Hiking

After we got home from reunion, Doug and Ben took off for scout camp.  It was just me and the three little ones at home.  With that in mind I decided to have a little "camping" at home.  I let them set up their tents inside and I took them on a hike at a local park.  It wasn't much but they enjoyed it and it got us out of the house a little.

In the early summer this is a small river.  Now it was dry and the kids took a walk in it.

Evan was the grumpy old troll living under the bridge.  Peter, Lex and Chris were the goats.

Peter with an acorn found in/near the dry river bed.

Family Reunion

The past weekend was full.  First we met up with our friends in Fruitland, WA on Friday and then drove to Lewiston, ID on Saturday for family reunion.  The area we stayed at was called Hell's Gate and aptly named it was.  It was a scorcher of a weekend.  Thankfully we were able to swim in the river.  We managed to camp next to Doug's sibling and mom so all the cousins got to play while the adults talked.  Before dinner there was some play time and Uncle Roy came prepared.  He had made a paper rocket launcher and brought it along.  All the children made paper rockets and then launched them to see how high/far they would go.  Very simple but fun to do.  Sometimes it is the simple things that are the best.

Granny with all the grandchildren.  Doug's brother, Stanley, and his wife didn't make it but Roy picked up his two girls and brought them.  So for the first time all the cousins were together.

At night we had a campfire to sit around and talk.  The kids had glow in the dark sticks to play with.  I admit I am not fond of the glow sticks, so when asked if we could take them I said yes just to get rid of them.  Chris had a glow stick hat he made.  This is it the morning after.

Lex, Peter and Spencer playing with the glow sticks.

And then the weekend was over and it was time to return to home and get ready for the next adventure.

Beach Party

I love our friends and I love that they have a cool lake to have a beach party at.  We went twice, but of course I only took pictures once.

Peter and Lex on the beach

Evan in the water

Ben and Chris on the beach

Once they found out that they could get in the boats, I was hard pressed to get them out.  Ben, Chris and Evan loved floating around the lake by themselves in the kayaks.  Lex loved the paddle boat with others and Peter even enjoyed going out with me in a kayak.  We must get a lake and some kayaks!  :)

Friendly Reunion

It has been two years since we have seen our good friends and we are so happy we could meet up this year.  However, we did have a snag to overcome.  The roads to our destination was twisty like a snake which resulted in a little car sickness.  We actually had to pull over twice for Peter and Lex and wouldn't you know it but just feet from our stop Peter lost it.  Luckily we have a "throw up" bowl for just such occasions.

Once that was all over with we pulled in the drive and the fun began.  Our children are close in age so everyone had a play buddy.  Here Lex and Kennedy are playing in the pool.

Before we headed out to the lake we got our group picture taken.  I wished we lived closer together.

The lake was fun and refreshing.  I can't believe how daring Peter was.  He was walking out without someone close by, which would have been unheard of before he took swimming lessons.

There was a little playground area for the kiddos to play at.

Of course Doug got in on the play action.  It took Ben and Chris to do the see saw with him and even then it was hard for them to do.

We went back to the house played games, ate food, and talked.  Can't wait for the next reunion.

Peter

What am I suppose to do with this goofey tan boy?  His tan is so cute especially when you see his white bum and tan rest of his body.

Evan turns Eight

Evan's actual birthday day was too full of things to actually celebrate, so we waited a couple of days and although the day was full we "penciled" him in.  :)

The day started bright and early with his baptism.

And then we went to Silverwood (pics to come) and spent the day playing.  The next day after church we had everyone over for cake and ice cream.  I asked what kind of cake he wanted and he decided on a chocolate chip cake that he found in one of his cookbooks.  Yes my children love cookbooks and it is a love I am willing to foster.

Evan is a bright boy with more energy that I can measure.  He loves to play and bounce and run and jump.  He isn't fond of work, but hopefully that will grown on him.  We love our Evan.

Silverwood

Usually or at least for the last 8 years or so, Doug's work has paid for all of it's employees and their families to go to a local water park called Splashdown.  This year however, they changed it up and paid for everyone and their families to go to Silverwood.  Can't complain with that.  Silverwood is like a mini Disneyland with rides and a water park.  As a family we have gone to Silverwood for the last two years because the children get to earn tickets through the school by reading.  In those years we have never gone to the water park so this time we did.  We may just have to do it again.  It was lots of fun.

Lex and Ben shooting the Big Gun

Peter and Lex going down the slide

Lex running in the water

We also got to "float" the water and go in the wave pool, but it's kinda hard to take pictures in the water.

While Daddy and the older boys were playing bumper cars, Peter and Lex tried on hats.

Chris and Evan in bumper cars

Then we split up into two groups for ride time.  I got the camera and the younger three.  We had a blast!

On the train ride.  Peter loved this ride and wanted to do it multiple times.

Future pilot time.  Lex and Peter in a helicopter.

Peter amazed me that he was willing to go on so many rides without me.  Here he is with Evan in a ferris wheel type ride.

The next three pictures are in sequence.  Look at Peter.  At first all is well.  He had already been on the ride with me.

Now as they start to go up his face changes and things are not okay any more.

Still not okay as the others are having fun and Ben is trying to comfort Peter. 

Swinging time with daddy and Chris.  Peter is way happy and then it starts to move.

Not so good now.  I love his face.  Maybe this makes me a horrible mother, but his facial expressions are comical on these two ride.  I am glad he is still my little boy.

Swim Lessons

After talking to a friend we signed the kids up for swim lessons this year.  I have meant to over the years but it just hasn't been convenient (too far to travel to) or cost effective (too much money).  This year it just worked out and it was nice knowing our friends would be there about the same time as us.  Each child came a long ways some more that others, but improvement nonetheless.

Peter I think may have made the most improvement.  This picture is on the last day after 18 swimming lessons.  See how much fun he is having and how much confiendance he has?  The first day of lessons he wouldn't even sit on the top step without me in there with him.  Yeah, that was a picture I'm sure.  Me with my pants pulled up and standing in the water.  Anyway, he learned to like the deeper water and even went swimming in our pool at home.  What a big boy!

Alexis was next in growth.  She was great in the shallow water but move her to the deep or even try to get her head wet took awhile.  However, she finally learned to get her head wet and enjoy it.

Evan did well in his lessons and would have done a hole lot better if he would have just listened.  He was so excited to be in the pool and wanted to "swim"  that he didn't advance as much as he could but he did improve and got even better in our pool over the course of the summer.

I can't believe he jumped.  This is the deep end at least 12' deep.  The first time he wasn't doing it, but by the end he wanted to jump and enjoyed it.  He is getting to be a good little swimmer.

Ben of course is the best swimmer.  Probably because of his age.  Although he too did not want to jump the first time it was offered, but by the end of lessons he did and went down the slide too.  Chris also went down the slide but I didn't time it right for a picture.

I can't wait for next year and hopefully we will have lessons again.