Bear Lake

Three years ago we went to Bear Lake the week before school started, our last vacation before the inevitable routine began. We'd never been there. Lane was too busy to take much time off work, so we settled for three days. We had a wonderful time, decided to make it a family tradition and promised we'd go for a week! Well, last year I waited too long to make reservations and the campground of choice was full, we didn't go. I was NOT going to let that happen again! I think it was still early February when I made reservations this year. In hopes that some of our extended family would join us, I reserved two spaces.
My parents were ecstatic when I told them. That word is really too mild to properly express their exuberance. There is something magical about anticipation. They started trying out cots and chairs and even made a trial run to spend a few nights in Smithfield at Nielsen's for their annual Logan Opera trip. Emily's yard is the most glorious yard of the face of this earth. A perfect spot to try out their new equipment. All went well until a thunder storm hit. (If you don't know about my mom and thunder storms....we'll have to fill you in later.)
So, August 13th found us driving north loaded to the top! Emily and the boys joined us for a couple of days. Thomas was at BYU (in finals) but he and his roommate, Zach, joined us on Friday. The week was more than wonderful, more than perfect, so good that we're already making plans for next year. What a grand way to spend the last of summer vacation, in God's beautiful creations, enjoying one another's company, eating peaches, shucking corn, reading a good book, making ice cream, walking, hiking, playing in the water, just being together, making memories. My mom's comment as we started packing up to head back to Provo, said it all. "It's a shame to leave just when we're getting so good at it! Don't worry mom, we'll give you lots more opportunities to use your new camping skills.