Setting up Christmas 2010

We set Christmas up early this year so that we could enjoy it a little longer. We are gone a lot this time of year so we decided to set Christmas up before we took off for Thanksgiving. We had so much fun. This is one heavy Christmas tree and the kids loved helping dad bring it upstairs.

Then of course there had to be playing in the box.

Then finally the finished product. Doesn't it look great.

Grandpa Great's funeral

Great Grandpa Patten Funeral

December 11, 2010

Springville, UT

This is some of the great-grandkids practicing the song they are going to sing. They sang "I know that my Savior Loves me". They did such a great job. Jaxon loves to sing and he just sang his heart out.

Just some of the family that was there.Everyone of my siblings were there and all of my cousins.

Grandpa served in WWII so the military came in to do a 21 gun salute. This is them getting ready.

The sign of a fallen soldier.

All the Paulbears putting the casket in place.

We let all the great-grandchildren who wanted ride in the limo. It was pretty funny.

Standing room only. Safe, right? They all loved it.

First Snow Fall

This is how our fall was. It was the nicest fall we have had since moving up here. Short sleeves and all, it was wonderful. Ryan taking Jaxon and Abby and all the neighborhood kids for a ride in the trailer. They were having a ball.

Here they are again.
Then just two days later this was the scene outside our window.

It turned cold so fast, but it didn't seem to bother the kids. They loved playing out in the snow.

Hike to Cave Falls

On our way to cave falls. September 25, 2010. Both Jaxon and Abby were so excited, they love going up to the mountains.

They look so cute, but really they were fighting over who got to lay down on the middle thing.

What a cute girl.

And a handsome boy!

We finally arrived. Not that it is far, but it is always good to get to where you are going.

We stopped to eat lunch first. Doesn't Abby look so excited to be eating?

She just saw a squirl! Now she knows she has someone to feed her lunch to :)

Just playing at the picnic table

Jaxon eating very caustiously because he just found out that the sign said there were bears! He is definatly our careful and safe one.

At least Ryan seems to be enjoying his lunch.

Trying to feed the squirl.

Finally, here we are, CAVE FALLS. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. We have so much beauty right out our back door.

You can see the cave at the side of the falls in this picture. It has caved in so you can't go explore anymore, but the falls is beautiful.

Here it is up close

Taking the walk up to the upper view of the falls

Looking down on the falls

Abby's new dress we just made. It is so cute.

First Day of Kindergarten

Jaxon's first day of kindergarten. He was so excited, he could hardly stand it. We went the night before school to meet his teacher and he said "hi" to everyone and asked me if they were in his class. He is in a class with a lot of his friends so that will make for a fun school year.

I can't believe my little boy is growing up so fast. Abby wanted to go to school with him. She is lost without him.

What a great big brother he helped her get her backpack on and helmet so she would be safe without him. They are so cute.

BACKPACKING in the WIND RIVERS

Getting ready to head out. Little did we know what we were in for :)This is the whole group. Sorry it is sideways, I guess it has a mind of it's own. Ryan, Robyn Fielding, Joe Fielding, Matthew Feilding, John Hull, Mitzi Hull, and Maddi Hull.
This was one of the first lakes we passed. Isn't it pretty with all the lilly pads growing.

Ryan with his misquito net on. The mosquitos were so bad those nets saved out faces. Yet another beautiful lake we passed.

6 miles in we stopped for our lunch break at divide lake. Looking out over the valley we would soon be crossing.

The entire group overlooking the valley.

After 11 miles we made it to our first destination, Rainbow Lake. We were so excited to get into our tent and rest. We were very sore and the tent was a welcome site.

Ryan on the trail. Day 2

Day 2 _________ Lake.

Ryan had to stop and fish every chance he got.

Ryan fishing again.

Just a beautiful sky at night. The sadle you see is what we are hiking over on day 3 to get near the continental divide.

Ryan on the trail. Day 3

Going up the saddle. Day 3 on the way to 10,000 feet.

Just another shot of us walking up. You can see both lakes we just came from in the background.

Same location just looking down the other side. This is where we were going. The mountain you see in the background is the countinental divide.

Ryan standing on one of many glaciers. This is the only one we hiked across.

The entire group looking down on the valley.

This is just a shot of all the tents. We camped pretty close to each other this time because of the signs of bear we were seeing.

Sitting on a rock in the stream that went right by our camp. Isn't it beautiful!

This waterfall was right by our camp also. It really was pretty. Ryan had a lot of fun fishing this stream. He would catch a fish just about every cast.

One of the many brook trout he caught in the stream.

Another "brooky" he caught

The view outside our tent.

All the wild flowers were out in full bloom. It was so pretty.

Me by our tent. I was so glad that I packed my good jacket all over with me. The mornings were really quite chilly, but very beautiful.

This was a beautiful waterfall at the other side of our camp. Ryan and I hiked to it while some of the others hiked to the peaks and stood on the continental divide.

I was so glad we hiked to see it. It really was a big waterfall.

Day 4. Along the trail.

On the 4th day we just followed this little stream all the way to the next lake. Ryan, of course had a great time fishing it along the way.

This is the stream. Isn't it pretty?

Looking down the stream.

Crossing the river. We actually crossed many little rivers and streams along the trail. This, however was not one, but I needed a picture of crossing the water. It was quite the balancing act do find the sturdy rocks with a 35 lb backpack on. :)

Just fishing, again.

Another little falls along the river.

Studing the maps and trying to decide where to go. The trail had disappered at this point. Thank goodness someone besides me was the navigator.

Day 5, had to get a shot of the camp cook. It was really nice to not have to cook all week, Ryan did all of the cooking. This was camp at Divide Lake. Only 6 miles to go.

Again sideways? Just a pretty rainbow. And after a week of rain it was a welcome sight.

WE MADE IT!! Day 6 all done. We figure round trip we were just shy of 40 miles. What a great adventure.