A Visit to the Aquarium

Our friends - the Kearls - have an annual pass to the aquarium. They were going to hit it one more time before their passes expired. They invited us to join them and we. were. in!

We used to have annual passes when Reagan and Cole were little, but then, it just wasn't as exciting for them to go. So, we stopped getting the passes.

A couple of years ago, the aquarium moved to a new, bigger location. We've been a couple of times since it opened and we have always gone with friends.

It's always fun to see the fish, the river otters, the stingrays, the octopus and the penguins.

Most of all, it is fun to just play and explore with friends. We explored for a few hours, then had some lunch and then explored some more.

Thanks Kearl family - we had a great time!!!!

A Family Hike

We LOVE Brighton. We love to ski there in the winter and to hike and walk there in the summer. Even though we were just at our friends' cabin up this same canyon, we came up to walk around Silver Lake.

Rachel and her family joined us for our little walkabout. I thought we were only going to walk around the lake (in fact, I almost wore flip flops), but we ended up walking around the lake and then going off the boardwalk and up a trail to a little reservoir. 

We had a great time. Cole and Stockton threw rocks into the water (I swore Cole was going to end up IN the water). We talked, had a little snack and enjoyed the beauty of this mountain. 

Kinsey was asleep by the time we came back down the mountain. We all had a fun time being together.

Our Friends' Cabin

Some friends of ours have a cabin up Big Cottonwood Canyon. It is 8 miles up the canyon and in such a great spot.

They invited the Elder's Quorum up for an evening barbecue and they invited us to join (even though Steve is a High Priest). Steve fell in love with the cabin!

It's a family cabin, but no one but our friends takes care of it or improves it or even uses it most of the time. They were kind enough to offer it to us to use. Steve even offered to buy out any of our friends' family members if they were looking to get rid of their share.

Rather than tell us all the things to do to open and close the cabin, they just offered to let us join them up there one day and then teach us what we need to know about the cabin.

We played around, talked, barbecued lunch and played.

Reagan and Cole had a ball!!!! Yep - we are lucky to have such great friends and to be able to visit their cabin.

We laughed that Big Cottonwood Canyon was Steve's playground growing up. He and his brothers and friends would hike up the canyon, ride bikes or motorbikes, fish, camp, and explore all around. We will see what happens with our friends' cabin, but we had a great day with them!

Grammy Camp

We have a friend, Cheryl, who lives in our ward and neighborhood. Cheryl served in the Primary Presidency with me years ago and has sat at church with us for years. She also has a granddaughter who is Reagan's age and the two have been friends for years. 

Cheryl decided to have "Grammy Camp" this summer. She invited all of her grandchildren and several friends to join in. Cole had a playdate so, Reagan was on her own during part of the day. They had SO much fun!!!!

They tie dyed t-shirts and did a great job. They played at the park and then returned to Cheryl's house to have lunch.

After lunch, they played some games and they painted their favorite scriptures on a poster board. Reagan used D&C 38:30 - a scripture that my mom had taught Cole and she during their last visit. She had them memorize them, so, Reagan chose to put that scripture on her board.

They had snacks and games and then headed back to the park for games and prizes. Reagan came home with a picture frame containing a pic of her and Cheryl - love it!

Thanks Cheryl for including Reagan (and Cole for the little time he was available). We had a great time!!!!

Happy Pioneer Day!!!!

Well, today was our Pioneer Day breakfast and parade. We had a great breakfast of pancakes, fruit, eggs, bacon & sausage. Then, the firetruck arrived. 

The firetruck led the children on their bikes, trikes, scooters and skateboards around the church. Reagan did just fine on her new, big bike.

 

After the parade, the firemen sprayed the fire hose on all the children. Plus, we as a Primary Presidency had filled a couple hundred water balloons. Everyone had a great time.

I posted before about how some of our Primary went downtown today to be in the Children's Parade. We missed those who were at the parade, but had a great time with those who could attend. 

We are so grateful to celebrate Pioneer Day and to honor those pioneers who sacrificed so much to travel across the country and to settle and develop this area. We love living in Utah and wouldn't choose to be anywhere else!

A Visit to Grandmas and Some Practice

We headed out to my parents' house for the day. We had lunch and hung around and talked and played games.

My mom always has a bag of treats and toys for Reagan and Cole. They keep telling her she doesn't need to do that (so do I!) but she does it nonetheless. We love seeing Grandma & Grandpa!

When we returned home, it was late afternoon. Our ward Pioneer Day Breakfast is tomorrow and we always have a parade led by a firetruck. Well, Reagan received a new bike for Christmas and hasn't been able to ride it much. I've posted before about how our circle has people that pull in and turn around so quickly that they don't see what's around them. We only let Reagan and Cole ride their bikes in the circle if I stand at the entrance to the circle to stop - or slow - any cars coming in.

So, Reagan needed some practice on her new, big bike. We headed down to the park and she - eventually - got the hang of this new bike. Reagan and Cole rode around and around and around the park until we finally said it was time to go home. Yep - I think we are ready for our Pioneer Day Parade tomorrow.

Students of the Month

As a compromise for not having to go to summer school each day, Reagan and Cole are required to spend one hour each day doing math on Khan Academy and one hour each day practicing karate. Their next belt test will be testing for black belt in November at the tournament and we need to get ourselves ready.

Their instructor, Mr. Page, has noticed how much they have improved and wanted to honor all of their hard work, so, Reagan and Cole were named Students of the Month for karate. Not sure I knew there was such an honor as I've never heard someone be named Students of the Month before, but we don't care. If someone is going to give us an award - we are going to take it!!!!!

A Lovely Dessert Menu

Reagan has this cool app on the iPad called Pencil. It comes with a little pencil that you use to draw or color or create. It also has templates to help you get started on a project.

Well, one evening, we were just hanging around. Reagan and Cole were playing on their iPads while Steve and I watched a show. Suddenly, Reagan had dessert menus for us. Check them out.

Not only did we get to choose our food and beverage, but we were also able to choose the location of our late night treat. I have to give her props as she came up with this all on her own. She does things like that often. She will come up with a coupon book for Steve or me. She will offer to get a root beer float for each of us. She will make us a card or put on a little skit for us. I love how creative she is. She must get that from Steve because I'm not creative at all. Thanks Reagan - what a fun treat!!!

Still More Summer Fun

These crazy kids are having a fabulous summer.

We love having so much time to just play and just be.

The trampoline is always fun, but add water in the form of Daddy spraying the hose on them or turning on the sprinklers at that station and it is even better :)

WE LOVE SUMMER!!!!!!

Draper Days

We took in Draper Days to the fullest this year! First, Reagan and Cole were in the parade with their karate studio. Some of us moms walked along with the trailer, helping kiddos on and off, carrying weapons, whatever was needed. 

Steve met us 3/4 of the way through the parade and then I realized I had dropped my car key at some point along the parade route. Drat! I doubled back and Steve went straight to the police. He had my key in hand before I could even get half way back down the route. 

Later that day, we hit the booths. We saw some friends in the booths and made some more friends. We HAD to get face painting. We played on the playground and met up with some more friends. 

 We had dinner while listening to Sixwire, Chicago and Kansas and enjoyed watching the gorgeous sunset. 

We finished up the night watching fireworks from the top of our car. Thanks Draper for a super fun year..... again.

Scout Camp

Cole's scout troop had a two day camp at Camp Tracy. Steve actually went to Camp Tracy back in the day, so, he was excited for Cole to go.

Mom, on the other hand, was pretty nervous. I've never left Cole with someone else (who wasn't a family member) for 8 hours or more. If he had a party or event, I always just offered to help and stayed where I could see him. Oh well - it had to happen sometime, right? I knew his leaders and I instructed him to always stay with the leaders or a buddy. I have to just trust him.

They left each morning at 8am and returned around 4:30. He had a fabulous time!

One day, they were in a part of the camp called Jurassic Journey and they dug for fossils and learned about paleontology.

The next day, they were in a part of the camp called Construction Junction and they built things with Legos.

I understood, from Cole's leaders, that he was very well behaved. Cole was super excited to go to the Trading Post. He bought a slingshot the first day and then a dog tag type necklace and a pocket knife the next day.

Yep - Cole loves Camp Tracy now and can't wait to go next year. 

(Just a note - these pics were sent to me by the leaders. Since I wasn't there, I can't really describe what was happening, but I loved having some pics for Cole to remember Camp Tracy. Thanks Leaders!!!)