Sun River, Oregon

Wow! I can't believe it is already July--summer is flying and we are finally home for awhile. We just got back from a great week in Sun River, Oregon (central Oregon) with the Rushings (my sister, Heidi and her family). We decided it was worth meeting half way to be all together. Last time we did this they drove 9 hours and met us in Boise for a great camping weekend. So we felt it was only fair that this time we drove 10 hours compared to their 3 hours.


We rented a home in Sun River -- A beautiful resort area full of bike trails, pine trees, golf courses, rivers, etc. We were busy swimming, relaxing, hiking, touring, going to parks, watching movies, etc. We really had such a fun time together!


The kids did a triathlon (a first for my kids) "Splash, Peddle and Dash" . They all really LOVED this even though Jack, and about 3 other racers, got lost on the bike portion and went about 4 miles the wrong way (on a 1 mile course) and finished with the slowest time in the group!



We did lots of bike riding (by 'we', I definitely don't mean 'me'. I was home with Griffin and Mia while everyone else was out seeing beautiful waterfalls and scenery. But I am not bitter!) on the bike trails and even the highway.



We went on a day trip to Crater Lake. Amazing! I promise these pictures are NOT photoshopped on a fake background!

Crazy to think all these cousins are from just two families!

My sister, Heidi, and her family

We went to Lava Lands and drove to the top of the volcano

Jack went river rafting with the Rushings. (Hadley didn't want to go and Ryan couldn't go because he burned his leg on a 4 wheeler on our way to Oregon--whole different story.)


We did some outlet shopping at the Nike store in Bend, Oregon (a big highlight of the trip for my boys!)


Gavin and Scott ran a half marathon with only a few days of training. They did the 8-2 method . . . I'm sure you're all familiar with it! And they did GREAT!! Way to go, Gavin and Scott!

We went to the High Desert Museum and learned more about the Native American history and life in the 1800's. No one learned as much as my nephew, Layton (7), though who carried around a composition journal and wrote down as many facts and pictures that he could. It was really the cutest thing ever! This is Layton with his composition journal taking notes about a teepee.

We even had adventures with the ride home. More than the usual adventure of which child is going to be grounded for the next week because of all the pestering and fighting going on in the car. We finally crossed the state line back into Utah at about midnight and got rear ended by a drunk driver. We pulled over and got out the car just in time to watch him drive on by like nothing had happened. Luckily a police officer was a few cars down and asked if we were having car problems. We told him the story and he pulled him over, spent about 30 minutes having him play some fun games like standing on one foot, walking in a straight line, touching his nose, and breathing into something. Then the next game didn't look as fun. He was handcuffed and put into the police car while his brand new Lexus was towed away. Gavin decided to make a life lesson out of it for our children by saying loud enough for everyone (police and drunkard) to hear as he was being arrested, "Look what happens kids when you're a loser and decide to drink and drive!" We were so lucky that it was a slow traffic/construction area where the accident happened. No one was hurt and the damage to the car was minimal-- our bumper smashed, bike rack pushed in about 6 inches and Jack's front bike tire bent.

Here are some photo highlights from the trip (Thanks Heidi!) :