bear lake (summer edition)

we usually spend time in Bear Lake during the winter.
but this year, we got lucky and were invited up in the summer as well.
the lake looks beautiful any time of year, but the sand between your toes, and the warm sun on your face during the day somehow makes it a little more breathtaking.
Camden and Penny loved to play in the sand, and Angela and I loved to read in the sun.
win, win.

unfortunately, Ryan and Brett were too busy working hard for the money to come join us.
we definitely missed them, but did our best to enjoy the care-free days in their behalf.

we played at the beach during the afternoons, and during the evenings watched movies (the swan princess) and made s'mores!

(worst picture ever! you can see my sunburn everywhere...even in my eyes! eek-- but sometimes it helps to remember the not-so-fun details of vacations, like said sunburn monster)

bear lake was awesome! we are so happy Angela and her family invited us to come--

thank you!

a day of pure fun

for Ronda and Devan's last day visiting the Mainland, our goal was to just have fun.
and fun we did have.
the day began with us enjoying a loverly brunch at The Dodo (their baked cream cheese is to. die. for). Camden tried quite the sour orange slice...

after brunch, we desperately needed to walk off some raspberry pancakes, and entertain the sugar high children, so we spent the afternoon at Liberty Park.

we went down slides, played the musical boards, and swung the day away.

and then Camden cooled off.

Camden sure loved having his little buddy Devan around.
he was always trying to give him hugs...this also caused me to explain to him that you can over love someone. lying on a 6 month old baby doesn't translate to love in his mind.

after the park and naps, we went to Mekong for some Thai.
Ronda was the first one to actually introduce me to Thai food. it was when i was 13, and let's just say that my taste in food has advanced, and now i love it!

to end the day, we went to the Real Salt Lake game.
Devan's first major sporting event. I think he's a fan :)

we hope our day of fun was enough to convince Ronda, Devan, and hopefully Doug to come back soon and visit.

famous for

Idaho Falls is famous for, and named after, the falls.

it's always fun to visit the river, walk the greenbelt, and feed the ducks.

even though the ducks (or mostly geese) can be mean with their hissing and aggressive honking, Camden was oblivious. he fearlessly ran toward the geese, or rather at the geese.

Devan loved the geese as well!

music makes the children come together

the piano is a popular thing in the Nelson home.

i wonder why i wasn't this enthusiastic to practice?

bouncy

dear trampoline,

i love you! rain or shine, i want to head out to the "bouncy" and jump until my feet are black, and my cheeks are red. i love to run around with my cousins, play ring around the rosie, and talk my grandpa into jumping too. thank you for being so welcoming, and forgiving when i fall.

i'm so happy we can spend some of the summer together!

love always, Camden

goat whisperer

the Idaho Falls Zoo.

what it lacks in size, it makes up for in personality.

while in Idaho for John's homecoming/father's day/ dad's party, we took a trip to the zoo.

Tayson is at the perfect picture age...he is the only one who will hold still long enough to get a picture, and he actually looks when you say his name.

i have to just take the picture and hope that wiggle worm holds still...

Camden was the goat whisperer. he adored those petting zoo goats.

they sure got a alot of hugs from this kid. i think he thinks all the animals are as friendly as the sheep and pigs on Papa Judd's farm. these goats were good sports. i think they liked the attention.

we roared at the lions, chased the peacocks, drank from the lion's mouth, shared with the tiger, loved the goats, and felt bad for the lonely monkey.