July was kind of busy--and OH! SO FUN!!

I think I'll actually start in June.  June was when Tandy and children came up from California.  They spent a couple of weeks there, then came up to Utah.  They stayed in Kanarraville most of the time, but I did have a cousin sleep-over at my house once they ALL got here from all over.

I reported on the fishing trip to Navajo lake, and hiking at Kanarra Creek Falls mid-June.  And the wedding in Vernal.

After that, I was basically working half-days only at the library--if that!  I'm so glad the other Circulation Staff people were very supportive of my absentee-ism.  It was extreme the next five weeks!

About the same time Gail was set to arrive at our house, Katie decided to come, also!  She really, REALLY wanted to be here with nearly all the siblings and cousins, so she made it happen. Only, it almost DIDN'T.  One day out on her three day drive to Utah, her car was struck by lightening!  Luckily, insurance took care of getting it repaired and getting her a rental, and she continued on her way with fairly minimal delay.  She arrived at our house on Sunday the 29th.  Gail got here on Saturday night.  At least, that's what I heard.  I was not home that weekend.

I got to attend the ALA conference in Las Vegas this summer.  The American Library Association conference was held in Las Vegas for the first time in forever, so I went.  I went for three days.  I really enjoyed it, except is is just so big and there is so much to see and it takes so long to get from point A to point B.  But still, very worth it and I'm glad I went from Friday morning to Sunday night.  So, I wasn't here for the arrival of my out-of-towners!!

On June 30, ALL SEVEN grandkids, and Grandma Pam and Gail and Katie went swimming at the Aquatic Center in Cedar City.  That was fun.  I even braved the slide.  Pam brought Tandy's water proof camera and we did take some photos, but Tandy will have to share those. We found that it is hard, very very hard, to keep track of seven little children, even if there are many sets of eyeballs looking out for them.  But they all survived.  I think Tandy had an outing with some friends that afternoon.I believe that was the night they all stayed at my house.  Oh, yes.  and Damian and Tandy had a date and stayed all night in St. George. Alone. No kids.

On the first of July, we went camping.  I will post some photos at some other time, as I don't want to take the time to do it now (and it DOES take a LOT of time!!! for me. ugh).  Katie posted one photo of some kids.  We went up to Duck Creek campground on  Tuesday afternoon, July 1.  Gail and Katie went up first with kids to find a good camp spot.  They did well.  Then the rest of us came later, and later still came Pam with Grandma Liebhardt to have dinner with us in the evening.

Can I just say that camping takes a heck of a lot of planning and packing and preparation.  And then we did it all over again, only backward--packing, unpacking and laundry.  Ugh.  It was so nice, though.  We were all together.  Folks had a lovely time. The food was good. The weather was nice.

Here are some camping photos I have found:

 S'mores are always the best part of campfires, aren't they?

 We had this really great idea to do one big group shot with everyone in it. With Katie's camera and the timer.  We positioned chairs so the lighting would be best (and we wouldn't have to sit in the campfire smoke or deal with campfire glare and the camera settings).

 Oh,and please finish your marshmallows before we take the picture. Please.

 Let's see. We have one in pajamas for a family picture.  I guess that'll be Okay. Great-Grandma sits here...

Like Father, Like Son!!!! [see Mike, above.]

 Still shuffleing people and chairs and marshmallows and pointy sticks...

 And shuffling kids and more marshmallows and more chairs... and hats...and kids.

 It's getting closer.  Oh, wait. There's no tripod. Oh well.  Use the chair.  Get everyone ready

 Honestly, what does it take to get one family group shot in the woods?? YOU sit HERE!

 Almost ready.  Fading light. Must hurry.

 If you ever want a perfect marshmallow roasted for you, have Lexi or Ella do it for you. They have a knack for it.

 Braeden's looks pretty good, too.

 I don't know why I don't have any photos of the kids playing with the bean bag toss that we brought with us.  And washer toss and another little game.  They liked playing together, though, and all got along well.

We LOVED the campsite that the girls picked.  Well, I did.  It was isolated--nobody near by to bother us or for us to bother.  The bathroom was close. There was no traffic. The picnic table and fire pits were nice for our dinner spot, and there was adequate firewood nearby. What more could anyone ask for?  Well, the lake close by, but that was OK.

Gail, Katie, Tandy and I left the campsite rather early on Wednesday the 2nd (after packing everything) because we had tickets to attend a matinee at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, "Sense and Sensibility."  Yes, Jane Austen.  :-)  It took a while to get cleaned up, and then we picked up Mike's mom and all headed to the theater.  What a nice production!  We all really enjoyed it.

We left Mike and Damian with all 7 kids up on the mountain and they tried their luck at a little fishing on Navajo lake before heading off the mountain.  They all made it back safe and sound.  We kept expecting lots of rain because of clouds and rain, but it sprinkled a bit while we were in the theater, but then all dried up.  Not so for my windshield wipers.  I couldn't turn them off!  I joked that my electrical stuff was blown a bit--perhaps the car had been struck by lightening while we were in the play?  I know when we got up to the campgound on Tuesday night, there were thunderings and lightenings around.  No rain fell on us, but it made the little Rossman clan a wee bit jumpy!


Awaiting the parade in Kanarraville on the Fourth. Katie, Grandma Liebhardt, Mike, Gail, Kaylee and Nick. No kids because they were all on the float!  The parade lasts less than 10 minutes and we gathered up one pail of candy. A plastic 5 quart ice cream pail.  Lots of good stuff, too!

The third of July I left everyone home to catch up on laundry and I went to work to catch up on my chores there.  The fourth was a fun time.  Small town Kanarraville Fourth of July.  Thanks to Pam for a lovely party, as usual.   All the kids were on a float that Tandy and family organized and put together (when, you might ask??!!).  We watched people perform at the town talent show, sang patriotic songs and then I was a party-pooper and came home with my group to feed them lunch of left-over hamburgers here instead of waiting in long lines and paying money at the Cobble Crest.  I needed the nap, too. ;-)

The parade photos:

 They look so patriotic, in their red, white and blue! (Nick and Kaylee)

 Every good parade needs horses.  Kanarraville is such a cute little town.

 And we need kids on bikes, and flags.  The theme of the parade was the 200 anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner.

 Here comes our float!  and we're already out there, picking up candy.  Damian is walking down the street, taking pictures of the parade-watcher.

 The wording on the float reflects the words in "The Star Spangled Banner," and the scene depicted is one of the famous flag-raising scenes most folks recognize--raising the flag on Iwo Jima.  Look closely and you might see a character or two.  Mostly they were busy trying to get their cans of silly string working, or throwing candy out.

 Don't you just LOVE Tandy's socks????!!!!

 Great face, Caroline. ;-) Those cans can be difficult.

Photos from the program follow.  Some were sitting in the sunshine, some were enjoying the shade.  It was so fun to have family and friends gathered, listening to Tandy and her girls perform on the piano and Pam dance a traditional hula with other ladies from town.  Among other things. Not many fiddlers this year.

Lexi in red shirt with RW&B cap. All the parade kids on their float got these very cute base ball cps of Red, White and Blue.

Damian sitting in the kit section.

Sometimes kids just need to play in the rocks. So they did.  I should have zoomed in and cropped first.

Note how Corbin is now reclining in the rocks and gravel.

Dinner was in the evening at Pam's.  She fed 42 people for dinner that night!! Amazing feat, to be sure.  Fireworks followed at Dusk.  Tandy and Gail and Katie put glow-in-the-dark bracelets and necklaces (just the plastic ring things) on all the kids and it really did help to keep track of everyone in the dark!  My goodness, what a display they and all their cousins put on in the sky!!  It was actually a bit chilly that evening.  I needed a blanket!  A storm was threatening, but never dropped any rain on our drought-stricken area.  The wind was  pretty  bad, though.  We thought for a while that it would be bad enough that fireworks would have to be cancelled, but they did them anyway.  I didn't take my camera to Pam's, but there were plenty of people snapping pictures all evening that I could see (Tandy and Katie, at least).  Late night.  Tired kids and grandparents.zzzzz.....

What a great Fourth of July!!  Did I mention that Nick and Kaylee drove down from Salt Lake on the third?  It was fun to have them here, too!!!  Just like last year--only a MUCH bigger crowd!