Fisherman

So far this has been the summer of fishing.  I signed all the kids up for a fishing class at the beginning of the summer - it was mostly for the cub scout belt loop for Brock, but ages 4 and up could take it - and they all got a free fishing pole.  Since then we have been fishing every week.  Most of our parks have fishing pond near by - so while the girls play at the park the boys go fishing.  Sadly we haven't caught anything yet.  But I keep telling the boys that is part of fishing, so far they have not been discouraged and still ask to go everyday.  I have actually started just sending them on their bikes to our local (about a mile away) pond.  I find them riding on their bike with fishing poles and nets sticking out of back pack absolutely adorable!

Great Grandma and Grandpa Hanna's

On the way back to Denver we drive through Price which is the town my paternal side comes from.  My grandparents still live there and we almost always stop in for a break and to say high.  My grandparents are very sweet to my kids - once my grandma gave my girls one of her porcelain dolls (a BIG deal) and sometimes my grandpa slips my boys a dollar bill.  My grandma is not doing very well, she didn't know who any of us were and acts more like a 5 year old.  But I could feel of her sweet spirit and i know that she knew we loved her.  

Grandma and Grandpa Hanna's

We played hard at the Hanna's.  Favorite things: Milo!!(my sisters dog), Caroline!!!(my niece), jumping on the tramp, taking Milo on walks (I let the kids go alone down the street and back), visiting Pat, morning runs, swinging on the swings, endless supply of ice cream, playing on the boat, beating the boys at tether ball, sleeping altogether in the basement on the pull-out couch and cots, and of course grandma and grandpa!!

One day the younger three put the sprinkler under the tramp

While Brock helped grandpa plant all his flowers - he may or may not have gotten paid :)

The nigh before we left we made some smores in the fire pit

ha - look - a picture of me - I did go to Utah!

Golfing

I don't have much to say about this post - because I wasn't there.  But my dad took the boys to the driving range to hit some balls.  I have never played golf (A guy took be on a date once - it was my first and only time - on my first swing I hit him in the head - right between the eyes - with the golf ball - ha).  But in general I like golf and like that my dad takes my kids and teaches them.  

Memorial Day

We (my maternal line) are one of those families who still goes to all our graves every memorial day.  Most of the family goes - we bring lawn chairs and snacks.  We sit around my grandparents as they tell stories about our ancestors and the children run around the cemetery reading old headstones.  We clean off the grave and my grandparents put their prettiest flowers from their gardens.  I love it.  This year (like most years) we ran into some more distant relatives and even some we hadn't seen in several decades.  This year the boys had just gone fishing with grandpa and met us at the cemetery afterwards - Brock was just too hot and tired to get out of the car - so he chose to stay in the car.

After the cemetery we went to my grandparents house for a  BBQ.  I absolutely adore my grandparents house.  Every time we go to Utah I make a point to spend most of a whole day there and let me kids just play.  There is so much to do and explore.  Plus it is even better when we have cousins and second cousins there to play with.

Discovery Gateway

On Monday I was optimistic that we cold pull another all-dayer (even though my first attempt was a bust).  I was not deterred and i thought I just needed to keep trying.  So the plan was to go to Discovery gateway in the morning (just with the girls - my dad was taking the boys fishing), then meet everyone at the down town City Cemetery for some grave visiting, then lunch, then spend the rest of the day at Temple Square (our most favorite place) - then we would go straight to my grandma's house for a Memorial day BBQ.  Well, as any smart person would guess, they ran out of gas again after the cemetery and lunch.  I tried and tried to get them excited about temple square - and they were - but they were just TOO tired.  Truth was I was tired too.  We tried to get back another day - but it never happened.  Oh well, I decided to just be happy with the things we DID do rather than the things we DIDN'T do.

Discovery Gateway was amazing. We spent 3 hours there and could have spent 3 more.  I kind of thought they would be too old for it - but they were not at all.  I ended up feeling sad that we didn't bring the boys.  I loved watching the girls (mostly Madison) play with all the stuff.  It was the first time I was there with out a toddler.  I was one of "those" moms for about 30 minutes and read a book on the bench while they played.  Please excuse the excess of photos.  Madison was just so into it all - I couldn't help but try to capture it.

Madison set out to build a house.

She was so methodical about  it - she is rarely like that.

Megan built her own house

Caroline and Brooke came along with us as well.  She is SO ADORABLE!  I had to take these pictures of a very pregnant Brooke walking Caroline up the stairs.  This is a great/horrible stage of life for her.