Utah July 5th - 7th

Sunday morning, mom told me that she wanted to ride the ATVs all the way to the top of the mountain. I had to stay with Grandma Kathy because it was too dangerous. So from here on out I will let mom tell the story......Hi,for starters, Haley and I are on the same ATV....the last time Haley was on one of these babies, she fliped it. She was scared but its just like riding a horse.

Or so I thought.....
While everyone gets settled and focused, Bella and Eric chat about stuff, this was a special moment for me.

Well we are on our way up the mountain. Let's see...the trail is mostly small pieces of shale, and very slippery. The Trail also leans about 45 degrees straight down. So sometimes I was afraid for my life.
But the view from the top was worth it.
And the brave kids thought they had just been on the coolest ride of their lives.

On the way down we found a cave....the trail up the cave was almost a vertical climb. I was in flip-flops. Did I mention I only brought flip flops to Utah.

The cave was pretty neat. I just knew I was going to get eaten by a bear.

Haley assured me that 1st and 2nd really hold back and going down wouldn't be as bad as coming up...I thought coming up was a lot scarier. By the time we went down, we had figured out that leaning toward the high side kept our ride on four wheels. Not to mention the whole way down our follower, Haley's husband, was laughing at us...really loudly :). I tried to capture him in a photo but I just kept capturing the ground or some random wheel. I thought we were very brave and I think that Haley did a great job getting us to safe ground.

Later, I told Bella about our trip..She had more fun with Kathy, well actually she slept most of the time we were gone. Bella was something, Utah time didn't seem to bother her at all, she fit right in with everyone (as usual) and she had a wonderful time.

Haley and I were so dusty when we got back,

Eric helped us get the dirt out of our noses.

Meanwhile the kids made up this great game. They wanted to know if it was okay to play it. It was called scrub the porch. Are you kidding, you can play as long as you want. They had a blast.

Sadly, my last night came much to quickly. As usual the sunset was georgeous, and I had another day filled with laughter and fun. I was very sad to have to leave this wonderful place.

Ahhh....Utah! July 2nd - 4th

Initially my trip to Utah didn't start off so well. I don't really remember most of it because during the four hour flight to Utah I maintained a fever of 104.5 degrees. Mom told the flight attendants and they helped her to bring down my fever by putting bags of ice all around me. They called for a doctor but the only person on the plane that responded was a sports trainer. The whole Houston Soccer team was on the plane. After we landed mommy and her sister-in law Kathy took me to the ER. Kathy is a nurse. The ER doctor told mom it was viral and there was really nothing she could do except alternate Motrin and Tylenol. Kathy said doctors say its viral when they are clueless and she helped me feel better once I got back to her house. Later my fever broke and I have been better since. Thanks Kathy...I have had this "virus" on and off for a month now...but after her love and care it finally went away. The next morning mommy and I got up and watched the sunrise. Mom loves Utah. The air is so easy on the lungs and she just glows when she is there. Utah has always made mom happy. She hopes to retire out west. She told me we have to get Daddy out here so he can experience it first hand. Mom's brother Eric lives in Utah. Eric looks just like grandpa Vorlage, who died when mom was 13.
Mom and I swinging and watching the sun come up. The birds were singing and mom was humming.
We took a walk after the sun came up and met Chloe. This kitty doesn't have a tail. This was the first kitty I ever met. Mom told me stories about her cat, Simon. Mom had to give Simon to the Sisters of Mercy 'Cozy Catnip Cottages.' Simon lives with nuns now, Which mom says is good because apparently he was in need of some salvation.

Later, my cousins Madison and Kaitlyn came over. They are four and two. Boy are they fun. We played all kinds of pretend games. Kaitlyn loves to tickle me.

Madison entertained me with her hats.

and later we played with dinosaurs...which I love by the way.

mutant turtles are pretty cool, too.

That evening uncle Tim and his wife Katie came to Eric's house. This was the first time that Tim, Mom and Eric had ever been together at the same time. It was really funny. Its was something seeing them all together. I don't think I have ever seen mom laugh so hard. She says when the three of them are together they see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil...and they just laugh. Eric's company builds parts for our boys overseas and Tim is a Methodist Minister in North Dakota.

Mom's cousin from Germany also came to this family reunion. It was the first time mom had met him as well. He is very good with babies and kids and mom spent most of the weekend figuring out who she could set him up with. She says talent like that should not go to waste. Kathy let me call her Grandma all weekend even though she is really my Aunt. She has four grandkids and they are 5, 4, 3, and 2. I made one. 5, 4 , 3, and 2. These are my cousins. Braden, Madison, Kash, and Kaitlyn. Treanna is pregers again and soon it will go 6,5,4,3,2, and 1. I will be the 2 then.

These are mommy's nieces. They are not much younger then mommy. Treanna and Hayley. Mom calls them Tree and Hay. Braden and Kash belong to Hayley and Madison and Kaitlyn are responsible for Tree. When mom lived with Eric in 1999 she said Tree and Hay were like her sisters.

July 4th, the official family reunion picture...in the rain. Here are most of the Vorlage's. What a gang.

Andreas and Brayden Brayden shows off his flag and eyes. Kaitlyn.....and Brayden pose for the photo.

Besty, Andreas and Rosalie taught mom all about Vorlage history. Meanwhile, Kash and I played. Later, Eric taught Besty how to shift an ATV and she was off like a dirty shirt. Mom said she loved her family's energy. They were go go go and there was never a dull moment.
The kids decorated cupcakes and then served them to us. Yummy...Mommy and I swang almost everyday. We both found this so relaxing and it was a great place to perch and watch all the happenings.Sometimes I had to wait my turn. But it was worth the wait...That evening, we all went for a ride around the neighborhood. It was my first time on an ATV...mom and Hayley practically lived on the ATVs when mom lived here 10 years ago. Mom wasn't scared....I loved it. I laughed and clapped the whole time!

Pool Time

Dad got me my very own pool! I love to swim in it. Sometimes we go to the big pool, but I like this one better because I can touch the bottom.
My favorite thing to do in my pool is to stand up without any help and then fall down and splash water every where.
After my early morning swim, dad pressure washed the porch. I got to watch him while I ate lunch. I can always count on Igloo to eat anything I may have dropped.