Carpenter Family Reunion

These are my great-grandparents (my dad's mom's parents) and I'm lucky enough to remember them a bit. Great-grandpa died when I was about 6, and great-grandma died when I was 15. They raised their family in southeastern AZ. 

They started a family reunion tradition, which is held (for as long as I can remember), every two years, with each of their 5 kids rotating turns on who plans it. 

Them and me. 

This is from a reunion up in the AZ mountains in the late 80s. My grandma, with all her siblings, is second from the left on the back row.

These scanned weird, but here's the rest of my Williams family. 

The tradition lived on this year, with all of us gathering in southern Utah near Zion National Park. I wasn't able to go the whole time, but Taylor, Courtney, Hallie and I loaded into the car on Friday after work and drove south. We pulled into Ponderosa Ranch right around sunset. 

We got there just in time for a bonfire and s'mores with the whole gang, then we went back to the Britt's house for some real food.

The next morning we hung out around the ranch - it's a great place to have this kind of large gathering. Lots of activities and variety in types of accomodation (basic campground to luxury cabins and in between). Everyone was checking out of their place that day, so we got booted from the rooms a little early and had to figure out where to hang out inside since it was hot.

I though I'd be bunking it, but I didn't. Glad I took my air mattress.

Free breakfast. It was meh.

I slept up in the loft instead.

She constantly requests the games on my iPad.

Ryan came out of hibernation for once.

It was so fun to see my grandma with her sister. They're such good friends and live apart, and don't get to see each other enough. They told some funny stories about growing up and just giggled like little girls the whole time. It was especially touching, since a couple weeks later, my great aunt Corene passed away. My grandma is the only Carpenter sibling left now.

I really appreciate this tradition and hope it goes on for years to come, in some way or another. I'm glad for my heritage. I come from good people. And I like that I feel closer to them through these gatherings.

The Williams Family Cousins who were there.

The gun lovers.

Musical Monday - Foals

I love this band. I love the new stuff I'm hearing. I can't wait for the fourth record to come out at the end of this month.

Go rock out and make yourself dizzy swirling around this video.

More Utah Summer!

Summer is flying by. I keep telling people that summer is basically over and let's get ready for a scary winter, but others keep telling me to be more optimistic. It was 90+ degrees today. But fall is coming!!

In June I took public transportation for the first time in Utah! I convinced Abe to come north to Ogden Twilight with me, which had such a great lineup. Better than the original SLC series. I loved that they included the train ticket in the cost of the concert ticket.

The show started super early with my friends The Moth & the Flame opening, so we tried to hop an early train after work. I met Abe at the downtown station, which was full of some characters. No one ever checked our ticket, but someone sure did tell us to put our feet down.

I'd only been to Ogden once. It's got a nice downtown.

TMTF started playing at 6pm, right in the heat of the day. The train had a lot of stops and some delays on the way up, so we really didn't see too much.

Abe had gotten VIP tickets somehow. We really didn't know what that meant until we got there, but we had backstage tent access with a free catered dinner and drinks, then access to a shaded seated area to watch the bands. Score!

Hamilton Leithauser playing second. I don't know a lot of his stuff, but I enjoyed the set. Also, supergroup band - people from Fleet Foxes and Vampire Weekend and some other major indie band I dig. 

Finally, my favorite - Other Lives, who I'd just seen in NYC. They're so good.

We had a bit of time to kill after the show before the train home, so we walked through Ogden and over to the new temple.

I didn't get back to my car til midnight, and then I had to rush over to the ER at a hospital because my friend was walking downtown earlier that evening and a drunk driver jumped the curb and hit her and another friend. They were a bit banged up with some bruises, but they're luckily alive and have mostly made full recoveries.

I checked out this book to prepare for my trip. It's coming up so soon! I should finish reading it.

Adam and Dana got married! I've known Adam for years and worried a bit that it wouldn't happen for him. Not because he's not a great guy - he is, but he's been so busy with work and doctoring and picky about his very little free time, so...hooray! And Dana is amazing. I'm happy for the two of them. I went to the temple on Friday night for their sealing.

Saturday was their reception at the Natural History Museum. I hadn't been there either, so it was fun to look around a great setting.

Summer! Nature!

Lacey and I took a Saturday and went out to Jordanelle State Park. I just needed to be around some water.

Snow cones and car washes after some water fun.

Mom and Dad mailed me some blueberries from the farm! First time I think they've done that since the farm's inception. I still have some in my freezer, waiting for me to make fried pies. They are so tasty, and when I see blueberries at the grocery store, I scoff at their inferiority.

Hallie is going to be a big sister in November. We're all excited for the new addition. More bows!

My friend, Miles, is running for SLC City Council. There was a debate at the library, which I attended. Pretty good turnout, and the best thing about it was the live Twitter feed on that screen behind the candidates, and the witty, snarky tweets from the audience. I had some good laughs.

I love SLC.