Cabin

I'm so so so happy to report that the Brian Head fire is contained and the cabin is safe and sound!! We have so many memories of this place and look forward to so many more, not to mention all of the work that so many people have put into it. It would have been so sad if it had been destroyed. Lots of big moments, even in just the last few years, have happened there. Preston and Devin revealed to the family that they were pregnant with Beckett (at the time we didn't know if it was a boy or a girl), and Justin met my family for the first time here.

Because of the worry just weeks before that we might never see the cabin again, I think we appreciated being there even more this year. We had an absolute blast! Unfortunately, we were missing BJ and Kirsten though.

I was so excited to just let Nolan be outside, playing in the dirt, using his imagination, going on hikes, throwing rocks in the stream, playing with cousins, and just generally being a carefree, unplugged kid. Mission accomplished!! As the pictures below show...

Playing the fishing game with daddy and Gm Mathews

Thank heavens my parents brought up this bouncer for the babies! 

A view down the creek and the bridge to the island. Nolan and the other boys loved going over onto the island to go 'sploring.'

Russ with Uncle Andy and Nolan with GG throwing rocks.

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Daddy brought these Pop It snappers and Nolan LOVED them! Once he didn't throw it hard enough to pop so he stepped on it. I think he preferred that method after that haha. 

Beckett getting in on the action

Getting some snuggles from two cute boys, Branson and Rhett.

Nolan seemed to like this spot (and the cave just to the right of the chest) the best for hiding out ☺

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One afternoon we headed to Mirror Lake (by Duck Creek) to let the boys try out fishing. Note: Preston is a terrible lead driver when allowed to drive Gp Hunt's new truck. He must have been so far on cloud nine he forgot we were following him because we were going 20 over and still couldn't catch him haha! Sorry to throw you under the bus Preston ;) We eventually made it to the lake though ♥

Uncle Andy offered to haul Bran-man. How cute is he?! (Both of them ☺)

Branson must have thought Andy was a bridled horse or something. Giddyup!!

Setting up

Rhettie always has a car in his hands!

Nolan learned a little bit about fishing! Here is is reeling in the line.

Uncle Preston teaching Nolan how to cast. He tried first with daddy, but unfortunately the only thing he caught was daddy's arm ☺

The cutest little fisherman

Cousins and best buds

The Mathews boys learned the Haka recently and were happy to demonstrate. It was pretty stinkin' adorable when Rhettie would randomly start stomping his foot and shouting.

We had a good time, but didn't last too long with so many (super fair) little ones.

Beautiful!

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Duck Creek Days happened to be going on while we were there so we spend one evening there. We promised Nolan he could go on the bouncy slides and he was SO excited! I've been so excited/impressed at how he's gotten so much better/braver about climbing things in just the last few weeks.

This was a fun obstacle course that all the boys did. 

It even had a pretty tough cargo net type thing to climb that was straight up and down so you couldn't even use gravity to help you, but they did really well with it!

Awesome Aunt Mallory always willing to help with her nephews! She loves them so much!

I was SO proud of Nolan. He didn't even hesitate, but climbed right up!! I couldn't believe it!

See, even daddy was a little nervous and was ready to catch him, but he didn't need it at all!

The boys' cheering section. They are so lucky to be part of an amazing family that loves them, supports them, and cheers them on, even in small things!!

Devin, Gm Mathews, GG, Aunt Mallory, Uncle Preston, daddy, Beckett

Cousin Beckett waiting for him at the end ♥

 Chow time!

Russ making sure he's not left out ☺

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Gp Mathews supervising

Can you see the HUGE rocks they are throwing?! They had to find the biggest ones #boys.

Hey, we acquired another kid for our ride on the Rhino! ☺ I think Beckett looks exactly like Devin's brother, Mason, in this picture haha.

Speaking of the Rhino. This is one of the boys favorite things to play with at the cabin! They pretend to go driving. When Nolan's driving he usually says he's going "to the movies." It's adorable. He'd get in the drivers side, then announce, "we need to check the gas!" Then he'd walk over to the glove compartment and open it to "check the gas" and announce that it "looks good!" Then seatbelts were buckled and we would be off "to the movies." When we 'got there' he'd get out and stand up on the fence to "watch the movie." This was my favorite part. He'd balance himself on the fence, put both hands up to his eyes and say, "I see a deer! I see a cow!" Then the movie would be over and we'd go home. I just love watching his imagination develop.

To their credit, they were always good about putting on seat belts before going on excursions.

He also loved the swing and this was his favorite way to ride it ☺

The babies loved the swings too! All smiles the whole time. Both of them even fell asleep at one point in their swing ☺

One of my favorite pictures of the weekend ♥

Bubbles!!

Relaxin' in the hammock

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Uncle Justin took the 3 big boys to the island.

Doing more snaps

Nolan loved playing underneath the cabin. I had to remind him every once in awhile not to go too far in or I couldn't get in there to follow him if he needed me haha! Plus, bugs.

Always throwing rocks into the stream. Boys!

Justin and I finally dumped our kids off on other people the last day and went for a quad ride together ♥

The boys' second cousin Wyatt was close behind though so we couldn't go too crazy (or make out ☺)!

Happy babies!

Nolan found a raw zucchini on the table and started chowing down haha!

Gp Mathews was helping Nolan get the coins out of this parking meter coin bank so he could put them back in. Thanks grandpa! Kept him busy for a good half an hour!

Playing in the rain and mud with daddy building motes. A little boys dream!

Another favorite picture. Look at those smiles! Pure joy!

Lastly, I took some pictures out the window on the way down the canyon to Parowan of the effects of the fire. So sad how much beauty was destroyed because one person chose not to follow the rules.