Lake Powell 2021

This year for the McMillan family reunion we went to Lake Powell.  It was us, my parents, and Boy's family.  Scott and Tyler had been at EFY the week prior and my parents drove them down to Wahweap, where we met them.  We left on Sunday morning and spent the night in St. George, UT.

Rest stop along 5 south

  

Mister enjoying his new tube at the hotel pool.  The breakfast was real nice:  waffles, bacon, eggs, potatoes, and OJ.  Nice setup!

We stopped at the St. George temple, which seemed to be under construction.  It looks like they're closing down the cross street the same way they did at the Salt Lake temple.  

Scott got some pretty sweet shots with his drone.  We got some footage of his RC boat for the instagram channel too.  

Mister got up on two skis.  I didn't get a photo because I was pulling him.  My dad was like, "Is he really gonna be able to do this?"  

I said, "He's determined to do so.  I'm surprised he didn't get up his first try."  After he got up and went for about ten seconds, he fell down and was done.  He still felt good about his run and I was pleased.  

I pulled five of the kids on the tube behind Afterburner.  They had a great time.  

Blake caught a pretty big striper

A storm materialized and dumped about an inch of rain while blowing severely.  We tried to depitch the tent and cover it with the rain fly but everything got soaked.  Here is our pitiful attempt at drying out the stuff.  

Blake had a pretty good trip.  He enjoyed the kneeboard and wake surfing

Even the old man learned to wake surf.  Scott filmed me because he was sure I was gonna fail.  I don't know if he was disappointed or impressed.  

Tyler finally got the hang of wake surfing.  He had a rotten attitude about it towards the beginning of the trip.  Finally he decided that he was going to just do it and had some pretty good runs.  

Heidi picked up wake surfing pretty easily

Kira did not really master wake surfing.  She kept a good attitude though.  

I taught Scott and Tyler how to drive so they could pull me.  Scott thought it was stressful.  My parents' Mastercraft does not handle well at idle.  

We visited the Grand Canyon on the way back.  Somehow when I was a kid it seemed more impressive.  It is an amazing place though.  

 

 

It was a fun trip.  A lot of driving, a normal amount of fighting, no major mechanical problems and no health scares.  I'm glad to be home.  

Swim season 2021

This year, Covid cases have calmed down enough that swim meets are resuming.  I went with Hanna to both the Wednesday night and Saturday morning meets.  It was awesome!  It's like Covid isn't even a thing anymore.  I really like the 5d mkiv and 70-200L 2.8.  I've had to experiment with the servo focusing vs. one-shot.  I prefer one shot but the action is too fast in the pool, so I used the servo AI.  I know some are blurry but that was because of the one-shot setting.  

I was at the end of the pool and thought I was all the way zoomed in, when I was zoomed out the whole way.  Even shooting on medium resolution, you can zoom all the way in to see Parker's dive, in which he's the last one off the blocks.  But at least his form is good.  

 Our team isn't very fast but the kids are having a good time.  So far no kid has had a meltdown on the blocks.  Yay for swim team!  And yay for paparazzi lens!  Okay, bye.  

March 2021

March was a busy month for birthdays.  Kira turned 11 last Saturday.   She got a down comforter, volleyball set, flip flops, swimsuit, helmet,  "The Office" trivial pursuit and laptop holder.  She is kind, thoughtful, and extremely athletic.

The Maddoxes came over on Sunday for din din and gifts.  

Blake invited over his friends for an outdoor party.  The pool was 64 degrees but they played in it anyway.  

Parker's favorite gift was the stomp rocket.  He is volume 10, 100 mph, all day long.  He can memorize easily.  He doesn't know his letters though.  

Blake's favorite gift was the twin motor Proboat Zelos RC catamaran.  Its maiden voyage was successful.  Blake remembers history facts easily.

Mr. T and his single lens shades

Kira invited over her friends for a bike ride to frozen yogurt and backyard fun.