Oakley Rodeo and 4th of July fun

After coming home from St. George we headed up to Oakley the next day for some more family fun and the Oakley Rodeo with Ryan's family. Johnny's family has a "cabin" (aka...a lodge) up in Oakley that he was kind enough to share with us for the day. My kids loved it! It is a beautiful place full of fun and beauty. Mason would go up there every weekend if he could. I think Mas's favorite part was jumping off the loft railing onto a giant love sac over and over again!!! Ella and Claire enjoyed it quite a bit too, little dare devils! My favorite part was going a ATV ride around with everyone!!! So beautiful, peaceful, exhilarating and fun all at the same time!! My kids were sad to leave but quickly changed their minds when we got to the rodeo. We met some more of Ryan's family there... The Bolton's, some of the Pitchers, and Aunt Val. gReAt Rodeo full of excitement and awesome athletes, animals and cowboys! We love this tradition each year... I look forward to it all year long!














So on Friday Stephanie had a "mini Harris family reunion" at her house. But honestly there isn't anything too mini about it!! All of Ry's cousins were there with the exception of Ty and Steph (in TX and actually had their new baby that day), Brandon (working), Jenny and Johnny (with Johnny's family). But everyone else was there!!! I just have to say... I didn't grow up with cousins (I had 1 on each side of the family that were not my age or that I saw more than once or twice a year) but Ryan grew up with 16, including his brothers and sisters, on his moms side that he saw all the time and were really close with. It took a little getting used too when we got married, I was a bit overwhelmed with all the extended family functions but have now come to love them and hope that my kids have will have that same experience that he did with all their cousins. Now all of Ryan's cousins are having kids and growing up and its fun to see all the second cousins playing and loving each other!! So that night we all pitched tents in the backyard for a sleep over (Claire and I went home to sleep though), we dutch ovened, played basketball (even Ryan played which was a highlight of mine because ever since he hurt his wrist 4 years ago he hasn't played and I loved watching him play again), kids rode bikes, played in the sand and rode horses, (Another highlight... Ryan rode a horse which he has always claimed that he can do because he grew up with them but, I have never seen him on a horse... loved it and he was awesome) Ella loves being on the horses, Mason could take it or leave it and Claire did not want to get on but she talked and petted them. Loads of fun, relaxing, chill, crazy and a great time. It was fun to see everyone, and my kids loved sleeping in the tent with their daddy. The next day (July 3rd) we had a fabulous breakfast and the kids stayed and played aaalllllllll day long while Ryan and I went home to get some yard things done. By that night everyone was wiped out so the kids went to bed a little early and Ry and and I crashed!







Sunday- 4th of JULY; We went up to my cabin with my family, this seems to be becoming a tradition of ours. We usually end up there together that day or weekend of the holiday. But this time was no ordinary cabin trip... big things happened this day... momentous things!!!! We have a working toilet!!!!!!! As long as I have been alive and even further back, as long as that cabin has been around, 75-100 years, we have used an outhouse! My dad and mom have been working tirelessly for the past couple of years on the cabin, remodeling, updating and bettering it for our family and on July 4th 2010 (mark this day) the new toilet was finally set and we no longer are using the outhouse!!!!!! Pretty exciting!!! next up...hot water heater for showers and cabinets with new counter tops!!! Living the high life! It is so exciting for us... truly though this has been one of my most favorite places ever since I was a little girl... with or without outhouse:) LOVE to be up there, camp fires, BBQ"s 4- wheelers, love the drive up there in Provo Canyon, playing at the pond and river, it just encompasses peace and happiness to me!!!