Pretty, Funny, Happy, Real

I wanted us to celebrate Pioneer Day this year with a dutch oven dinner, homemade root beer, and homemade ice cream.  Pioneer Day fell in the middle of the week and that didn't work for my dinner plans so we had it the Saturday after!  The food took longer to cook that I expected and the ice cream didn't quite turn out (plus I didn't make enough!)...but I learned a few things for next year!

PRETTY
 It was a nice evening to be outside in our backyard with my family!  The clouds were gorgeous!

I am really bad about getting out to the garden area of our backyard.  I was surprised at the growth that has happened in the past few weeks.  I had forgotten that Ryan bought me a purple basil plant...it is so pretty!  I need to remember to use it!

FUNNY

 As I was taking this picture he said "funny"...it fit with my heading!

 HAPPY

 Give this kid a package of blueberries and he is happy!

REAL

It is loud in our house!  Although you can't hear it...it was loud when this picture was taken.  Corbin was screaming because Logan was jumping too high on the trampoline for Corbin to jump with him.

Five for Friday

1.  Only 2 more weeks left of "official" summer vacation.  I am ready to get back into a routine again!  There is a little bit of turmoil in our home (from Jenessa) because I switched Kessiah's school (Williamsburg Intermediate) and she has a later start date than Jenessa!  I have a list of projects that Kessiah can work on until she starts...but Jenessa is still upset!  Thursday evening was an online Q&A session for Williamsburg...it answered a few questions...I'm hopeful that it will be a good experience for Kessiah.

2.  Tuesday morning was the library program.  The kids turned in their reading logs and got their free books. I did art club here in the afternoon.  We painted our pinch pots and made flowers out of milk jug lids.  Tuesday evening Kessiah had YW and Jenessa had Activity Days.  Sienna felt bad she couldn't go to Activity Days...everyone else in her Primary class is 8 now and gets to go...she doesn't turn 8 until November.

3.  Wednesday morning we met the Nymans and the Meachams at the park.  That evening was a 4H meeting for leaders...we haven't done just a leaders meeting before, I think it was a good way to begin the year.  I still don't anticipate being able to attend Community Meeting when it is indoors (my boys are too noisy), but it sounds like the first couple of meetings might be at the park...so that will be helpful for me.

4.  Thursday morning Jenessa, Sienna, and Logan did science club at the Meacham's.  That afternoon I took Mason to Scottsdale for an eye appointment.  The doctor felt like he was about the same since he had his surgery in March.  He is not ruling out a future surgery and we are still just on a "watch and see" track.  The did do a small vision test this time where we could see for sure that he was using both eyes...one of the doctor's concerns has always been that he will stop using one eye.

5.  We have enjoyed the monsoons since we got back from vacation.  It has rained several times a week and the temperature has been nice.

Five for Friday

1.  On Sunday (the day after we got back from vacation) I woke up sick!  I couldn't make it to church and I was supposed to do Sharing Time (for the first time!)  I spent the whole day in bed!  It was NOT the way I wanted to start my week back home!

2.  The girls all came home from church with party invitations!  Jenessa went to a birthday party on Tuesday.  Kessiah went to a pool party on Wednesday.  Sienna went to a birthday party on Wednesday (Logan was also invited to that one since he has a friend in the family as well!).

3.  The girls enjoyed sports camps at the Y this week...they were 2-3 hours each morning.  Kessiah did fencing, Jenessa did tennis, and Sienna did gymnastics.  I put the boys in child watch so I could walk around and watch the girls.  They are already talking about what camp they are going to do next week!  I told them they just had to do them all on the same week again...which does limit their options!

4.  I wasn't sure if Corbin would go back to sleeping in his crib this week after not sleeping in a crib for the past 2 weeks!  He actually did fine!  But he has started screaming...A. LOT.  He has come to a point where his vocabulary has not kept up with his communication needs and it is causing problems!  I'm trying to stay patient...but it is hard!  He has also decided he wants to go sit on the potty...a lot!  Which is good in a way...but frustrating in other ways because he doesn't want to wear a diaper but then he pees on the floor!

5.  Mason is really "enjoying" being a middle child.  He loves to torment both his older brother and his younger brother (yes, another cause of Corbin's screaming) and is getting really good at it!

Utah/Idaho Vacation part 4

We spent until Thursday evening with Janel, Emily, Marissa, and Charlotte.  The kids had a blast at a nearby fun center (thanks to Groupon it wasn't terribly expensive!)

Logan made me laugh with a comment he made.  The name of the fun center was Hollywood.  At one point of the morning that we went he asked me when we were going to the "log" place.  He was hearing the last part of HollyWOOD and was trying to remember what it was called!  Funny five year olds!

We spent some time the next day the the church history museum.  There were several interactive exhibits for the kids.

We walked back to the car through Temple Square and the kids loved getting wet at the outdoor mall!

 
Back to Richfield for the last couple of days.  We like the city park in Salina...it has a merry-go-round (they don't build those anymore!) and a crazy double swing that my kids love!  The kids had to sit down on the grass for a bit at the end so their stomachs could calm down!  Corbin loved the double swing with Jennica on the other side...he giggled a lot and then had a temper tantrum when he had to get off!

After being gone for 2 weeks and 1 day...some of the kids were eager to be going home and others were not!  But all were tired!

Utah/Idaho Vacation Part 3

We left Idaho on Monday after lunch and headed to Logan, UT.  Ryan and I enjoyed showing the kids around campus and enjoyed some Aggie ice cream!

My future Aggies?

After eating dinner at A&W we took the kids to The Jump Zone! (An indoor trampoline park).  The kids got good and tired (as well as hot and sweaty!)

On Tuesday we headed to the Mt Timpanogus Temple for David and Candice's sealing.  We had planned on leaving the kids to themselves and hoped they would be ok!  When we pulled into the parking lot we saw Linnea and her 2 girls.  So we left our kids outside with Linnea...the time we came out they had found a waiting room and had also found Emily, Marissa and Charlotte.

Utah/Idaho Vacation Part 2

We came back from our camping trip on the morning of the 4th, got cleaned up and ready to go to Brett's house for our annual Judy family BBQ.  Brett flooding his side yard has turned into an annual tradition.  Mason and Corbin even got in on the action this year and had a blast!  I came prepared this year with a change of clothes for the kids!

We headed out to our usual firework watching spot, got out the tarps, blankets, chairs, and snacks.

A couple of nights later we went back to Brett's house for a dutch oven dinner.  Yummy food and great company both times!