Canoeing at Payson Lake

I love to go canoeing.  I love to go with people I like, to have the children out on the water, and to enjoy the beauty of our state.  So in early August, I rounded up a bunch of family and friends, rented four canoes from BYU, and we went canoeing at Payson Lake.

It was fun!  We were out on the water, we picnicked, we hiked around the lake, but we didn't really swim because of a parasite in the water.  We toppled a couple of dead aspen trees and talked and laughed together.

I was able to convince Kent to come with us this year, so joining our complete family were Grandma Sue, Mikayla and Kila (the dog), Makenna and Luke, Christopher and Tysen and their brood, Tysen's sister Lacey and three of her kids Mazie, Ellie, and Andrew.  Heidi came with Simon and Jack, Becky and Conner Phillips, McKenzie Drake and her children Gavin, Abbie, and Quentin, and Stacie, Michael, and Ellie Mason.  It was a lot of people, but we really had a great time.  In fact, I was having such a great time, I didn't take very many pictures.

Kent and Christopher toting a canoe.

How nice to have big strong men to lift heavy things.

Just 'cause they can.

Gavin, Simon, Connor, Jack, and Brandt

Mazie,

Blythe, Makenna,

Ellie, Abbie

I am piloting the canoe and taking the picture.

Lacey, Andrew, Griffin, and Christopher

The boys were so excited to be in the canoe, 

even if it wasn't in the water.

Getting ready.

All they need is a big person to shove them into the water

and off they'll go.

Kent with Crew, Gavin, Luke, and Brandt

Sue, Ellie, Brandt, Gavin, me

I think I could have spent the whole time on the water with little bodies in the canoe.

It was a hit!

McKenzie, Ellie, Abbie, Blythe, and Stacie

Becky, Heidi, me

Gavin and Brandt hauling an "alligator head."

Brandt said, "We found it in the ocean, the lake, and thought it was a log.  I said, 'Grab that alligator head!'

So we paddled over to it and Gavin helped me get out of the water.  Then we took it back to shore." 

Heidi and Brandt toppling a dead aspen.

Well, trying anyway.

This is me carrying Brandt up a little hill so we can try and topple a dead aspen.

Pushing . . . 

more pushing . . . 

Success!

 

Simon and Jack got in the mud.

They really got in the mud.

They were fighting.

I bet they were having a good time though.

And the requisite picture of the dead fish covered in flies.

Said the children, "Gross!"