Family Photos ~ 2026

 

The last time we did official family photos was in 2015 ... before Landon headed out on his mission. A lot has happened in the last 11+ years. The boys have grown up, and we've added a few gals to the family. As we planned our Hawaii getaway, it seemed only logical to work in family photos while we had everyone together, and were able to take advantage of such a beautiful backdrop. We went with the basic white/tan/blue color scheme that is a favorite for beach photo shoots and still had to do some last minute shopping (for Gray, and Keaton/Cal benefitted from Landon planning several outfit possibilities). 

There were several beaches very close by where we are staying, and our photoshoot was at Fleming Beach with Gamze Smith as our photographer.  Full family photos, kid collections and couples ...

Very happy with our pictures and all the memories we made in Maui!

A Full Family 5k

There may be a FINISH line behind us in this photo ... but this was before it all started.

Many years ago, we did a family 5k. It was My First 5k ... and my only 5k. Even though it had been a good experience, and I wanted to do another one almost immediately, it didn't happen. After time passed, my anxieties increased, and I just wasn't sure I'd ever end up doing another. Hubs and a couple of the boys did one last year (My Little Man Ran) and I debated doing it. But I didn't. Earlier this year, a couple of the boys (#1 and #4) ran one (A Super 5k). #2 and his girlfriend had a summer bucket list, and a 5k was on there. Then I heard about the Linda Butters Fun run.

• It was close. By Gene Fullmer, our rec center, at the West Jordan Veterans Park.
• It was inexpensive. I try not to begrudge the costs of 5ks. I know they are often fundraisers for great causes ... but at 30+ a pop, it makes makes it a but pricey for seven entries. THIS, apparently was not a fundraiser (I'm sure it end up costing them money) but a memorial run. The entry fee was $10. Not per person ... that was the entire family, including #2's girlfriend!
• It had the swag. Chip timed, t-shirts ... that makes it a little more fun.
• Everyone was available.

 If even one family member had opted out, I probably would have too.  

Here is #1, #3 and #4 with their FlipBelts.

Ready to race!

The West Jordan Veteran's Memorial park has a big loop within it. It was closed to cars as the 4th of July carnival was being set up ... and it was where we'd be running. The finish line was also the start ... up through the center of the park, then three loops around. Because it was loops, I got lapped, but only by one son (#3), and I had just passed the end point as #5, #1 and #4 were crossing the finish line (so I could let out a little whoop). 

 This is the order they finished in.

The three top finishers were then excluded from the age group rankings ... overall 1st place was a 15-year old from the boy's high school. 2nd place was a fellow in our neighborhood (in his twenties) and 3rd place was in the age group above that I think. You can see that the Blackham Boys took the top spots (these were preliminary results, additional racers were still finishing up).

... and honestly? Those times are a little TOO good. I don't think this was a completely accurate and full 5k. I told the boys not to count this as their personal best. I forgot to snap a picture of the women's times, but I think I snuck in just under 30min ... and I can't run three miles in 30minutes (I was planning on coming in at about 40 minutes, I had my 5mph playlists on and pretty much stuck to that pace, but did stop to walk a time or two). As I rounded the last curve ... there were my boys! Hubs and all five, and they jogged the last little bit with me, cheering me on (because obviously, I was the last one from our family).

We all got our t-shirts...

...and everyone even posed for pictures!

Hooray for a Family 5k!

Take a Hike

Cal and Colton - Kings of the Mountain

Several years ago, Gray and I had gotten out hiking several times (see post), but then nothing for years and years. We had done our little nature walks earlier in the season, but then we got in quite a few hikes this summer as well. I don't know that the kids actually enjoyed them at all ... Colton once commented "what is with all this hiking?" in an exasperated tone. We were hit by a storm which had Cooper, our weather phobic child, completely stressed out, and between the crowds and getting soggy shoes, our final hike was dubbed "The Donut Falls Disaster." But we made some memories :)  Gray also got out with some of the guys on my side of the family a few times too. Here's a picture recap ...

Ensign Peak - June 2015

Gray took the three youngest boys, 

picked up Ana's two boys and Maga for a quick climb.

Suspension Bridge in Draper - August 2015

Our first family hike, sans Callahan (and Landon). Quick and close, but it was quite a climb at the start, and my heart rate got up there for a few minutes. Fun to compare everyone's Fitbit stats (steps, stairs, etc.)

Cecret Lake - August 2015

For this hike we were joined by Callahan (and his girlfriend) and the entire extended Blackham family. This was the hike where thunder rumbling had Cooper completely in tears. I pulled out some headphones and an ipod and hoped that music blasting in his ears might be able to distract him somewhat. Luckily, the storm never really materialized. It was a bit chilly, but we didn't get wet. Pretty views up at the lake, and fun to see the salamanders swimming in the water.

 You get pictures like this 

when you leave your phone where Uncle Clay can get it.

Amare got rides for much of this hike.

Hidden Falls/Donut Falls

Labor Day - 2015

Daddy thought it would be great fun to head up the mountains the morning of Labor Day. Much of Utah apparently thought it was a good idea too. Oh, the crowds. Cars parked all along the roadways. The trail got backed up at one point, it felt like we were waiting in line at Disneyland. Trying to traverse the trickling waters under the falls, the boys shoes got soaked and they were not happy. But Callahan is still giving us a smile and a thumbs up in the photos (it's his new picture pose).

Bells Canyon - September 2015

When Kolby and Jami were in town this summer ... of course we had to do another Blackham Bunch hike! We decided on Bells Canyon, nice and close. Gray and I had hiked it alone years ago ... it was a lot steeper, rocky and more challenging than I had remembered. We only went to the reservoir ... or the large puddle (I also seem to recall the water level being much higher on our previous visit). It wasn't a long hike, but it was fun. We were missing Callahan again, who had to work.

Westra Guys Friday Night Hikes

Summer 2015

Dad and Chris have been going hiking for years now. This summer, the other Westra guys (and Gray is included, having married into the family) went up the mountain trails several times. The girls were invited, but the guys tend to go faster/longer/later than I think I could have handled. Besides ... boy's night, ya know? And it's hard to compete with Scott's classy hat. I'm just not that fashionable ;)

Callahan and Amanda went hiking several times together too.

The cooler weather has now hit, so our hiking days are done for this year.

What will 2016 look like for hiking?

Nature Walks

It was a day in May, when Gray  (did you catch my rhyming there?) suggested we take a walk up around Silver Lake. It was a nice Sunday afternoon adventure. We remembered trips to the lake before, when Landon was just a baby, shortly before Cooper was born ...

We are missing Landon in these family photos (and experiences!)

Closer to home, we've also been taking walks along the canal ...

This dirt road runs along the canal right at the entrance to our neighborhood. It's a popular walking trail, and at this time of year, you can often see mama ducks and their little broods. We were lucky enough to see such a sight ...

...saw momma duck and her babies in the canal on the way home from school. Had to get out of the car and check them out. So cute! #duckies

A video posted by JenB (@jenblackham) on May 5, 2015 at 3:16pm PDT

On this trip down the canal, we also saw a bush with a billion ladybugs on it!

Okay, maybe not a billion, but a LOT.

Another walk down the canal, and we saw FIVE different mommy ducks and their  babies. It seems like whenever we see the babies they are so small, just a few days old. It is amazing how quickly they can swim and even scramble up the steep bank of the canal.

We've enjoyed getting out and about a bit this month of May ...

Family Photos

I'll admit, I'm a snapshot gal. I generally do get a lot of pictures taken, but nothing professionally. We've had a couple family photo shoots, set up by extended family, but we'd NEVER had one just for us. With Landon leaving, we figured we probably should. 

My SIL Alicia has a photography business (Gray Wren Photography) and as she is family, it did seem a logical choice. Alicia even came over and helped pick out a wardrobe. She met us at Gardner Historic Village the last day of January. It was a bit chilly, but no snow!

Here are a few candid shots from the day (taken by Gray, NOT Gray Wren) *Ü*

We were pretty excited to get our finished photos back. Alicia sent us a link to a mobile album to view online (and an app for our phone) and then dropped off a flash drive with full sized files. 

Here's a little compilation I created to share square on Instagram ...

I went ahead and updated my Facebook ... 

A new profile picture and cover photo for me.

I updated Colton's as well ...

... and, I'm not sure if you remember what this blog looked like before, 

but I updated it as well!

Yea for family photos!

Grayson commissioned a sketch from one of the photos ...

... and he created a stick figure family too.

Father's Day

Father's Day Family Photo

Happy Father's Day to Gray *Ü* It was a RAINY day ... unfortunately the rain gutter right outside our window was clogged, so from 4:00 in the morning on, there was a very noisy drip, drip, drip keeping us awake. Grayson went for a run in the rain, then got on a ladder and cleaned out the rain gutter ... what a great way to start Father's Day!

A little while back, I got a message from Gray in my inbox ... the subject line was "Father'sDay ;)" and the message was http://www.maximum-velocity.com/incra.htm which took me to the little ruler pictured above. This would be for his derby hobby. The site was just recommending the tool however, but I didn't have too much trouble locating it and getting it ordered in time.

Toad Time

For the past several years we've gone out to Scott and Amy's for the annual Westra Father's Day BBQ. The rain continued all through the day keeping us mostly indoors or under the canopy. The rain did stop enough for the kids to peek at the toads under the tramp. Who got the toads out? I did! I like toads and frogs, always have *Ü*

Portable Paracord

Grayson brought his paracord and we introduced it to the cousins. Gray worked up this clever container to house all the colors, with the bucket filled with the various tools needed. The paracord was a big hit with all the kids, and all the cousins left with several bracelets each.

And of course ... the annual family photo ... we were missing Conner, McKenna, and Wendy's bunch, which would have made a much bigger group! The "nice" photo (above) and of course, the "silly" shot (below).

Happy Father's Day!

Family Photos

The family was all in town, so the entire Blackham/Bailey clan got together for a family photo. We went to Wheeler Farm, and although I've been there before, I hadn't really noticed that it has a ton of nice picture places. Of course getting everyone there was the challenge. You should have heard my boys moaning and groaning ... "Why do we have to go take pictures?" "Do we have to smile?" "We have to wear PANTS? It's HOT!" I'd had to run around in the days preceding to locate brown shirts for everyone, the boys did NOT want to wear brown socks and shoes. I brought my own camera and tried to take a few shots of the boys myself ... they were less than cooperative and then the camera battery died. But it is good to have a nice family photo *Ü*

Backposted Pictures

Sometimes I want to compare and contrast a photo taken years ago with a current one ... I'll be posting the older photos here ...

Little Landon - last look back, kindergarten!

This had got to be one of the CLASSIC Blackham family photos! It was at a party for Grayson's work. Doesn't he look AWESOME? This was during little Callahan's "serious" photo face phase, such a happy little boy, but always a mug shot for the camera! This picture backpost is a compare and contrast shot with the same outfit years later on Keaton ... Aloha!