Classical Mystery Tour

On our last night in Park City, we went to see the "Classical Mystery Tour," a Beatles tribute band performing with the Utah Symphony. The show was part of the Deer Valley Musical Festival, held at an outdoor amphitheater at the Deer Valley Ski Resort. We got in on a family pass -- they didn't even blink when we said we had five kids; evidently Utah is more familiar with our size clan.

We got there early so we could set out our blankets and eat a picnic dinner (i.e. Quiznos sandwiches). Levi took one look at the amphitheater shell and said, "Look at the big hat!" Shortly after we finished eating, we heard thunder, dark clouds quickly rolled in with a strong wind (launching several table umbrellas), and it rained. And rained. And rained. We watched the first half of the concert huddled under an umbrella and layers of blankets. By the time they played "Here Comes the Sun," though, the clouds were gone. We were damp and a little chilled, but we had a blast. As the band came out for an encore, we all stood and sang along with "Hey Jude" and "Twist and Shout." While the band used the word "Classical", we agree with the Beatles that it was Magical.

World Series softball

We enjoyed five days of softball with Melissa and her team, Las Vegas Rage 16,in Park City. We have known and travelled with several of the girls over the last 18 months (or, in some cases, even longer), and we enjoy being at the ballpark with them cheering for a great group of girls.

Melissa participated in skills competitions (her team placed third in their division in the "around the horn" contest) and played second base in all of the team's eight games. The team's coach asked Jason and another father to help with warmups and practice, and Jason enjoyed being on the field. Melissa was also thrilled that Yvonne's parents came down from Idaho to watch four games, and that Yvonne's sister Pam came to the two games that were played in Salt Lake City.



Melissa was also selected to play in the tournament's all-star game. It was a great opportunity for her to compete in front of a large crowd, be a teammate with girls from across the West and Canada, and to play a very high level of softball. She made some new friends and smiled from the beginning of warmups through the end of the game.

With the tournament over, Melissa has a week to rest up, and then it's back to work on the field.

Parade in Park City

We're in Park City, Utah, for a family vacation and for Melissa to play in the Triple Crown World Series with her club softball team. Today all the 16-under and 18-under teams (around 50) paraded down Main Street in historic downtown Park City to open the tournament. Melissa had fun with her teammates, and the boys had a blast catching candy from the players.

Levi, in particular, had this event wired. When the candy hit the ground, he was off and running to get a piece or two. Then he figured out he's young and cute, around a bunch of 15-18 year old girls. So he stood at the side of Main Street , smiled, and waved, and they brought the candy to him. Pure genius. He collected his weight in candy while the other boys scrambled for flying candy pieces. But, being experienced at these types of things, they collected plenty, too.







With clean air, cool weather, and good teammates and parents, we had a great time.

A visit from the McKees

Our good friends Jared and Brittany McKee dropped by for a visit a two weeks ago (it's been a busy couple weeks since they left) on their way home to Idaho. We had a great time with them while they were here.

Jared and Brittany went to the boys baseball practice on a really hot, really dry Thursday evening (July 3). Levi enjoyed playing with Brittany, and Melissa and the boys had a blast playing ball with Jared. We also played guitar, goofed around, played Dance Dance Revolution, talked about old times, and just enjoyed being around each other. Yvonne has known Jared's family for as long as she can remember (she babysat him a few times, ha ha), and Jason has known Jared since Jared was 12 or 13.

Jason and Jared were in the young men's program for many years together, and they shared a lot of good experiences together hiking, playing ball, doing service projects, and lots of other activities. They're more like brothers than friends.



Over the last year we've had a great time with the McKees on a few visits together. This most recent visit was no exception, and the kids keep asking when we can see them again.

(We had to include a photo of Jason and Jared's first backpacking trip, to upper Palisades Lake, in 1995, we think. Jared is third from the left, Jason on the far right. From left, it's Nathan Brian, John Oborn, Jared McKee, Mike McKee, J.D. Oborn, Bill McKee, Craig Hall, Robert Webb, and Jason)

Divide and Conquer

Another typical Saturday for the Bohnes --

6:45 a.m.: Melissa's softball team plays in the ASA Regional tournament at Majestic Park in Las Vegas. The first game is at 8 a.m., so Melissa and Yvonne are at the field at 6:45 a.m. A wardrobe malfunction (Melissa wore the wrong color socks -- an issue the boys don't typically face) sends Yvonne home and back to the park by 8 a.m.



7:50 a.m.: Meanwhile, Dylan's baseball team has practice at 8 a.m., so Jason, Dylan, and Levi leave the house at 7:50 a.m. Jason helps run drills for Dylan's coaches, and Levi (who brought his own glove) jumps into the drills with the team, demonstraing the skills that come from having an older sister and three older brothers who play ball.

9 a.m.: With Melissa's team still playing (they ended up losing to the Southern Cal Pumas, a powerhouse team), Yvonne begins working a shift at the park's snack bar.

9:30 a.m.: Dylan's practice ends, and Melissa's game ends. Jason, Dylan, and Levi go home, water plants and sweep the driveway, and get ready to drive to southern Utah. Melissa doesn't have a game until noon, so she has some time to chill at the park with her teammates and hydrate.

10:45 a.m.: Melissa starts warming up for her next game.

11:30 a.m.: Jason, Colin, Carson, Dylan, and Levi hit the road for Santa Clara, Utah, on the way to the 50th anniversary party for our good friends Don and Pat Graf.

Noon: Yvonne's shift in the snack bar ends as Melissa's next game begins.

1:30 p.m.: Melissa's tournament ends with a disappointing loss to Miners' Gold, another strong southern Cal team. Melissa and Yvonne head to lunch (not at the snack bar).

2 p.m.: Jason and the boys arrive at the Santa Clara Valley LDS meeting house for the anniversary party. Jason grew up with the Graf's, but it's been a long time (way too long) since we've seen them. Jason enjoys catching up with the Grafs and their kids and sharing some great memories. He especially enjoys catching up with Troy, who is the same age and went to junior high and high school with Jason, and Troy's son Jason, who bakes a mean pumpkin chocolate chip cookie. The boys have a blast playing with the Graf's grandkids.

3 p.m.: Yvonne and Melissa go back to the ballpark so Yvonne can work a second three-hour shift at the snack bar, part of a team fundraiser. Melissa "helps," making sure the team doesn't have too many sno-cones left over.



8 p.m.: While Jason and the boys arrive at Jason's parent's house in Hurricane, Utah (after a mandatory stop for ice cream and french fries at the St. George Arctic Circle), Yvonne and Melissa catch a late dinner. Everyone breaths a sigh of relief that we pulled off another Saturday.



Sunday, 11:30 a.m.: After a long Saturday, we sleep in Sunday morning, the boys travel home, and we all crash on the couch to catch a few innings of Red Sox/Orioles before church.

A Day at the Beach

Melissa played in a softball tournament last weekend in San Clemente, Calif. Jason and Carson traveled with her. After the tournament, they all headed to the beach. Melissa got a sweet tanline from the butterfly bandage she needed to close a cut she got in a collision during her final game of the tournament. Before heading home Monday, they stopped for the best tacos ever at Pedro's Tacos in San Clemente -- they found that few things beat eating a fish taco (Jason), fried chicken taco (Carson), or carne asada taco (Melissa) while overlooking the Pacific.

The depth of conversation in our house

While sitting on the couch, watching television:

Jason: Whattup dude?
Levi: Whattup dad?

They continue watching television...