Half-way Through Summer!

Summer is zipping by...heck, this whole year is flying by!  We are more than half way finished with both!  We have been soaking up the sun and playing hard...playing the piano hard!  Ha! We had a piano recital showcasing these awesome students...

Each kid played a song or two and then a duet with their sibling.  It was great.  I may have cried a really ugly, embarrassing, 'hard to decipher what she is saying' kind of cry because it was Kassi's last recital.  I  never planned on being a piano teacher, so the whole process and kids quitting, kids excelling, kids whining about it, is unexpected and emotional!  Kids grow up-its fun (and sometimes hard!) to see. 

 

One lady, who I thought should always stay a kid, but no longer is, would be Miss Rebecca...or should I say Mrs Rebecca Whitney.  How weird to have a niece get married!?  Becca and Brett got married in June and we went to Manti for the ceremony, then back up here for the reception that evening. 

 

There was dancing...

Leatherby's ice cream (yum!)

Pictures, (here are the grandkids that made it), and well wishing for the newlyweds.  Happy marriage to Becca and Brett!

 

Dave had a birthday, we went to a Magic show that was awesome and disturbing-a guy totally ate razor blades and another fellow did Houdini's water escape.  I kept trying to find the explanations for the tricks, but it was just magic, plain and simple! Ha!  Last year for Dave's birthday, we went to the Arts Festival and loved it.  So, we decided we will make this an annual family event.  The kids were sports with the 100 degree heat and found their inner artists...

It is a fantastic event, pretty much out of this world...

 

Another annual event we look forward to is the community health fair at the hospital. 

Grant didn't shave for the occasion, but we were still able to get some interviews for potential construction openings!

 

 

  This year for the 4th of July, we went to our big,  new city park.   Our park had been closed, so before the fireworks could be hosted there for Independence Day, there was a grand opening party.  This party featured the Osmonds, Alex Boye, roaming princesses through the crowds, games, food trucks, lots of fun.  We all went, and while this was exciting, the kids were more riveted when a teenage boy punched a girl and was taken away in handcuffs.  That was probably the most memorable moment for them!  Ha!  I didn't take fourth of July pics, but we had a great time with family and friends at the park, playing games, getting sprinkled on, watching a 40 min firework display, and letting our festive food digest. 

 

 

 

Dave was super dad and took the older three kids on a trip to AZ to see cousins and go boating.  This was a driving trip,  mind you.  So, he, himself had to endure the endless questions about when they would be there, how many more minutes, when they could go to the bathroom, etc.  The first night, they stopped in Las Vegas.  Here they are at the Rainforest Cafe...

 

They slept in Vegas, and took off the next morning to go see Max and Karly (yes, Brent, Kimber and Brian too, but honestly, they just cared about the cousins!).They got to go boating

 

on Uncle Brian's boat.

 

These girls are way too cool! The boys, yea well, I'm not so sure...

 

Ha!  After 3 days of family fun, the drive home had to happen!  Dave did the drive home in one shot, but they did stop to look at some exotic cars. 

 

Grant said it was the best 30 minutes of his life.  True story.

 

 While the big kids were away, Harrison and I spent lots of time at the park
 

and running errands.  It was heavenly.  He really loves me, it makes me feel good.  The sentiments are completely mutual. 

This last weekend, Grant, Katelee, Brenna and I were in the Days of 47 youth parade with our church.  Our stake focused on family history.  It was such a neat idea.  Each child researched an ancestor, made a copy of their photo and carried them through the parade on branches, representing their family trees. 


Here is a pic of all the kids in our ward.

The weather was perfect, we had a brief and distant TV cameo and Brenna was able to wave to all her adoring fans!

While we have been super busy doing water slides, parks, play dates etc, its not all fun and games.  Chores have to be done everyday.  There is yard work,

(which is usually a family affair).

 

 

Blowing out...eh, I mean cleaning up the house.

And, we live in the kitchen.  Dishes all day long.  These little people never stop eating.  So, we cook and prepare food constantly.  I've employed this shorty, actually, he just won't leave my side.  Good help really is hard to find these days!