Allen's trip to Chicago and the HUGE storm

Allen went to Chicago for a work conference.  He attended meetings and took in the sights.  Including a baseball game.

And this fun picture of giant lady bugs that made the kids smile.

Then he tried to come home.....and the storm of the year hit.  It was crazy.  Rain, hail, lightening, wind. So they delayed his flight.  In the mean time the storm hit our area hard.  The hail was hitting the windows so hard I thought they would break.  I decided it was time to get to the basement, so Porter and I carried the other 3 sleeping kids downstairs and we snuggled together and crossed our fingers!  Allen's flight left but they were diverted to Colorado Springs because the storm was too close to the Denver airport.  They sat and waited for a little while and then they started back toward Denver.  Only to be turned around and sent right back to Colorado Springs.  By now it is close to midnight and Allen is stuck in the Colorado Springs Airport.  They finally get the word that they are boarding the plane for Denver.  Everyone boards and they sit on the runway for awhile.  Then he texts me that they are deboarding because the plane is being grounded for technical issues....SERIOUSLY.  It is 2:00 in the morning and I had been talking back and forth with my Mom and Dad.  My Dad decided it was time to rescue him.  So he drove all the way to the airport and picked him up.  I was so grateful!  We were very happy to finally get him home.  It was a crazy storm.  We had to get a new roof and had some other repairs that had to be made.  Oh, summer storms!

The Lake

We love the lake.  It is so fun as the kids get older to watch them get better and better and more confident every year.

Fence

Oh, the fence.  We have lived here for 5 years and we haven't had a fence on one side of our yard.  We have had fun sharing the space with our neighbors, but it was time.  I really needed a fence :)

So we talked with our neighbors, made plans, bought supplies, and called in reinforcements!

My Dad and brother in law were so great to spend the whole day helping.  And luckily our good friend had actually built a fence before, so he was important :)

Let me just tell you, it is a beautiful fence.  And I am a better, happier neighbor!

Mancation 2012

Mancation 2012 took Allen to Moab.  They rode the Whole Enchilada, Slickrock (during the day and for a night ride), Amasa Rock and Mag 7.

They also caught a good view of a solar eclipse . . .

And even figured out he could capture the solar eclipse in the reflection in the lens of the camera . . . look close in the center of the picture below!

And since one activity is never enough, they also spent some time hiking and repelling in Granary Canyon (since the slot canyon hike with dry suits was still frozen).