20 August 2023
VOLUME 11 – NUMBER 517
Gloria and Isaac on river trip
Hello family! I don’t usually start out the newsletter with one of my articles, but for this one, I have to warn you. This is a long newsletter—it’s a doozy! So much happened this week.
Not only did we have our annual family river trip, which is one of the most important family traditions of the year, but we also had a campout with the Littles, an ultrasound, a gender reveal, a Miller family get-together, a visit from Jen, and Quinn’s birthday.
There’s so much packed into this week’s newsletter, that I might move a couple of those later events to next week’s. So find a place to get comfortable as you read this one. It’s gonna take a while!
Family hanging out on river trip
The river trip! Finally! We have spent so much time preparing for it, and now its finally here! On Day 1, I had London as my Skipper, Day 2 was Monte, and for Day 3, I had Gloria.
Day 1 went by pretty smoothly. There were a few fun rapids here and there, but other than that, it was pretty chill. Day 2 is when things really picked up! That was when Red Creek Rapid came.
And then there were the battles! There was a bit of bloodshed during the wars—not really, but you know what I mean. They were pretty brutal, especially with the new artillery.
We got new Caleb Cannons, and these things are pretty legit. They have some serious range, but that's what its all about. Nothing like the Dollar Store options we always had before.
Ashton and Kai at Stonefly campsite
There were a few alliances going on. Let’s call the first one the NiñaChuckBack Alliance. This alliance was composed of the following people: Ashton, Monte, Kai, Gloria, and Veidi. The rafts of this alliance were, Nina, Chuck, and Swayback.
There was another alliance. Let’s call them the DuckyNuggets. This group had Dad, London, and Isaac. Their rafts were Ducky 2 and Nugget. During the slower, float parts of the river is when we'd usually devise plans and attack the enemy.
Your place on the river was pretty key to the way the battle turned out. For example, if the Swayback is behind the Ducky 2, and the wind is against the current, then the Ducky 2 has greater range of fire, cause the wind carries the water cannon blast.
This also means that the Swayback has less range of fire, making it incredibly hard to hit the Ducky 2. It was really fun playing with our new Caleb Cannons on the river.
On Day 3, we were all pretty exhausted. I had a few sunburns on my legs that really hurt. It's a good thing that Day 3 didn't have many miles. We got off of the river, and started unloading our rafts into the moving truck. Then we hopped in the cars, and drove home. The river trip was over.
Kai and Monte on the Swayback
This week has been so much fun because we went on the river trip. I was a skipper and I has stressful and fun at the same time. On the first day I had Isaac on the first day and when we got to mother in law rapid my raft go on a stuck on rock tilted on one side.
On the second day I had Veidi, and this year we did a lot better in not fighting all the time. It went really smooth. We also did Red Creek Rapid and we switched Gillies (Gillligans). I was in charge on going down with Isaac, and I was so scared but we did just fine going down. After we all went down we switched the Gillies back.
On the last day, I had Kai. It was really fun. We raced Monte and Isaac because we were pretty far back. We raced to catch up and they won. Later we went cliff jumping, and I only did it once off the smallest one.
Putting tubes on rafts for the river trip
A few minutes before we got to the end, Kai and I tried to start a water war. Then we joined Swayback and Chuck and we all ganged up on Nugget and Ducky. It was really fun doing that before the rafting on the river was over.
On Friday we finished putting stuff away. Later we had Endia and Cougar’s baby reveal. Isaac, Monte, and I went to Walmart and got some extra decorations for the reveal.They are having a baby boy!
We also had James and Israel over for a few days and they had been sick. Quinn turned eight on Sunday and he was so happy all day because he is going to be baptized on the 2nd of September.
Dad and Kai eating lunch at Little Hole
The big week! The river trip has come and gone, and it did not disappoint. We had such a great time, and there’s not enough space in this article to tell all of the experiences that happened.
One of my favorite or most meaningful parts of this trip was a tradition we haven’t done for several years, but started up again this time. We call it the “Silent Mile.” At a slow part in the river, we stop paddling, group our rafts, and silently drift for a mile or so while listening to the sounds of nature around us.
I don’t know why I was so impacted by it this year, but I realized how hard that type of silence is to come by in our day to day world. Even in a home there is noise in the background that you can hear that out in nature like that, just doesn’t exist.
Family at Stonefly campsite
Friday night was awesome! Endia and Cougar are having a boy! I was originally pretty bummed that I wasn’t able to go to their gender reveal due to a work event, but I ended up deciding to stay for the reveal, and I am glad that I did!
It is so wild to see how much the family is growing with two more babies on the way with Endia and Cougar, and Luis and Emma.
Saturday was a YSA conference and it was a memorable night for many reasons! Elder Christofferson gave a devotional on Sunday night and it was a great way to end the events that have taken place over this month.
We also went to celebrate London’s birthday afterwards. The birthday madness has begun with Quinn and London, and Jen, Natalie, and Christian all coming up next week!
Packing up for the river trip
The river trip was so fun! This year, Dad promoted me to an admiral rank, so I could help him work out all the details of travel, schedule, river rosters, and packing and unpacking.
With what Dad and I have been working on, we made the river trip so much easier to get started, and more organized for the future.
Now about the river. I had a blast with all my Gilligans, and just really enjoyed being out on the water again, in the wilderness. The first day was super fun with the rapids and such. I had Veidi with me that day.
Gloria and Isaac on the Niña
On the second day I had Kai with me, and oh boy was that an eventful day! First of all, we created a song about the name of my raft. The Swayback is named after a nickname (Swayback Maru) for the USS Salt Lake City—Gradnpa Vere’s ship in World War II.
We went down a few rapids, but right as we got to Red Creek, I felt something on the rim of my glasses. I tried to shew it off, but I realized it was a chunker of a spider! Then it bit my finger!
So I went the rest of the trip with a burning sensation in my hand, but I still had a good time. Dad kept joking with me about when I was going to get my Spidey powers. I rafted Red Creek with Veidi, and then went the rest of the day with Kai.
London and Kai on the Nugget
Kai and I finished the Swayback song. On the last day, Isaac and I rafted to cliff jumping, while I taught him the Swayback song. We sang it together a couple times.
It’s also cool, because at the end of the trip Isaac was promoted to the river rank of Petty Officer First Class (PO1), which was the rank Grandpa Vere held in the Navy. For river ranks, anyone with that rank is called a “Vere.”
After practicing our song, we arrived at the place for cliff jumping, and most of us jumped a couple times. Then we rafted a few miles to the take out.
Unloading at Flaming Gorge boat ramp
The river trip was really fun. I read Hunger Games on the way there. When we got to the hotel, we went swimming, and we ate dinner KFC. After that we were going to watch a movie, but we were all pretty tired, so we ended up just going to sleep.
The next morning we drove about an hour to Flaming Gorge Dam, and we unloaded pretty fast, because we had Endia and Cougar there to help us. They also shuttled our vehicles to the bottom and saved us three or four hours, because we didn’t have to wait for Dad to do it like before. Thank you guys!
For the first day, and during Red Creek Rapid on the second day, I was with Gloria, and we had a great time. On Mother In-Law Rapid, it was pretty scary, and we got stuck on a rock. We came close to flipping, and I just said, "Don't panic!" Then Ashton came up from behind and rammed our boat off the rock, but then he almost got stuck!
Family packing for the river trip
That night at the campsite, we washed in the river and did a polar plunge (the water was pretty cold). London, Gloria, Ashton, and I convinced Kai, then Dad, and eventually Monte—everyone but Veidi. It was really funny when Dad did it, because right as he was about to go in, he hesitated and it looked really funny. We had s'mores that night. Then we went to sleep.
The next day we loaded the rafts. I was with London and it was really fun. She was voted the “Best Skipper” on the trip. She was really fun, shared her snacks, and gave good advice on when to paddle, back paddle, and not paddle.
Unloading at Stonefly campsite
We went on a couple of fun rapids, and had a good water fight with our Caleb Cannons, and then the Red Creek warning sign came while we were in our water fight. We were all surprised (except Dad), and shouted, “Red Creek’s coming!” So we got off to the left above the rapid.
At the time, Ashton was creeping up behind Dad with a cannon, oblivious to the rapid, and he was surprised when he heard our warning. He was like, “What! why didn't anyone tell me, I thought we were still in a water fight, and I was going to soak Dad!” We laughed and he got over left.
Gloria and Isaac on Red Creek Rapid
After London, Ashton, and Dad did a quick scouting of the best path, they told us it was time to go through! Gloria and I were together, and we were scared, because we were the youngest pair going down it. It was really fun though.
No one flipped and we all nailed it, well except for Ashton. Gloria and I shouted that there was a rock, he didn't see it, and almost flipped.
The rest of the day was pretty chill. We did little bombs (where Dad yells “Little Bombs” in a Gru accent and slingshots Hi Chew candies across the water for us to chase). I jumped in and got a couple. Then London and I rested and took a little nap.
London’s river trip yoga class
Then we got to Cow Camp, set up camp, and took a bath in the river, and then played games in the tent after we ate and got changed.
On the last day, I was with Monte, and it was a pretty relaxed day. We went cliff jumping, and that was really fun, I went twice, both off the tall edge. Then we got back on the river and did the Silent Mile. It was really peaceful to hear what the river sounds like without us on it.
Then we pulled out, packed up, and drove home. I read a lot in the Hunger Games again, we stopped in Rock Springs and had McDonalds for lunch, and then got back on the road.
When we got back we unpacked some stuff, got Little Caesars Pizza, and watched Emperors New Groove. Then we went to bed.
It was a really fun time, and next time I need to make sure I wear sunscreen so I don't burn as badly as I did this time, but I loved it!
Relaxing in the shade at Cow Camp
For the first day of the river trip we drove a lot. We were short one seat, so I sat in the very back of the van. I read, did drawings, and slept. It was really comfortable.
When we stopped for gas, I also made the mistake of getting purple Doritos. There was something in them that made me go a little hyper, and then after a few minutes I crashed! We got to the hotel and went swimming. After that we went to KFC and ate dinner. It was delicious.
The next day we unpacked and got ready to go on the river. Monte was my skipper, and his boat was called the Swayback. I liked being on his raft. He had a really nice energy. Somthing funny happened. I thought there was a beaver, so I said, “That is a beautiful beaver!” Then Monte told me it was a rock, so I said, “Well, that is a beautiful rock!”
Then we got to camp and roasted smores, and did the license plate memorial for past skippers. Then it was off to bed.
London and Isaac on the Nugget
The next day I was with Gloria and it was better than last year's river trip. This time we got along well. We teamed up with Chuck and Swayback to get Dad wet. It was a really fun day.
Then the next day London was my skipper and it was really fun having her for the last day. Some of them went cliff jumping, but me, Kai, and Dad didn't. We also saw two beavers. We called them Lylla, cuz of the movie Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
Then we had our Silent Mile, found the cars, packed up, and started to drive home. We stopped at McDonald's to eat some lunch, and then we continued our journey back home.
I like going on the river trip. It's just a fun experience to get to know each other better and to figure out how to be kinder and look for ways to serve each other.
Packing up at Cow Camp
While the Older's were on the river trip, Mom let us choose our cereal for the week. I chose Apple Jacks. To me, they are the best cereal in the world! Quinn got Lucky Charms, and Joanna got Fruit Loops.
After the first night, Braden and Brook watched us for the day, so Mom could help shuttle cars on the river trip. We made a fort. There were secret passage ways.
We watched Kung Fu Panda, Hotel Transylvania, and Minions: Rise of Gru. Then we had nuggets for lunch, and quiet time in our fort. For dinner we had corn dogs. When Mom came home she had to work for a little, but then we watched The Amazing Race, and then went to bed.
Cougar, Quinn, and Endia hiking
Thursday morning we went on a camping trip with Mom, Endia, Cougar, me, Quinn, and Joanna. At first, we went on a hike to the place were Cougar asked Endia to marry him. It was a wonderful hike. We even hiked in the water, and when we came back it started to rain, and it was really fun.
When we were going to our campsite, we saw a moose. It was pretty close to our camp. We set up the tent, and then we went exploring and found a dear and tons of squirrels. We had hot dogs for dinner, then s'mores, and then bed.
in the morning we put away camp, and we played a game were we had to follow Cougar, but we couldn’t touch the dirt. That meant that we had to haul logs to get between rocks. Then we went back home and started unpacking.
Mom on hike
For Arkin, shuttling the cars down to the take out point for the river trip can be that last little bit of “the dregs” before the fun starts. It usually delays them by several hours.
Endia wanted to be a part of the family fun even though she couldn’t go on the whole trip, so she volunteered to help shuttle the cars. Besides Cougar, she needed a third driver to help with the process, so I volunteered.
On Tuesday morning I headed out to meet Endia and Cougar near Flaming Gorge Dam, so they could leave the van and the rental truck at the bottom of the river, and then all of us could drive home in the Tesla. I got home just in time to teach my class for Utah Foster Care.
Mom, Quinn, Troy camping
Usually, I stay home and chill at the house with the Littles while all the Olders go on the river trip, but this year Endia and Cougar invited us to go on a hike and camping for one night and two days.
We hiked up to where Cougar proposed to Endia. The hike was beautiful. At the tail end of the hike it started to rain, but we moved forward with setting up camp, and Cougar even started two fires in the rain!
A great time was had by all. I’m sure Joanna, Quinn, and Troy had a great time.
Cougar and Endia on campout
This was a big week for us! Cougar finished his last day of classes on Monday and had finals on Wednesday.
On Monday and Tuesday we went up with the river trippers to help them shuttle vehicles, so they could get on the river earlier. We drove back home with Mom in the Tesla. It was the first time I had ever really driven the Tesla, so that was an experience.
On Thursday we had another appointment where we got to see an ultrasound! The baby was moving around a bit and it was so neat to see the face, hands and feet!
Endia and Cougar’s ultrasound
After the appointment we headed to West Jordan to do an overnight camping trip with Mom and the little kids that were not on the river trip.
We started with a hike to Lake Mary, and it was so beautiful! I loved that on the way back it started raining (I love hiking in the rain), but I think that made it harder for Joanna.
Camping was great and we were able to start a fire and do hot dogs and s’mores even though it was rainy. Sleeping was rough, but overall I had so much fun!
Gender reveal—it’s a boy!
On Friday, at our gender reveal party that London helped put together (I’m sure others helped as well), we found out what we are having!
The way we found out is that we sprayed each other with Caleb Cannons (from the river trip). London had filled each with pink or blue water beforehand, so as soon as we saw the blue all over each other, we knew! We are having a boy!
After our “water fight” reveal, we all had dinner and dessert together with the family. We are so excited!!!
London taking a nap on her boat