Summer Days Part 1

 We have been living the best of life lately--family and fun. We took off to go visit Idaho back in May and though I did come home for about 6 days I don't feel like I have been home all summer. However, when my mom asked if I was ready to be home, I said "I am ready to put my clothes in the dresser and have Gaupo around, but other than that I could stay on vacation." This summer has been what I call a pay-off summer. We have done long drives, much child supervising, and 'playing' with cousins before, but this year we did all those same things, but the cousin playing was real and the kids loved every moment of it. It was a time when all the hard culminated to worth it to watch my kids play and associate with their cousins like they were long time friends. That is what I have wanted and why we do the long drives and the long stays even when the kids were little, so that at least for this year they could love being with cousins. 

Anyway, our first trip was to Logan and then to Idaho. Gaupo's cousin Josh got married in the Logan temple. So, we pulled our kids at half day on the last day of school and drove to Logan. It was a long, dark, wet drive but we made it. We stay with Rachael (one of Gaupo's cousins) and her two kids. It was the perfect spot for us. It was close enough to the temple and really close to the reception and luncheon. This was so handy for the the naps and chill out places we needed between events. Rachael's kids are close to the twins age, so the twins were in heaven with friends and with toys perfectly geared to their age. It was so fun to go to the wedding and all the party stuff. Kylee and Tia went home with Grandma and Grandpa early, so they could play with cousins sooner. Then Kade, Abby, Hope, Gaupo and I stayed until the reception and then after visiting a bit headed to Swanlake. Then we hungout in Swanlake. It was pretty chilly still but we still enjoyed four-wheeler rides, fishing, and some time on the pond. We came back to Colorado on Tuesday. We aren't very fast travelers these days (possibly any days), but we made it.

With Grandma and Grandpa at Logan temple

Waiting for the Bride and Groom to come out.

At the cemetery on Memorial Day. They do a gun salute every year and we try to go for it. 

Re-opening of Thomas Merc.

Blaine, Grandpa, and Tia

Tia on the kayak

Abby learned she could kayak too.

Jackson, Abby, Hope, Kade in the Jeep.

Me, Hope, adn Abby on the paddleboard.

Kade was the lucky who caught a fish.

After we got home, I had the kids help me clean the house. We need to clean and vacuum, so we would be ready to play with Aunt Kara and her boys the rest of the week. Kara and her boys arrived on Thursday. We went out to Kitt's house to play with them. I actually ended up doing a doctors appointment their too, but we mainly went to get us some cousin time. The kids had a blast playing in the basement and getting reacquainted with Ross, Levi, Hank, and Jett. After too short of time, we headed home to have dinner, finish laundry and be with Gaupo. Friday, Kitt and her kids, Kara and her kids, plus the Bryce kids came to my house to play. We did a bike ride/ walk to the park. We had lunch, naps, talking, the kids played in the basement and overall just enjoyed the day. Before dinner, everyone left to go to their homes, or in Kara's case to Jack's house. 

Our bike gang: Tia, Allen, Kade, Levi, Ross, Kylee, Betty, Roxy, Abby (not able to be seen), Me with Jett and Hope, Kitt with Hugh and Jay, Kara

Saturday, we were up an at it. Kylee and Tia had a parade and Kylee wanted her friend Ainsley to come play. So, Ainsley came over and she and her mom ended up coming to the Berthoud Days parade with us. It was rainy and wet, but we still enjoyed a really good small town parade. Then we went to Jack's house to have lunch and play until dinner. Oma and Papa arrived at Jack's house a little before we left, so we got to see them for a bit before we headed home to get ready for Sunday. Sunday Kitt and Matthew blessed Hugh. It was their stake conference, so we went to church in our own ward and then drove out to their home. We had lunch their and the put some kiddo's down for naps while some of the other's played. Hugh was blessed around 3:00 and then we had a yummy lunch of Hot Dogs. We visited and the kids all played. We had to be the first to leave, so that I could pack and be ready to head to Arizona in the Morning.

Kylee

Tia

Chatting and hanging at Jack's house

The cousins

Me, Jack, Kitt, Kara and Hugh