OUR TRIP TO LAKE POWELL...June, 2009

Getting ready for Lake Powell. Mike was packing his clothes and when he came back in the room...this is what he found. I think Diesel thought he was coming with us...kind of FUNNY :)

DEANS + FUHRIMANS + JANKES + TANNERS + ADAIRS + BRUCES + JENSENS + GRANDPA CRAIG =
15 adults, 17 kids, 65 foot house boat, 2 ski boats, 2 wave runners, 4 nights, 5 days, lots of fun, wake boarding, waterskiing, surfing, platform, sleeping under the stars, great weather, smores, old maid, lizard hunting, tubing, cliff jumping, skipbo, Steph's birthday party, great conversation, late night bathing, slide, digging in the sand, face painting, necklace/bracelet making, fishing and more.
We had a chance last week to go to Lake Powell with 7 families in our ward thanks to Josh and Mandy Fuhriman. We had such a fun trip and everyone got along so well. Who would have thought 32 people could live together for 4 nights and 5 days and have no problems. I could really get used to waking up to this awesome view everyday.

THE MOMS

Judi, Me, Mandy, Diane, Steph, Melissa, JanaeOur family minus Rachel. Rachel was at Oakcrest camp the week we were in Lake Powell. We really missed her being with us...our family just wasn't complete without her.Rachel getting ready to leave for Oakcrest camp.All the kids minus Lola and Claire.Will and Sadie did the platform. I didn't get pictures of Sadie because I was too busy videoing.Mike tried surfing . He said it was really weird being that close to the boat. Jake wakeboarding. When I was actually on the boat watching him wakeboard...I was videoing so I didn't get great pictures. He is a natural. He did a great job going in and out of the wake. Pretty good for his first time. Mike still is an AWESOME skiier. He hasn't been in almost 13 years.Jensens brought 2 wave runners. Everyone had such a great time riding them around.Graice, Janae, SadieSadie, Mike, Jake...cliff jumping.Maggie, Ashley, Sadie, Sassy, OliviaLooking for lizards...Jake, Will, Jonah, SamThe kids loved the slide...WillJakeSadieIt's dessert time.This is how we slept. (14 mattresses) . It was one big sleepover under the stars. Thank heaven we didn't have any rain because that may have been a problem. Janae and MeMe and JudiMaking necklaces/bracelets...thanks to Steph for bringing the supplies.Ready for some boating fun...Jake, Will, Luke, Max
Graice, Sadie, Ashley, Allie...after Janae did all their hair.

Sam, Luke, Will, Jake, Sadie, Olivia

More tubing...Will and Jake

Sadie, Olivia, Jake

Playing Old Maid.

Did somebody say smores?

Melissa, Me, Judi, Janae Janae = awesome skiier, wakeboarder, surfer...you ROCK :)
Hanging by the fire:
Me, Mike, Christian, Jeremy, Melissa, Judi, RyanRyan, Judi, Ric, Steph, Mike
Fun playing on the water.
Sweet Will :)
THE END!!!
Hopefully someday we will be invited back. Thanks Fuhrimans and Grandpa Craig for an awesome trip.

SPRING ENDS...SUMMER BEGINS

TEENAGER IN THE HOUSE :)

RACHEL ELIZABETH DEAN

Rachel was born on June 6, 1996 @ 7:36 PM. She weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 19 inches long. She was born 2 days over the due date. My water broke around 11:30 AM on the 6th. I delivered her at St. Marks Hospital with Catherine Wheeler as my doctor. They were so busy that she was delivered in a storage room at the hospital. She was such a good baby she slept through the night the first few days home from the hospital. She literally slept the first three weeks of her life day and night...I don't know if it was because it was summer and our apartment we lived in was hot but we loved it. It was so fun for us to be first time parents. We had a great time dressing Rachel up and playing house. Some other names we considered for Rachel were: Courtney, Ashley, Lindsey, Eliza, Rebecca, Bridget, Sadie, Chloe and Danielle. We couldn't decide so we narrowed it down to Lindsey, Rebecca and Rachel. We wrote down our top two choices and hoped that the same name would be on both lists. Luckily it worked out. Mike picked Rachel and Rebecca and I picked Lindsey and Rachel...so RACHEL it was. Rachel is such a joy to be around. She is very creative and keeps us entertained. She loves most sports and has a great heart. I love to have talks with her at night and consider her one of my BEST FRIENDS. We love you Rachel...Thanks for "13" great years...we can't wait for what is a head for you.

Mike graduated from the University of Utah on June 7th. I missed out on seeing him walk but he came to the hospital after and saw me and Rachel. When they gave him his diploma they announced he was a new daddy.
Rachel was blessed in my Grandma Ashton's dress... it is over 100 years old.She was such a chubby, happy baby :)Her preschool graduation...Kindergarten here I come.

1st day of Kindergarten. That was a big day at our house since she was our first to go to public school.Rachel loves, loves Diesel. He usually picks to sleep with Rachel at night. Watching her take care of Diesel makes me realize she will be such a good mom one day.

She loves to spend as much time as she can with Sydney and Zoe.

She also loves spending time with her cousins Annie and Lindsey.She truly is a CRAZY girl.

She has become a really good skiier...I almost can't keep up with her anymore.

I love to listen to her play the piano. She has had a great time taking lessons from Grandma Ruthie and getting to know her better.

She loves to play soccer.

She played Volleyball at Olympus Junior and loved learning the game.

We surprised her with a new cell phone for her birthday. I have to admit it will be nice for me to keep tabs on her. I don't know how our parents did it without us having cell phones. I got to where I would let her take mine alot and I would really miss having it so it is time for her to have her own.

I hope you have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY Rachel. Thanks for being such a great girl and friend. You make life so fun and interesting.

I LOVE YOU :)