Oregon Part Uno

When we got to Oregon we had several days of playing with some cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents until we all met up in the mountains for our family reunion.  We went to a 24th of July picnic ( a celebration of the LDS pioneers) with Mark's parents and sister's family.  Mostly we did what we do best chit chat and eat while the kids played together. 

I am the photographer of the family.  However about every third outing Mark will take the camera for a while and always he takes a picture of me solo.  Just to prove I actually attend the family functions.  It kind of makes me laugh.  I always give him this smile of, is that really necessary?

A lot of this occurred with cousin Ryan.  He is such a good sport and wrestles til the kids are exhausted. 

Visiting Great Grandma Last

These two cousins had such a good time together. 

A little love tap - driving in Chile

So about Chile and driving.  The drivers here are very good compared to the rest of South America, let's preface with that.  But not what you would say is the USA standard of driving.  So there are the things like motorcycles can go anywhere at any time.  They don't wait they go between cars or go on the sidewalks.  As do cars that are in a real hurry.  Speed limits and lanes are optional.  The painted lanes are suggestions only, and half the time the paint is either faded or in the wrong place.  If you let someone in as a courtesy, they are often surprised.  And if you want to park you just stop and turn on your hazards...any where you want to.  The lanes are narrow and parking spaces are small.  Having said this when I was in the States last month I realized that I was an aggressive driver who speeds now that I drive here.  Also we rented a Suburban and I found even with the big car I thought the parking spaces were HUGE. 
So a little story to go with my commentary.  A few nights ago while in traffic at a red light the person behind us gave us a little love tap from the back.  Not enough to get hurt, but enough that we definitely felt it.  We looked out the back and see that there is a police car right behind the woman who hit us (the police always have their lights flashing when driving, only when you hear the sirens do you worry).  The police honk and go around us.  Because you see the light had turned green by this point and we were in the way.  Seriously?!!!!?!!!!  I could say I was surprised, but really I am not.  Oh and by the way, no damage done to the car and all was well.  Although the lady did say to Mark when he went to her window, "I stopped in time."  Really lady? 

An intermission in Utah

On our way to Oregon we made a stop in Utah. We visited with two of Mark's siblings and their families. We also went to the BYU campus and made a few hours stop west of SLC to visit one of my very best friends in the world.

We went to a trampoline jump house with cousins and the kids loved it. They jumped, flipped, and played dodge ball nonstop for two hours.

I am so sad because we took some cute pics at BYU and one of me and my friend, but they didn't come out for some reason.  Oh well, good thing we have amazing memories even without pics.

More Colorado

So on I go (still way behind, but determined to catch up). We spent the next week and a half in Colorado with Mark joining us for the last three days (and they were packed). We spent lots of time with cousins doing things like playing in backyards, swimming at the YMCA, meeting at parks, going to the zoo, hitting the fountain park, eating out at all the American restaurants we missed, and going to Cripple Creek.

This giraffe came right in time for a picture.  Though my nephew wasn't quite sure it was OK to be so close.

 This picture cracks me up...

There was lots of cuddling the littles.

 We went to cripple creek with my younger brother's family.  It is a mining town that was booming 100 years ago, and still has one of the biggest operating gold mines in the US.  We rode the train and visited the jail museum.

Colorado Bit by Bit

Our first week in Colorado (sin camera) was spent finding things indoors to do...it was hot and it was smokey.  We did things like meet our two new nieces/cousins go to the movies, bowl, go out to lunch, and shop.  And the boys didn't mind shopping because we had nothing, so new socks were a big deal.  We also watched a lot of news.  The local channels had nothing on but the news to keep us posted.  We also did a lot of praying for all involved in the fires. 
The second week was getting back to my parents home.  We celebrated the 4th quietly...all city celebrations were cancelled as fire fighting was still in full force on the 4th.  But we had fun swimming, playing baseball, exploring, and BBQing. 

*WARNING*...a disclaimer to all.  I bought a brand new camera while in the States and took about 1,000 during the 4 weeks I had it.  I have been deleting a lot, but there are still tons.  So just remember that it looks like I posted a ton of pictures, but I spared you 100's of others.  :-)

MORNING

NOON

 ...and NIGHT

Dallin made up this game where he would throw the balls up in the air, Easton and cousin would catch them and then they could chase Dallin around and throw them at him.  It was entertainment for probably 20-30 minutes. 

Sweet Girl.  My new niece.

Why did I post this?  Because it was so easy and festive...thank you Mel's Kitchen Cafe.com.  I just loved these 4th of July brownie kabobs.  I know I am a bit weird but these type of things make me happy. 

Colorado - "A warm welcome"

Our trip to the States was wonderful.  We spent amazing quality time with all parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends.  It was a fun, exciting, and all around great 5 weeks.  The kids and I left two days after school got out and let me tell you how my kids rocked our international flight!  They were helpful, respectful, and so well behaved.  It went very smoothly and for that I am so thankful because it was extremely tiring for me, but so worth it. 
We arrived Monday morning knowing that there were forest fires extremely close to my parents home. We had tried to delay our flight by a few days but the airlines wanted to charge us over $7000, and for that kind of money I could travel elsewhere if needed.   So Monday was great seeing everyone.  Tuesday I ran 4 and 1/2 miles in the morning with my brother and the air was mostly clear, with little signs of what was to happen 8 hours later.  After checking the news my parents, younger brother, and I headed to Denver to the LDS temple.  We left my kids at my parents home with my sister-in-law knowing that she would leave the kids there to go to her home (5 minutes away) after a couple of hours.  All seemed well, until 4pm when all hell broke out with the fire.  We exited the temple and used the phone to find out that there was pre-evacuation orders (which the neighborhood next to us had been in for 2 days).  Then 10 minutes into our 45 minute drive home came the reverse 911 call and the most excruciating 30 minutes of my life.  Evacuate NOW!  Fire everywhere, structures on fire!  And my kids in a house by themselves...as I write this I am crying thinking of the fear and guilt that racked my body as we drove back to Colorado Springs.  But God was watching out because my older brother had happened to go home early from work that day.  He and my sister-in-law hopped in the car and raced the 15 minutes (which took more time due to 26,000 people evacuating) to my parents and got my kids.  It was the most sweet feeling when he arrived at the house.  My brother and his wife did something for me that I cannot explain in writing.  And I have to say that both of them were sick, and then emotionally they gave all to get there and drive my kids out.  Which was no small feat, it took 2 and 1/2 hours to get back to their house. 
So this is a long entry, but I wanted to write it down.  I am grateful for family.  I am grateful that my family will drop everything and literally race into a fiery inferno to rescue my family.  God was watching over my family that day.  We were blessed that the fire did not take my family's home.  I am grateful to the firemen who worked so incredibly long and with such danger all around.  I am grateful to the police, the forest service, the people of Colorado, the utility people who in the fire went to each home individually to cut off the gas, and the list goes on.  And I am so grateful to my sister-in-laws parents who took us in for a whole week, feed us, and loved us.  It is a big deal, we are not a small family.  My heart is full.

I will blog about our actual vacation later...there are no pictures from the first week...my camera left behind in the evacuation.  However I took these very pore lighted pictures on Monday night of the smoke outside my parents home.  By Tuesday morning it was not like this and the smell of smoke was much less...however fire and winds are unpredictable as I have learned.