{Arrow of Light}

K worked hard an earned his Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts back in March, but because of scheduling he received it at July's Pack Meeting. He also was a part of the formal ceremony to cross the bridge into Boy Scouts.

He loves scouts and is excited to one day earn his Eagle.

We are proud of him for sticking with it and earning all the achievements he could in cub scouts.

{Summer Vacation Volume 2}

 This year was the Walker Family Reunion near Yellowstone.

This meant that all of our Walker Family would get some much need time together (all 36 of us) in one house for 4 days of lake fun.

We traveled over 2 days, with a stop in Salt Lake at Uncle K and Auntie E's house and in Rexburg, to show the boys our first college. (Rexburg sure has changed in the many years it has been since we lived there!!)

 While in Island Park the boys got to do many of the things they have learned to love since we began having Walker Family Reunions....riding wave runners and in the boat, tubing down the river, fishing, enjoying the cool weather of summer and spending lots of time with all the cousins.

They loved staying up each night to play cards with the "older cousins" and K loved driving the wave runner. E was a bit chilly, like his mother, and we often wore our light jackets around especially when we went into Yellowstone.

In Yellowstone we saw bear, elk and chipmunks (K loved the chipmunks), Old Faithful and the Painted Pots. We met up with our cousins and played in the river for a bit too.

 

We sure are thankful to have a great family to spend time with and who are willing to spend their Summer vacation time with us all!



{Nature Lover}

For a short break from the Vegas heat we went in to the mountains for the afternoon. And becuase of the lack of extreme heat in the spring there was still runoff from the mountain snow so we found a few creeks to play in.

E has turned into quite the nature lover, when he can climb toss, and explore through everything.

He was much in his element playing around, building dams and just being a boy.

{Pyro}

This year for 4th of July instead of our usual 2 dollars worth of sparklers and 4 boxes of snaps....the boys went with C to the nearby Fireworks stand to purchase the "big box" of fireworks.

They were thrilled but disappointed their mother is a party pooper and wouldn't let them light anything....you know I"m kinda attached to all their fingers, hands and other important body parts.

{What else was on the camera}

These are the "other" pictures I found on the camera when we got home....mostly taken during the time we were waiting for the World of Color show to start in California Adventure....

This is what 2 boys find is important to document while on vacation...........

 I call this the many faces of E in boredom!

 Very important to remember the hard concrete we were sitting on waiting...

And to finish off the collection pictures of the "map" and the front of the map in case we ever lost them I guess...

{Summer Vacation Volume 1 part 3}

DISNEYLAND!!

We got up early this morning to get in line to get fast passes for the new Star Tours ride. When we checked in the day before the wait in line was 90 minutes and there were no fast passes left so we decided to get there as fast as possible to get the passes.

We were in the park at 8am and got fast passes that weren't good until 3:35!! and the wait time in line was already 65 minutes. It was crazy but it was the one ride the boys weren't going to miss. So we spent all that time that day riding rides and exploring places we haven't been too before. The park was more crowded than the day before and it was hotter but it was still fun.

waiting in line for the rockets

 waiting in line for the roller coaster in toon town

 K. playing Mickey's Piano

 E relaxing in Mickey's Family Room

 Teacups...a family favorite

 Driving...another favorite

What a fun three days it was! We rode the same rides over and over because the boys love them so much and even got into the Star Tours ride which they also loved. The tally is something like this...

Buzz lightyear 3 times

Rockets         3 times

Star Tours      1 time

Autotopia       2 times

Pirates            1 time

Haunted Mansion 1 time

Teacups          1 time

Soaring over Cali 1 time

Rafting             1 time

Rope course    2 times

Ferris wheel     2 times

Toy Story        1 time

Bumper cars     1 time

Flying ride        1 time

Rocket ride in Calif adv 1 time

Exploring the games of the future area 1 time

Tarzan tree house 1 time

Toon town roller coaster 1 time

Rodger Rabbit Ride 1 time

Chip and Dale's Tree house 1 time

Mickey's house  1 time

and that's all I can remember but I 'm sure we are missing some!

What can we say we love going there for some family adventures together!



{Summer Vacation Volume 1 part 2}

California Adventure!!

We got great tickets for 2 days in California Adventure and Disneyland. We decided to hit California Adventure first since we ddin't get to go there last summer. It was a beautiul day and not very crowded at all. We hit all the rides we wanted and didn't have to wait in too many long lines!

outside Toy Story Ride

Climbing the rope bridges

 Bug's Life Bumper Cars

Bug's Life Spinning Ladybugs (think the teapot ride)

The Newest Toy Story action figures!

The White Water Raft Ride

(where we ALL got SOAKING wet!)

Not pictured is the horrible, no good, very bad, makes you sick Tower of Terror Ride. None of us liked it and E and I will NEVER EVER go on that ride again!!

Waiting for the show to start

At night we got fast passes to sit up close to the water/laser show. and it was AMAZING!! Water shoots up with colors in it and "dances" with the music and they show clips of different movies on it and there is fire and everyone is wet. It feels like it is raingin through the whole show. We were the section groupo f poeple back and we were very wet by the end. When they say you will get wet...believe it!

If you ever go you have to make sure to get the pass to get up close and towards the middle of the viewing area...you see everything from there and they turn off all the lights in the area for a spectaular show. We LOVED IT!

{Summer Vacation Volume 1 part 1}

We headed to the beach early Sunday morning so that we would get to spend the day on the beach.

We had never been to Newport Beach but found a spot and even with all the clouds and cold water we had a nice relaxing day!

It was so cold E's lips were blue!! He is after all our desert rat.