Camping!

 In January of 2012 we purchased our first Trailer brand new from Blaine Jensen and Sons RV in Kaysville. We were very eager to get out and enjoy camping. As soon as the weather was not cold we took the Jayco out for our maiden voyage to the KOA in Brigham City. We figured we wanted to go somewhere close that had full hookups so we could test out the trailer and make sure everything worked OK. New trailers typically have a few little things that don't work right and should be fixed under warranty.

Although the campground turned out to be a bust, the experience was great. We had such a great time camping and the girls loved it. They especially loved the little playground next to the trailer. It was nice to watch them from the trailer as they played on the swings and monkey bars. It was still a little chilly outside, but that did not deter the girls from wanting to be outside.

What was funny was quickly figuring out all the things we had overlooked while shopping for all the items to outfit the trailer. We made several trips to the nearby Walmart. It's a good thing we had a store nearby because we forgot so much like a garbage can and plastic garbage can liners. Unfortunately the KOA didn't allow open fires so we had to modify some of our plans for dinners and cook them in the oven. But wait, we forgot a lighter! Our friendly neighbors lent us their lighter and we were able to get the oven started. The oven didn't work properly and rather than the pilot lighting the element, a large flame shot out of the oven. That was the first on the list for repairs. But our challenges didn't deter us from sticking to our plan for meals and treats, even the old fashioned over the stove smores!

Our next camping trip was to Lagoon. Again, not real camping, but a fun experience. Since we had season passes we were able to spend two full days at Lagoon with breaks in between rides for meals and rest. At the end of the night we walked 20 feet from the side exit to our trailer and in to bed. This was by far the girls favorite trip of the year.

Up next was our first real camping trip to Idaho. We met up with the Johnsons in Rigby Idaho in July and traveled to Big Elk Creek in Eastern Idaho. The trip started out with a scare as we opted to spend the night at the Johnson's house and camp in their huge driveway. Heath was there to greet us and helped John back into the driveway next to their trailer. But, Heath wasn't paying attention to the passenger side of the trailer and was focusing on guiding John to the right. We had a very close call as our trailer grazed their trailer! Luckily it was just close enough that we touched side lights and we lost a light and they lost a light. There is a slight rub mark on both trailers but we were watched over. It could have ended badly with a canceled trip and two trailers in the repair shop. Heath still teases John about backing in to his trailer, but we know Heath is really at fault. John could not see that side of the trailer and was just following his guides. Tara wasn't paying attention to the other side until it was too late. The next morning John and Heath went to the trailer supply store and purchased new lights for about $3 each and we were on our way!

Big Elk Creek is a great camp ground. The only tricky thing was getting in there from the main highway. There is a mile-long single lane road that services both directions of traffic. We had to slow down and make room for others as they did for us as well. It was extremely nerve racking, but we made it and had a great time in a double spot we shared with the Johnsons. It was really cool to park the trailers next to each other and spend all that time together. The girls loved camping more than we imagined and we couldn't be more pleased. As is evident from their dirty faces, they don't mind playing in the dirt.

We took a day and toured Grand Teton National Park. The park is much smaller than Yellowstone and the attractions and wildlife pale in comparison. However, it was still very pretty and the crowds are much smaller than in Yellowstone. Eliza was so funny. She took her camera and was taking pictures of everyone she saw. A lot of her pictures were of some old lady who was very kind to humor her and graciously allowed her to photograph her!
On our way home from Big Elk Creek John received some really bad news. His division at HP had all been layed off. That made for a very long ride home. He had put in 7 loyal years and it was a shame that it all came to an end.

We left our trailer at the Johnsons home in Burly so we would not have to tow it all the way home just to return 3 weeks later for our trip to Island Park with Michael and Mary Margaret. Despite losing employment and not knowing what the future held for us, we decided to go forward with the next trip that had been payed for already. We did not want to put all our plans on hold and miss out on our first year of camping since the investment would only be a few hundred dollars in gas and food. As it turned out, HP asked John to come back as a contract worker for MarketSource. Although this was not the best offer, nor a long-term solution, we didn't miss a paycheck and even received a nice severance paycheck from HP so we were financially OK for the time being.
Our trip to Island Park was a lot of fun. We sure love it up there despite the long trip. With little girls who want to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes, it sure makes for a long day. We enjoyed a day in Yellowstone and saw more wild-life than we had ever before. The ever elusive bald eagle was perched out for all to see. We have seen its nest, but never the bird. The girls enjoyed feeding prairey dogs and watching the deer feed in the river.
Back at camp we took the girls down to the river to play in the shallow water just off the campground. That water is shallow and slow and the girls had a great time finding pretty rocks in the river bed. We also had another bald eagle land on the other side of the river! It was so close to us we got a really good look at it. It was fund to camp with Michael and Mary Margaret who shared a site with us and camped in a tent behind the trailer.

Due to a new job and uncertain future, we cancelled all but one camping trip which we took at the end of the year over the weekend to Willard Bay. Being the end of the season there were fewer bugs so it was the right time to go. Despite fewer bugs, there were still more bugs than the other places we camped! We showed up early and had the first pick of the camp sites. We found a wonderful site we will try to get in the future with a huge grass field next the the trailer and some really cool groves of trees that form complete canopies with little cave-like openings to go inside. The girls really liked playing in there. Unfortunately, Lea got sick that evening and threw up all over Paige many times throughout the night. The morning could not come soon enough! We went home and John took Eliza to her soccer game while Paige stayed home with the Julia and Lea. After soccer John took Eliza and Jules back to the trailer and finished camping. We really didn't want to conclude the weekend. We had a blast finishing up the season. We can't wait to go again!

Disaster Strikes!

In early December of 2011 Utah received one of the worst wind storms in its history. Wind speeds up to 120 mph rushed through Davis County which received the worst of the winds in Utah. Those wind speeds were classified as a category 2 hurricane! Needless to say, the area was ripped to shreds, and our yard and home were no exception.

This disaster was not without some entertainment, however. We watched the fences bow down to the ground one direction, then completely bow to the other side without snapping immediately!

Eventually, most fences were broken and strewn across the yards. Eliza really wanted to go outside and play. John tried to explain that the wind was so strong that it would pick her up and throw her down the street. That only peaked her curiosity and she wanted to verify that claim! Well, we kept the girls in the basement all day just in case a fence went through a window. No windows were broken, but the home and windows were continually pummeled with shingles and other flying debris.

A couple days later the bishop canceled the last two hours of church and requested that all healthy males spend the rest of Sunday cleaning up the debris around the neighborhood. Our yard was not as bad as others due to not having any big trees. Our little peach tree survived without any real damage due to its small profile and little surface area. John spend all day in the cold with the other ward members loading trailers with felled trees, shingles and siding. The local landfill was allowing free dumping of trees and shrubs. The line was about two hours long to just get int! A two mile line backed through the neighborhoods near the dump.
At the time we had State Farm insurance. It was really discouraging not hearing back from them for 72 hours! John called the broker during the storm wanting to get a jump on the inevitable line. After 24 hours he called the national disaster line and was able to make a claim. Two days later the local broker called back - not exactly timely. They had to send out a natural disaster team to help assess the damage. State Farm proved to be crooks and made a silly offer to only cover part of the roof replacement and replace only 1 side of the house where the siding was torn off! There was no chance to find replacement siding of the same type or color! Luckily John reached out to an exterior company who's unethical tactics exceeded those of the insurance company. They went to bat for us and through relentless pressure convinced the insurance company to pay for a whole new roof and all new siding! Their prices were outlandish and tread into the dishonest category, but it didn't cost us any money, as they directly billed the insurance company. Had we been able to successfully negotiate those repairs we could have saved thousands by contracting the repairs ourselves, but in the end we are just happy to have our house restored to the way it was before the storms, and that is all that matters. As a bonus, we have a brand new roof and all new siding that is void of dings and fade like the siding before.

 Here the crew completely striped the existing roof and added a new one with upgraded attic vents!

 The new roof is on but notice the fading and discoloration on the original siding.

 Our home looked like it was a new construction. Yet we continued to live there. Just watch out for the nails! We did get a couple nails in the Yukon. Fortunately Discount tire company has a fantastic warranty and fixed the two holes without any hassle or out of pocket expense.

What a transformation! We are very excited to have a "new" home out of the process. It looks great and with the upgraded exterior we have a better insulated and more efficient home!