The Beginning of our Last Year in Provo

Here we are back in Provo for Fall Semester. We ended our time in Washington, DC trying to see as many people that we could and taking it in, not knowing the next time we'd be back to a place we love so much. We all agree it was a VERY good summer.
On our way home from DC we went to a Risley Family Reunion in SD at Custer State Park. We stayed in Cabins, hiked, played in the traditional Risley Cribbage tournament (my team lost pretty badly in the first round), played in the lake, saw a lot of buffalo (Grant had an aching desire of using a bow and arrow to get one... THEY ARE HUGE!), going to Mt. Rushmore, and riding horses. We had a blast, and I think little Jackson had fun meeting all of his 2nd cousins and the Risley family!
On our way back from the family Reunion, we visited Grant's family in Rexburg. I don't think Jackson has ever had so many toys to play with in his life! He was constantly entertained by all of the blocks and the boy stuff that the Gannaways have accumulated from having 4 boys. We also went to West Yellowstone to The Playmill Theatre and had a lot of laughs (I highly recommend it!).
A week later, we finally made it back to Provo to our apartment, where we unpacked all our stuff from one room (we subleased our apartment over the summer), and got settled. We kind of finally were able to breath a sigh of relief to be home (and not travelling) and in our own space. I REALLY understand the saying "There's no place like home" now. Although we had a lot of fun this summer, it's so very nice to be home. We are excited to be back at wonderful BYU and are looking forward to another (and last) year at BYU!

Here are probably too many pictures to enjoy. I have obviously taken a lot of pictures and haven't really had the time to post any with moving and unpacking.

Great Falls, VA... we're kind of standing in the way of the falls, sorry

The Hollys! Staying strong in the gospel and about to get sealed in the temple!

Lynn Baker . Need I say more?

The neon room at a museum in DC, Jackson LOVED THIS.

The DC Temple

The Needles in the Black Hills, SD

Buffalo near our cabins!!!

Jackson's first experience with "real" sand at the family reunion

A little bit of Horseback riding in Custer State Park, SD

Our family with our Risley Reunion T-shirts 

Here we all are! That's a beautiful family.

Mt. Rushmore

West Yellowstone with the Gannaways & Shattucks

We went to Playmill Theatre in W. Yellowstone and saw Jack Shapiro perform in The Drowsy Chaperone. AMAZING!

I think this might be my all time favorite picture of Jackson.

The boy loves to play outside.

Little Tikes basketball hoop for the tub. Jackson's first basketball hoop!