Stewart Falls July 7, 2018

My cousin Ben is, and has been for quite some time, one of my very favorite people in the world.  He is exactly one week younger than me and I have adored him as long as I can remember. 
He is also very tall.  As a child we would come to Utah for a visit and it was always so fun to see how much taller he had gotten since the last time I'd seen him.  I think he stands at 6 '8". 
He and his amazing wife (whom I also adore!) recently moved to Utah after living in Arizona and then California for several years.  I love having them closer and getting to see them more regularly.
We love to go on dates with them because we have much in common with ages and numbers of children, but also because we have great conversation together. 

Last Saturday we all (minus their oldest and our two oldest) hiked to Stewart Falls.  We were a very well-matched hiking group because we both have almost two year olds and almost 4 year olds.  You can only go so fast with that combination of ages.  It was a very beautiful hike-- one that we would happily do again. You may have noticed the pineapple-- the boys found it in the water near the falls.  We figured someone put it their to chill it, so the boys returned it, but not before pictures.

Faith and Bailie-- 2nd cousins-- had a great time adventuring.  They enjoyed each other so much that when the hike was done, Faith went back to their house in Provo and we caught back up with her later than night. 

Cannon, George, Grant, and McKay.  Are those great Mormon boy names, or what?

Peter complained.  But he did it.  And he keeps willingly coming along, so I don't think he dislikes hiking as much as he would have us believe.

It's so wonderful when your family are also your friends!

I like hiking with Elinor-- these older kids just get so busy with work schedules and workout schedules.  It is a treat to get to be in their company.  Bethany and Elinor left for youth conference this morning.  Can you tell I miss them already?

It was one of the more crowded hikes we've done, but still no where near as bad as we were anticipated.

George is an excellent hiker-- never a word of complaint and full of endless energy.  

I've been pushing everybody pretty hard to lots of hiking.  We've averaged two good hiking outings a week this summer.  I was afraid I had overdone it and might start meeting with resistance.  So you can imagine my joy at dinner this evening when Abe said, "I'm missing hiking (we haven't gone since Saturday)... can we go tomorrow night?

YESSSSS!!!!!!! 

The family with the blessed pineapple. 

Pineapple meme by request.