2nd Annual Polar Plunge

The last two years we have had a "polar plunge" before we turn the heater on for the summer. "Polar" is a bit exaggerated since it happens in the middle of June and the water is about 70 degrees but it has become a fun tradition that I hope we carry on for years to come.

Hear we all are ready to plunge into the cold water.

Andy showing off for the ladies!

And Drew too!

Andy and all the kids hung out in the hottub all night.

Now for a great summer of warm swimming!

Lagoon Day

Every summer we go to Lagoon on Stake Lagoon day.

The kids always have so much fun!

Josie loved the ladybug. She went on this ride a half dozen times!



This was the first year that Charlie really got to ride everything.
He LOVED it!!!

Frances was a great sport just hanging out in the stroller.

The kids thought they were really driving this car.

Josie and Eliza were funning from ride to ride.

They couldn't get enough of them all!

Charlie kept going on this ride, he would jump

back in line as soon as he was done.

We both loved Puff!

And the little tidal wave.

And then Charlie went on the ladybug drop and absolutely LOVED it!!!

He kept getting back in line with this ride too!

Charlie and Olivia were good ride partners.

Andy took the kids on a bunch of rides.

Eliza took Charlie on the egg drop. They were so brave together!

Then she had to carry him out because he wanted to keep going!

What a great big cousin!!!

Olivia was screaming this whole ride and totally loving it!

She never put her arms down.

All the kids on their last ride of the night. We had such a great time!

Wasatch Back 2010

So somehow Charles and I were talked into running the Wasatch Back. :) We were on a team with the best runner's in the world and needless to say I was definetly the weakest link. But it was such a blast. Crazy to say that running three times in about 27 hours in a blast, but somehow all the Hammers/Halls/Pattens made it so much fun! Charles and I had no idea what to expect but the Hammer team had everything so worked out, everything ran like a well oiled machine!

Here I am getting ready to run my first leg.

... and I was off.


... and reaching the exchange for the next runner.
Holly, as Josie would put it.... has cheetah legs!! So fast!


The three girls from van 2! Whit, Chris and Holly

Charles amping up for his first leg...

and he is off. He just had to run UP to Snowbasin. What a crazy run!

Whit and Logan (the best and funniest driver Ragnar has ever seen) help to cheer on Charles.

Charles did AWESOME!!! Like his Lakers jersey? He had gone to the finals game the night before when the Lakers beat the Celtics, and we hate the Lakers and so do most Utahns so he thought it would be funny to run it the jersey. He got a lot of boo's as he ran! He killed that leg!!!

A bunch of team Hammer at the exchange at Snowbasin.

Craiger retreiving our hammer after it went flying off the top of the car.

Dinner break after our first set of runs. Pizza never tasted so good!!!

Craig and I getting ready to jump in the freezing river to ice our weary muscles.

The night run. It was so exhilarating!!! My favorite and hardest run!

Andy meet up with us so he could run with Charles on his night run.

they had to run from Rockport to Oakley.

It was about 3am and freezing when they finished. Way to go!!!

Van 1 getting ready to run again. Isn't the hammer great!!!

Finishing my 3rd and final leg. My legs did not want to move anymore!

Whit and Craig were the runners that had to go up Guardsmans Pass.

They were amazing!!!

Nice running outfits! It was hilarious to see some of the things that people were running in!

... like this guy

Charles getting the crowd all rowdy just before he started his 3rd and final leg.

Here he is making the last climb to the Canyons Resort where the finish line was.

All of team Hammer! We finished 37th out of 658 co-ed teams.

It took 27 hours! Everyone did awesome!!!

We had such a fun time and were so glad that it was over but would do it again for sure!!!

Thanks again team Hammer for making it so great!!!

Cruising the Bahamas

I have such a sweet and loving husband!!!! He booked a 4 night Bahama cruise at the very last minute and swept me off to paradise... with NO KIDS!!!! We started in Miami for a couple of days and loved the beaches and people watching in South Beach.

South Beach was beautiful, sharks and all. We were hanging out on this beach and some people came running down the beach yelling "SHARK SHARK GET OUT OF THE WATER!" People were scurring out of the water so fast! And minutes later a big old shark, fin and all came swimming right by the shore. It was CRAZY!!! and a little exciting. Minutes later everyone was back in the water swimming and playing. That was CRAZY!!!


View of Miami from the ship as we were leaving the port.



Praticing my golf swing on the ship. It is amazing the things you can do on those big ships!

Loving the amazing soft, white sands and crystal blue waters of Grand Bahama. The dark clouds loomed around all day and it never rained. This was an amazing beach!!!

I love shopping in all the nic-nac souvenir shops and talking with all the locals.

Waiting for a taxi back to the ship.

Watching the Lakers/Cletics game on the ship.

Having a blast at the dance party poolside on deck 11.

Charles with his Israeli girlfriends that we became friends with on the cruise.

Great Stirup Cay had fantastic snorkeling in super clear water out by the big rocks behind us. What a day!

Enjoying our last night on the cruise. Thank you sweet Charles for an amazing trip!!! I LOVE YOU!!!