LAND SHARK!!!

Last weekend we made a surprise trek up to see Grandma and Grandpa Barton.  I love Southern Utah...it is so beautiful and feels like  HOME! :D

Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Joe had taken a drive out to Gunlock Resevoir, so we went out there to crash the party! :D 

We also drove a few more miles to a little pond to do some pokin' around in the 'wild' LOL

Josh and all the kids doing some climbing.  When Sam saw this pic he said "LOOK, OH NO, Sammy is falling down!"

Daddy and Grandma helping Emily up the other side of the little hill...

Me and my Izzy! :D

Izzy, Josh, Amanda and Sam walking in the dirt...getting as dusty as possible!  Sam also managed to get BOTH his feet stuck in the mud...thank goodness I didn't vacuum the van last week when I planned to!

Everyone loves thier Grandma...but my Emily ADORES Grandma Barton.  She was only too happy to just hang back, hold hands and enjoy some Grandma time! :D

Waaaaaay back when Amanda was about Izzy's age (under 2) whenever we would go on walks she would LOVE to find "Ant Houses" not anthills...gotta be specific here.  So here is just about everyone taking a nice close look at a REAL Ant House. hee hee hee

After we got back into St.George we headed over to Joe's new Condo...very nice! Tiny, but it is going to be really beautiful when he is done with it! 

OK, time to split up...Sam stayed with Josh, Grandpa and Nali (the dog ;) at Uncle Joe's house to watch the Jazz game and be the official soda runner. :D

The girls and I grabbed Grandma and headed over to thier house for lots of fun.  We planned on eating, swimming, playing, they were soooo excited to be with Grandma!!! First we decided to go swimming.  There is a big covered pool in thier little complex, and there is almost NEVER anyone else using it! YAY!!!  Unfortunately they don't allow kids under the age of 3...so NO diapers allowed!  On this day it was OK because Izzy is really NOT a water person.  It is really strange, she HATES the bath...and when I say HATES I mean it in all caps...she screams, kicks, & fights like we are trying to boil her alive.  *sigh*  Let's just say I have had to give her a "Bath" at the kitchen sink FAR too many times!   Buuuut she LOVES to stand in the backyard and get sprayed with icy water from the hose while laughing like a lunatic...

...that girl is NUTS!!!

Anyhoooo...

Since Izzy was OK with not going in the pool, and Amanda and Emily are pretty good swimmers Grandma and I stayed out as well and took turns trying to keep Izzy from taking the plunge by accident!

These would be Amandas feet...while doing an underwater handstand! :D

The girls had lots of fun with some Water Noodles that were left there, and Izzy was enjoying herself watching them.

We made the mistake of bringing these little floaty balls into the pool...the older girls hardly played with them, and Izzy was DETERMINED to lean out and get them...the ENTIRE time we were there.

Either Grandma or I were hanging onto the back of her shirt for the whole time...it is a miracle that we didn't all end up in the pool!  It was an even bigger miracle that our backs weren't permanently damaged from hunching over and grabbing her! ;)

The girls spent a goodly portion of the time jumping into the pool various ways; Cannonball, belly flop, twisty...you name it.  They were both standing on the edge of the pool catching thier breath and Izzy thought they might need a little help...

Yep, she pushed them in!  This is a pic of her pushing Amanda in!  Amazing that I managed to get a pic of it at all, if you are a facebook friend of mine I uploaded the video where I actually manged to catch the FIRST time she did it...freakin' hysterical!!!

...and in goes Emily!  Very dramatic huh?

After she would push them in she would SCREAM with hysterical laughter and clap.

She was SOOOOO proud of herself! LOL

She was so wet from all of the splashing when the girls would jump in that I didn't even care when she finally just laid down on the floor to splash in the water a bit.  She is the CUTEST Land Shark there ever was! :D

I drove the Van back to the house (yeah, that is my side view mirror) but the girls HAD to walk back with Grandma!

We went to Grandmas, made dinner, had popsicles, played dominos, made puzzles, played silly games with Izzy on Grandma's bed...all around it was a really great trip!  We can't wait until we get to see them again!!! :D