Museum

We are members of Denver's Nature and Science Museum.  It is not really for young kids - but it gives us free admission to all of Utah's kids museums when we go to Utah - so it was worth it to us.  But a few months ago they opened up a new wing focused on young kids.  So in our last week of summer we decided to check it out.

 

First we stopped at the "space odyssey" exhibit.   

Then an announcement came over the loud speaker informing us that here were intense solar flares to day and we could go on the roof to look through a telescope to see them.  My kids wanted to go.  Up on the roof we had a great view of downtown Denver.  My camera didn't capture it very well - it looked much better in real life.

 

Then we went to the Myan exhibit.

 

 

Then finally we made it to the new discovery center.  It is not huge - but it was pretty good.  Kept their attention for about an hour.  Megan and Madison built with these foam blocks and tubes.

 

Brock played with this giant pin ball type wall toy.

 

Noah spent almost the whole time at this water table - specifically at this tornado water effect.  He loved it and was having so much fun.  He was totally engrossed on how it worked and what it could do, he was laughing hysterically and smiling his "pure joy" smile he does.  I loved it.

 

Then we all dug for dinosaur bones.

 

The museum is about 40 minutes away - so we don't go that often.  But it is fun every few months or so.

Cub Scouts

In West Jordan I got released from Young Women's and put into Cub Scouts as the Cub Scout Master the month Madison was born.  I cried for weeks.  I loved Young Women's.  I had never even considered Cub Scouts as a calling I would one day do.  I was shocked and not very excited.  As the story usually goes... I got to work and learned to absolutely love my calling and love the boys in Cub Scouts.  I made some wonderful friends and now see how the Lord puts people in your life that He wants you to influence. 

 

When we moved to Denver I got put back in Cub Scouts - but this time as the Bear Den Leader.  I was excited because I was not emotionally ready to leave my calling in Utah yet.  While I have enjoyed my calling a lot - once a month is definitely much easier than once a week - and I have learned that I work better by myself than with a partner - a weakness that I am sure the Lord wants me to overcome. 

 

One summer day we went to Littleton Farm to earn our Farm Animals elective.  They have this cute farmer named "Farmer Steve" that takes care of the animals and he gave our boys (and my kids - you can see them on the fence) a tour of the farm.  It was a blast.

 

 

 

First Day of School

First day of school. 

 

Brock is in Second grade and has Mrs. Edggitt.  He really likes her and I like her too.  She is helping Brock a lot in school.  At school Brock is very shy and reserved.  Some days I think he goes the whole day with out talking.  He really likes to fly under the radar.  She has really worked with him to come out of his shell and even in one month we have noticed a difference.

 

Noah is in first grade and has Mr. Graff.  Most parents at the school don't love him so I was nervous - but I LOVE him for Noah.  He is older and, according to the parents, very "old school" - but I love that.  His classroom is run very orderly and the kids meet his clear and exact expectations. 

 

The boys:

 

And of course the first day of the girls all alone: :)

Everyone was very worried about what I was going to do with out a boy to help me with the girls.  I am happy to report we are doing just fine!  :)

Princess Party

The girls went to a friends princess party a few months ago.  They got all decked out in their princess attire.  They were acting so grown up and hilarious about the whole thing.  They really wanted pictures in front of our trees in their outfits before the party.  The whole thing felt like they were teenagers getting ready for a dance.  The pictures even turned out that way a little.  Jason and I just looked at the pictures holding our breath for the future.

Neighborhood Fun

We moved into a great neighborhood.  It was actually one of the main reasons we bought the house.  When looking for a house I knew myself well enough to know how important it was for me to have "everyday" friends.  I want to be able to go in our front yard and play and with in a matter of minutes have other kids and other moms come outside to play with us.  When Jason found this house and he called to tell me about it I asked if it looked like a good neighborhood.  He said, "I am standing on the front porch and across the street form our house are 5 moms sitting in lawn chairs talking while about 10 kids are riding their bikes in the circle."  SOLD!!!  And it has exactly met my expectations.  They are wonderful and so fun.  It has been especially nice for me because none of them are members 9I knew that before we bought the house) - it has forced me to grow in a way I didn't exactly know I was lacking.  But that is another post for another day... well maybe... if you really want to know ask me... I may not want to post about some of those things.  :)

 

And for the reason of the post.  One day we had a giant neighborhood slip and slide. 

Finn, Aiden, Noah, Brock, Allie, Katie

Finn, Aiden, Noah, Brock, Madison, Megan

 

Grandpa Phils Funeral

About 7 days after we got back to Denver from our Utah trip Jason's grandpa passed away.  It was pretty sudden, his health declined very rapidly and suddenly, when we had left Utah 7 days before we had no idea he would be pasting away soon.

 

So we packed back up and headed back to Utah for the funeral.  It was a wonderful service.  He had served, and gotten injured, in World War II.  It was really neat to have a military service and teach the kids about Veterans.  We learning a lot about Grandpa Phil that we never knew and kind of got us into wanting to start more genealogy for his side.  He grew up in California in a make-shift- shack with a dirt floor.  His mother would tell stories of shaking scorpions and snakes out of his baby blankets!

Jason telling the kids stories.

Painting Rocks

We had several random activities to get through our summer days.  I only took pictures of one of them : painting rocks.  We also did water balloons, side walk chalk, squirt guns (which are really squirt bottles, they work so much better and last longer), played with the hose, bike rides, all sorts of games with balls, etc.  Summer days are not hot here in Denver - most of the summer was spent in the 80's with a week or so in the 90's but I don't even think we had one day in the 100's.  Also, at about 3:00 clouds roll in and it cools the days off for the evening and night.  It is wonderful.

 

Back to rock painting...

We gathered a few neighborhood kids when they were riding their bikes by.

Fun had by all.

Park

I have at least 13 posts that are sitting in my draft folder that I need to finish from summer.  So... here we go.

 

We have weekly park days in our ward.  Truth is we only went to 2 or 3.  The boys don't really like it - it is more for mom's and kids with preschool age children and the boys think the is "boring".  Some days I call around my friends with older kids and ask them to come to park days.  This time we got several "older kids" and everyone had a blast.  This particular park was also a splash pad - win, win.

 

Harry, Riley, Madison, Noah, Dillon, Aiden

Brock, Madison, in the back is Charity, Alania, and Brighton - they are our good friends here.