We've Decided To Become Hikers

I've never been a huge fan of hiking.  My parents are die-hards.  Historically speaking, whenever they dragged me on a hike with them, I'd whine and complain until they lost their tempers and threatened to kill me (slight exaggeration) or let me find a rock somewhere to read on while I waited for them to finish up and return.  I happened to marry another die-hard hiker.  I don't think he fully disclosed that before our wedding.  I would have remembered that.   I knew I was in trouble when we'd been married three months and he took me on the Table Rock hike.  Table Rock is a large flat mountain top west of the Grand Tetons.  It's about a 12 mile round trip hike that climbs from about 5,000 to 11,000 feet.   I did it, and it was beautiful, but let's just say I haven't been back since.  Luckily, he took me when we were still newlyweds, so I was on my best behavior and kept my cursing to myself.  :)

Now we live about a mile from the base of the mountains.  There is a wonderful trail head just a few minutes drive from our home.  Our kids are getting older and more enthusiastic about adventures.  Nicole in particular has decided that she is going to become a die-hard hiker like her dad and grandparents.  I'm even starting to think that this could be a wonderful family activity.  It's beautiful, healthy, exciting, cheap, and we're all together for long periods of time.  It will get significantly easier when Bronson doesn't have to be carried most of the way- that boy's a TANK!!!  But for now, we'll take what we can get.  Who knows - maybe someday we'll all hike to Table Rock together. 

My new stuff

Just wanted to post a picture or two of my new kitchen table and the laminate floor we just had installed in our kitchen and dining room.  The table is lovely and very strong!!!  The laminate looks nice too, but it certainly was a pain to get installed.  I'll spare you the details, but lets just say that the "one day" job that started on July 5th was FINALLY completed (three installers later) on the evening of July 26th.  The reason we chose the particular company we went with is because they said they could get it done faster than any other company.  We wanted it finished before our table was delivered.  No luck.  We'd been eating at our new table for two weeks before the floor was finished.   If you ever need flooring, I might have a suggestion or two on who to AVOID!

The carpet used to run all the way to the kitchen - even under the bar.  Too many spills in this house for that to be a good idea.

Our pretty table!  Seats up to 10 when the leaf's in.  Who's coming for dinner? 

Now, I still want to refinish the cabinets and maybe the counter tops.  Perhaps a little paint and backsplash update could be in order as well.  But those things will come in time - at least the major stuff is taken care of.

Cousin Visitor

Last week, Paige came for her 8-year-old visit with Grandma and Grandpa.  She was only here for a few days, so we tried to see her as much as possible without being too pushy. 

I only took the camera out once the whole time she was here.  SHAME ON ME!!!

 On the day she arrived, she surprised us all by showing up at the pool with Grandma.  We were so happy to see her!  She's grown up so much and seems so mature and mellow!  She was bombarded by all the cousins as soon as she arrived.  My kids only got to play with her for about a half hour before we had to go home and put the boys to bed, but I heard she stayed for a while longer with the other cousins and that Grandpa Smith even showed up and swam for a while.

The next day, Paige came to our house while Grandma got her hair cut.  I hardly even saw her because the kids just swept her away to the basement and they played the entire time.  I heard a lot of laughing and squealing and rescuing, etc. going on, but whenever I went downstairs to take a photo, it got very boring.  I guess I'm a killjoy.  I'm sure Paige was in culture shock - going from one older teen-aged sister to four rowdy, yelling kids in her face.  It was a scream fest!!  But I think MOST of the screams were fun and part of their games and NONE of the mean screams came from or were directed at her - just sibling battles.  Grandma came back after her haircut with pizza!!!  She really knows how to please the crowds!

Just leave, Mom - we're trying to play here!

Eating Chicago corn and watching TV for a minute. 

We didn't get to see Paige for a couple of days after that because she was having fun with Grandma and Grandpa and her other cousins.  It sounds like she had a lot of fun and packed a lot of stuff into those days - shopping, restaurants, Lagoon, bouncy houses - you name it.  On the night before she left, the girls and I went over to my folks house.  The girls played with Paige one last time while my parents packed their bags (they went back to Chicago with her for a few days).  They had so much fun.  Paige is a very easy kid to get along with - a character trait she inherited from BOTH her parents.  We hadn't even pulled out of my parents driveway when the girls said, "Oh, we miss our cousin!"  And we do!

My Birthday

35.  Yep - 35!!!

Alison took this photo.  It's a little creepy!

My birthday fell on a Sunday this year.  It started out a little rough when the butterscotch pull aparts I was making for breakfast spilled all over the oven and almost smoked us out of the house.  But things got better as the day progressed.  I received wonderful, thoughtful presents and cards from my family.  In fact, some of them made me cry.  I had to substitute for a lady in our ward during Sunday School.  I taught the 13 year olds.  It was actually very pleasant and I was able to meet a few potential babysitters, so it was worth the effort! 

After church, we had a quick snack, then we put the boys down for naps. When they woke up, we went to my folks house. My mom cooked a delicious, gigantic turkey feast for my birthday! It was like Thanksgiving II (I think my birthday falls at just the right time of year for Thanksgiving II = Not too close to interfere with the real holiday and long enough since the last one that you're really missing it!) My birthday cake was angel food with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Out of this world! We spent the evening playing "squirt" in the back yard. My kids had never played it before (where you walk around the circle with a squirt bottle and everyone is trying to guess which number, movie, color, state, etc.  you're thinking of. Whoever gets it right gets squirted in the face.) They LOVED it! Even Bronson sat still in his little chair the whole time.  He never guessed the right thing (he just sat there and said nothing at all) so he never got squirted.  So funny and so cute!  It was a very fun birthday!

Opening presents from my parents.  Do you see the CASE of Perrier?!?!  YUMMY!

My very favorite picture for two reasons.  First of all, Nicki took it and she totally missed my face.  Secondly, she captured my mother plotting some evil scheme in the background!  AHHHHH!!  I think I'd better watch my back for a while!

4th of July

Happy Birthday, America!

What a fun 4th of July we had!  It actually started the night before, when the girls all went to a movie under the stars in Clearfield.  The boys stayed home - they didn't want to stay up too late -  and went to a park. 

We saw Dolphin Tale.  We had so much fun eating treats and cuddling up under lots of blankets.  While we were waiting for the show to start, a huge military tanker jet kept flying overhead very low.  It was awesome!  I've missed being close to Hill Air Force Base.  I LOVE jets!!!

Here's Nicki and I waiting for the show to start.  While we were waiting, there was lots of music and dancing and prize giving, etc.  You should have seen Nicole shake her tail feather!!!  What a great night!  We got home close to midnight.

The next morning, we attended the Kaysville city parade.  It was SMOKIN' HOT!!!  We didn't know until it was too late, but after the parade is officially over, the whole town (grown-ups and kids alike) pull out an arsenal of water guns and other squirting devices and have a city-wide water fight.  Even the city's fire trucks get in on the fun and go up and down the streets soaking everyone.  We didn't stay long because we were defenseless, but we'll be prepared next year!

Josh was in-and-out for most of the parade, but he still had a great time. He had more fun eating the licorice I brought and squirting the pavement with a squirt gun we brought to help cool ourselves off. 

Bronson and I in the street.  As soon as the parade started, everyone took to the streets - not just kids.  If you wanted to see anything, you had to stand up. 

We chose the Kaysville parade because it was one of the few local parades that still allows candy.  What would a parade be without kids running out in the middle of the road almost killing themselves for a tootsie roll!?!?

We had a bit of a sad moment when someone swooped in on a Frisbee that was obviously meant for Nicole.  She got over it eventually, but she still gets mad when she thinks about it.

After the parade, we came home for an all-American lunch, complete with these cool red white and blue drinks!!  The bottom is cranberry juice cocktail, the middle is diet Gatorade (blue of course) and the top is Sprite Zero.  The different sugar content in each drink allows them to sit on top of each other instead of mixing.

We also made red white and blue strawberries to bring to Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

We had a great hamburger cookout at Grandma and Grandpa Smith's house that night!  We had delicious food and tons of fun!!!  Katie's family was there and Kristin's came a little later - they were just coming home from a family vacation.  I love this picture of the Frisbee coming right at me!

We just hung out for a while, chatting and playing and eating - always eating... Dave had to work the next day, so he volunteered to take Bronson home for bed, but the rest of us stayed.

Then we went to the front yard and started watching the neighborhood fireworks.  My parents live in a great neighborhood!  Many families came out and watched each other's fireworks.  They shared their sparklers and pop-its with our kids.  My mom set up a card table full of red white and blue drinks and tons of candy and cookies and the whole neighborhood stopped by for a treat.  It was great fun!

We sat on the lawn and watched the neighborhood firework show.  I'm not sure all of them were legal, but it was a pretty amazing display for a neighborhood!  My sisters got a kick out of Alison.  She said, "Wait - we're going to watch fireworks in the dark?  I've never seen fireworks in the dark!"  It's true - we usually do a couple of small fireworks early in the evening, then scoot everyone off to bed.

I love this picture of the cousins! 

My aunt Sue and her family came over as it was getting dark.  Then, we all sat out in the street on lawn chairs and watched the REAL firework show.  My parents live in a great spot.  The Farmington fireworks go off literally on top of their house! It was GREAT.  Josh and Nicole only half-watched.  They were having more fun playing with their cousins and new neighborhood friends.  We let them stay up late to watch, but they were only slightly impressed. 

Catching Up

Here are a few highlights from the month of June:

First of all, David had a great Father's Day!  It started out with waffles smothered in blueberry pie filling and ice cream for breakfast (yes, that's right - ice cream for breakfast!) and it went downhill nutritionally from there!  Oh well - Father's Day comes but once per year. 

Bronson saying "cheese."
 

He got some good presents.  I gave him a lap desk for his work computer, a book and a bunch of goodies.  The girls each gave him coupons for things like foot massages and chores. 

Grandma and Grandpa Gee came to visit three times in June.  They had a very busy wedding season! The SLC temple is closed for most of the summer, so many of their missionaries got married within a few weeks of each other.  One of their visits happened to fall on the day before Grandpa's birthday, so we bought him some mint melt aways and went to Dairy Queen to buy an ice cream cake for him.  We were very happy to be able to celebrate his birthday with him.

I'm sad about not capturing any pictures of our next adventure.  One Saturday morning, Nicki and I woke up early and attended a sunrise Zumba-thon together.  It was part of the Kaysville City Art Festival.  Ali thought about coming, but when I woke her up she decided sleep sounded better.  Nicki and I had a BLAST!!  She was one of about six or eight kids there - I think she was the youngest.  But she was so full of energy and spunk!  She danced her little heart out.  After a while, she moved up to the front row to get her groove on!  We had a great morning, until it was time to go home and I realized that I'd locked our only set of keys in the car.  That (and the $45 bill for the locksmith) put a little bit of a damper on our adventure.  The camera was locked in the car, which is why there are no photos.

Other than that, we spent much of June swimming at the pool.  HEAVEN!!!  My parents belong to a country club and we are able to sign up for a pool pass under their names.  It's a beautiful, clean, warm pool.  We go at least twice per week - sometimes more.  We didn't get to do much swimming in Idaho.  We put the girls in lessons, but 10 days per year just doesn't make great swimmers.  Spending several hours per week in the water makes all the difference.  Our girls started out the month being pretty timid swimmers, but they're already very good.  By then end of the summer they'll be fish!  I grew up swimming nearly every day.  I love the water!  And (I know it's not healthy but) I love the fact that we are all getting blond hair and tan skin.  Now it truly feels like summer!

The whole extended family has a standing date at the pool on Saturdays. Clockwise from left: Dave, Grandma and Bronson, Grandpa, Alison, Nicole, Megan.

Nicki

McKenna and Nicki love their goggles.

Look at Bronson!  This photo could win a contest, don't you think?!?!?

Lagoon!

Most people would spend the day after they moved into a new house unpacking boxes, but not me.  I went to Lagoon!  Let me explain:

My dad gets these unbelievable tickets for Lagoon about once per year.  They are only good for a certain day, but they're such a great price, you can NOT pass them up, even if you're buried in boxes.  We originally planned on being in the house a few days prior to Lagoon, but that didn't pan out.  So on Wednesday, June 6th, I spent all morning unpacking as many boxes as I could and getting ready for our adventure.  When the boys woke up from their afternoon naps, we headed for Lagoon.

Josh & Nicki just about to start the first ride of the day.

Bronson was a little concerned about this ride.

All my local siblings were there, as well as my parents.  We stayed more-or-less together the whole time. For the first few hours Josh, Bronson and Adam were with us, so we went on the more mellow rides.  Bronny wasn't too sure about the fastish rides, but he liked the baby car and plane ones.  Josh was tall enough to go on a couple of pretty fast roller coasters.  I was proud of his bravery.  He was funny, though.  He wouldn't even crack a smile.  While they were on a ride, both boys looked bored, but if you asked Josh if he liked a ride, he'd say, "Yeah.  This is really fun!"  I guess he just forgot to tell his face that it was fun. 

Wow! This is totally fun!

Waiting in line with Grandpa.

Adam likes many of the rides, but he has no patience for waiting in lines or for rides to start.  He'd be yelling and banging on the seat until the ride started, then he'd have pure joy on his face as he spun around the "Space Scrambler" or the "Tilt-A-Whirl" or something  He's such a cute boy!  He had quite an adventure this time! I missed this part because I was with the boys in the baby part of the park, but Katie decided to take Adam on the "Turn of The Century" ride.  It's like a carousel of dangling swing seats.  They spin in a huge circle over a pond.  It's pretty mellow and pleasant - usually!!!  Not this time, though because Adam slipped out from under his seat belt, climbed out of his seat and jumped off the ride WHILE IT WAS GOING!!!!  Luckily, Katie grabbed him by the wrist with her good arm and held on to him while everyone yelled at the ride attendant to stop the ride.  Seriously, he was dangling in the air while the ride was spinning!  He got down safe and sound, but Katie almost had a heart attack!!  I'm just so happy he and Katie were both okay.

Adam in his wagon with Katie and Grandma.

Waiting for the ride to start.

Perfectly happy now that it's going!  I love this picture because the red car in the front with the hair flying everywhere is Alison and Nicole, the blue one in the background is Joshua and me and the red one in the middle is Katie and Adam.

Look at those happy girls!

At dinner time, David came and got our boys.  He took them home and put them to bed, then he worked on putting a new plug on our clothes dryer so that I could do laundry again (I know, he got ripped off!)  Around that time, Scot came and took Adam home as well, leaving just the big kids and grown ups.  That meant we could start going on the bigger rides. Woo hoo!!

Nicole and McKenna held hands the entire time.

Cute W. girls.

Cute H. girls.

This is only the girls' second time at Lagoon and the first time was when Nicki was about three years old, so it was their first time on real roller coasters.   Nicki had a blast.   She rode every single ride she could as many times as she could.  The only ride that gave her trouble was "Bumper Cars" and that was because she didn't know how to work the darned things!    Alison started out fine, but she psyched herself out mentally more and more with each ride.  By the time she had gone on three or four roller coasters, she was pretty close to passing out.  Seriously - I know all about Ali passing out!  She decided to skip a couple of the really crazy rides, but still had a blast on most of the others.  She rode the two wildest ones in the whole park before giving up, though - "Colossus" and "Wicked."  I was proud of her for giving them a try.  She LOVED the ones that take you up super high in the sky, then drop you.  Those ones freak me out!  My sisters and I are all die-hards.  We'll ride virtually anything.  We stayed and rode as many rides as we could until the park closed. 

Waiting to get shot into the atmosphere!

What a fun day!  The next morning, we had to buckle down and get back to unpacking.  Bummer.