How We've Spent Our Summer Vacation

I know! It's been awhile right??? What can I say, life gets so busy for us around here...and we only have 2 kids! (which by the way IS NOT an announcement that everybody seams to be waiting for....more on that later [maybe].)
We've been very lucky to have a nice, good, SAFE summer. We've been really busy doing family things, and the "fun things to do list". We haven't had much time to do anything else! We also have been lucky for Mark to be "busy" at work....by this I mean have at least SOME work to do. With all the side-jobs he's had it seams like he's always working. But that's okay, because it seams like I never am! (yes, I only worked 3 hours last week!!! and it was great. Hopefully it will cover my Dental Insurance! I'm laughing really hard right now, because I really hope it will!)So now, a quick run through of how our summer has been SO FAR. Just because school starts, doesn't mean summers over!

I think one of the last times I blogged, Kip had just gotten done with swimming lessons, so that's where I'll pick up....at Siers swimming lessons! He had so much fun, and did sooo well. Last year they had to bring in another teacher to take care of just him since he wouldn't even get in the water. But this year he did awesome. He loves to swim!

Sier also had his last day of Preschool with Mrs. Amy at Magic Moments preschool. He really has loved every second of it, but it's time for me to move on with a new school. So next year he will be going to Mrs. Butterfield!!! He is so excited to be going 3 days a week, and so am I!

In June Jamie had her Luau. She'd been wanting to have one for YEARS. It was really fun...really windy...really cold. I felt so bad for her! But thanks Jamie & Steve for the excuse to dress up! Next time I'll get some water-melon shells to wear since Coconuts don't fit.

Jeri, Jamie, Jessi, Me, & Kim...we were all freezing!!!

Next on the picture list is.....Independence day! I love the 4th of July. Summer, Food, Fireworks, Family, Friends, Softball. Mark put another team together for the 4th of July Tournament that the town does every year. They start the night of the 3rd, and then start again on the morning of the 4th. They did pretty good, and had a good team. The kids and I watched the parade at Marks parents house, while Mark played him some ball. Of course they had fun, but this year they weren't all into the candy like they are every other year. The highlight for the 4th of July for the Kip & Sier this year was to see Transformers 2 on the IMAX screen. They talked about it for weeks ahead, and they weren't disappointed! We went with some cousins and friends and had a fun time! The fireworks down at the city were great too! We've figured out a great spot to lay down and watch them, and every year it's better and better. We also went to a BBQ at Jeri & Cory's house...all I have to say is our kids are getting BIG! Okay, and that the BBQ was fun! I LOVE THE MONTH OF JULY!!! Here are a few pics of the 4th

Kip & Sier at the Parade

The Kids at the BBQ

Watching Fireworks

Steven & Jamie ( I love this pic. of Jamie)

J.R. & Kim...thanks JR

Jeri, Me & Bree

In July we went camping with my family up to Granite Flats in American Fork Canyon. I haven't been to those campgrounds since I was YOUNG...It is so beautiful. I've been trying to get Mark to go there for years, but he never has wanted to, but I think he's changed his mind. My mom did a "bear hunt" with all the kids. She had little treasures all over the trail that they found. She had such random things from leathermans to measuring cups! At the end of the trail there was a HUGE bag of gummie bears (that's where the "bear hunt" came from). The kids loved their treasures, and they loved trying to trade Jaxon for his leatherman...somehow rulers and measuring cups aren't as cool. Mark took the tent up to sleep in, but forgot the poles!!! So we put the kids in the trailer with Grandma and Grandpa, and slept in the back of the truck. It was also suppose to be HOT that weekend, so we didn't take anything but blankets for Mark and Me, so Craig and Jera lent us an extra sleeping bag....good thing because it was cold as H*ll that night. The next day we went for a ride up the canyon, and played. Amanda, Tim & his son Taylor came up that afternoon, and played cards with us. Kip, Sier, and Taylor all had a blast feeding the chipmunks and trying to figure out which chipmunk was Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. Sier really thinks the "Chipmunks" are real. I can't wait to go up to those campgrounds again!

Alex, Nicole, Kyler, Kip, Jaxon, Sier eating dinner.....mmmmm

Dancing on the rock

Going on the bear hunt

This is the only little girl to like Mark. Not only does she like him, she LOVES him. And she loves to put chapstick on him!

Brooklynn posing in her cow helmet.

Helmet Heads!

Mark & Me. Sometimes we like each other.

Alex got so mad at me when I gave her the broken cup, and then took pictures of her! She is the sassiest girl I know....I LOVE HER.

Taylor, Kip, and Sier watching and waiting for "Theodore" to come eat more bread.

Steven & Whitney (who claim they're "not together") went to six flags with us! It was so much fun...but so exhausting. We were late getting to the SLC airport, so we had to park in the garage or we would have missed our flight...which was way $$$$$. Next time we'll need to wake up a lot earlier! BUT we had a lot of fun with them. We went on a Wednesday...so good. We walked on most of the rides, and some we rode twice in a row. I was sick almost all day- and by the dinner time I was ready to go back to the hotel, but Mark made me stay! I'm starting to get sick when I fly, and then to go on all of those roller coasters- it didn't help. I need to start taking motion sickness pills before I fly...man, I'm getting old. But I didn't through up, and I went on all the rides, so It was a success. Kip can't wait to go again! Oh ya, this is really funny....Sier stayed home with Jera and Craig; right before we were leaving to take Sier there Kip realized that Sier got to stay their for 2 nights, and started getting upset. This is the conversation that took place... Kip "it's not fair that Sier gets to stay at Makade and Jaxons house for two nights mom!" Me: "Well it's not fair that you get to go to Six Flags and Sier doesn't." Sier: "But guess what Kip!? I don't even care!" Oh my gosh it was hilarious to listen to. Oh ya!....it was so hot and humid! We have these water bottles that you can refill all throughout the park, and I'm not exaggerating when I say we filled them at least 20 times! We would get water every time, but for some reason our bodies just held onto all the water, I was so bloated by the middle of the day I had kankles, and you couldn't even see the bones on top of my foot. My ring was stuck on my finger, and I couldn't pee! None of us did, it was the weirdest thing ever.

Kip got soaked on a ride!

Mark holding our water bottles!

Steven, Rachel & Whit after the "Riddlers Revenge"

Kip & me at the end of a LONG day.

This summer I also tried to do a lot with the kids during the week. I made up a "fun things" to do list that I emailed and sent to a lot of different people. It didn't go all that great, but we sure had fun! I took the kids to see "Ice Age" it was great, I would definitely recommend...laughed through the whole show. We also went to Splash Parks, swimming, and up to the Copper Mine. I only took my camera to the copper mine though! (and I'm soo sorry for ditching Jera and her kids at the park!) That's what happens when you don't charge your cell phone! We also got to see them do some exposives...amazing...you couldn't even hear or feel anything! They only explode two times a day, so we were pretty lucky to see it.

Kip looking down in the mine...did you know that it's 2 miles wide?

Sier needed help

Kayden, Max, Kip, Kyle, Ethan, Sier, Konner

You should click to enlarge this to read it...amazing!!

Magic on the Mountain

While Kip was off track we took the kids to Six Flags Magic Mountain. Sier said is really is called Magic on the Mountain. Kip LOVED it more than anything else. He's finally tall enough to go on a lot of BIG rides. By big, I really mean HUGE!! Roller Coasters going over 70 miles an hour, doing flips and spins, going through fire, shooting strait down to earth! HE LOVED IT!!! Sier's favorite place is still 7 Peaks. He would rather be there than anywhere, but he enjoyed the log rides, and the kid town. Siers favorite part was getting to meet the "real Batmam". He had to go back and ask him how he got there because he wanted to see the Batmobile. Batman thought that was hilarious. Sier also liked the log rides that you got wet on. We all got season passes to go back there...I can't wait to take Kip back! He still can't go on ALL the rides, but most of them.
Oh ya...we also went to a movie in Hollywood....NEVER AGAIN! We are so stupid!!! How did we know that it would be $50.00 for a matinee showing for 2 adults and 2 kids? I felt so violated...of course we didn't get drinks or popcorn to go with the movie...and Kip was dying with thirst! We are such mean parents.
We also got to take the kids to the ocean. They had so much fun doing that, the temperature outside was warm, but the water was still cold...but that didn't stop them! They played in the water with their clothes on, even though we had swimming suites in the car! They've decided that the ocean water is DISGUSTING. It would get on there lips, and they would try to lick it off.... gross. One time Sier was trying to wipe the taste of it off his tongue with his sea-salty hands...FUNNY. We can't waite to go next time. One time with just adults only hopefully...any takers???

Jackson Hole

Here it is! There have been quite a few people asking me when I was going to blog about our Jackson Hole trip. The problem was....I took my camera, made sure the battery was fully charged- but left my memory card in the laptop at home!!! So I made everybody take extra pictures for me, and I've just been waiting to get some. There is one that I haven't gotten yet that is absolutely HILARIOUS of Sier, so when I get my hands on it, it will be on here. For those of you who don't know, Marks family goes to a little camp ground that's between Star Valley and Jackson Hole to run the Snake River every year. We have been doing this since Mark and I have been dating, and I think we've only missed one year. Thank you for Dan and Gaylene who put in lots of hard work and time to make it possible. Just to recap what happened for all y'all- We make two river runs a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both of our kids went with us the first time, but only Kip went with us the second, and only the second because- we flipped the boat! It was pretty scary for him being in the cold, fast river. I don't know how I managed to keep a hold of him the whole time, luckily the worst thing is is that he lost one of his shoes!! They weren't just any shoes, it was only his second time wearing them, and they were $35.00! He was so concerned about his stupid shoe, that he couldn't focus on anything else. I felt so bad for him because he just wanted his shoe back. Luckily Mark found it on a trail head when we got off the River. Can you believe it? Somebody was able to get it out of the water, and leave it where we NEVER walk but for some reason Mark was walking on that trail! When he gave it to Kip, he had a complete melt down...all of the fear, anxiety, and emotion finally came out! So, that is the exciting River Trip for 2008....we never made it into Jackson Hole...maybe next year. Maybe next year we'll see a bear too!