Laurie and I drove to Utah for a long needed vacation. My office has been going under some dramatic changes this last year and has required me to work 60-100 hours each week for the past year. I'm not much for adventure anymore because I have forgotten what it is. Since Laurie's illness I have found vacation just a time to get out of the office and relax. I have prided myself that I don't wear a watch or carry a cell phone so as not to be anchored to time or work. I have recently been promoted at work to a permanent position in management as our office's trainer and special projects manager. I'm now required to carry a phone on me 24/7 so that I'm available in case of emergencies. That is the downside of the promotion the good side is that I'm finally off 12-hour rotating shifts after 31 years and will be working 4 10-hour day shifts with 3-day weekends. My body won't know what a good nights sleep is. Laurie gave me a new digital camera this year for Christmas and a new telephoto lens for Fathers Day so that I could get back to taking pictures. We haven't done much and we thought with the kids getting married and starting their own families we had better learn to take pictures again before our minds were completly lost and we didn't recognize anyone anymore.

This first set of pictures is from the balloon festival in Provo on July 3rd

Here's Papa when we first arrived.

Smokey Bear has been around for awhile.

I have never seen the bottle of coke before and they never did take flight so we didn't get to see it in the air. They didn't even have the courtesy to give out free samples.

The pig has been a favorite for years.

I let out a cheer for the yellow and white one with the fall leaves when they announced its flight team, their from Grand Junction, Colorado.

I have yet to take a ride in a balloon. It was such a clear day I don't think the spectators cared for rain. I think it would be a blast being that high in the air just looking around and enjoying Gods creation from a different point of view. Riley said that if I really wanted to have fun he would sign us up for sky diving lessons. For now I think I'll keep my feet planted on the ground, there's plenty of things to see and do from here.