Summer 2017

This summer, I got to attend a Shakespear Family Reunion up in Tropic, Utah, with my mom and dad. It was the first time I'd seen most of my Shakespear aunts, uncles, and cousins since graduating BYU over 15 years ago. 

Big Rock Candy Mountain

Annie was exceptionally good for the trip --

just a few sniffles here and there with the long car drive from Salt Lake and back.

 I love Bryce Canyon! As a kid, I remember getting dropped off at the top and then hiking all the way back down to town.  Looking from the top as an adult, I didn't realize back then just how long of a trek that was.

A really old Bristle Cone Pine.

My dad and his nine siblings.

This is a family tree my cousin made over twenty years ago.

This is an updated family tree with all the cousins and their kids now.

Back at home..... 

Sadie showing off a turtle she found.

Ada showing off one of the four teeth she lost within a week of each other.

Michael showing off at his first piano recital.

Happy Independence Day!

We have started celebrating events with fun food art. This is one of the first --a watermelon shark.

We had a new friend from Chile come stay with us for a while this summer too. Javi is a friend of Aunt Sarah, whom she taught the gospel while serving a mission in Chile years ago. Javi was just a little girl with her family joined the church, but now she is a college student and wanted to visit the U.S. to improve her English skills. 

We had lots of fun with her and hope she will come back soon. 

Adelaide celebrated her 6th birthday with a pool party.

A jello mermaid cake....I underestimated how long it would take jello to melt in 90 degree weather, so it turned out a little liquid-y, but it tasted good! 

Summer means water for us --at the pool,

at the splash pad, 

on the slip-n-slide, 

and at the beach.

We spent some time at my uncle's house on the bay, close to Galveston.

While there, we rode the ferry to Bolivar Penninsula and back 

and even got to see dolphins jumping the waves.

One day we where playing with some long strips of paper, and Joseph taped his to a long stick and announced, "Here's my Title of Liberty!" .... Glad to know at least some scripture stories are sticking.

Just some cute pictures.....