selling our boat if we get the farm so that we can get spend the money from the boat to make the farm how we would like it to be.

So we left Saturday morning around 7:00 and got to our campsite at South Eden number 15 to check in then head to the boat ramp. The boat ramp was so shallow we had to back the truck way into the water. But once we got in the water and boating around we had a great time. We didn't get much wakeboarding in due to the constant breeze but we did get a few hours.

We mostly spent our day snorkeling, drifting, relaxing and enjoying the crisp clean blue water. Matia loved the snorkeling we saw a few big carp and cool rocks on the bottom of the lake. Treg loved tubbing until Terry took it a little too hard on him and threw him off the tub hurting his arms. Bowdee loved everything of course, wakeboarding, snorkeling, and tubing like a crazy man. We had a great day on the lake.

Then we headed back to camp to make dinner. Our camp was so dry and sunny that we didn't enjoy this part as much. But the kids climbed in the boat and watched a movie while Terry and I just visited with each other. As we sat there 2 momma deer came down out off the mountain and 3 fawns came calling after them. It was so cute to watch them just meander down to the alfalfa fields.

That night the kids slept in the boat under the stars and Terry and I slept in the back of the truck. It would have been perfect if the wind would have been a gentle breeze to the north. Instead it blew like crazy keeping us up deep into the night. I was just thankful there was no rain. Now that would have been crazy since we didn't take a tent to retreat to.

The next morning Terry made a quick breakfast we packed up and headed back to the lake just as fast as we could. We figured time spent on the lake was better then time spent by the stinky latrine. Then we took a drive to the North end of the lake to check it out. It was a long drive and half way there we all got a crazy strong smell of fish. I told the kids we must have just driven over the bear lake monster.

We just had fun playing together until the rain clouds started threatening us around 2:30 and we decided it would be better to leave a couple hours earlier then 15 minutes too late. On our way home I had a flash back to my childhood and figured I might share it. It was hot and our AC stopped working in our truck so we had to roll down the windows. We don't do that often enough in our family these days. I remember never having AC and the windows was the only relief we had on hot days. I missed my hair blowing into my eyes and stuff blowing out the windows. Silly how things take you back.

July 31st, This was the kids last swim meet of the summer. I am kinda sad to see that it is already over but the kids are excited to have a break. Treg beat everyone of his previous best times, so way to go Treg. You have gotten so much better this year. My sister Kathy was up from Cedar City so her and my mom stopped by to watch them each swim. It was so fun to have them there supporting my kids. Thanks Kate I know you had so many other things to do but it was fun!