What is it about getting in a car that makes people explore their alter-egos? There is nothing quite like 6 people being enclosed within the walls of a minivan for 5 1/2 hours, stopping only for potty breaks and sugar binges. Where else could we possibly learn how to share space without so much as grazing another's arm hair? Where else would Dad be challenged emotionally enough to ask a child if they want to walk home from the side of the highway in Southern Idaho and mean it?

The family picture is from the deck of the cabin where we stayed overlooking the lake. We have been in Montana for a week and have had a glorious time--it hasn't hit us yet that we're about to get back in the car for the ride home. Yes, Tyson is dressed as Spiderman.

Dave and Tyson are in a canoe fishing the lake. Fishing, not catching fish. This is about as close to heaven as Dave gets here on Earth.

Ben sees Old Faithful for the first time! "Look at the water shooting up to the sky! It's so high!"

And then there was Benjamin! He loves to swim--"I wanna go simming!" He tries to do the butterfly by burying his face in the water and bouncing his head up and down--It must be genetic! Every day he asks to go off the diving board at Grandma Tate's. And he loves his goggles.

We have swimmers in our family! We had a wonderful summer swimming for the

Treehouse Athletic Club in Draper! On the blocks you see Tanner (top left), Tyson (top right) and Haylee (bottom left). They are ready to swim! Look at that muscle tone! Of course our swimmers are in the Navy/Yellow combination with the yellow caps. These photos were taken the night we raced the Salt Lake Country Club team. The kids favorite events this year were freestyle for Tyson, Breast and Butterfly for Tanner, and Breast, IM and Fly for Haylee. I (Julie) was an assistant coach this summer (fewer hours than last summer--yeah!) and I absolutely love coaching in the early morning when the sun is rising and the pool is quiet except for the swish, swish of the strokes of the team! Somehow those moments feed my soul. This summer Benjamin was old enough to roam the pool deck during those workouts, rather than go to "The Nest," the daycare at the Treehouse. One time he decided to go swimming in the pool fully clothed, but when he had to spend the next 2 mornings in the nest because he hadn't followed mom's rules, he was careful to let only his feet enter afterward. By the end of the summer, mom brought his "floaties" and let him swim in the lane where the steps were, so he feels like a part of the team now, and the swimmers think of him as a mascot of sorts!

Look at those cute kids up in the mountains near Brighton, Utah. We drove up one Suday evening to walk around and enjoy the beautiful Utah summer weather--oh yeah, and escape the 100 degree heat of the valley! We enjoyed our hike so much but Tanner hated the mosquitoes and bugs!

Dave and Julie (me) visited Whistler, British Columbia the first week of August, 2006 for a Sales Conference with Beneficial Financial Group. We had 4 adventure filled days of hiking, white-water rafting, gondola-riding, and zip-trekking (a series of 5 ziplines spanning a river gorge, some zips being up to 1100 feet in length). We had so much fun and enjoyed some pampering, fine dining, and plenty of sleep!
This view is at the top of the gondola overlooking the Whistler Valley. It was picturesque, to say the least.