Jorgensen Family :)

Jorgensen Family :)

Friday, August 1, 2014

Jorgensen Family Campout/Reunion 2014

Every Summer, the Jorgensen's get together for a Camp Out.

I'm always excited for this one.  We really only get to see the (Whole) family about 4 times a year.
Chris has 9 siblings, who are married, and their kids are married, and have kids.  So when you do the Math, that's a LOT of people.  We obviously don't get everyone to come, but we see a lot more of them, than most other times.
 The only other times we get everyone together is for the Holidays.... Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  So the Camp Out is fun!

This year, we went somewhere new.
I love seeing a new place.  And it didn't disappoint!  Everything was so green, and there were new 4 wheeling trails to be explored.  It was fantastic!
Just near Salina Utah, called Harves Reservoir.
I highly recommend it!

 This is us, pulling up.  Ready to set up Camp.


Our Camp site.
Most everyone else, were lined up next to the trees.  But we chose a spot across from them, in a little meadow, about 50 feet away.  I though someone might camp next to us, but no one did.  We kind of had our own little spot.  And when it rained a couple of days, we were glad that we had chosen high ground.  We were probably the only ones, not in the mud :) 

Like I said, it rained a couple of days while we were there.  One day, not too long and everything dried right out.  But one whole day it rained and rained, and we were stuck inside our beautiful trailer all day watching movies, and playing board games.  It was rough! :) ha..ha.. NOT!
I taught the girls how to play Uno and they built domino's on the floor and we watched them fall.  I love a rainy day in the trailer.  And the rainbows during and after the thunderstorms, were amazing!!  

We did a lot of riding on this trip.
The trails were amazing!  I couldn't believe my eyes.
I tried to take pictures of the beauty all around us, and hoped they would turn out even half as amazing as the real thing.
The trails went past many tiny lakes, and through forests, and wild flowers, and some water.



I loved our group rides....




The girls were learning how to drive the 4 wheelers and were loving it.
In this pic, my face is covered in a dirt mustache, because we'd just gotten back from a ride.

I took over 300 pictures on this trip.  So how do you condense?  It's so hard!!
But for the blog, I must.






This trail, literally went through the Lake.
The trail went right down on the side of the Lake, and at one point were it was deeper, and there was no greenery on the side, it felt like you were driving in the Lake.  I guess we kind of were.  Super fun for sure!!  I took some cool videos driving through this section, and other sections with Wild flowers and trees.  It's so fun watching it back now.



Camp.
It was hard to get a picture of everyone's trailers.  Some are hidden.  There wasn't really any way to get them all.  We've had bigger turn outs, but there were a lot on this trip.
Turns out one day, just down the road at another camp site, the people were having a wedding right there at their trailers.

The Guy ride.
Chris came to me super excited, and said that the guys were going on a ride.
I love it when he gets to spend time with his family.
This time he wouldn't have kids strapped to him and he could go faster, and get muddier :)

The Campfire!
I always love campfires.  Making smores.  But mostly stories, and good conversations.

Games with cousins...

A little baseball....

Crafts....
And so many Cousins!!!
Fun for all :)




And then the Saturday Potluck!
So much good food, that you wish your stomach was bigger just for one day at least!




A treasure hunt for the kids, and a good game of Tug-of-War!




Ruby found my barrel of Monkeys.
Remember that old game?

And Camping hair :)
I love this picture of Elle in the morning!!  Adorable.
This trip was amazing!  Seriously.  Across the board, everyone had a great time, and no one was ready to go home.  I think we all wished we could have stayed another week!
Until next year... I will pour over my pictures and dream of things to come...


Monday, July 14, 2014

Summer in full Swing

Summer is in Full Swing!  
We've been on a few camping trips.  But on the days we're just home, I am trying to come up with fun things to keep the girls busy.  I don't want them watching T.V. all summer!

We've made multiple trips to the Library, for new books to read.
Had movie nights.  
And so much more.....  Here are a few things we've been up to lately :)


One day Chris came home from work and took us girls to the Splash Pad and Park.  
There's a really awesome new Pad and Park in Kaysville, not far from our house.  Last summer when we went, the park wasn't built yet.  We had a really fun time.  We have to go back again soon.









The other day, we got out our Bouncy Castle.  We've had it for a really long time.  
The girls bounced for a couple of days, and then the bottom popped.  Ah well, it was fun while it lasted.  I think we got it when Bree was five.  It gave us a couple days of fun anyway.





Each day, I try and challenge my girls in some way.  To read something, or make me an art project, etc... One day, I had them go to their Art Easels and clean them up, organize everything, and then make me a picture of their favorite thing this summer.  One side has a white board, that is also magnetic, and the other side is a chalk board.  They have magnetic letters and numbers that came with it also.  Markers and Crayons for the whiteboard too.  They can be all kinds of creative!    




Hopscotch anyone?
Every once in a while, we put some toys away, and get new ones out.  
This way, all of the toys aren't out at once, and by the time they get back to something, it feels like new again.  And indoor Hopscotch is great exercise inside when it's so HOT outside.

There is a fantastic Park right by our Library.  
There's a duck pond, and multiple parks.  
One day, when we had to return our books and check out new ones, we took some bread, and stopped to play at the park and then feed the ducks.  




Who doesn't love Play Dough?  
I love the things my girls can create!  
They surprise me all the time :)

We've had the girls pool out in the backyard a lot lately.  
It's been so HOT outside, that it's one of the only ways I can get them to play outside for a longer period of time.  We even had some cousins over one day for lunch and some swimming fun!



I can't even put into words how much I LOVE my backyard!!
We have all kinds of fruit trees.  At one time, there was a huge garden also, but when we moved in, it had been reduced to 4 grow boxes.  Which I don't mind.  It's so manageable.  But someday, you never know, I just might have to expand.  I just love being able to grow and bottle or can food from the backyard!  It makes me feel so good.  

My tomatoes have really taken off!  I planted 8 plants.  They are almost as tall as I am, and there are so many tomatoes, that I can't even count them anymore!  I can't wait until they're ready!!!!  

Green Grapes

Purple Grapes!  
I'm all about making grape juice, and grape jelly :)
Who ever I have for Christmas this year, just might get some!

The Apple Tree

The Pear Tree

The Plum Tree is just full this year!

Peaches!

 And of course, the Cherry Tree! 
Cherries are always ready by the 4th of July.  So I've already picked Cherries, Pitted, and frozen them for smoothies etc...  My Freezer door is completely full of Cherries.  
And of course, they were super yummy fresh too.

 



This past weekend, we celebrated my Dad's 72nd Birthday!  
We had a yummy BBQ at my parents house.  Dad took the kids for Ranger rides, we had a Campfire, and then there was the most amazing Moon!  It's a special moon.  Amazing.




I can't believe how much fun I am having with my girls this summer.  Challenging them to keep themselves busy doing fun and active things.  We have a few more Camping trips coming up, and hopefully, some trips to the Zoo, and the Aquarium.  
The Summer will be over before we know it.  So we've got to enjoy every second of it!

Ruby in the backyard Climber :)
She's getting so big!  She has gone to the Nursery at Church for the past two weeks on her own. 
Yeah, I cried the first week.  My baby is growing up way too fast!