We went to Brian Head and Cedar Breaks for a short day trip and loved the view.

Maura said the funniest thing when we stopped to get out and look down into the canyon at Cedar Breaks. She walked over to the edge, looked down and said "Nope, there is no dragons." We hadn't been talking about dragons or anything, she just pulled it out of the air-so funny!


Between the food and the lake, Dallin was in heaven!

Jones Reunion at the Heaton Ranch 2010

Again we visited the Heaton Ranch for our family reunion. The last time we were there was 4 years ago and we had Garrett and my Mom with us. It was a little emotional to go back again missing those two.

It was great to see everyone and how we have all grown and changed and so good to get to know everyone again. We had some fun programs each evening with songs, stories and skits of our heritage and our family. Aunt Anne put together some great song books of music Grandpa Jones had written and Uncle Ron put together a great camp songbook.

Our family talent show was great! The Herrington's got to take home the trophy *giggle* and keep it until the next reunion.


Maura helped Grandpa Jonesy set up his tent. The Maury Jones family all brought tents and pitched them in the same general area. It was a riot trying to set up all the tents with the help of the little ones!



The lake is one of the best parts of the Heaton Ranch. Dallin was thoroughly entertained. He didn't want to go anywhere else while we were there. He was happy to just hang around the lake.


Dirt was another great part about the ranch. It was hot and dry and any place that didn't have grass had a big pile of fine powdery dirt. Maura looooved it.


The evening showers (luckily we had them) were just a stream of mud.


It was really fun to hang with my siblings. Cousins had a blast together.

I have a TON more pics, but not a lot of time, so I'll do more later.

I'm also trying to figure out how to import pics from my cousin and his Picasa album directly to my blog...I know, I'm a techno idiot...someone tell me how to do it!

Okay, I think I figured it out...I just hope the quality is good!

Here we are! We missed a few people who couldn't come, but it was so good to all be together!


Love the lime green shirts, Maury Jones family!!

Catching up...

No, I haven't fallen off the planet.

I'm still alive.

I'm just on vacation!!!


It all started with an interpreting conference in Salt Lake City.

Adam and I got to go to together! I love, love, love that he is an interpreter too! We have a lot of friends in the interpreting world and I'm so glad I can feel like I understand his job, he understands mine, and once in a while we get to go to professional conferences together.

It was fun to find classes we both wanted to go to, had some fun discussions about interpreting and hung out with some really great friends from around the country.

It was also super nice to stay in a hotel ALONE for 4 nights (hubba hubba) thanks to my sister Jen who kept my kids, eat out, hang with friends and do a little touring of SLC together.

It was super fun and made for some really looong days! We were up at 6am each morning and often had classes until 10pm. In the 4 days that we were there I logged 37.5 conference hours! Whew!

The theme for the conference was "Interpreting Elevated" and after it was all over I felt elevated. It was great. I went to some workshops I really enjoyed. Sometimes conferences can drag and I feel like I've heard it all before, but this one, surprisingly, was very interesting and enjoyable. LOVED IT.

The day after the conference we headed to Southern Utah for a family reunion....

At the beginning of May, my sister Katie and her husband Kevin stayed the weekend at my house and watched my kids while Adam and I went camping with other couples.

It was the weekend of Dallin's first soccer game and they were nice enough to take him.

First they helped him warm up,



and everyone helped out.


Ahhh, a nice back rub from Mookie.


Warming up at the field with the team.


Maura watching Kevin watch the game.


Dallin taking some practice shots.


Cute little red heads!


Maura sure does love Dallin.


Sadly, they lost.


But it looked like they had a great time!

Thanks Katie and Kevin for watching our kids and for taking such fun pictures!!

Day at the Lake

For the first time this summer we were invited to spend the day on the lake! It was a blast! Maura is now obsessed with boats and swimming.


Half of the fun is just hanging out in the boat and watching others do cool tricks and crash.

Dallin and buddy Mitchell were doing the Titanic thing...

We each got a chance to practice some wake boarding skills. We get better every time.

And we make super big splashes too!

It makes me nervous to try because I'm not very good, but I learn a little more every time and it is starting to be really fun. I can get up quite easily on the first try, now I have to learn to do some fun things!



Speaking of cool things...this is a Sky Ski Trevor rides. He sits on it instead of standing and goes up and down out of the water.

He can catch some serious air and even do back flips! Very cool!


We had great flag holders to warn other boats when someone crashed.

We all got a chance to swim and play in the water when we took a lunch break.

Then back in the water for some knee boarding! This is Dallin's favorite thing to do. He hasn't been brave enough to try wake boarding-yet.

I really like to knee board too, my favorite part is when two of us go together so you can get close enough to splash or knock the other person off his board (shocking that I would like that, I know).




At the end of the day we found a fun rock to jump off. I was surprised that even some of the younger ones (not Maura) jumped off such a high rock!

Dallin was one of the first, of course.






It is always fun to spend a day with friends on the lake! We didn't even get too sunburned!

Can't wait until next time! Thank you!!

Dallin is such a cute kid. I sure do enjoy him. He's a great helper and growing so quickly. I can just start to see the teenage kid in him and it's going to be a wild ride! He's a social kid who just can't get enough of friends. I guess I need to be prepared to be the hang out house! I can't wait!


He finished his soccer season just barely. We missed a couple of games and he didn't feel very good but it was his LAST GAME so he had to go. He had been fighting a flu bug all week and was still not feeling 100%. He did well during the game, but looked a little tired and wasn't as energetic as usual. He hung in there the entire time then we stayed for coach to give out awards and pictures, but when he got home he rushed to the bathroom and got sick all over again! Poor kid. He perked up after that and it looks like he's over it.

The HULKINATORS had a rough season. They only won two games, but they all had plenty of playing time and the coach was really supportive and Dallin learned a lot!

I think they came up with a really creative name...personally I like "The Green Apples" better!