Vacation Spot #3 Centerville UT

We couldn't have a summer trip without staying with my parents.  And we couldn't stay with my parents without jam packing our days there.
Day 1:
Lagoon

Ben and I on Puff.  He is ready for the bigger kid rides, but he isn't tall enough for many of them.  He did ride Rattlesnake Rapids and Bombora (an actual roller coaster)!  I rode Bombora with him 2x in a row.  Then I had rot gut for the rest of the day.  He had to get Grandma Debbi to go on those rides with him!  I also broke my sunglasses during the day and had to get new ones at the gift shop.  RIP Oakleys that I had for like 3 years and were all scratched up.  I loved you.

Sarah showing that she has been on Bombora 5 times.  

Libby saying she has been on Bombora some number of times.  Not sure. 

On our way out.  Exhausted.  But happy.  

Day 2:  This is the Place

We picked up another 2nd cousin, Liddie to hang out with us for the day (and overnight).  We started the day at Ruth's Diner for some Mile High Biscuits.  Yum.  I was way too full after, since I ate a whole biscuit (plus a little) and then ate eggs, bacon and hashbrowns.  Bad idea.  I was sluggish the rest of the day.  But it was delish!

"Praying" with the statue at This is the Place park. 

This is the Place!

Bonnetted Sarah

The 3 lovely ladies. 

Me at RS Hall.  I tried to glean some wisdom on how to do my calling by standing in this spot for a minute or two. 

Libby's favorite part was the last area we visited.  It included both of her favorite units of study for the year, a minerals and mining section and a Native American exhibit.  They all "mined" for minerals and got quite a few.  Then we looked at the Native American "regalia" (not costumes) and went to the dancing show.

Day 3:  Aria's Birthday:  This was a bit of a recovery day.  Playing at Grandma's with Liddie, going on the slip n slide and having lunch with Drea.  (Somehow I didn't get a pic of Drea, but it was fun to see her baby bump!)  Then in afternoon we headed to Bryn and Brian's for Aria's birthday and their "Back to School" photo shoot.

Fun Mickey and Minnie Cake

Aria enjoying her cupcake.  

 Day 4:  Randall Reunion & the "Bubble"

These are my Grandpa's 3 remaining brothers  Stan, Pork and Ron.  It was fun to see and chat with some of the Randall cousins.  I wasn't close to to many of my second cousins, but it was fun to see a few of them.

Then we headed to the Bubble.  My dad came with to help manage the kids since we also brought James.  It was super perfect swimming weather.

James is super hesitant about water, but he did great!  He had a really fun time.  

Day 5:  Drive home in one day.  Thankfully I had convinced my friend Layla to go see her mom in UT at just the right time so she could drive back with me.  Time goes so much faster with someone fun to chat with.  We were making record time until we hit traffic in Snoqualamie.  But we still got home in time to unload and get to bed at a normal-ish bedtime.
This week has been a bit rough, getting back into reality.  Especially since Sarah must have gotten food poison or something on the way home.  She had it coming and going for a couple of days.  But we are back to health and back to the everyday summer grind.
It has been a memorable summer!

Vacation Spot #2: Salmon Idaho

As kids, we spent a week or so, most summers, in Salmon ID. I loved spending time at my aunt Myrna's house, and spending time with my cousins.  My kids don't have any 1st cousins their age.  But my Salmon cousins all have kids my kids' ages.  So, like 6 months ago I started pestering my cousins (who now live in UT, FL, and TX) to see if they would all be in Salmon at a time that would work for me to crash their family gathering with my kids.  It worked out that we got to see everyone except the TX family.  It was so fun!
Lots of kids, lots of energy, and lots of fun!

The drive to Salmon went through an area with a forest fire pretty close by.  It was SMOKY!  Later in the day they closed the road.  Glad we made it through before that!

We ate lunch in Stanley ID.  Cheeseburgers and chips and fries.  Super healthy (not), but very yummy.

The kids loved this sign and asked if I would leave them alone so they could get a free kitten.  Ha!  

All of us were in Salmon for about 24 hours before some of their family started having to go back to reality.  This is the chow line for that first meal together.  

What a fun bunch!  Emmi and Jonathan are really close to Libby's age.

We got to play at the main Tolman ranch house (my Dad's best Salmon friend now lives there, Edward).  They have this great swing.  Fun for all except my brother Nick, who back in the day tried to speed it up and ended up cutting his fingers in the motor.  My kids were duly warned not to do that.  

Ben and I shared one end of the tent.  Every night until the last one (when I finally realized I could prop up one side of his air mattress) he slid off the mattress and onto the floor of the tent.  But he slept right through it.

We took beautiful morning walks every day.  Amazing, right?

We had a multiple birthday celebration one lunch.  Can you tell what this rice crispie cake is?  (Hint, it is a state, with a pile of chocolate chips on a certain city.)

The wind did some major blowing once a day or so.  We woke up in this state one morning.  Yikes!

I brought a couple of crafts.  The one that caught on like wild fire was the Perlers.  The kids did Perlers off and on all weekend.  They created some pretty awesome stuff.  (For those who don't know, Perlers are little beads that you put onto boards with pegs and then iron together to create stuff, like soldiers, dragons, monsters, flowers, butterflies, etc.)  

On Monday we went down and played in the Salmon river.  

Sarah doing pushups in the river for burp or fart punishment.  I forget which.  

Finally they went out a bit farther and floated in the current.  Sarah loved it.  So did Libby and Ben, but I didn't get pics of them somehow.  

I forgot to bring towels to the river.  Ben didn't want to ride back all wet.  He wanted to walk with me (it isn't very far, like .5 mile maybe?)  He said, "Mom, this reminds me of walking home from dropping off the girls at school with you.  And now I won't be doing that, since I'm staying at school."  Melt my heart.  What a sweet boy.  He also wanted to climb and slide down the gravel pile on the way home.  It was pretty high but he just did it.

On our last night they pulled out a few skating costumes (from the roller rink days).  Sarah did a performance for us while we ate in the restaurant they created.  

The restaurant staff. 

The restaurant menu.  Cheap pizza!  Expensive Dessert!

Going out for a last train ride.  

This is almost an exact image of what did happen to Libby later on the ride.  Except she actually fell out.  A bit bruised and sad, but overall good.  No one had to get stitches the whole trip!  (In fact, I had a bad cold and ended up the only one who went to the doctor the whole trip.)

Salmon.  Gotta love it.

Vacation Spot #1 Boise Idaho!

We took a triple location vacation this summer.  It was a lot of driving for mom, but so much fun to see and do everything we did.  Stop #1 was Boise Idaho.  We stayed with the Judd family (who stayed with us in July).  The kids were so excited to see Adela again!   I was happy to get lots of decorating inspiration from Melissa's awesome house!  Then we got to spend a day with our besties who were visiting from Korea, the Fillmores!  Our day included the Boise Zoo, Pizza Hut lunch, and a Splash Park.  A fun and busy day.  

Libby and Reid.  Still so much love here!

Sarah and Gideon.  Sarah is a little taller than Gideon!  Amazing. 

Ben and Caleb.  These boys are at a silly age!

We are penguins!

 By the way, the Boise Zoo is a great place to see animals! They don't have the super fancy animal habitats, so you can actually see most of the animals.  It was pretty impressive.  We especially liked the butterfly exhibit.

Pizza Hut Buffet.  Ben is hiding under the table.  He has ceased to be my most cooperative child :(.

Adela and Ben.  Love?

I also got to take care of George the turtle since the Judds went camping while we were there.  It was actually  kind of fun.  Don't tell my kids.  I want to maintain my pet hating status.   No room for any more work around here! 

The Most Fun of All

After a week of so much fun, the house was a MESS.  I trained clients, fed my kids (although we did eat out several times), did laundry and that was it.  So yesterday, we had a cleaning day.  Each kid gave me time in 20 minute increments (they each cycled through 2x).  We cleaned the house ALMOST from top to bottom.  (Didn't get to the playroom or my bathroom).  They rotated giving me 20 minutes.  Then at the end.  I had a flash of inspiration.  Okay.  You guys gave me 20 minutes of doing what I wanted you to do.  Now I will do what you want for 20 minutes.
It was so fun and interesting to see what they wanted to do.
Libby wanted me to watch Episode 1 of "Liv and Maddie," one of her favorite shows. "So I would understand it," she explained. So I sat down for 24 minutes and watched with her.  It was really sweet for her to share that with me.  There were lots of side hugs and snuggles while we watched.
Sarah earned her kindle this week by finishing her 5th marathon.  So we spent 20 minutes adding stuff to her kindle, and figuring it out.  (I have one too, but I am still figuring it out.  It isn't like an apple device, sadly.)
Ben didn't actually get his 20 minutes because we had to go run some errands and get some dinner.
(Note to self, I am the only one who likes Chipotle, and even I prefer Cafe Rio.)
I owe him 20 today.  I'm guessing we will play with his new marble run that he earned by finishing his 4th marathon.

Chariot cart at Home Depot.  We got some supplies for their art project on Monday morning.  Sarah pushing with the other two riding.  This is worth documenting because I am sick of these huge carts.  I told them it is the last time we will ever get a chariot cart.  

I snapped this when I was out watering after I got the kids in bed.  I love our yard.