So, here we go...the card:
(click to see a larger version)--------------------------------
#1 - Decades Day at Reagan Academy
Justin wanted to be from the 50s, and Hannah and Sarah borrowed some fantastic authentic 80s clothing from Holly Madsen. They received plenty of kudos on their awesome apparel.--------------------------------
#2 & 3 - St. George in April with the Sanders and the Powells
Here are some of the shots from the trip:
Becca on the trail to Emerald Pools in Zion National Park
Ben Sanders and Justin took a detour on the way back.
I believe we were outside the Zion National Park main visitors center here.
The trailhead to the lava tubes in Snow Canyon. (I believe it's the Butterfly Trail.)
The Larsons, Powells, and Sanders in front of one of the big lava tubes
Snow Canyon
On top of one of the petrified dunes in Snow Canyon--------------------------------
#4 - Centennial Park
We really enjoy going up the road about a mile and playing frisbee golf at Centennial Park in Provo. Before we left, the kids climbed up the tree that's pictured on the card and Becca snapped a photo.
--------------------------------
#5 - Bridal Veil Falls with Louisa, Christina, and Hailey Larson
Louisa has come up for the last several years to drop the kids off at EFY. We love to have her and Hailey stay with us for the week.
The girls at the trailhead to Bridal Veil Falls
At Bridal Veil Falls
Christina, Hailey, and Louisa at Bridal Veil Falls#6 - Art City Days Balloon Launch
Every summer Springville City puts on Art City Days. One of the events is the hot air balloon launch that happens on the Friday and Saturday mornings.
--------------------------------
#7 - East Bay 3rd Ward Moab Trip
The young single adults planned an excellent activity to Moab in June. We had a great turnout, and our family thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
This is at the coolest T-shirt Shop on Moab's Main Street
The East Bay 3rd Ward at the Arches visitor's center
That's not a peace sign...it's Sarah's second climbing of Delicate Arch. :)
The family at Delicate Arch
Justin on the trail back from Delicate Arch
--------------------------------
#8 - Ellis Island at the Park
On the 4th of July, Orem City put on an event at the park, where you could learn about Ellis Island and the process of naturalization. Sarah Bradshaw found this activity, and Sarah, Justin and I joined the B's while Becca was driving home from girls' camp. The kids got to learn about what you had to do to become a citizen, and they took the same oath of citizenship that our ancestors had to take.
--------------------------------
#9 - Hiking with the Barnards (and Lees and Larsons and Alexanders and...)
This picture is of Justin and his cousin Malachi. This was one of my favorite shots that I took all year. We did lots of hikes with all our summer visitors on our mountain. I'll include some out of order hiking pictures here as well.
The Lees and Larsons on Big, Big Rock
Another of my favorite shots of the year. Sarah wasn't posing for this shot. She was just looking out across the mountainside.
Fortunately, had we run into any trouble, we had some Kung Fu skills along with us.
Beautiful Cambria in the long mountainside grass
The Bonneville Trail road, just above our house
I think we tried to have rock skipping with all our visitors. This is a retention basin above our house and to the South.
The Barnards and Larsons on the trail to Bridal Veil Falls
The Alexanders and the Larsons on the top of the retention basin#10-14 - South Dakota - July & August 2009
I can't even explain what a paradise the Fesler Home on the Aurora corner has become for our family. We highly anticipate the trip every summer.
Because Becca and I already created slide shows from our pictures of South Dakota, I will just embed the slide shows here:
(Clicking will take you to picasaweb, where you can watch a full-size slideshow.)
--------------------------------
#15 - Family Adventure at BYU
It's become a tradition in our family to do an adventure every Saturday. I blogged about this one here.
--------------------------------
#16-17 - CLAS Ropes Course
Over the period of a couple weeks we went twice to CLAS out in west Provo. The first time was for the kids UV Rays Swim Team party. The kids had such a good time that we went back with James and Kathy about a week later to go canoeing.
Kathy, Hannah, and James in the other canoe#18-19 - Hannah's Seventh Grade Bryce Canyon Trip
This year I, Ben, volunteered to chaperon Hannah's class trip to Bryce Canyon. It was a fantastic experience for both of us, and we had the coolest group (shout out to all the Silvermints!) I have been to most of Utah's national parks, but somehow I'd never actually been to Bryce. It is amazing, and I highly recommend a visit if you've never been there.
--------------------------------
#20 - Family Biking Adventure
For one of our Saturday adventures we went biking up Hobble Creek Canyon.
--------------------------------
#21 - Thanksgiving in Arizona
Our Thanksgiving trip to Arizona started in Flagstaff with Kaylyn and Derrin. They have a beautiful new home there, and were fantastic hosts. Then on Thanksgiving morning we drove with them to Prescott and spent Thanksgiving with my grandparents, parents, several siblings, Aunt Kay, Uncle Bruce and Aunt Louisa, and all of their families. That night we stayed at Bruce's house. The next day we did the traditional Black Friday shopping followed by a fantastic Saturday adventure led by Grandpa Scott. Saturday we had MaryKate's baby blessing (Kathy' and James' first), and Sunday we blessed Emmett (Phillip' and Alicia's first.)
Kaylyn' and Derrin's house outside of Flagstaff on Thanksgiving morning
The girls on the swing in back of Grandma and Grandpa's house in Prescott
Hannah, Sarah, and Hailey on top of Larson hill in Prescott
This was who was left by the time we decided to take a picture. Four generations.
The first stop was to feed Sheriff Joe's horses. Unfortunately the posted sign said we couldn't--hence, the sad faces.
I love this picture. Notice the sign.
Second stop: North Mountain Park. We went here all the time for FHE growing up.
We then rode the light rail downtown to visit Chase Field.#22-26, 29 - Disneyland!!!
After Thanksgiving we drove to Disneyland. We read that the week after Thanksgiving was an excellent time to go because the crowds are small and all of the Christmas decorations are already in place. It really is the "Happiest Place on Earth!"
Autopia
Justin is the luckiest kid ever. He wins/gets picked for everything. He got picked to be in the Jedi Training Academy. It helped that he was wearing his Star Wars shirt that day.
--------------------------------
#27, 28 - Balboa Beach, CA
The morning that we checked out of our hotel from Disneyland we went to Balboa Beach before heading to Las Vegas. This is the beach straight out from M Street, where the Larson Family beach house used to be. (The house is still there on Seville between L and M streets.) We basically had the beach to ourselves, and it brought back lots of fond memories of my childhood summers.
Well, there you go. It was a great year!!! Here's to an even better 2010!
Wow that is AWESOME! Hard to choose but my favorite pictures are Sarah on the mountain on her walkabout and Justin and his friend silhouetted, the girls on the swing at their grandparents house in Prescott, and your California pictures. Your kids are so lucky they will have so many fond memories of their childhood someday :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Aimee! Those are some of my favorites, too. The one of Justin and his cousin Malachi is tied with Sarah's walkabout for my favorite people shots of the year. Those are followed closely by the shot of Becca and the kids on the beach.
ReplyDeleteAll backlit... interesting.
Wowzers! Nicely done--all of them. I loved all those shots, too. I liked the one of Hannah, Sarah and Hailey on the red swing, too, as well as Kye and Justin--arms around each others' necks--in SD. Love them all!
ReplyDelete