Fun in Utah with the Birds!

On the Hogle Zoo Train with grandma

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!

Swimming at Seven Peaks

Mini golfing with grandma

Colton bowling...Bailey in the background

Megan's backyard dance recital with her cousin Kennedy

Megan making her shirt at the family reunion

Riding the carousel

Parker and my brother Jon with their shirts at the Ferguson family reunion

Andy, Parker and Ethan visit the Kennecott Copper Mine

While Brian took his young men on a scout trip this summer, I decided to forgo staying at home alone with three kids and going to Utah to visit with family.  I am so glad we did!  The weather was so much cooler and the kids were able to have fun playing at the park, night games with their cousins and going on long walks at night with grandma to get ice cream.  We had some really fun adventures including bowling, swimming at Grandma Great's pool, having a BBQ with grandpa, Megan performing in a backyard dance recital, going to Hogle Zoo, Parker visiting Kennecott Copper Mine, Swimming at Seven Peaks, Mini golfing with Grandma and a Ferguson Family Reunion.  We were all glad to have extra fun with family...even though we missed Brian.

Swimming Lessons

Cute kids all ready to swim

Is that the little mermaid?

Colton tries out the slide

Parker the aquaman!

Every summer the kids take swimming lessons thru the rec. center.  This was the first summer that all of the kids have taken lessons without at least one parent in the pool with them.  Colton was reluctant to get in a first, but once he got used to it we couldn't get him out!  Megan and Parker both did very well in their classes.

Annual Summer trip to Idaho!

One of Parker's favorite gifts...a fishing pole!

Celebrating the 10th birthday!

Megan riding horses

Brian, Colton and McKenzie canoeing at the pond

A little monkey climbing grandpa's trees

Everyone loved the kittens and puppies!

Colton's favorite place to be...on the four-wheeler with dad

Parker got to drive tractors and help grandpa farm

All the kids helped their cousins with 4-H pigs

Levanger cousins!!

We had a lot of fun on our annual trip to Idaho with the Levangers.  The kids had so much fun playing outside with cousins, riding four wheelers and horses, jumping on the trampoline, and sleeping out under the stars.  Some of the highlights included making tie-dyed shirts together, roasting marshmallows, swimming, canoeing and ziplining at the pond, and helping the cousins work with their 4-H animals.  I am surprised that we got away without a puppy or kitten!  On the way home we had the neat experience of seeing Brian's sister sealed to her stepson in the Twin Falls temple.  We also had a fun party for Parker's 10th birthday in Utah, complete with a BBQ and fireworks!

Yuba Lake!

Megan Kneeboarding

Parker on the boat

Colton swimming in the lake

Grandma and all the grandkids

Brian and Megan on the tube

Colton being silly

In July we got to go to Yuba lake with my mom and brothers and their families.  Everyone had such a good time playing in the water and hanging out together.  Parker and Megan tried kneeboarding for the first time and everyone loved riding on the tube and the boat and just swimming in the lake.  We got to camp out in tents, eat yummy food (including dutch oven and s'mores with Andy's homemade marshmallows), play ultimate frisbee, talk, laugh and tell PG rated ghost stories around the campfire (thanks to Grandma!)  Fun was had by all!

Patriotic Paradise!

Firework fun!

All boys love fire!

At first he hated the sparklers...then we couldn't get him  to stop!

A patriotic family

Cute Kids!!

We had a really fun Fourth of July this year.  The day started out with swim lessons for the kids.  Later in the afternoon we went over to my friend, and former mission companion, Sara's house for a big BBQ, homemade ice cream and games.  The kids shot water guns, jumped on the trampoline and played games.  Later in the evening we lit and watched fireworks.  The kids had a lot of fun with sparklers and glo sticks.  At first Colton was deathly afraid of the fireworks and then we finally talked him into holding a sparkler and he was hooked!  He kept pretending it was a Harry Potter wand and yelling "Recta Sempra!"  A fun time was definately had by all.

Family hike and escape from the heat!

The whole family...don't ask why I posed like that!

The waterfall at Cathedral Rock

Red Headed Hiker

Taking a break along the trail

This kid didn't slow down once!

So pretty and so much cooler than the valley!

Over the Fourth of July weekend we went up to the Mt Charleston Area to escape the 111 degree heat.  We had a picnic and went on a hike up to Cathedral Rock.  Colton ran the whole way up, Parker was a trooper and Megan needed some coaxing, but we all made it up.  Mom and I were the steady plodders, but hey, I have a good excuse!!  It was definately worth the hike, though.  There was gorgeous waterfall with icy cold water at the top, and even a little snow!  We all came home for a little rest, a BBQ and went to a patriotic concert.  All in all a wonderful day!!

Summer Fun!

Filling up the swimming pool

Slip 'n slide...on your feet?

Parker comes in for a crash landing

Colton and his cute friend

We are having a lot of fun this summer:  playing in the water, picnics, hikes, drive-in movies, concerts, plays,  homemade ice cream, BBQs, and much, much more!  I'm so glad I haven't had to hear the dreaded words "I'm Bored" very much this summer!!