Super Summer Sports

It's that time again, the time where we send our little warriors our to participate in that sacred rite of passage-summer sports.  Here's the thing, our kids are great at many many things. They are super smart, fabulous readers, great speakers, talented piano players, and fast runners. Sports though, well we won't be waiting for talents scouts from the SEC, PAC-12, or even the Mountain West to knock on our door. 

This year Laine tried a new sport-basketball. She had little to chose from, finding a team sport that is less competitive and more let's learn and have fun is really hard once they reach 3rd grade, basketball was our only choice. She did well though, once she learned not to walk down the court with her hands behind her back. 

James took on the difficult game of t-ball. His Uncle Adam coached him and he got to play with one of his best buds, Boston.

 James was good enough to stop running towards home to pose for this picture. I snapped it while yelling for him to keep running.


Eve played coach pitch this year, the day I brought my camera though was the one day the coach had the whole team hit from the tee. Despite kids pestering him with "whys" he never explained this bout of coaching. Eve was not a fan of sports this year. She seemed bored most of the time, but she did learn how to throw a ball, so that was cool.

So we bid a fond farewell to summer sports, we will meet again.. Maybe.

The presidential cookie test

I grew up in politics. I could rattle off how many electoral votes each state had before I knew all the capitols. I attended so many conventions that I thought that everyone did. I think I have walked in more parades in support for a candidate than I have actually watched. Election day to me was like Christmas. So yeah growing up it was a rather big part of my life. 

As I've gotten older I've become a tad more jaded and tend to stop reading news articles and watching news programs the closer it gets to the final election. 

Though I have cut most news programs I still read my magazines- Self, Family Fun, Parenting, and Family Circle- What? I am a stay at home mom and read magazines that apply to such groups. Oh who am I kidding I would probably read at least Self and Family Circle even if I wasn't a mom and Family Fun is by Disney so I might have been inclined to pick it up on that alone. Okay so I read awesome magazines. 

While I was perusing the August edition of Family Circle I saw that they were having their Presidential cookie bake-off. Now, there are things that are very tempting while on the elliptical, watching yet another TLC wedding show, and reading a magazine and cookies are one of those things. I was in and was even happy that I had all but three ingredients already in my pantry. 

So this past Saturday afternoon I set down to baking. If you want the recipes check out my personal blog for all the yummy goodness. 

Then we did a blind taste test. I was the only one who did not know which cookie belonged to which candidate.  So everyone else was going on taste alone. 

 It was a close race with the kids participating in that favorite political pastime of flip-flopping (they changed their answer once dad reveled his vote). Though we all agreed that both cookies were fabulous we ended up deciding the Romney cookie was slightly superior.

Now after giving away 3 dozen cookies to neighbors we were still sitting on close to 9 dozen cookies the next day so we took them to my parents house for a second blind taste test. The Romney cookie won yet again in a vote of 7-1. Now my brother did express some distress when that vote was cast.  I believe "are you kidding me?" was shouted as everyone voted and something along the lines that there was no way that was a Romney cookie because it was healthier than the Obama cookie.

So there you go. We placed our vote on Family Circle's website and now we will just watch and see who wins the bake-off.

Summer Vacation #2- Weekend Getaway

Since 1998 I have gone down to the Shakespeare's Festival in Utah. I missed two years during that time- the year I was on my mission and last year when Matty was born.   I was going to miss this year too, but my husband and kids talked me into taking them with me so I could go see Titus Andronicus. Now you may be wondering why I wanted to see that particular play, let's just say I want to see each of Shakespeare's plays before I die and this one has only been performed one other time since the festival started 51 years ago.  

So we bought our tickets, booked our hotel room, and next thing I knew it was time for Festival! 

Matty helped me pack this time- see he was making sure that the lid was on the hairspray, something that did not happen when we went to Heber. 

We took a quick dip when we got there and everyone had a ball. Then after a dinner at The Pastry Pub we headed over to the festival where we ate tarts to our hearts content. James ate three. 

 That night after the greenshow the kids and dad went back to the hotel and I watched the most disturbing incredible play I have ever seen.

Then next morning we went back and snapped some pictures. The kids loved the fountain.

 This is the Falstaff statue. I have a picture of me for almost every year we've been down sitting at this statue. The kids thought it was more fun to climb on him.

 So when I was looking through the Falstaff pictures, the Juliet pictures and the Lear pictures each one that I was holding him he had his hand down my shirt. Hmm, got to fix that one.

 The kids also thought the Shakespeare bench was awesome.

We stopped at Cove Fort on the second leg of our trip (Cedar City to Provo).  The kid had a ton of fun and we even beat the storm.

 We toured a part of the Fort I hadn't seen before, the kids thought it was awesome.

We got a picture snapped right as the rain started to pour. 

 We headed to Provo through the pouring rain and found our hotel and checked in. Though trying to find a place for dinner on Sunday in Provo turned out to be an epic quest.

The next morning we headed over to the Bradley Family Reunion at Seven Peaks. We had so much fun there and I was so grateful to grab a few shots that Christian's aunts took of our family.

 Then it was time to go home. It was a great fun family weekend. 

Cousin time!

Have I mentioned lately how much I enjoy cousin outings. It is so nice to get out of the house and spend time together and see places that we normally wouldn't go. I also love being with my sister-in-laws and sister. I learn so much from them on how to be a better mother, sister, wife, and friend. I look forward to them every week. 

In the past few weeks we have visited City Creek. James loved the fountains.  That kids loves to get wet. It doesn't matter where or when if there is water, and he can play in it, he will be happy. 

We also went to the LDS Church History Museum. They have a great exhibit upstairs  where the kids could play. They got to reenact some of their favorite Book of Mormon stories and then build houses and pretend they worked on a farm.

 Eve loved the fishing.

 Matty loved the Latin dancing, though I am not sure if he loved the vest his sister made him wear.

 The Kids all piled into the "castle" they made.

Fast forward a week and we went to Tracy Aviary on what would turn out to be one of the hottest days of the year! We snicked into  bird show and were able to see Atty and James picked as helpers. They put their hands on the ground and then two very cute ducks came and ate out of their hands. In James' words "The ducks bit me and it didn't even hurt."

Then while walking around we discovered a peacock. The kids thought he was awesome. Later we ran across a peahen, their was not that much interest in her, thus showing the clothes make the bird.

 Our crazy little birds

After we went and got free lunch in the park which is an awesome program on so many levels.

The next morning we changed what we were doing (going to Wheeler Farm) and decided to go swimming. We learned a lesson the day before with the heat and opted for awesome cool water. I did not snap any pictures inside but we had fun splashing each other and I toted two boys (at the same time) down the lazy river. We just loved it.

Then we went and had free lunch in the park again. Really I love this and the kids loved it too. I wish I had known earlier that this program existed. The kids think it is the best thing ever and I am not that far behind them!

So I think that catches us up on cousin outings for the time being. I am just very grateful to be part of two very incredible families. 

Matthew turns 1

This happy jabberer is now the big one. I can't believe that so much time has gone by and the little baby is now a joyous little boy. He has grown so much this past month too. Finally getting that fifth and sixth tooth. He is walking every where and jabbering like there is no tomorrow. He is sleeping 12 hours a night plus still has two naps, though those naps are only around an hour and a half each. He is playing with all sort of toys and loves looking at books. He also has a favorite toy, his Clifford, and we now have a woobie (his Mickey blanket). He thinks that peek-a-boo is the best game in town and he is afraid of going downstairs. 


He is still little though. This boy weighs in at 19 .69 lbs putting him in the 9th percentile and is 28.5 inches tall, this jumps him up to the 12th percentile.  Though we had the other kids at the doctor today and they all seem to follow this same pattern. 

To celebrate we had the family over for a BBQ and I made him Mickey Mouse cupcakes...

 We decorated the dining/party room with balloons- his favorite. He was so happy and squealed when he walked into the room.

 He was also very happy about the candle. I was surprised that he didn't reach for the flame.

 He was kinda shocked and didn't know what to do. He had to look to dad for advice.

 Then he dived in. He had just a bit to much because about five minutes after this picture he was throwing up.

After a quick bath in the sink he was ready to go.

 He wasn't sure what to do with presents but kinda had fun once he got rolling.

He loved each gift and was quite befuddled when dad kept swiping them. (it was the only way we could get him to open a new one),

So happy birthday little man. Thanks for filling our lives with so much joy. 

"America is free!"

All day long we were treated to the kids running around yelling, "America is free!" They yelled it on the way to IHOP. They quietly muttered it while waiting for their Rooty Jr. They skipped to  it while going to "Brave". They danced it while watching "An American Tale". And they spread the news to their cousins and led them all in a rousing chorus of it while squirting each other with water guns. 

We celebrated in style this year. Christian was feeling under the weather so I took my very patriotic children to breakfast at IHOP (we missed the local Lion's Club breakfast by ten minutes) and then garnered my courage and took all four to see "Brave."  Matty did well, and by well I mean I spent most my time on the floor playing with him and stopping him from crawling up the stairs next to us, he didn't make it till the end though so I heard rather than saw the last twenty minutes. Turns out the only think that kept that boy from crying was standing by the exit sign. 

Christian was feeling better later and was able to come to our family BBQ-- which was awesome!  We had a great time and then watched the Sugarhouse fireworks from the front yard!

The kids loved the balloons that Grammy and Poppa brought with them

Matty did so well...up until eight o'clock. He did sleep through all the fireworks and then went right back to sleep after I woke him up so we could get him home. 

How cute is this boy.

And these girls.

Happy 4th from our family!