Random Summer Activities

This summer did not disappoint.  It started out with our big family vacation, leaving the rest of the summer open for whatever we wanted.  Now that it is three months later, I can't begin to remember everything we did.  I just know that by the end of summer, I was exhausted.  I tried to fit my chores and cleaning into whatever time I could find, but found myself wanting to take advantage of what time we had, before my kids were too old to want to spend time with me or the rest of the family.

 

We got a season pass for 7-peaks water park, which we tried to go to at least once a week.  My kids are at a great age right now.  The boys are big enough to go off together and do the big waterslides.  I could take the girls on whatever they wanted, with Anika being big enough to ride on her own, and Calla enjoying the rides on my lap.  The wave pool was also a big hit.  By the end of summer they still weren't sick of it, and begged me over and over to get a pass for next year.

 

After over 11 years, and four kids, it was time to say good-bye to the crib they all slept in.  It was too old to give away, for safety reasons.  It was sad to see it go, but not sad enough to make me want to hold on to it.

 

Tanner was very proud of himself for catching a fly with his chopsticks.  It only took a couple minutes of trying.  This kid has mastered the chopsticks.

 

 Our kids love going to the Lehi City festival each year.  Every other year our ward does a float for the parade.  This year was a Kung-Fu Panda theme.  Here's Tanner with some friends at the park afterward for a carnival.  They went to a color your own sunglasses booth, and wanted to show them off for me.

 

Anika's dance class performed at the park.  She was so excited to have another chance to perform.

 

Watching the parade after they had finished. 

 

We went to the Provo parade for the fourth of July this year, and up to Bountiful for the 24th.  The entire month of July seems like one big celebration around here.  Love it!

 

Nana and Grandpa had their traditional backyard games.  Fun for all the cousins.  They all have the competitive gene, so the grandparents make sure to make it an "everyone wins" sort of thing.  Everyone comes away with prizes and happy faces. 

 

A new game this year.  If you guess the right color, you get dumped on the head with water.  It's amazing how many obscure colors these kids can come up with. 

 

For the first time ever, none of my kids were afraid of the fireworks.  Loud noises--we have them constantly at our house....and it seems like my kids can yell and squeal louder than any firework you can buy.

 

Anika got a puppet show curtain for her birthday.  The kids had a great time making up shows for Calla.  Calla had a great time ripping the curtain down and frustrating the kids who were doing the show. 

 

We have a tree that has a nest built in it every summer.  Each year we get to watch as the mommy bird brings back food and feeds her little birds.  This year one of the birds had a really hard time learning how to fly.  Somehow he got stuck in a big bucket that we use to store balls in.  The mom kept running around the outside and chirping really loud, but the baby couldn't get out by itself.

Tanner, being the animal lover that he is, had to step in and help.  He knew he couldn't touch the bird and get his scent on it.  So he put on some latex gloves.  He took a water squirter and sucked out the water in the bucket, so he could tip it on its side so the bird wouldn't be covered in water when he tipped it.  Anika named the bird Jack Sparrow, even though it was a robin.  Jack couldn't get back up in the tree.  He spent a few days hopping around the perimeter of the back yard, and the mom kept bring him food.  He fell in our window well a couple times, so we got to rescue him some more.  After a few days he got past our fence and we never saw him again.  Hopefully it turned out ok.

Calla had to sit and watch swimming lessons, longing to get in the water the entire time.  She ended up becoming friends with the dog that lived there, and followed him everywhere.  The kids did great with their lessons, moving on to new levels.  I can't believe what a difference a couple of summers with this swim school has made.

 

Lots of days were spent playing football in the front yard.  Tanner couldn't be more proud to play on the skins team.  Nathan preffered to keep his shirt on.  I love that our kids can walk out the door and have someone to play with.  With so many kids in the neighborhood, there is always a friend looking to play.  Many days were spent "hanging out" with friends.  That's how summer should be.  Playing outside till the sun sets, somehow fitting in a forced dinner, then heading back out for nightgames till mom and dad make you come in for bed.

 

My little tom-boy is becoming a girly girl like her big sister.  She LOVES the ruffly, frilly dresses, even if she doesn't know how to act feminine in them.  That's ok by me.  Dress like a girl, play like a boy.  What cute sisters!

 

Nathan has gotten a lot more into biking this year.  Jon ended up getting a bike this summer.  He and Nathan have been going on some long rides together.  They both love watching the Tour de France.  This year they were able to get VIP passes to Tour of Utah.  Both were in heaven.

 

We had to squeeze in one more trip to the zoo with Nana before the summer was over.  They always love the bird show.

 

I love when I capture a genuine smile from Nathan.  I found a trick.  Catch him in the act of bugging somebody.  His face just lights up!  Here he has a hole in his water bottle, and he is squirting his siblings. 

 

I loved this water fountain when I was little!  My mom says she loved it when she was little.  I can't believe it is still there!

 

And that was our random summer.  We also did lots of hiking, which I'll go over in another post.  Between all this, hiking, chores, karate classes, and our family trip to Disneyland and San Diego, my kids didn't ever had a chance to say "I'm bored."  I don't recall ever hearing that phrase this summer!