Here's a run down, a long one, of what we did the second half of the summer. For a while I felt like we didn't do much this summer and I didn't make it very fun for the kids, but when I look back on it we had plenty of fun. Beware, it's a lot of pictures.
The three oldest kids took swim lessons at the rec center. Annie loves the water. Christopher and Michael were more afraid of the water at first but warmed up later. Christopher was fine with swimming around with the teacher but Michael wasn't comfortable with that. So it ended up that I had to help him at our pool a lot which was extra work, but now he's a little more comfortable in the water. We'll have to do some more lessons before they can all really swim though.
Christopher started scouts this summer as well. He had his first pack meeting which he really enjoyed. The cub master is a nice guy and did fun things with them. He taught them about being brave and had them speak in front of the group, on the spot. He also told them when they go on their missions they might have to eat food they aren't used to. He dared them all to eat something unusual.... a whole water chestnut. Now that didn't seem to strange to me...but to a bunch of 8-11 year old boys it was a strange food. But they all ate them up. Christopher got his badges and belt loops that he earned at scout camp which was a lot of fun.
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| I love this picture with Jacob being a little scout and Christopher in the background. |
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| 4th of July in Utah. Watching Uncle Duff's AWESOME fireworks show....aerial fireworks and all. |
Lots of lego building and reading went on this summer as well. Jacob is really getting into blocks.
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| "Look at the tower that dad built!" |
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| Bow and arrow |
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| Three people holding hands |
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| "Me made bear" |
Christopher had to have an infected tooth pulled. Let me tell you....it was not fun. But he recovered quickly, as kids do.
Christopher secretly made breakfast for us one morning. Annie was his helper....and dad a little to turn on the oven.
We got really good at our summer chores. Anne's was to unload the dishwasher every morning. Sometimes Christopher was nice and helped her.
Littleton Historic Museum. A great, free place to go. It's a semi-working farm with animals, historic buildings that you can walk through at your leasure, a blacksmith, school house, etc. Christopher went there on a field trip once and loved it.
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| When Christopher had his field trip the lady that was the 1800's school teacher taught them what it was like in school back then. She said kids had to sit up very straight and not move at all. This was the kids impersonation of school in the 1800's. Jacob's face cracks me up. |
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| The were just doing this on their own and it was so cute. Believe me, things aren't always this amiable. |
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| This little cat was just sleeping on the bed in the farmhouse |
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| The blacksmith shop |
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| Squinty eyed children on a sunny day |
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| The fattest chicken we have ever seen |
We went on the ward campout to Pickle Gulch. Not the most comfortable thing to do at 8+ months pregnant, but it was tons of fun. Lots of yummy food, kids, games, conversation and nice cool weather. It was perfect. It even rained a little at night which is fun when you're in your tent. The family that organized it had some fun foods we'd never had while camping before: pocket pies and make your own omelet in a baggie (you boiled it in water and it was delicious)
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| Anne and her best friend Diana |
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| When Anne falls asleep she REALLY falls asleep |
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| "Mom, stop taking so many pictures" |
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| Getting warm by the fire |
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| Making pocket pies. You cook biscuit dough on these special sticks and then fill it with pie filling and whip cream. They were so good. |
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| Diana is about 9 months older than Anne but their height difference is quite noticable. |
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| The end - Thanks for coming. |
