{Happy Pioneer Day!}

Here in Utah, the 24th of July is a holiday. We celebrate the pioneers arrival to Utah on this day. Found this quote from the Library of Congress’ webiste:

“Completing a treacherous thousand-mile exodus, an ill and exhausted Brigham Young and fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints arrived in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. The Mormon pioneers viewed their arrival as the founding of a Mormon homeland, hence Pioneer Day.”

I’m so thankful for the Pioneers coming west and settling this state. I always try to imagine what it would have been like to cross the plains and I honestly don’t know if I could have done it.

So – we celebrate the 24th. Tonight we’ll be going to my parent’s for a big BBQ, fireworks in the street, and a movie projected on the house in the backyard. I have the special assignment of picking and bringing the movie. . . I don’t even know what it will be yet!

I’m so used to summer’s with a 24th of July celebration. If I ever move out of Utah it wouldn’t feel like summer without a 24th of July holiday.

When I was 15, and again when I was 16, I spent my summers working at the Sno Shack. Do you have Sno Shacks where you are? It’s a shaved ice stand. There are so many songs, smells, etc. that remind me of those days sitting in the Sno Shack. Fond memories. It was a silly job, but I loved it. Cuz I just got to work with my friends, see kids from school stop by when they bought their shaved ice and listen to music. Sometimes during the day when it was slow and I was working alone I’d get to just sit and read. Still today, summer isn’t summer until I have a Sno Shack. Mmm . . . I know EVERY flavor and I like MANY of them. So it makes it hard to choose when I get one. I’ve only had one so far this summer, but just talking about it is making me want to go out and get another right now.

Summer also isn’t summer without a trip to Bear Lake! We missed our yearly trip last year and it really felt weird! Every year since I can remember (NOT EXAGGERATING) my family has gone camping/boating at Bear Lake. It’s so much fun!! We love it there and look forward to Bear Lake every summer. I love to sit on the beach and read, eat, play games, talk around the fire, and sleep in tents. It’s such a fun time. It’s so much fun that our group just keeps growing. Once you get invited to come with us, you fall in love and end up coming back year after year!

I know this picture probably just looks hectic and busy to you, but this is SOOOOO Bear Lake to me. This is just all of us, down on the beach, hanging out. It’s honestly the most relaxing vacation. Most trips I take, we go and do and play hard and wear ourselves ragged. But Bear Lake is just FUN and RELAXATION!! Oh man I can’t wait to go!!!

We leave this year on the 31st, next Thursday. So next Friday will be a week off from new products and Show Offs. My first week off in a VERY VERY long time. You can feel free to send Show Offs if you want, and I’ll just include them in the next week’s slideshow. But why don’t we all take a week off?! We deserve it!

But don’t worry – I’ve got a little something for tomorrow! 🙂

Ok – last little thing!! ScrapMatters is starting a brand new group called the Scraps Matter Gang. Basically, its a group of scrappers who peruse the gallery, leave lots of love, and earn ScrapMatters products just for being nice and friendly! You should TOTALLY apply!!

Wow – this post got long and chatty didn’t it?! Well, I’ll just show you some LOs I’ve done recently and then sign off!

This are the two LOs I scrapped for the TWO Speed Scraps we had on Tuesday (I love double speed scrap days).

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And lastly, this is the LO I scrapped for this week’s Template Challenge at SM. So if you like the LO and want the template – go snag it here and play along in our challenge. It’s a good one this week. You have to use a quote from a movie or song on your LO. I had to go with Sandlot.

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Alrighty – see you kids later!