Flaming Gorge Days....

Well a busy week & a busy weekend. Today our town hosted "Flaming Gorge Days" - the town's summer celebration. Well Dave's family gathered this weekend to run/walk in the Flaming Gorge 5k in honor of their dad ... as many of the Killpack cousins were doing it for their family reunion & it sounded like a great time. Between the 2 families - I think they packed the race quite well. I know many of the "Young's" did quite well & many took some top awards for their age groups. (I don't have the specific details!) Here they are as they gather before the race:

Tyler was our represenative for the race this year as Dave is still recooperating his knee after his surgery he had several months ago, which is still giving him some trouble & you all know I am in no way a runner. I would fall over coughing with my asthma! We are so proud of Tyler - He got a good amount of the "Young Running Gene" in him & he really does a good job & enjoys running!! Here he is as he finishes the race!
Here is a bunch of the clan after the race.

After the race the town has a Parade... it isn't much to brag about - but some of our kids had the opportunity to ride on floats with the activities they participated in over the past year. (I will post some pictures of other friends & people we know & some of you might know too:)

Here is Tyler with the Cub Scouts riding the Kiwanis float... he is almost done with cubs... WOW!!

Here is Madison on her "dance" float (nice pic - sticking her tongue out at me... !)

Then everyone grabbed lunch & met up at the park, then everyone went back to grandma's to break out cement sidewalks so that we can get the sprinkler system put in during the next couple weeks. (They are going to be sore tomorrow!) We reminisced that this is what some of us were doing the same weekend last year with Keith - but, breaking out the concrete in the backyard & he for surely broke out more & did a better job hitting it with the sledge hammer & actually making it break up... and this year they had all sorts of tools, jackhammers, & I think every brother/brother-in-law helped & it still took HOURS. I heard they had a great time cooling off with a huge water fight. Everyone got drenched & I am sure it felt good after all the hard work & being in the hot sun. (I had to stay home for several hours today to get caught up on my piles of sewing/mending/alterations that I am behind on for several people in town.) But my kids talked about it over & over tonight - so I know they had a blast!

Then they/we all took a break & we went to Darren's new house to watch a DVD presentation the Wilson's (Dave's sister Andrea & husband Kevin) put together in Memory of Keith! It was amazing!! So many hours, sleepless days & nights, sweat, & tears went into this project I am sure!! (THANK-YOU so MUCH!) I believe it had well over 500 photos put to music & was about an hour & half long. What a great heirloom/keepsake for each of us & our families to watch in the days, months, & years ahead!!

After watching the movie & crying through it plenty!! We all headed back to the house for a BBQ. Dave did a great job cooking. Here are several pictures I took of the kids/cousins as they played & hung out together!

It was great to see everyone this weekend, talk about memories we have of Keith, & be together again. I was absolutely amazed at the garden tonight (that Keith had planted the week before he passed away - a week earlier than normal) - look at how perfect it is!! Every plant is perfect!! It is beautiful! Doreen is doing a great job with it - even though she made mention to me tonight - "I should have paid more attention to what he did with the garden, as I don't have a clue"..... she must be doing something right!!

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Oh... here is a little glimps back on my week - I worked hard in the yard all week to get it pretty so we could enjoy it before summer is over & we start getting snow again... most of the time I worked until 12:30 at night & the nights were beautiful - until my neighbor came & informed me that he had killed 2 small rattle snakes (one that day & one earlier in the week.) in his yard & a gals across the street!!

Anyway - my kids & some of the cousins helped rip out all of the red lava rock in the front one day, so we added soil, tilled it, added several new flowers/plants, I created a "Drip" system & it is great!! (Plants are in great shock - hope they snap back soon!) I hope soon to get lights in & get it all covered with bark so it will look even better soon... but one day at a time.

Then here is a little of what I did in the backyard with some planter boxes & hanging baskets... it is starting to look really nice!! I love having flowers again (I am missing all the flowers from my other yard!!)