It’s hot in Utah. I can’t say that with enough emphasis.
It’s July. It’s hot. Desert hot. But a plan was hatched for packing up something like 40 sandwiches and all of the fixings, chips, fruit, salads and anything we could shove into coolers and head off to the mountains where it is cooler for an easy family hike, a picnic in the shade, some family togetherness and gorgeous surroundings!
With this many folks, we tried to condense the number of cars for transport, and we ended up with a car load of 4 nieces and 1 nephew, the odd man out.
Traveling with pre-teen and teenage girls is an adventure in itself.
Being a mother of boys, this is always so entertaining to me to see what I missed out on.
Oh, the giggling, the whispering, the mimicking – and the SINGING!
A Ricka Bamboo! That’s my niece Lucie in the middle, what a character she is. She is growing up into such a lovely young lady with her sweet smile accented by copious amounts of adorable freckles. She lives in Nevada and has a 7 year old palomino horse named Trigger. She is a horse girl at heart and it is so fun to watch her grow up!
Uncle Dave with Emery!
Family picnic!
At TWO tables!!
I tell you what, this was like herding cats. Seriously. Big ones, little ones, fast ones, slow ones, what a crazy chaotic day of happiness!
Family hike!
Gorgeous day!
The temperature was 22 degrees COOLER up here at Silver Lake than it was down in the valley at Joy’s house. 22 degrees in the heat of the summer is significant. We almost didn’t want to pack back up and head home.
My clan!
Such a beautiful peaceful place.
Grandkids being crazy with grandma!
EVERYONE! What a crowd!
3 cousins with Harry Potter wands!
Cousins on a rock!
All of this activity was wonderful, but I can honestly say that at least half of us fell asleep in the afternoon either on the drive home from the mountains, or while watching an afternoon round of Star Wars movie with popcorn. Naps most needed!
Ready for fireworks and homemade ice cream!
The perfect end to the perfect family day! The fireworks going off throughout the neighborhood and surrounding subdivisions is EPIC over Pioneer Day weekend. It’s often bigger than 4th of July!
As darkness fell and the fireworks lit up the sky, temps also dropped to quite comfortable and even a bit chilly – life in the high desert!
Today is a quiet day, a departure day for many. We have one more family dinner this afternoon, and these walls will once again be quiet – or as quiet as they can be with a house full of young and growing kids. I’m loving being Auntie Bonnie, and soaking up every minute.
Tomorrow I’ll be picked up and taken to Brigham City to start my round of 5 days of workshops ahead.
I think I need another nap!
For those who asked.
2,000 pyramids.
After yesterday’s video of “The handing out of the quilts” I was asked about this one. No, there is no pattern for it. This is my result of the 1999-2000 Y2k charm square swap. I trimmed my squares into pyramids and sewed them together in a dark/light zig zag long before I was doing patterns for magazines and books. It now lives here with my sister Joy.
There is ONE repeat of fabric in this quilt and I challenged the kids to find it. Winner got 50 cents. They found it in less than 5 minutes. LOL.
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
I'm certainly glad I don't have it all figured out. It keeps things interesting!
Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone!
Wonderful Family time!! My heart will be in Utah with you tomorrow and again on Thursday as my brother is buried in Heber. I wish I could be there for the Pioneer Parade on Monday! If I could I would sneak over to see you and Janet O in Brigham City.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing your family, you are blessed. this is your blog, if someone doesn't like it why do they tune in. maybe they don't appreciate their family. that is sad. but they should not criticize you. I find your love of your surroundings refreshing. I am unable to travel so i travel through you. keep it up. I consider you my friend who comes into my living room every once in a while. Bonnie Hunter is the bomb!! with love Freda Spencer in Ohio.
ReplyDeletelove hiking in the mountains and with such a crowd of family wouldn't that be wonderful!! I also love that you use a quilt for a tablecloth - when I showed us doing that while traveling with the motorhome I got some comments from people telling me that was not a good idea to use a quilt for a tablecloth - heck I used prints I hated and lots of bright colors - some that I love - a tumbler pattern with big tumblers - if anything gets tipped over on it you can't see the stain - toss it in the wash every week! Great you are having family time - I beat you on siblings - I was one of 12!
ReplyDeleteI love that quilt! That might be my next Leader & Enders one - I just started your challenge this year (checkerboard) rail fence. So glad for you that you were able to have a family reunion. We're having a smaller one in August.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, my favorite thing in this fabulous post was that the winner got FIFTY CENTS .... oh wow, you are staying with old time values there !! Love it.Thanks for sharing these family things with us. It keeps your blog a 'sharing' while so many others have become an advertisement. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun post--thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your wonderful holiday with us all. The fun and laughter was a joy to watch. You are truly blessed with a beautiful family and they are with a loving Aunty. X
ReplyDeleteHow happy you must be to be able to spend some quality family time with your siblings. Thanks for sharing! It's nice to see you having some down time.
ReplyDeleteSo happy you were able to spend time with family. I'm the crazy "Aunt Roberta". You will love Brigham City. One of out favorite pictures is from the Smith's parking lot, looking south at the store and the spires from the temple are peaking above Smaith's. Enjoy your time with the Utah girls.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, I just wanted to say "Thank You" for sharing all of your family with me the reader. I am a big family first person. I love this about your blog, post and everything that you do. I have only been following you for about little less than 1 year, but that is the one of the reasons that I still come back every day to read. I love the fact that you understand quilting is family and family is very important. I hope that you will not change anything that you post or do because of negative comments. I know that you are very successful quilting personality but I love that you are a "Real" "Auntie" and it shows in everything that you do. Thank you again for every moment that you share..
ReplyDeleteI'm actually thinking of doing a boarder in triangles like this...any tips on cutting them and putting them together? Great quilt!
ReplyDeleteAND AND AND.... how wonderful fifty cents was an incentive!! Found in five minutes... those cousins have great vision!!! I love looking at your calendar and seeing "Family Time" blocked out! With all the celebrity and "busy-ness" you have kept your sense of proportion and seem to know exactly what is important. Love all you give us (and a lot of what you 'sell').... happy summer... Cats
ReplyDeleteBeautiful scenery and lots of family happiness. The good things in life. Happy you were able to enjoy it! Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeletePlease send some of that cool mountain air my way to Birmingham, Alabama!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your family reuunion with us. It looked like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteLove our mountains here in Utah. Took a drive up to Mirror Lake and was only 59 degrees and still some snow in the shady spots. Felt so good cause everyone from the south will tell you it's a dry heat but let me tell you it still is very uncomfortable at 101 degrees. Glad you are having some wonderful family time. So wish I had signed up for one of your workshops but didn't think I was going to be home at the time.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a lot of sandwiches! What a great trip your having. Thanks for sharing Bonnie, I found myself laughing a couple of times.
ReplyDeleteDena :)
Miss living in Idaho. My husband i took a 6,328 mile trip and drove through Utah and then Idaho with other states in between. Miss the dry desert. Continue to have fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome family you have Bonnie. I just notice the picnic table cover. How long is it and what pattern is it made in? I also have a large family and do not have a big enough picnic table cover.
ReplyDeleteI am from a family of nine. We are all married with a minimum of two children each. When we get together, it's a riot. I really enjoyed your family picnic pictures. Keep them coming.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very heartwarming post. Thank you for sharing it with us!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful family memories. I am so glad your extended family was able to get together. Our family is so spread out that we don't get together very often. We did manage to get together 5 years ago when my husband and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. And I agree with you -- it was so much fun to see the interactions of the cousins. The 4 children of our middle daughter slept together on a queen sized air mattress in our bedroom. When we went to bed, they were all curled up like a bunch of puppies. Even now I smile when I think of it. Your family is building memories that will last a lifetime. Nancy A: rangerer@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteTook a drive up to Mirror Lake and was only 59 degrees and still some snow in the shady spots. Felt so good cause everyone from the south will tell you it's a dry heat but let me tell you it still is very uncomfortable at 101 degrees.
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