Kelly Times Two

Lindsey and Zach have been friends since second grade and used to be closer in height. He's moved overseas and comes home each summer to his house down the street and every summer, he's TALLER!

Lindsey and her friend Zach put together a Pirates of the Caribbean party with sixteen kids from church, plus our neighbor, Todd. Here's Todd with Lindsey and some of the other girls. The all enjoyed "Caribbean" Haystacks, then a packed theater one night after the movie opened, to a sold out crowd.

One of our family adventures while vacationing in Utah was a trip to Timpanogas Cave. It was a long 3 mile hike up and back to the cave, but we loved it. Since the cave temperatures are in the 40's, we had to take jackets up with us, which didn't seem right, heading uphill in the hot sun. The "soda straws" and other interesting formations in the cave were awesome to look at. It was pitch black inside the cave when our tour guide turned out the lights. The feeling was kind of eerie, but it made me appreciate electricity. This was our first time to the cave, but hopefully not the last.

On the last day of our vacation in Utah, we toured Temple Square and went to the Distribution Center in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and took this picture before we left. My mom had given Christopher money for new scriptures since he just turned eight years old and got baptized in October. Lindsey decided she wanted a new set too. We stocked up on all kinds of books, movies, etc. We went to Deseret Book and added to our collection too and made quite a haul. The visitor's center was fantastic and I wish we would have had more time there. It has changed so much since I was there years ago. I really am anxious to go there again. This was Kelly's first time to see the conference center in person. I have flown out to Utah for two previous General Conferences and have had the opportunity to be there in the conference center. Our family felt completely uplifted after this wonderful visit to Temple Square. I got some pretty good shots of the Salt Lake Temple, too, but ...

At the beginning of every cruise, all must participate in these drills. Here we are heading to our muster stations to know where to go in the event of an emergency evacuation. It was a hot sunny day in Fort Lauderdale that afternoon and we were glad to get this part over with. It always reminds me of the worse case scenario--and makes me hope we never need to use this information that they prepare us for! The whole family, all four of us in our matching turquoise outfits are dancing the night away on the first night of our cruise. Kelly and I started on the dance floor, then the kids came out on to join us because they thought it looked fun. Or they were embarrassed for us? Maybe it was both. It was a blast, what ever the case.

Kelly takes a break near an area called the Fiery Furnace after our hike to the Delicate Arch. We took a drive to Dead Horse Point the next day after checking out of our hotel to head back to Julie's house.

We made the long trek to Delicate Arch and thought it was well worth the three miles of Moab's summer sun shining on us and were thankful for the bottles of water in our backpacks. It was simply breathtaking and the views throughout Arches were spectacular. I really felt tingly inside when the magnificence and indescribable beauty all around me were filling my thoughts that a loving Father in Heaven has created such a beautiful world for us to live in.

Here are Christopher, my step dad, my mom, and Lindsey after dining at a Chili's following our attending the incredible Joseph Smith movie on Temple Square that afternoon. The story of the prophet of the restoration was portrayed beautifully and had me in tears throughout it. What a moving experience and worth every minute to see.

My niece, Madison, pictured on the right, a righteous babe from Riverton, Utah, graduated from high school and my kids and I were there to celebrate the proud moment. She's already in college this summer and is enjoying life at the University of Utah. Congratulations, Madison!

Penni, my new sister-in-law, my hubby, me, and my big brother, Marc, enjoyed lunch in Salt Lake City at one of Marc and Penni's favorite restaurants before Kelly and I headed south to Moab for the weekend.

Just before school got out in May, our family took a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of Seas. Our kids were ecstatic over their very first cruise, and having their grandparents from Colorado there made it even more fun for them. It was my fifth and Kelly's fourth cruise. It ended too soon with just two ports, Key West and Playa del Carmen. Lindsey and Christopher especially enjoyed their dolphin experience in Xel-Ha, Mexico. Christopher loved wearing a tuxedo for the first time and felt handsome dressing up exactly like his dad. Lindsey spent the entire four-day cruise running around the ship with a group of about eight other teenagers that she met on the ship and made friends with. She stays in touch with some of the kids, through instant messaging, cell phones, and email.

The title of this, my first post of my brand new blog, has a double meaning, just like my blog name does. Kelly Times would be a legitimate name all by itself, but I'm adding the word Two , since my husband's mom and my mom had the same bright idea in naming each of us the exact first name. To continue the double theme, in consideration of the fact that I am enjoying a wonderful summer with my family, and that my girlfriend, Summer, introduced me to the concept of blogging by sending me a link to her own blog, you may better understand my thinking process. I like things in pairs. I like even numbers. Summer Lovin', Kelly Times Two. Can't you just see the beginning of a masterpiece or Pulitzer Prize? The whole concept of a a blog is new to me, but I am sold on the idea of writing an online journal of the important and sometimes not-so-major events of life. I look forward to keeping my friends and family posted with what's happening here in our little part of ...