Holy Moly… we’ve been married nine years as of yesterday. It’s hard to believe that nine years have gone by since we knelt in that Temple sealing room and said our “I do’s”. The time has just seemed to fly by.

In those nine short years our lives have undergone quite a few changes. We’ve lived in six different places (seven if you count the couple weeks we stayed with the Laursens). We’ve had a combined total of eight different jobs. We’ve owned six different cars. We’ve watched out youngest siblings grow up and get married (just this last week for Scott). And we’ve seen the birth of 12 new babies in our immediate family (4 of which have been our own).

It’s been a pretty wild ride and although we’ve had our share of trials over the years, we’ve also been blessed with way more than we deserve. And through it all, I couldn’t ask for anyone better to share the past nine years with. Emily is my best friend, my greatest support and my one true love. So we decided to celebrate by heading up to Park City for the weekend (sans kids). We spent Saturday going to The Dark Knight then heading up to Park City for some shopping and fun. We spent the night at The Homestead in Midway and then went back to Park City on Sunday to ride the ski lift and stroll the fair they had going on Main Street. It was a nice relaxing weekend and a great way to celebrate these last nine wonderful years together.

We went camping with Mike’s family over the 4th of July.  We went to Ephraim Canyon along with all the mosquitos.  The moment we got out of the Jeep they came to welcome us.  Janis was great to get the spray out and cover everyone right away.  We reapplied it constantly, but it was no use for Hailey and her sweet blood.  She was covered in bites.  We counted 39 bites and one non mosquito bite that made her forehead swell.  She looked like she had been in a fight!

We had a great time 4-wheeling, shooting, and playing.  The poor twins view of camping comes from the inside of a playpen or strapped into a chair!  Next year they will be all over!

And lucky Mallory got a shopping spree at the Ephraim Walmart! She got a blister from her shoes that were too small and a headache from holding up her pants that were too big.  So down the mountain we went to buy new shoes and a belt! She should go somewhere with a better selection next time!

It was lots of fun to be with the family all weekend.  And we loved not having to send Mike off to work, but it is so nice to be home with a flushing toilet, running water, a shower, and place for the twins to crawl. Oh, and less mosquitos!

Above: 4-wheel trail    Mike and the girls shooting

Below: Jack and Annie in the playpen-o-fun

Lounging in our huge tent

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Jack eating a banana in his motorcycle shirt

The kids eating table thanks to Grandpa Laursen who has the best equiptment.

Hailey and Mallory in Papa’s Jeep.

Jack and Annie in our Jeep

Jack loves watermelon.

Looking for a private "bathroom". Mallory did not like that.

Mike and Mallory roasting marshmallows

Hailey shooting the tin cans.

Taking a break on the 4 wheel trail.  Wow, we look  like scrounges.

This is how the babies ate. It worked out perfect.  Their seats buckled just right in these chairs.

Porter, Creed, Jack and Annie

Jack riding in the Hutcheons toy truck.

Mallory shooting the tin cans

Poor Hailey after the first night. Those mosquitos could not leave her alone

And here’s the entire camping slideshow: