Solace in the Summer

We've been back from vacation for four whole days now and the Bonners are bummed. I was sad the second we made it home. We had so much fun, and it's lame to be back to real life, especially when that life means Todd's at work 12 hours a day instead of hangin' with his ladies 24/7.

First we went to Lake Powell with half of Todd's family. It was the first time I'd been there. Todd swore it was heaven on earth. He was right.
We spent five days surrounded by gorgeous red sandstone cliffs and warm, bright blue-green water. Our life was filled with swimming, jumping off the top of the house boat and off of cliffs, riding the jet skis, watching the babies while they dug in the sand, cheering everyone on as they waterski'd and wake boarded, snacking and playing games and loving the time spent with family.

Hazel called the jetskis "water bikes" and LOVED riding on them!
Cousin time was da bomb.
It was so much fun now that Hazel's old enough to really play with them.
Todd worked on his wake board flip. Hazel learned to say "woo hoo!" and loved to cheer on everyone doing tricks while we rode the ski boat.

Then we spent the next three days with Todd's whole family at a sweet cabin (mansion, really) in Bicknell, Utah, where I evidently forgot I had a camera. Thank goodness my sister-in-law emailed out the pictures she took! We spent our time up in the mountains fishing and riding four-wheelers, and again stuffed the rest of our time with snacking, games, and family bonding.

Hazel has two new baby cousins who she adored. She begged to hold and kiss them.
Checking out the fish the cousins were catching.
Apple-picking. Hazel gorged out. She adores apples.
Finding purses in the wilderness. Who says camping chair bags only have one use?
Hazel rocked it at her first ever pie-eating contest.

Now it's back to real life. Darn it.