It is time.

Ta-DA!

The Kona, Derek and I have decided to adopt.

(Yes, Kona has a big say in this.)

We don't know when.

We're hoping all of our friends and family will help that "when" get here faster. Ü 

All the stories we hear about adoption is that "a friend of a friend knew someone."  So please help spread the word!  We've been so lucky to spend this time with just us, but now we are ready to add a sibling for The Kona.  

We have a link to the right!

You guys, He's so close to thirty, we're probably going to give him a complex.

A Few of Derek's Favorite things

 

Chocolate Milk

Chocolate Twizzlers

Gummi Bears

His Marble-Cool-Whip-Pudding-Cake.

Happy Birthday Boy!

God Bless America and Southern Utah

This fourth of July weekend was extremely fun.
Hiking, Fireworks, Fabulous Family Fun.
This hike is in Zion's National Park, we decided to hike this one because Derek's Grandpa built a log cabin all because his dad wanted to keep him and his brothers out of trouble. It's called the Palmer Cabin.



Here's the crew, Uncle Roger, Carol, Gena, Tyler, Caleb, Logan, Derek, me, Joan, Hali and Hannah. Stephanie and Tom I think are taking the pictures.























There are many debates between all of us, Chaco vs. Keens vs. Teva, we will see who wins.




This is not the Palmer Cabin just one on the trail.









We love the Kolob area. I've noticed people from Southern Utah have a real attachment to their red Mountains. They are beautiful.








Brilliantly situated, I know.


















Baby Tyler.








Now, I know what you are thinking, does she not look like a crazy Asian? She had been walking with her hat flipped up unbeknownst to her....funny Mama.






Caleb and us riding in the back of the truck. Note to all, do not do this in National Parks, they don't allow it.


















Views of Kolob










I would have to say that the Chaco's won over.






Kannarraville Falls.


Derek and I love this hike. It's through the water, has shade, pretty slot canyons and water slides.









Steph, Hannah, Kone, Hali, Corbin, Derek, Brittany and Mama. Chris was taking the picture.



















There's a couple sections where you have to climb up the log/metal ladders to get up the water fall. I swear, every time that there is a different material on the log. The metal ladder was already going to fall off.










Luckily, Hannah and Hali took many pictures for us. They didn't even drop their cameras in the water! (It's happened a couple times before)


































The lighting was awesome!





















These are the water slides. I'll put up some movies when I get them. But here is Hannah, apparently the right slide is extremely deep and she did a somersault underwater.





















Here's Mama braving the cold water.
















































Kona is such a sport. She has a hard time climbing the log (obviously) so Derek (also a sport) has to carry her up. Sometimes when we leave her behind, (just for a minute) she starts this pathetic and ear piercing cry and tries to climb the ladder.






























For those of you who don't know, Kannarraville Falls has now been fenced off, meaning you have to walk down the road an additional mile just to get to the trailhead. Also, don't tell anyone but we dogs are no longer allowed either. Shhhh. Don't tell, but we were not about to drive Kona all the back to Cedar just because they put up a sign.



Flannigans Arch




Hali walking pretty. This hike is always fun. There are two paths, one that you can view the arch and one that you climb up to the arch. We did the view one. Derek, Kona and I have done the climb up to the arch and our lives flashed in front of us many times. It was well worth it, once.


We decided to try and climb some walls. This resulted in two sprained ankles and anger.

























It's funny to watch Derek and Kona hike. Derek is usually in the front and that is where Kona will be. Two buddies.











Big Boulders.








Apparently, I didn't get a picture of the arch uploaded. We'll have to try again. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that we got POURED ON. Ya know the flash flood warnings, well there were points I was worried. I've never been rained on so hard. We were completely soaked and we left the car windows down...Nice.



The fourth of July was the Palmer Reunion/my family was there too. It's funny how different we all are. Derek's family helped settle Cedar City, so they have many stories and journals from their ancestors. We had a presenation about Derek's Grandpa, the cabin and we each received a book about him with stories, songs, and pictures. At one point we all sang songs that their grandparents sang to them. (Which at an Oka reunion singing is not Possible)

Water Balloon and Punks

Derek and I just had a fabulous time at Lagoon. We were driving home and for some reason, Derek finds it hard to remember which street we live on, so we always miss our turn. After making a large loop we drove by a church when BLAM! A water balloon hit our car. Feeling rather mischievous and slightly angered, we decided to pull around and chase the little punks.

After we pulled in the church parking lot with our brights on, (because there are many scrub oaks they could be hiding in) we got out of the car and began to search for our little friends. We could hear them whispering and fear was in the air. I walked around the bush and behold, there he (one of the many) was. I roared (literally, we Hesley girls are loud) and proceeded to tell (yell) how pathetic he was for running away from me. Man, he booked it. Haha, I can just imagine how his littler heart was racing.

I'm a little regretful that I didn't chase him down, not to hurt him, but I did envision myself tackling him to scare him silly and perhaps sit on his head, but nothing drastic. (This is something I would do, if only I had been quicker and not worried about a lawsuit) Nuts, if only he could have walked home with the humiliation that a barely 5' lady took him down. Where is the justice?

Derek and I have now made a pact to always chase punks down when needs be.

Punk Smashers out.

There are still nice people in the world

Big Fish Story 2. It's long, but I want my posterity to know!

My sisters and I love to fish. Let me repeat, LOVE to fish. Love it so much, we go every year, for the last oh 5 years, and have yet to catch fish. If you'll recall Big Fish Story here.

Until Hali and I met John.
We woke up early to go fishing (Derek does not like to go, something about never catching anything. . . ) but never fear, only the patient win. We find a nice spot along the Weber River and set out our bait. I had recently snapped (yes I know) my fishing pole and was feeling a little irritated and here comes John.
He asked us if he saw the big fish he just caught, which we did not. Let me tell you about John's outfit, wader pants, fishing vest, nifty little worm holder, waterproof boots with some rubber over his pant and boot and a fishing hat. This guy obviously was either pretending to be a fisherman or he had to be good.
John offered to teach us how to fish (1st scary moment), but we needed to go around the river bend to this awesome spot....(2nd scary moment) and then for some reason we agreed. So while we proceeded to this spot on the river (which was out of sight of the main road) I proceeded to gather items in my pocket such as my keys and a bottle of salmon eggs. That's right, if this John guy tried something funny I was going to pelt him with my glass bottle salmon eggs. But I relaxed a little when I realized there were plenty of sticks lying around.
I had many scenarios going through my head. This John had no idea what kind of ladies he was dealing with. I admit, we may be small, but I was ready at any moment to smash this guy into the river.
(Scary Moment 3.) A couple of times Hali had to leave and go to the car (because obviously, I was not going to leave my bigger little sister with John). John told me he'd ask him out if he was 10 years younger (Scary Moment 4)I thought back to my karate classes, thinking that if he tried anything it'd probably be towards me because I am smaller. . .
While all these thoughts went through Hali and my heads, John actually helped us catch fish. He taught us how and where and why he fished there and we caught some!! I was soooo excited, as you'll see the giant beauty below, I slapped John on the shoulder, not thinking, and then (Scary moment 5) he said "give me a hug." What else could I do? Hali and I hugged him....
After a couple of hours, John had to go to his car, Hali and I were sure he was bringing back a gun (Scary moment 6). He didn't.
We had turns with John's pole. At one point (Scary Moment 7), John had a fish, and it was big. The line snapped and the fish was right on the bank, just out of Hali's reach, and it swam away. John yelled and kind of did this weird walk away from us....We thought for sure we were don't for.
In the end, John was a nice guy, slightly, still creepy, but we enjoyed his company once he actually left.

Isn't it sad that we were so worried? John proved that there are still nice people in the world

Although, Hali's Satanic Look in the picture might make a mother worry.






In case you were wondering, the large fish, my only catch of the day was 17 3/4". Hali caught the the other three and lost 3 beauties to the river.
Here's to you John!








After fishing we hiked up by the "castle" of Layton. It was actually extremely pretty. So nice and green.








Like the Sacred Grove?? Maybe. . .









(bffffff)
After Hiking, Derek and I went to Lagoon. Not so cute picture (we don't seem to have that Facebook knack for face pictures) But I told Derek we have to take a picture of us at Lagoon, maybe not after this beauty.








Random picture. Here are some chicks that are in a bush in our yard...we're hoping they live and Kona doesn't eat them.