September 2018 - Spouses club, rafting & family

On the 1st of September, 'the Claeyskes' returned to Belgium. 
We couldn't wave them goodbye at the airport as Willem had a soccer tournament that morning.

Willem is the 5th from the left

This is my second year that I organise weekly activities for the International Military Spouses Club from September until June. This year I've also been asked to lead the 'Energy Club' for the American Military Spouses, for whom I will be organising 1 'energy' activity a month.

My first activity for this year was 'Tubing the Weber River'. A van dropped us off somewhere at the Weber River after which we could float down the river for 2 hours. A lot of fun as some parts of the river is somewhat wild, which makes it a bit exciting at times!

 

The first activity with the international spouses was the same hike I did in August with 'the Claeyskes' to see the salmon run (salmons swimming up the river to hatch).

We also had a coffee @ my place, a lunch in Salt Lake City and an autumn hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon in the Salt Lake area.

Coffee @ my place

Lunch in Salt Lake

Beautiful fall hike (Silver Lake & Twin Lakes)

Once a year there's this awesome party given by all the companies who would like to sell their services to our fighter program. 

This year it took place outside, in a park, and the theme was 'frontier'. We were welcomed in an Indian camp, we enjoyed their folkloric dancing and chanting, we could do archery and even fire a musket. 

And they always make sure there's a photo opportunity to make sure you go home with some memories in hardcopy.

Mid September, the 4 of us went for the weekend to Wyoming to do some rafting on the Snake River, in Jackson Hole. As it was at the end of the summer season, the river was not that wild anymore, but it sure developed a taste for more!

View of the Grand Tetons on our way to the rafting meeting point 

The team on our boat

On the bus back to our car. 

Being active on the cold water apparently wears you out 😆

The last week of September Geert had some meetings in Norway and Belgium. While he was away, I went with the kids to a Weber State Football game ... this is at college level.

We are not the only Belgium family who are here in Utah on assignment for the Belgian Defense. There are 4 families, and we all get together on a regular basis ... they kind of become your substitute family 😊

As we hadn't seen each other all summer (remember our busy schedule in July and August!?), it was time to catch up over a BBQ @ our place.

The 2 youngest of 'the family' 💕

Geert returned home on the 28th of September, and with him our real family arrived too!

The funny thing was that he had the same flight from Amsterdam to Salt Lake City as my parents ... and my parents didn't know! Surprise, surprise!! So my parents arrived unsuspecting to Schiphol ...

... were spied on while boarding

... and were completely surprised that Geert was travelling with them! He even got a seat next to them!

Friday night Hendrik and I picked the 3 of them up @ the Salt Lake City airport. 

This would be the second time my parents came to visit us. The first time was during our first winter here. But since I've been bragging about the unbelievable Utah Fall Foliage, they wanted to see it with their own eyes ... a perfect excuse to see us too of course 😊!

So the next day, we immediately took them on a hike in Logan (Wind Cave Trail) to show them what all the fuss is about:

Day 2, the last day of September, we went to Snowbasin to show them our ski resort ... in fall colours. This time the kids joined us. 

After this good start, my parents sure looked forward to what October had to bring!