Jordanelle

Marcus and Troy eating lunch

Millie, enjoying the cousins and food

Stud Man Jeremy

The Calm Before the Storm

The day started off innocently enough...then all Hell broke loose.  Okay, so it wasn't a hurricane or anything, but it was quite the adventure.  My dad rented a boat up at Jordanelle Reservoir for the day.  We were going to have it all day.  We were going to be able to ride in and be pulled by it all day. We were going to have lunch, dinner, and snacks by the water all day.  That was the plan.  And that is what was happening.  The kids were enjoying the water and mud at the water's edge and the adults and older kids were enjoying taking turns riding in, or being pulled by, the boat.  It was nice and hot, with a little breeze.  We started getting lunch ready: hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda and lots of other stuff.  The kids had just eaten and some were waiting for Dad to return from his latest ride.  We had seen the low, dark, billowing, clouds just to the south of us, but we waved them off and told ourselves that 'the clouds travel west, not north,' and that 'those clouds won't be here for a while, they're too far away'.  But our words had no power.  The clouds did come.  And suddenly.  At first it was just a strong, cold wind that blew.  We scampered around, at first trying to just gather in the food and paper products so they wouldn't blow away and litter the ground.  Then, we all realized that the wind was only the beginning, and without saying anything our defensive action changed from gathering to saving.    This wasn't going away, or even letting up a little.  The wind increased in speed and chill and with it came stinging rain.  We starting piling the kids into any open vehicle.  Minivans and SUV's quickly filled with frightened children.  Mom's ran around gathering what was left of the folding chairs, food, coolers and blankets and stuffed them into any space not filled with a child.  Sam, crying, and barefoot, stole down to the dock to beg Jeremy to come away from the waves rocking the out-of-control boat.  Jeremy left the boat, not able to resist Sam's plea's, and my dad, without a life jacket, steered the boat away from the dock and over to the marina.  When I finally climbed into the van I tried to calm the children's cries.  I said a prayer, yelling over the storm outside and asked Heavenly Father to bring peace and quite to the weather and our hearts and to protect my dad as he battled the waves. I then put on a movie to distract the scared and emotional kids from the storm.  Within moments the rain stopped and the wind calmed.  Everything was ok.  We were a little wind-worn and the kids were a little tear-stained, but we were all safe.  

Very Scared.

This is Heidi's truck.  Notice how windy and dark it is.

There are two motorcycles in this picture.  The wind blew the yellow one over.

Me, with the Movie going. 

Leah and Vanessa reacting to the storm.

 Thanks to Lucas for getting these pictures.  He had my camera during the whole drama and we got these great pictures.