Catching fireflies

Here's an example of how you can have a lot of fun without going anywhere or spending any money - just step outside at dusk and catch some fireflies! Unless of course you live in Colorado, like we do, and do not have these cool insects anywhere around. We first discovered the exciting presence of fireflies last year on the way to Dekalb. As it was getting dark, we kept seeing strange flashes shoot past the car window. At first I was a little puzzled, but pretty soon we discovered further in the distance (and up close, smashed into the windshield) the little flashes of light were fireflies. The kids are mesmerized by them - they are very slow fliers too, so they are easy to catch. Even Cameron, who is terrified to hold a ladybug, was eager to hold them and watch them glow in his hand.


Here is Cameron and his cousin, Gavin, who he repeatedly called his best friend on our trip.









Reesey got bored and decided to pick flowers instead.







Becca with her cousins, Ainsley, and Claire. The baggie is full of fireflies. These 3 caught an amazing 62!












Cameron on the hunt!

Fun in the Sun!

July 7, 2009

Here we are having our first true relaxing day of our vacation. We had nothing scheduled or planned - we just took it easy and hung out in the pool. Sometimes those are the best times!

Tristan showing off on the diving board.

Reesey in her brother's life vest.

Cameron and his cousin AinsleyTris and Cam taking a break

Reception at the Barn

Thom has always had a dream of having a backyard wedding reception - and Tenille has made that dream come true. Thom and Teresa's home in Dekalb, IL was once a farmhouse on a farm with a barn and silo and everything. All the structures are still there, and they have done a beautiful job of cleaning them all out and fixing them up to use in a non-farmy kind of way! Tenille's reception was held in the beautifully decorated barn, right next to the house. So I think that should count as a backyard wedding, especially considering how nice it was not to have to actually be outside in the rain!Tenille and Lawrence

Becca posing with a bouquet.

It was a long day!

Becca and her cousins, Claire and Ainsley having a good time!

Reese was so funny! She apparently wanted to dance like the other couples, so she kept dragging her cousin, Catcher, out onto the dance floor to dance with her!

At the temple

July 4, 2009
Here we are at the temple after Tenille and Lawrence were married for time and all eternity. What a great way to start out life together! They are a great couple and we wish them the best. (All the pictures were taken right outside the temple doors, because it rained all day, so I don't have any with the whole temple in the background.)

Tenille and Becca

Tristan and his cousin, Graham



Reese and Cameron



Tristan grew a beard in honor of the occasion, and Cameron is just discovering how scratchy it is!


Here's our little family, some more willing to pose than others!

Staying at the Hyrum Smith Farm in Nauvoo, IL

July 3, 2009

We had the opportunity again this year to visit Nauvoo on the way out to Thom and Teresa's - this time it was for Tristan's sister Tenille's wedding. Thom and Teresa arranged for most of us to stay at Hyrum Smith's home in Nauvoo. It was really cool. The middle brick part of the home you see in the picture is the original house, and the owners now have added on to it to accommodate visitors with modern conveniences.

Goodbye Brady Place

WARNING - If you are a Gearhart, this may be a sad post for you. Do not read if you are worried about running your mascara!

I was able to help out with the last little bit of clean-up before Thom and Teresa's house here in the Springs was sold to a new owner, and got a little sentimental and decided to take a couple pictures. I know the Gearhart family has had a lot of wonderful memories in this house and even though I do not have near as many as most of them do, I will miss this house. To me, it was a place of fun and gathering - we ate many a Sunday night dinner here, and celebrated birthdays and holidays together here. I tried on my wedding dress here. Our babies crawled and toddled here, and I learned to quilt, side by side with Teresa and Grandma Nelson here. There were hudreds, I'm sure, of basketball games played out back, hundreds, also, of basketballs that rolled down the hill that had to be chased after. Barbecues, game nights, and even a dance party or two. I think we can love places just as we love people, and 4735 Brady Place has been a place I have loved. I'm glad for the memories I've had there.

The last of the camping pictures - I promise!

Here are a few pictures from the second day of our camping trip. We got up and had a yummy pancake breakfast. . .

(Here's Reese eating with Grandpa)

. . . then went down to the bigger lake to do some paddle-boating. My Dad and Tristan were unfortunately big fans of trying to ram each other's boats and splash lake water all over us!

(Me and my big girl)

..and that was the end of a very fun weekend. We really enjoyed being able to get away to such a beautiful spot for a a couple days and spend some quality time together.