Vacation Day 1 & 2

We had a very fun, very random vacation this past week - I took about 300 pictures, can we say obsessive? My good friend Stacy welcomed us into their home for the first two nights, and we had so much fun!

We went to the county fair in Big Piney Wyoming on Saturday. They had a large petting zoo which all of the kids just loved! Grace petting the baby goat-

Watusi - whats a watusi? That big huge cow thing, with horns that spanned 6 feet! Wow. Max got to brush a cow, and he thought that was so cool!

They feed goats and sheep and a donkey.

Those goats could spot a sucker from a mile away!

The kids got balloon animals, or in Max's case a sword, Grace got a butterfly and you'll have to ask Mike what he got- I just can't remember...;) The balloon guy was quite funny- but the hypnotist we saw was a riot. The balloon's kept popping when they touched the grass, or the bleachers, or were being help perfectly still. He asked the balloon guy if he bought them at the dollar store.

He was pretty funny to watch, one kid was under and he told him when he woke up he would think he was in Mexico and was going to be really mad at him. They would get in a shoot out and he would lose. When the boy woke up the hypnotist asked him why he was so mad and the boy, in a perfect Mexican accent said, "You stole my burrito!" We laughed so hard! He was so serious- he proceeded to tell him he got the burrito at Taco Bell.

The kid in the orange shirt was so funny to watch- I found out later he was actually too young, they wanted 12 or older and I think he was like 10, but he was hard core. He was so animated and hyper.

Grace insisted she was going to ride the pony. Almost everything was free, but the ponies were $5 a piece, which isn't a big deal but Grace could have, and wanted to just keep riding all day long. It made them smile, and that was worth it.

If the ponies cost $5, how much were the camels going to cost? Nothing, they were free! Seemed a bit backwards to me, but what the heck. Grace rode with my friend Stacy's daughter Ally - Grace loves Alley - they played so cute together for 2 straight days.

Max rode with Stacy's boys, Trevor and Jacob. Jacob was a hoot, he was like the big brother Max will never have. They teased, ran, laughed, and teased some more the entire time they were together, I loved it!

They had a sand castle sculpturer creating while we were there. It was amazing to watch, he made it look so easy and the castle was very detailed.

The local school's science department was there with robotic vehicles that the kids could race, you really should click on this picture to make it bigger,the smile on Grace's face is genuine - she loved it. The science teacher took a lot of time teaching her how to control the robot and then she went to town.

They also let Grace drive the big robot - the one they had spent all last year creating in their classes - she basically tried to run Mike and I down - I had to jump out of the way and what did Grace do - laughed. Watch out when this girl gets behind the wheel!

Other than the fact that I forgot to bring sunscreen - and it was a very warm day - I had such a fun time at my good friends house - we met in 1997 at Jacob Lake and have been friends ever since - thanks Stac- for lending us a bedroom, feeding us and putting up with all of us! We also played a new game to us - Farkle, and we learned girls rule!

Tyler Fireworks

I think I took 200 pictures over the4th of July- but it's my favorite holiday. I love being with family, parades, bbq's, fireworks, flags and fun.

After the McBride family bbq we headed (quickly) (possibly a little too quickly) (possibly too quickly enough to draw attention from a uniformed guy with colored lights) (but we won't talk about that.) Max, Daisy and Grace- it is so hard to get a good picture with all of them.

Every other year Grace has loved fireworks, but this year so was scared. I think she was really doing it for the attention, but she liked the big city fireworks.

Grace and Grandma Ruth watching fireworks-

Max loved them!

Sparklers scare me-

Yes, it's an honest smile from her! Aunt Beth, Grandma Ruth, Aunt Caitlin and Grandpa Todd lighting fireworks and helping kids-

Afterwards we sat on Ruth and Todd's balcony and watched the Kaysville City fireworks while we ate homemade Oreo ice cream. It's the perfect spot to watch the beautiful show!

(And for the record, someone who wasnt' me got clocked going 19 over and somehow did not get a ticket.)(I was shocked!)

4th of July Parade

I'm almost caught up! Go me....

Anyhow, do you struggle getting your kids to sit still and look at the camera? This was like the 50th picture and it's not all that great - but I got one!
Grace loves Brenda - we're walking to the parade in Hyrum. She asks why Brenda isn't still at grandma's, she just doesn't get she lives 15 hours away.

Nicole had our space at the parade saved for 4 days - right in front of the cemetary, just like every year. Max wanted to go in "that cage and play." Yeah, no.

Cassie and Josh, do they look like love birds?

My nephew Ty and his killer smile.

My brother Patch - first fourth since his mission

Grace and my niece Adi - they insisted on wearing the necklaces under one arm

Brother Jordan, Tytan, and Brenda

Me and my mom- I love her!

Brother Jordan - he's cool.

Mike and Max waiting for the parade to start-

Niece Nayvie

Sister Nicole and baby Emery

Grandpa Guy is in the firetruck, thats him arm...

My nices Maggie and Libby were in the parade

The parade was only an hour long this year. After the parade we had a BBQ at my moms and then the kids swam and Mike, my mom, Brenda and I went to the town square to walk through the booths. We had a great day!

Sugar Cookies @ the 4th

What kid doesn't like to decorate sugar cookies? Brenda watching the kids decorate, or eat while decorating, their cookies.

Nayvie and Bracken were so particular about their frosting, versus Adi, Grace and Max who shall we say, slopped it on.

I think this one was Ty's-

This was Grace's - it actually dried pretty well and we were able to lift the cookie off the plate to eat it. I was surprised the frosting hardened and dried so well.

Nayvie's

Grace- not looking at the camera and Adi being a total cheese.

Just a little messy - what a good idea Aunt Veronica had... glad the mess was at Grandma's house!

For the record, I won't buy the sugar cookie add on through Bountiful Baskets again, the cookies had very little flavor and the frosting was just too runny. It was nice not to have the baking mess and the kids really enjoyed the activity.

Fireman's Waterfight

We take our water fights seriously. Seriously. And, we are ALWAYS up for a seriously good one.

Each year we go to the Hyrum Fireman's water fight the Saturday before the 4th of July. My family fills 500 water balloons, brings water guns, swords, buckets, bins and cups - we do it for the kids....because they enjoy it so much...seriously. My family getting ready at the park (we'd already filled balloons for 2 hours at this point, 1/2 of us were already wet.)

Our friend Brenda from California spent the 4th of July week with my family - she didn't have intentions of getting wet - but once things got going she was a great team member! (Pic is Brenda and my nieces Nayvie and Adi)

My niece Maggie and Max going after Grandpa Guy, he's a fireman so he's fair game!

Love this picture - Grace had so much fun, plus Max is getting it in the background.

Last year my kids had a hard time with the water guns, they were too hard to fill up, and they couldn't spray the good ones very well and the small ones didn't work so well so this year I found water swords - they loved them.

My niece Adi and nephew Tytan-

Grandpa Guy just waiting-

Sister Cassie in the background with her boyfriend Josh- I'm pretty sure it was at this point they started attacking me with those very water balloons. But I got them back! (It's for the kids, like I said.)

Yes, that's me in the green shirt- only a little wet.

The fill up station-

The water fight lasted about an hour. 45 minutes in I lost Max - it was crazy and there were so many little kids and adults and fireman and fire hoses and I just couldn't see him. I made two circles around the park and couldn't find him - cars were starting to leave and I got Mike and we headed to the parking lot. I couldn't find him anywhere- we went through the lot got my brother and sister's and circled the park again, by now I'm a nervous wreck! My sister's oldest son went to the ball diamonds so I started heading over there when I found Max. He had been up on the firetruck spraying the big hose and the look on his face was pure joy. I'm sure the look on my face was a look of serious relief.

I love little towns, love that they do fun things and that the fireman let us get them wet every year.

(Just for the record, the fireman who has it out for me each year got it good, somehow I got a hold of the fire hose and I'm pretty sure he was at least as wet as I was!)