Breckenridge Carlson Reunion 2018 Part 1

We drove to Breckenridge, CO for our biennial Carlson reuinion.  It was the first time for all of us to drive through the Rocky Mountains.  It was beautiful.  It was surprising to see how much snow was still around in June.

The beautiful resort had great amenities.  Fire pits, many pools, private movie theaters, free gondola, board game rental, and much more.

We got to take the girl cousins to a pottery paint shop.  They had so much selection and it was great to see the girls' creativity come through.

Miniature Golf to entertain us when we get tired of the pool.

PLENTY of card games with cousins.  

We went on a hike as a family.  The big boys that were going to do the high altitude backpacking trip used it as a check hike to make sure they were prepared.  The rest of us just enjoyed hiking through the cool forest and turned around when the kids got tired.

School's Out

We got to go to Pizza Factory with all our family while they were here for Josh's graduation.  

 Our creative neighbor, Jamie Blaisdell, has put on a Last Day of School party for a few years.  We attack the kids when they get home with water balloons and squirt guns.  This year, she made a homemade bubble making machine.  It was quite a hit.

Saying goodbye is hard to do.  

We took Nana and Gma Carlson to Thanksgiving Point Gardens.  We rented 2 golf carts.  I don't know if we can ever take the kids there again without getting the carts.  It was a blast.

This Koi pond was fun for feeding the fish.  It was pretty gross to hear them swarming and swimming top of each other to get the food.

The gardens have a new statue exhibit based on Christ.  They have scenes from the bible and this final scene from Joseph Smith's First Vision.  

 We took Nana to Thanksgiving Point's childrens' Museum.  

Wind Tunnel

 Tornado Creating Machine

 Katie took the boys up in the treehouse play area.  They started walking across the rope bridge.  Caleb and Blake were not aware that it was going to climb as high as it did.  They would've turned around if they could but when there's a gaggle of kids behind you, its pretty impossible to turn around.

Joshua's Graduation

Josh graduated on May 30th, 2018.  

He had all of his Grandmas and Grandpas in attendance.  

This was the best picture I had of all of them.  With a few cameras taking pictures, in can get confusing as to what camera to look at.

Nothing like a good old ribbing from you old man.

With Josh being the oldest, there is so much I don't think of.  Luckily, a couple of his friends' moms made leis for The Homies.

Afterward, we had a picnic lunch in our backyard to relax and celebrate.

Here's Blake figuring out that it can be quite a task when you need to hug grandparents goodbye.  He's got a lot of grandparents!

Joshua is 18!

Josh turned 18.  This photo is bad quality but I love the expression.  He got a machete that is much longer than it looks in this photo.  Blake was very interested.

 Josh got to have a lot of family around for his birthday because his graduation was the next day.  Great Grandma Venice, Grandpa and Grandma Carlson, Nana Shari, and Aunt Heather.  

We were very entertained watching him try to figure out how to inflate this cool hammock Nana gave him.

Everyone wanted a turn!

 "Happy Birthday to You...."  

Chocolate sheet cake and ice cream!

Fly Fishing ~ Seminary Graduation ~ XC Banquet ~ Katie's Play

 Josh and Kyle got a personal fly fishing guided trip for Christmas.  They got to spend 4 hours on the Provo River, alone, with a guide.  They learned a lot about the fish, their habits, and what flies they like.  

The best part, they said, was when the guide used a stomach pump.  He flushed water into his stomach and then sucked the contents out.  They were able to see what that fish chose to eat that day.  Then, they were able to change the flies that they were using.  Once they did that, they caught plenty of fish.  Kyle got a "Grand Slam".  That is what they call it when you catch one of every species in that river.

When I drove to pick them up, Josh had this in his hand.  He wanted to show it to Blake but I didn't bring Blake with me.  

 Josh graduated from Seminary.  

 Here is Josh with his Young Mens president and they two boys in our ward who have been with him since Kindergarten.  They are incredible friends and examples to him.

Here is Josh getting ready to hug his Track coach at his Senior year banquet.

Katie's 6th grade class put on "Tom Sawyer" at the end of the year.  Katie played the part of Tom's girlfriend, Becky.  The cute part is that the boy who played Tom has liked Katie since Kindergarten.  We will see what comes of this grade school crush in the years to come.