Flaming Gorge with the Nielsens and Sandullis - August 21-24, 2014

First stop: Fort Bridger. So facsinating to see the place where my ancestor Sally of the Shoshone met and married French trapper Jean Baptiste. Turns out there was a whole village of such couples near this fort.

How is this for luxury bed pan. Lands!

Totem Kids

Olde time farm implements

Flaming Gorge! We had absolutely gorgeous weather as we floated the river. The sun didn't burn us and the rain didn't fall, for that four hour window!

 This is one of my favorite places on earth. So beautiful. So slow and peaceful.

Myself and Karly

 It's a good thing we had two canopies for our kitchen and dining area because nearly the entire time we were at camp it was RAINING! We spent the majority of our time in these tents!

 Clint, (Kilroy) Dave and Guido.

 Adah, Rebecca and Gwen

 What? Talmage with a stick? Acting in a threatening manner?

 Although the kids dubbed Flaming Gorge "Raining Gorge", we did see some of these.

 We had this huge group campground to ourselves.

 The campground was on top of the cliff on the south edge of the Green River Gorge. Before the drop off was a system of lichen covered boulders that made all kinds of neat caves and tunnels. The kids expored it for hours and luckily no one got so adventurous that they fell off the cliff!

 Clint managed to make a gorgeous loaf of sour dough bread in the dutch oven, which was a godsend for all of us freezing damp campers!

Gavin, Ian, Maddie, Adah and Elena 

Cute Elena was just about to remember that she was on a gluten-free diet. When she did remember she burst into tears! Poor girl.

 We'd planned to camp three nights, but after two nights of solid down pour, we pulled up stakes and packed out in the rain the second morning. The rain stopped only as we drove away! Then we had a lovely visit to Dinosaur Nat'l Monument in Vernal

 This time we walked the discovery trail. The rangers told us to look for fossils, but none of them were marked. So every time we found a dinosaur bone we felt like we were the first ones to find it!

The kids found more than the adults.

 The Sandullis. Salt of the earth. I really admire them.

 A living fossil.

 Petroglyph

On the way home we stopped in Heber. I'm pretty sure it would be a party foul to go through Heber and not get a shake at Granny's.

Aquarium with Huntsville Cousins - August 15, 2014

Priceless

 Jack and Trace (who has a shark hat on his head)

The Malmborgs, the Songers and the Cresaps in the Shark Tunnel

Random Summer Pics from August 2014

This is what retirment looks like--when you're only 44 and you're about to get another career. But it was nice while it lasted. Oh yeah, it was kind of stressful waiting for the companies to call back. When he got his job offer in January they said he was their first choice---he put his resume in in October! Then he got an offer a week later from a company he applied to in November and they said he was their first choice! I guess these things take time. Now we know. (Picture taken August 11 at the JCC in SLC)

 I can't even beleive this is Talmage 10 months ago. He's grown 10 inches since then and his feet went from size 4 at the beginning of the summer to size 8 at the end. He's standing at the pool in good old Fairmont Aquatic Center. The Cresaps have spent A LOT of time there. Swim lessons for three years swim team for two years, year round, up to three times a week. At the end it was Cole at 4 p.m., Tal and Jack at 5 p.m. and Trace at 6:30 -- most week days! A lot of back and forth just to tucker these guys out. But I think I'm the one who got tuckered out the most.

 Here he is Thanksgiving Point on August 12, 2014. A boy....Then

Behold, a teenager! (Taken June 18, 2015)

 Trace and Jack at Thanksgiving Point with neighbor Charlie.

Always the photo bombing...

How to dress in August for Maximum Protection

 From what, I'm not sure, but I think Trace is covered.

Silver Lake - August 7, 2014

Life is better outside. It just is. Clint suggested we go to Silver Lake at Brighton. So we hopped in the truck and went up. Clint fished with the boys while I studied for a Sunday School lesson I was teaching. The squirrels enjoyed running away with the boys cliff bars when they weren't looking. And then there's all this great granite hanging around for the boys to climb on. I love Utah.

Jackson Hole July 25-28, 2014

A Navy friend of Clint let us stay a week in his condo in Jackson, Wyoming. We left the Monday after Clint's retirment ceremony. Grammie Cresap passed her love of the Grand Teton's to her children and grandchildren. Great Grandpa Kenneth Nielson, her dad, was an accountant and in the summers worked for the Forest Service in Jackson. Grammie remembers she had her own pony to ride. It is a favorite place for Nielsens, Cresaps and Hales. Here is a view of the peaks from the ferry on Jenny Lake. That ferry was going to cost our family $120, but the conductor saw Clint's military ID and said, "No charge." It was a week of enjoying appreciation of Clint's service.

The ferry took us to the base of the Teton's where is was a 20 minute hike to a great view.

 

 On the way back down this cliff-side path Jack just about gave a man a heart attack when he came inches from running off this cliff. He's more GO than LOOK.

 Pretty good looking boys, eh? 

 Just a little fishing. 

 Jack being a kind brother and making sure Trace made it through the stream safely.

Every night Clint took the boys for Hagendaaz.

 In memory of Ruth Hale we had to visit Granite Hot Springs.

I got in a couple of good bike rides. One from Alpine to Jackson (most of the last leg of LOTOJA). And one to Moose and back. Purdy, purdy. I love vacations to the wild. We're always chill and happy.

Grover Dirt

You don't have to go all the way to Grover to play in the dirt. All you have to do is wash your car in your driveway after a Wayne County vacay, and wallah!--you have your own powdery dirt paradise.

Jack Cub Camp July 29, 2014

It's harder than it looks!

Commander Cresap Retires from the Navy

Consider this a practice/bookmark post as these pictures are horrible! The professional ones got put into our storage unit.
I've also put off blogging about this event because it really blew me away. Not just all the pomp and traditions and Navy finery, but the many wonderful people who came, the many awards Clint received and his amazing speech. Really could not have been prouder or more surrounded with love and support.

Kristin Nelson suggested we take pictures of his office before it was no longer his office. It was a good idea as we'd all spent a lot of time there and had no proof.

 Last day at the helm.

1st row: Boys and Grammy and Papa Cresap
2nd row: Ingrid and Andy
3rd row: Amanda and Jeff's family
4th row: neighbors Racheal and Katy Sharp
5th row: Jon and Sarah and Kathryn and Adam
Hundreds more not pictured. It was like we were getting married again so many of our friends from all stages of our life came from all over the country to celebrates Clint's 22 years in the Navy.

 Da band.

 Our wonderful friends Karly and Dave hosted our out-of-town friends for a retirement party. Here they are with our wonderful Schauerhammers who came in from Memphis.

 Sean (flew in from Virginia) Kristen flew in from St. George by way of L.A. :)

 Robyn (Denver), Jessica (San Diego), Chris (Denver)

Bill and Juli (South Jordan) and Tony (Philadelphia)