The company we refinanced our home through did a huge company party at seven peaks. It was the perfect day to go because it was pretty much the hottest day of the year! At first when we heard they rented out the whole park, we did not expect it to be very crowded. However, we were very wrong!

It was still a lot of fun though! When we first got there I took the kids to the mini slides. I could not get Natalya to go on by herself, but Tanner went, and said “whoa that was pretty intense”. I just laughed and then went down with Nadia. Tanner was right! It was super fast and ss soon as you hit the bottom this huge wave of water completely encompasses you! Nadia was terrified!

Dinner was included in the festivities and it was all my favorites! Grilled hot dogs, soda, nachos and popcorn.

After eating he girls and I mostly stayed in the kid area, the lazy river and the wave pool. Natalya loved going down the little kiddie slides, and Nadia liked going down with me too, not so intense! Trent and Tanner went on a few slides and played in the wave pool too! Trent talked Tanner (or bribed) him in going down one of those super steep slides that pretty much go straight down. Trent said Tanner went first, and then when Trent came down Tanner was just crying at the bottom. Afterward he said he was glad he went, but he didn’t like the way it made his tummy feel.

We had a great time going, and celebrated by stopping at Krispee Kreme on the way home! It was a great night!

Around 10pm we headed to Barnes and Noble. I didn’t think we would stay the whole time, but we were sucked into all the District fun!

In District 12 we practice our archery

In District 1 we had our hair done. They asked us if we wanted pretty or crazy… we all got pretty but I was secretly hoping someone would get crazy. My excuse was I was going walking in the morning, so I didn’t want my hair all crazy.

After that it was time to line up! It was a good sign that they were able to line everyone up indoors. We had our copies of Mockingjay within 15 min! After a quick trip to walmart, we headed home just in time to get in bed a little after 1am. And yes, I still got up at 6:50am to go walking I am that dedicated.

I am re-reading the first two before I start Mockingjay. I only have a few pages left of Catching Fire! Can’t wait to start!

-No Lord of the Rings or Star Wars movie marathons (maybe best saved for winter anyway)

-No organized projects and learning time (we did some, but not as much as I imagined)

-Only a few backyard swimming events (I even planned on getting in my suit this year with the kids, since we are fenced in… but it didn’t happen)

-Almost no visits to the park with picnic lunches

-Not as many play dates or lunches with friends as I had planned

-No trips to the zoo or the aquarium

-No real camping or trips out on a boat

-Hardly any projects getting done!

However, we still had a lot of fun, and did many things that were not planned (isn’t that what summer is about anyway). This is our “What we did on our summer vacation”

-Lots of Trips to the Thanksgiving Point Children’s Gardens to keep cool and have fun!

-Lots of neighborhood back yard pool parties with friends, and playing with friends outside

-Several T-ball games

-Lots of visits from/with these guys

-Many impromptu sprinkler runs when the sprinklers in the big field were running

-We spent two days a week doing this (the Lehi outdoor pool)

-Many visits to the library

-Lots of random parties/festivals that usually included face painting

-Lots of late nights, watching movies, and eating too much

- A few of these

-Planting another successful garden

-And we cannot forget the big event that kicked off our Summer

-And of course, ending with this

Although we didn’t do everything we wanted, we had the prefect summer, and I am sad it is over.

Tanner was very excited to wear his new sketchers, carry his new star wars clone wars backpack and walk to school with is new best friend Chase (he is a boy just Tanner’s age that moved in down the street from us, they are two peas in a pod). But, we forced him to pose for pictures.

Comparison from last year:

Here are the two friends walking to the bus stop and getting on the bus.

When Tanner got home he wanted to just go play with friends, but I forced him to come inside and tell me about his day. he was most excited about eating lunch at school. However, he was sad because him and Chase were sitting together, but they made him move! I couldn’t figure out why, but I finally pieced it together. The lunch room apparently has separate tables for food allergies. Tanner accidentally sat at the gluten allergy table, so when he whipped out his wheat sandwich, they asked him nicely to pack up his lunch and move to a different table. OH how the times have changed. Some other things he told me:

-The older kids playground is way better then the kindergarten playgroud. However, he broke his leg coming down the firepole.

-He wants a new teacher because his teacher acts like it is still kindergarten. I told him that should change in the next few weeks.

-They didn’t do any learning, just playing.

-He thought it was funny that they had to practice going to lunch before they actually went to lunch.

-There was a little confusion at the end of the day on which bus he was supposed to get on. This was my fault. I think at back to school night I needed to like fill out a bus form or something to say that he would be riding the bus, and which route was his. Totally forgot about it until he was getting on the bus to go. I figured they would figure it out, and they did!

-I asked Tanner is he still loved school, and he said yes, and that he wished he could go back right now. I hope this continues!

-Before I put him to bed tonight, he got a little sentimental. He said, “Mom, I wish I could just stay until after lunch, and then come home. I don’t like being away from home so long”. He also asked me if he could still eat lunch at home sometimes.

As a little “back to school” celebration we met some friends at Thanksgiving Point for icecream and to play in the new water feature. The kids had a blast, while my friend Becca and I compared first day stories.

My friend Becca and I have kids the same ages (no more then 4 months apart, tanner and Eli are only 9 days apart) The first two are the same gender. However, Becca had a boy last, and I obviously had a girl. We were concerned that they wouldn’t be as good of friends as the other four. I don’t think we need to worry anymore!

Of course the kids HAD to help!

We started our out camp out by going to the fire pit in the park behind our house. Unfortunately this was the only time we took pictures. We had fun lighting a fire with wet sticks (it had rained the night before) and dead reeds. Trent pulled out all his skills and got the dire going! The kids were a little worried about he large flames. As soon as the fire died down we cooked our marshmallows for smores.

We had a ton of fun until we had a few thousand visitors, and then we deicded it was time to go.

When we go back to the house we put Nadia to bed inside, and the rest of us went outside to the tent. We set up Trent’s laptop and watched Alice in Wonderland and ate oreos, peanut butter m&m’s, gummy bears, popcorn, and chips until we were sick.  The movie was over about 11:30 so we decided it was time to try and go to sleep. Natalya and Trent were the first ones out, Tanner kept me awake until almost 1am complaining about the noisy crickets. I kept falling asleep and waking up sneezing/coughing from allergies (and my back hurt). So I went inside to sleep. It was good I did too, because Nadia woke up at least 3 times that night screaming. I still think Trent and the kids got more sleep then I did… but Trent’s claims he woke up every 30 min because his back was hurting. The kids woke up at 6:40 and came inside and everyone but Tanner slept in until 9am.

Over all it was  a lot of fun! But I think it is something I will do only once a year.

The kids were not into it when we first got there, but pretty soon Tanner and Natalya we covered. Natalya was really into going in the foam, and then running into the rinse off station.

Nadia was not really into it, and just kind of stuck her feet in.Then she saw a baby and got distracted

After the kids were done, we looked around at the booths, and then grabbed our free watermelon on the way out. I think that was Nadia’s favorite part.

They arrived Monday evening, and were bombarded by the kids. We eventually were able to get everyone in bed (even grandma and grandpa) so we could be rested for our fun days ahead.

My parents like making shakes for their breakfast, so when they visit the kids love having some, and this was the first time Nadia was in on it! And she loved it too!

On Tuesday we hit the Lehi outdoor pool, where we have a season pass. The kids had fun swimming with grandpa, while grandma, mom and Nadia relaxed, talked, and went through grandmas purse (that was Nadia). After the pool we hit the Blue Lemon for lunch, where I ate WAY too much. We came home, rested, changed, and headed out to do some local shopping. That night I made a knock off recipe for PF Changs lettuce wraps. They were delicious!

On Wednesday we spent the morning in Orem, hitting all the important spots: the mall, Elaine’s Bakery, and the Amano Chocolate Outlet. After a quick lunch at home, we headed to Salt Lake to visit This is the Place Heritage Park! This was a first time for all of us, and even though there were random torrential rain storms, we still had a great time!

My favorite were all the pioneer houses. I could spend my entire day go through all those… but the kids didn’t think it was that great after the thrid or fourth house. In several of the houses there were crafts or games for the kids to play.

Tanners two favorite spots were the bank, and the gold mining. He had a hard time turning his “gold” into the bank for a piece of candy. But after his sister’s did it, he decided he would do it too!

In between downpours we were able to make our way around the park, and even get a ride on the train! The kids want to go back soon, but I think we will go when it isn’t supposed to rain… or be too hot. Oh, and the highlight of the whole trip? When Trent almost hit an old guy in the parking lot, who ended up being Elder Oaks. We then forced Trent against his will to drive around again, so we could all confirm that it really was him, and it was!

On Thursday we went out to breakfast and my parents left our house to go spend the last few days of their trip at my brother’s house.

We also spent the day up at Gateway, where the kids hit the Children’s Museum with Grandpa and Uncle Steve, while my mom, Sis-in-law Erin and I (along with Nadia and my baby nephew Owen) went shopping. Nadia loves babies, and was very happy to spend time shopping with Owen.

After shopping we ate at Tucanos (a must while my parents are here), and then the kids spent some time playing in the fountain! It was a long day but fun day, and Nadia was asleep before we even left the parking garage!

Friday was the last full day my parents where here. We met up at my brothers house, dropped off the kids (all but Nadia) and went to Tai Pan! We met up with an old family friend and had lunch, then shopped. Later that evening we ate at another “must eat at restaurant” Tepanyaki! The kids love it, but this time around Nadia and my nephew Justin wanted nothing to do with the whole fire and cooking your food in front of you thing. After the cook left, Nadia was happy to sit and eat her fried noodles and drink her miso soup. After dinner I introduced my family to Sub Zero ice cream, which I hope makes it on their list of “must visit” places.

We had a blast with my parents! We always have so much fun when they come, it is quite the letdown when they leave. I am already looking forward to next time!