Busy Saturday

I am always on the look out for new fun activites that we can do on Saturdays to get out of the house. This week is no different as I was driving home from the grocery store on the radio they announced Star Nursery Kids Club @ 9:00. It was already 7:30 would we have enough time to get ready. I left it up to the kids. They wanted to go and slowly got ready. There were 3 other kids there when we arrived and the fun began. The craft was painting a pot and planting a flower.

Painting

Planting

Michael's Craft projects this summer are all based on different countries. This week was Eygpt. Making mummy pins and Petroglyphs with clay.

The morning ending with Happy Meals from McDonalds. Pokemon Cards & Monsters are the prize. Then home for some fun housework.

First Late Night Party

The kids have started begging to have sleepovers with their friends. I heard this great idea to have late nights with their friends. Then at the end of the night everyone goes home and sleeps in their own beds. I believe that our kids are still to young for sleepovers since on any given night somebody gets up and needs something. I am too tired to add additional kids that might require nightly assistance as well. So late nights are the perfect solution.

This week was Rylee's turn with her friend Jayce from summer camp. She came home with us after summer camp. There was dinner, secrets, pokemon cards, little sister, little brother, movies, and finally fingernail polish.

Painting fingernails.

They had a fun time and it was over by 9:00 and everyone then went to their own beds for a good night's sleep.

New Members of the Family

Each Spring we have birds that make their nest under our deck above the light. Each year Dave swears he will cover it up so they don't come back. By the end of summer we forget all about doing it, then spring comes again and we remember. This year is no different they arrived right on schedule. The difference this year is we have a second set of babies. They are really noise and chirp from the time the sun comes up until the sun goes down.

The Nest

Singing for their breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Sad news they were too active and fell out of the nest on Friday and didn't survive. The kids found them and helped Dave take care of them. It sure has be quiet.

Happy Father's Day

I love the excitement as the kids prepare special gifts for Dad. They quietly work on projects at summer camp to bring home and hide. They were excited to make a craft project at Michaels.

Reganne working on her's and trying to keep it a secret so the other's don't copy her.

My Super Hero...What else do I write?

Time for presents.

Dave and the kids

They sure love their Dad and we are so lucky to have him. Now it is time to eat.

IT Summer Party

The Annual IT Dept Summer Party @ Pine Valley was this weekend. It was great to get away from the heat and enjoy the fresh air, cooler temp, and visit without talking about work. Jim out did himself with too many activities and yummy food.

Yummy food with fresh fruit, BBQ hamburgers & hot dogs.

No pictures please!!

Then came the yummy treats snow cones and cotton candy.

This is as big as my head!

My turn, my turn I have my stick.

Each time a new batch was started the kids rushed over to try the new color. I ended up with a handful of cotton candy I wasn't supposed to eat or touch. I love this sweet treat and it proved to be to much and I snuck bites when they weren't looking.

It was a great party and the kids didn't want to go home. They didn't want to get up this morning for church. Everyone had sugar hangovers.

Utah County Youth Choir Visit & Concert

Our stake was asked to host the Utah County Youth Choir last weekend. We had plenty of room and decided it would be a fun family activity plus get to know new people. Saturday night we ventured to the stake center for our group. We had a group of 3 girls Emma, Mackenzie, and Chambri and a chaparone Jodi. Rylee & Reganne quickly made them members of our family and were attached to them at all times. They went to church and choir practice with us. We also spent time watching movies, playing air hocky, and watching America's Got Talent. Sunday night we all went to their concert to support them as well as listen to beautiful music.

Emma, Kenzi, Reganne, and Rylee @ the concert.

Monday was green shirt day.


Early Monday drop off back at the stake center. Ryder refused to be included in the picture.

Loading up to go home.

It was a great weekend. We loved being a host family and getting to know new friends. The concert was wonderful and the spirit was so stong.

After we dropped them off Reganne told me how much she missed them already.

I want to be like Dad!

Imitation it the greatest flattery. Tuesday when I woke up Ryder I saw something on his face. It was still dark in his room so I figured he must have a snotty nose and needed it wiped. As I sat him down to check closer it wasn't snot at all. Instead it was blue ball point pen mustache and goatee. He looked up shyly and told me he wanted to be big like dad. The giggles started and grew louder as Dave tried to wash it off.

Thank goodness it wasn't a black sharpie and it came clean with only a little scrubbing.

Summer Karate Test - Green Belt

How quickly time has flown since the Winter karate testing. Rylee wasn't sure she was ready to test so soon. I asked her if she was ready she promptly replied Ma'm and Sir told her to practice and she would be ready. This test was setup to be harder with the addition of breaking boards.

Rylee & Levi doing their one steps.

Rylee, Levi, and Sir sparing.


Rylee & Sir breaking boards. 2 hand, 2 feet, and 1 finger.

Rylee & Green Belt

After waiting for a week for the test results she came home with her new belt. She is now officially 1/2 way to her black belt. Word of warning don't come up behind her and scare her. She really packs a punch or kick.

Summer Vacation...The Zoo...Conservation Carousel

What trip wouldn't be complete without a ride on the carousel or as Ryder called it the Round About. Everyone tried to pick their favorite animal to ride on. It came down to who could run and jump on them first.

Reganne chose a lioness.

Ryder chose the lion and I got stuck with the monkey.

Rylee chose the dolphin.

It was a great way to end the day. It was off to dinner and to the airport for the flight home. Too bad the flight was delayed and we didn't get home until midnight.

Over all it was a great day.

Summer Vacation...The Zoo...Zoorassic Park

Fun adventures at the zoo this year with Zoorassic Park with 13 life-like animatronic dinosaurs all around the park. The first one we saw was on the train. It started to move and I jumped. Ryder then turned and came face to face or rather eye to eye. He jumped and let out a scream. That was it for him and the dinos. He would walk around them or refuse to walk near them.


Reganne on the other hand was in heaven. She could have stayed there forever watching them.

Surprise!!! I will spit on you.


I am covered in dinosaur spit. Do I smell??

Let's climb on. This T-Rex didn't move, make noises, or spit.

Wow what a fun adventure for kids.

Summer Vacation...The Zoo....Flat Stanley

This summer was had an additional member of our family Flat Stanley. Rylee's Achievement Days Group made Flat Stanleys to take on adventures and share with each other. We packed her in the backpacks and of she went.

First stop the Monkey Habitat.

Another stop climbing on the T-Rex.

Wow, what a day with one last picture with the gorilla.

We hope to plan more adventures with Flat Stanley. Right now she is resting from an extremely long day.

Summer Vacation...The Zoo

One of the best parts of summer vacation is taking our mini vacations. This weekend was our first one to the zoo. Our first adventure was getting on a flight to Salt Lake. This was our first time flying out of the new airport. It is such a beautiful building everyone just walked around checking everything out. Too bad it was the last flight of the night and the smaller 30 seat plane and not the jet.

Look at all the new stuff.

It was a late night by the time we made it Grandma & Grandpa's house for a quick visit and off to bed. Dave & I were up early to meet Brandon & Kim for a temple session at the Jordan River Temple for Grandma Waters temple work. Lucky for us that we have a great grandma that drove the kids to the zoo to meet us.

Let the zoo adventures begin....

Grandma JeanAnn, Rylee, and Dave on the Zoo Train.


Elephants eating hay and watching the mama feed her baby. Wow! what a big baby.

A tiger looking down at the crowd or was he looking for lunch?

Rylee relaxing by the monkeys.

Look how big we are..... Together

Annual zoo picture and they were too busy to pose.