The Tooth Phenomenon...

So Ana's teeth have been acting very funny lately... the front two.
They used to be touching, like in this picture from a few months ago...

But now they just keep sliding further and further apart...

  I guess the permanent teeth are trying to make some room for themselves.  In the mean time, I think that it is the funniest and cutest thing ever.  I guess only a mom appreciates their kid's crazy, gappy teeth...

When you see the following pictures, you'll realize why the previous picture (which was not a great one) was so hard to get...

And those were just a few of the pictures!  Seriously, you would think that we could get one good shot out of all of those.  What a kid!

Tubing Cripple Creek...

On one of the last warm(ish) days of summer, we decided to find something to do that we haven't tried before.  So we headed up to Golden to go tubing down the creek.  The water was... let's just say, not very warm.  But the kids loved it anyway...

  

 Farewell warm summer days...

Laundry Volcano...

Laundry has to be one of my least favorite chores... the folding part anyway.  So to make it more interesting we started something called laundry volcano (an idea stolen from my sweet friend Jessica).  The kids dig it, it's way more fun than just sorting, and in the end... the laundry gets done.  It's a win-win...

Apparently, Sophie decided that being the laundry was more fun than catching it...

My Kids...

They are sometimes sweet... and sometimes it's even to each other.  A couple of those precious moments...

School - 2012... Day 1...

It seems like not long ago that I was wishing that my kids would all be old enough to go to school.  And now that that day is finally here, I makes me nostalgic for the the days when they were all so little and we used to stay at home and play all day.  Here are my big kids, on their first day of school, 2012...

 

   

They really do grow up over night...

Orderville Canyon...

The most fantastic part of our trip to Zions was the last day.  Rob's brother, Chase, worked in Zions for a couple of years and so he had training to take people down Orderville Canyon.  It's a 10-mile hike/repel down a slot canyon that eventually connects with Zion Canyon in the national park. This hike was seriously one of the most amazing outdoor adventures I've ever experienced!  Here is our group as we started out at the top of the canyon (Rob couldn't come with us that day)...

As you hike down, the canyon gets deeper and narrower.  So beautiful...

Waterfalls... repelling... it doesn't get cooler than this!!

Us girls came up with some pretty creative ways of keeping our shorts dry on the repels...

But as the water got deeper and deeper, keeping dry was out of the question...

The water was actually the least of our worries...

The last couple of miles, the hiking was all in 2+ feet of water.  Do you know what kind of a work out that is?  It's like water aerobics for miles...

After 11 hours, we finally made it...Woohoo! 

No broken bones and everyone alive (there were times when we wondered if this would be possible)...  

Rob and his Dad picked us up at the end; we all crashed immediately. 

I don't even remember what happened that evening I was so tired.  

It seriously was the AWESOMEST hike I have ever done... 

and I would do it again in a heartbeat!  

Thanks Chase for being our guide and having all the gear that we needed - 

it wouldn't have been possible without you!

Clark Family Fun - 2012...

The Clark family does lots of things really well, but they do one thing especially well... they do FUN better than any family I know!!  Every summer, Rob's Dad plans a super fun trip for the whole family.  This year, the Clarks took on Zion National Park via Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort...

 Chuck wagon dinners...

Wendy even opened her own store for the grand kids...

 The kids earned "Nona Bucks" by helping out and being kind to each other.  

They got to spend them each day at Nona's store...

 All the grandies love their Papa...

The ranch has a zip-line that the kids loved...

 Sophie even zipped down, we couldn't believe she was so brave...

 Hayden's favorite were the ATV's...

And Ana cruised on the rock wall...

 Sophie couldn't get enough of the bungee tramp...

The adults enjoyed some sweet mountain biking, accessed by some even sweeter ATV trails...

I think that Zion National park is one of the most beautiful places in the West.  If you haven't been there... put it on your bucket list.  My pictures and descriptions couldn't do it justice...

Thanks again Rob and Wendy, for a wonderful family trip!