July 2016 was FULL of busy days, family visiting, visiting family, family visiting, projects and sun.

For July 4th weekend we had quite the group of visitors. Trisha and Jeremy came with their kids, Mark and Chrissy, and Keith and Darlene all came to spend some time with us.
 
Eli was such a gentle cousin with the twins.  He seemed to really like spending time with them.


We went to Bluff Fort and the Freys had fun playing "pioneer"


Ava, watching TV... I mean watching Hannah.


Pinterest had the bright idea to use our children as paint brushes in creating 4th of July clothing. Here Finley is being subjected to "blue foot" by his mother and Uncle Jeremy.


Hannah received the same treatment, substitute Uncle Mark.


The foot prints are to become the blue field for a flag shirt.


Uncle Jeremy double timing his uncle duties.


S'mores time on July 3rd night.


Mmmm... marshmallows!


It takes a village to raise twins. Grandpa and cousins at one of many feeding times.  Strangely, during all of the many family visits, no one every took over the midnight, 3 AM and 6 AM feedings.


At the parade in the homemade 4th of July shirts.


Blanding 4th of July = Ben's Hawaiian pork. Yum.  Mark and Chrissy brought their dog, it was cheaper to fly with it than to kennel it.


Northwesterners confused by the bright glowing ball in the sky. It came out day after day.


So patriotic.


Finn waking up and powering up for the day with Grandpa Aurich


Grandma Aurich helping Hannah wake up.


And 30 seconds later, Hannah is dressed for the day and hanging with the boys.

 


Melissa and Trisha took her girls to go riding with Nikki Safrit. Mya and Nikki riding Jazz.


Ava riding no hands!



7/6/16 Reservoir run. Andy, Zoe, Ava and Jeremy on "the rock" at Recapture Reservoir.  The water was really high this year.


Warming up/coving up on the shore/road.
 



 
We ended up leaving Blanding with the Freys.  They headed for home and we headed for Nana and Granddad's.  Melissa had a mission reunion in Alpine so we spent some time at Nana's. Nana and Finburger


I put a dart on Finley's head to help Nana and Granddad tell the twins apart. Just kidding, Nana was appalled that I'd do such a thing while he was in her care.


Diaper changes in front of the fireplace.


Adi is such a loving cousin.  Always excited to give hugs and kisses


With President and Sister Lee.


Finley was pretty happy to spend a few minutes with Nana before bed.  Why was he up and wide awake at 8:48 PM?


Hannah throwing one back on the grass at the park south of Moab on the way home.


Zoe and the kids send me a mocking "selfie" as they play in the backyard while I'm at work.


Hannah experimenting with eating her fist.


Just chilling at the pool. 7/14/16


She enjoyed it, just ignore the hat over the eyes.


7/21/16 Nana and Granddad came to Blanding for the Bayles Family Reunion.  Dad and I spent a day at Bayles Ranch. We explored one of the very old cabins.


Then hiked to find Bayles Arch.  It is a walk through beautiful meadows and wooded hillsides. It was 5.5 miles roundtrip. Dad and I walked it in 4 hours and 27 minutes.  It was really fun.  I love this burned out tree with a hole right through the trunk. Tanner Holiday, next door neighbor, taught me how to get to this area a couple years earlier when we were getting ready for the Bayless Reunion.


Zoe and I trying to find the best path.  The last half mile is the most densely wooded so we had to investigate a couple of different paths.


Dad and Zoe at the foot of the arch.  Bayles Arch is a beautiful arch surrounded by amazing wild land.


Looking up at the arch.


Dad and I getting ready to leave the arch.


At the reunion at Palmer Flats


Zoe must have been stung by bees or rubbed a tree she shouldn't have.  That evening after getting home from the mountain we found her with a swollen mouth and face.


Oh yeah, we have kids, bet you almost forgot!  Hannah's best impersonation of Finley's crazy eyes.


"Not quite baby sister," says Finley, "give it a little more CRAZY."


4 months old!


July 23rd the big 1/3 of 1 year old!


Finley and Andy at our first Father and Son's 7/29/17, back at Palmer Flats. Lots of good friends in this picture. W. Ellis Palmer on my right, Travis Whatcott at the grill, Troy Palmer off his elbow in the black, Mark Burge on the right of Troy in blue, Terry Ekker in gray next to Travis' head and Calvin Black in red.


Melissa and Hannah had a ladies night out for food at Patio with Krystal Larson and her daughter.


Finley and I had hotdogs and Dutch oven potatoes and formula (for Finn, that stuff stinks!)


7/30/17 Ed Larson and I digging post holes for the retaining wall around the shop.  San Juan clay is hard, so I had to give the tractor a little extra push.


Look who can pick up their heads!


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