Independence Day!

Having arrived safely back from the far north, we spent the fourth celebrating (i.e. eating ridiculous amounts of tastily cooked meat) with friends.

Before the fireworks began, the girls raided friend Jessie's closet for a fashion show.I'm not sure what this had to do with our nation's independence...perhaps celebrating the right to bring it on. Is that in the 6th amendment? No, I think that one is the right to bear claws.

In any case...

The night ended with one of Mr. Tom's fantabulous fireworks extravaganza's, or as we refer to it, "Cul-de-sac of Fire".Jenna: "yo, dawg"There's just not much better than the blinding light of 8 simultaneously combusting fountains of firework joy, and the lingering smell of black powder when the fire dies down.

Magic.

Oklahoma, Utah, Montana

After a fabulous week in Possum Kingdom, we headed north for a few days in Mannford, Oklahoma, our former hometown.

We spent two days with our good friends there, and our girls got to catch up with our friends' grandkids.

Jenna and Tala enjoying some girl talk.Emily holding their Jena.Wish we had more pix to show of our visit there, but I guess we were spending too much time chattin' it up to get out the camera.

After a two day drive home, we came back to Utah for one week, then loaded up again and headed for Montana and Karen's family reunion in Billings. This is just Karen's immediate family that was there and their kids and grands. We're kind of a reunion all by ourselves.

Had a great time seeing some people we haven't seen for many years. And the girls had a great time swimming with cousins in the hotel pool. (And being harassed by their uncles and older cousins. Although they'd never admit it)They loved going out to the farm and hangin' with the "little Browns" as they call them. Our girls just relish their time with all their cousins when they get to see them.Back at Aunt Evonne and Uncle Dennis', they played games together (I'd had to fly back home by this time)(it's called Blokus I think has something to do with Celtic rituals and tangramatic patterns...or not)

and went for a hike on the cliffs above their house (called the Rims) that overlook Billings.Gratefully, no one took a nose dive off the rims.

One last year before teenager

While in Possum Kingdom, Emily celebrated her 12th birthday!Karen and I took her with us for a quick run down to the local grocery store (which had no possum steaks in the meat case...I checked). While we were gone for 20 minutes, the rest of the crew furiously, frantically put together a surprise birthday celebration.Not that Emily was surprised it was her birthday, just surprised that we were celebrating it with a party.

We arrived back to a house filled with balloons, streamers, banner and of course a delish chocolate cake courtesy of Miss Jody, our hostess.After a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday, Emily opened some presents, including new earrings from Jessie.Ice cream, cake, presents, balloons and paraphenalia: $40.A birthday on the lake with great friends. Priceless.

So much to blog, too busy doing it to blog it

Well, after a month of silence, let the words and pictures begin to flow.

I must recap our last month, one post at a time, so you'll need to check in over the next days to get the whole story.

Our month of absence began with the previously described trip to Possum Kingdom Lake.I must say there was a disturbing lack of possums, at least from our perspective. We saw nary a one.

We did have a very close encounter with a deer. Close to the tune of $5000+ damage to our van.

We had driven for two days and were a mere twenty minutes from our destination, anxiously longing to see those blessed possums and the lake which they inhabit, when sweet but stupid Bambi jumped out of the woods and into the path of our van. Alas, she could not be avoided and her date with destiny was sealed.

Our van was cosmetically hobbled. Fortunately, only cosmetic. The Odyssey looked pathetic but still drove splendidly, so after a brief survey of the wound and an assessment of how much surgery might be necessary, we drove our last 20 minutes and arrived after dark at the Kingdom o' Possum.

The next days were filled with water, boating, delicious food and delightful company.When we weren't on the boat we were sitting on the deck enjoying the view or eating ourselves into an afternoon nap. We had a great time with our friends and loved being away from computer and cell phones for a few days.Anya and Emily enjoying the tube.Jenna and friend Jessie hanging on!Jenna and friend Josh going with the flow.Tom and Josh show off.Very studly.

A brief snippet of what those tube rides were like:


It was a relaxing, refreshing, ease-filled few days.

We did regret the marked omission of the possum, though. Perhaps next time.
Or perhaps it was a kingdom of possum at some point years ago and they all drowned when the dam was built. Some mysteries were meant to remain unsolved...

Heaven Can Wait

I will not be testing the reliability of a parachute for one more month. We drove up to the jump site (1 hour and 15 minutes away) just as a storm was moving in. They told us to watch the preparation video and if the storm moved on we'd gear up and go.

The storm lingered.

So, my date with destiny/fate/the "tandem master" is now scheduled for July 6.

Sigh.

I've already been planning this for about 4 months. I don't know if I can wait one more! Aargh!

Tomorrow we head off for Possum Kingdom Lake in West Texas. We're hoping the locale is decidedly more lovely than the name. Some friends have a house there so we're spending a few days relaxing with them, basking in the sun, and experiencing all that is Possum Kingdom.

I'm pretty sure there's classes there on skillfully playing dead.

Then we'll head to Okie land for a quick visit with other friends, along with some much needed authentic tex-mex.

While we're away Brooke and the wondermutt (who by the way has been able to be without her cone for several days. Hooray!) and wondermutt sidekick, Sadie will keep a watchful eye over our blessed domicile.

If possible, I'll post from the trip, but don't know about computer access before Oklahoma.

Apparently, possums are not big on the internet.

No splat...yet

Due to weather, my adventurous day has been postponed. We (I'm doing this with other crazy people from church) have rescheduled for late Saturday afternoon. However, the weather is still forecasting rainy, so I may get booted tomorrow as well.

Keep watching!

Free fallin'

Later this morning, I will willingly board an airplane, allow myself to be strapped to an individual I've just met, then together with said individual step from the door of that airplane at a height somewhere around 13,000 feet above the Utah Desert, and experience the glorious rush of almost 60 seconds of free fall towards the ever closing ground at a speed of about 120 mph, then feel the gentle tug as our parachute opens and we splendidly descend to the airport from whence we began our adventure.

Or, the chute doesn't open and I end up as a wet spot in the middle of the dry desert.

If you see a post later today, you'll know it was the former, not the latter.
It's gonna be stinkin' AWE-some!