Visiting the Merrill Family

In the last post, I think we ended at us going down to Logan to visit Gaupo's Grandma. Well once we were back in Swanlake we were there for awhile. Definitely, not as long as anyone would have like, but still we got a great visit and vacation there. Here are some pics from the Logan visit.

Grandpa, Kylee, James, and Aunt Sarah.

Josh, Gaupo, and McKay.

Melanie, Aaron, Granmda, Blaine

Aunt Jill, Grandma Hammond, James, and Tia.

Tia and Blaine eating snack in the 'kitchen.'

I love visiting Swanlake because there is so much that we love there. We love the family we visit and we love the place we visit. One of the kids and I's favorite  things to do is go on four-wheeler rides. I love going on rides with Gaupo, but I also like feeling like a cool aunt/mom when I take the kids out for a spin. One day they will get too old to be pleased with just going up to the pond and back, and I will either have to have Gaupo take over or learn more trails. Anyway, the kids (Kylee, Tia, Blaine, and sometimes James) would take many a trip on the four-wheeler up to the pond and back. One of my favorite runs was when Guapo had the girls and I just had Blaine and we went up to the pond and the fish were jumping and he asked if he could watch the fish. I was more than happy to accommodate that request because I sometimes like to just sit and enjoy too. Plus, the fish really were jumping and it was pretty fun to watch. However, I loved having just that small quiet moment with Blaine all to myself it was awesome. This year along with four-wheeling we got the chance to use a Rzer too. Aaron and Melanie recently got one and so that was fun because it was a little easier to haul all of the people that wanted rides. But, to be honest I love the feeling of four-wheelers. So, the Rzer was nice and I think Gaupo enjoyed it, but I am still a four-wheeler fan. Although, we might not want to tell Aaron that or he might not let me use it. (jk) Anyway, we did a lot of rides and the kids also loved playing on the Rzer and four-wheelers, so they took plenty of their own imagination rides. Although, I am not sure I want to be on those because they sure bail on and off the four-wheelers a lot, so they sound a little crazy. I love little kids imaginations.

Tia in the Rzer on Gaupo's lap. Scott and Aubrey on the four-wheeler.

Another thing we love doing up at Merrill Ranch is fishing. The Merrill's have a stocked pond and we went out on Wednesday morning about 7:30ish and it was great fishing. We caught 4 fish, but luckily the little 4-incher I caught jumped off the hook. Kylee caught her first fish and she was so proud. I was helping Tia and so I couldn't get a picture. I told Gaupo to, but for whatever reason he didn't get one either, so we can't document, but she did catch it all on her own. She did everything from casting and waiting to reeling it it. Although, she didn't haul it up the bank and take the hook out, but she watched all of that part. Once again, it was so nice to sit up there on the bank of that pond and fish in the midst of God's beautiful creations. It was so peaceful and it was just us up there. I loved having Tia sit with me for a few minutes and visit with her. I loved standing by Kylee and helping her have the patience to wait for the fish. I love watching Gaupo doing things with his girls and I like watching him fish too. It was just a great morning. The girls really enjoyed the fact that Grandpa came up near the end of the trip with the tractor, and they got to sit on it while he loaded the wood and then they pressed the horn button, and they got a little ride. They LOVED it!! Gaupo also took Kylee and Tia fishing again on Saturday morning. I would have gone, but I needed to get things ready to leave. This time they caught three, but only two made it all the way to shore. Grandma filleted them for us and we took them home. I cooked them up and they were really good. 

Kylee fishing. This one was on the fourth.

We also spent a lot of time with cows on this visit. Kylee learned that she really liked the calves sucking on her hands, and Tia loved watching the cows get milked and just watching the big cows. Often times I would take the four kids over too the cows and they would all watch the big cows for a bit and then Kylee would go to the calves while the rest of us went to the barn to watch milking. Sometimes we would then wander up to the manager where the kids loved to see the cows faces. They also enjoyed throwing hay at them and saying 'eat, eat.' Tia, Blaine and Kylee also enjoyed running near the manger area which of course spooked the cows and they thought it was pretty funny to watch them run. I don't know these kids and there cows they sure love them, so we spend lots of time out there.

Tia also loved these cats. She carried them like babies. The cats didn't much enjoy it, but she sure did.

The 4th of July in Swanlake is another thing we all, but especially Gaupo, look forward to. It starts with a scout breakfast and flag raising at the church house. We all go to that and get a great breakfast of pancakes, egg, sausage (which most times comes from Monte Henderson's pigs),dutch oven potatoes, and juice. It is so good. Plus, the kids have a great time playing on the swings and stuff that are right there after it is all done. Then we head back home. This year Grandma really wanted to go up to the pond, so we packed up everything to make burgers and dutch oven potatoes and took it up there. Then when we got up there we got out the paddle boats which was kind of an adventure at least for me because I HATE snakes and mice and there happened to be both living underneath the boats. Luckily for me everyone else was more that willing to take care of all of those critters while I stayed back and waited. We got the boats out on the pond. Melanie and I took the kiddo's out first and the Gaupo took out the other one and met us and then of course all the kids wanted in his boat. Melanie and I paddled around with James until he was getting ready to bail on us and then we went back in. While we were up on shore Jeff and Heidi got there and the food got ready. So, we had more dutch oven potatoes and then Hamburgers. Then it was pretty hot, so we just chatted in the shade we could find. We did let Kylee go fishing a bit and let Tia go in a boat again while we visited. Then we decided that we had had enough heat and went down to the house. The kids all got snacks and by this time it was like 2:30ish. My plan was to let Kylee and Tia just stay up because Jeff and Heidi weren't going to be there long. So, I was letting them play and they decided to climb up into a chair and watch TV for minute and well before the minute was over they had both passed out in the chair. I left them there and they woke up a little before Heidi and Jeff left, but not much. Oh well, that is how it goes sometimes. Once Heidi and Jeff left we just kind of did our normal thing of playing outside and watching cows. Then dinner and games and talking and bed. That is pretty much the Fourth in Swanlake and it is enjoyed by everyone. Plus its great to see family and enjoy just being together.

Us out on the pond.

Melanie, Me, and Blaine on the boats.

Tia, Kylee, Blaine, and Gaupo on the boat.

Aubrey, Gary, Grandpa, and Gaupo chatting on the porch of the 'cabin.'

Tia, and Kylee crashed after a fun, but early morning.

Finally the newest addition to the endless fun was Gary bought a Frisbee Golf cage. So, we played Frisbee golf up at the pond and at the house. We figured out a pretty good little course around the house and had fun playing that on a few of the evenings.We all had a good  time competing in that. Especially Aaron who was really glad to more of a physical challenge than mental. However, it worked out well because he could compete there and they was all chill and stuff for when we came in and played games. However, it was really fun to have something to play with Gary and to get out of the house and enjoy. I think it is definitely worth Gary's investment because I know of at least three times we played and a couple of those times we played more than one round, and everyone had fun and enjoyed it, so it was really great.

Now, before you think I am not going to blog about our Palisades adventure I am, but that is going to be a post all of its own coming up next. 

Brady Reunion

One day I need to learn to just set time aside to post on vacation because so much happens it is quite a daunting task to try and post about it all when I get home. However, we are going to attempt to do it anyway.

We were so luckily to go on a wonderful vacation to Idaho for about 10 days. We left on Thrusday at noon. Luckily the free lunch that day happened to be sandwiches, so we just went and got those, so I didn't even have to make lunch. It was great. Anyway, we left for Idaho about 1:00pm and just drove and drove and drove. We made a couple bathroom stops, but we didn't stop for dinner. I packed egg salad sandwiches and just plain egg salad for Aunt Kitt. So, we just drove which is great because we ended up getting there about 9:30 which is pretty good time. The girls did a pretty good job traveling. They got to watch Moana on the way. This is Kylee's new favorite movie and she know quite a lot of the songs even though she has only seen it twice. Once we arrived at Grandpa-Great's house we just enjoyed. We let the girls stay up for a little bit and chat and hang with everyone, but I did send Gaupo and them to bed after not too long. Once they were in bed, we (meaning Oma, Papa, Klaire, Grandpa-Great, Kitt, Kara, and Seth) all chatted for awhile and then decided we should probably get some sleep too.

Luckily Friday morning didn't dawn until about 6:30 or 7:00, but it was going to be a big day, so this was a little too early still. Anyway, I got up with the kids and we played for awhile and then we had breakfast.

Kylee reading to Grandpa-Great and Tia.

Then we pitched our tent and put all our stuff either in there or in the car and dinked around for a little bit and then it was time for Reunion to begin. We drove up to Lava Hot Springs to swim. We were the first family there, but it was great. I helped Gaupo at first with the girls and the little kid slides, but then the lines to the big slides were short and he said he could handle it, so I went. I went with Klaire, Kitt, and Seth. It was so great. I haven't gone on waterslides in awhile. I kind of forgot how big of a wedgy you can get, but man they are still so fun. So, I spent from about 11:30 to 1:30 going between slides, and the platform to checking on and helping with my kids. The girls loved both the little kid area inside and the kid slides outside. However, because the night before was crazy and they only got a little sleep by lunchtime (1:30), Kylee was kind of a grouch and Tia was falling asleep while being held in the water. Luckily Aunt Karen got there with lunch and so we got them some food and then bless Gaupo's heart he took them home and let me stay and play. So, I did more slides, the diving boards, and the platform one more time. Man that platform is so scary. I really don't get a huge thrill from doing it, so I don't know exactly why I do, but there is something about it that makes you want to do it just once (and obviously sometimes twice).

 At around 4:00 we left to head back to Virginia and play minute-to-win-it games. Those are always really fun because almost anyone can do them and it is kind of surprising who is really good at it. Like who would have known that Grandpa was a master pencil bouncer, and the Josh could really work the chopsticks.

Elisse, Kara, Klaire, and Uncle Mark stacking dice.

Kylee with a Kleenex box with 8 ping-pong ball she had to shake out.

Then it was food time again. We had a weiner roast. It is kind of a Brady Family tradition. They use to have it at the Hugh Brady reunions on the first night, but for me the tradition more forms from it seem like whenever the family gathered we had a weiner roast, so to me that is what happens when the Brady family gathers. I do wish we could do it at the pit at Grandpa's, but you it would just be too much and it really is okay to do it at the church. After the roast, it was talent show time. Our family is so talented. It is true that most of us just cop-out a little and let our kids perform, but you know most of the kids love it, so it works. Kylee and Tia showed off their biking skills. They did a great job and they loved it. Kylee especially loves the talent show portion of it. I can tell because whenever she thinks she has learned a really cool trick she say, "Maybe I could do it for the talent show next year." Its awesome. After the show it was kind of late, but we decided to play one round of "Forever Wed." Which is were couple are asked questions about each other and they try to put down the same answer based on whether it is what the husband would say or the wife. Jason and I rocked it. We were ahead, but we lost when we didn't wager double and David and Gaylynn did and so they won by one point. It was a really fun game. After that it was late, so everyone who hadn't left yet left and went to Grandpa's to camp and/or play night games. Like I mentioned before Gaupo is awesome and he willing stayed with our kids, so that I could go play night games with my cousins who also have awesome spouses who let them come and also the awesome second cousins who are now the ones who play night games. We played kick-the-can, and Mission. It was so fun, but we finally had to call it at Midnight, so we could be ready for Saturday.

Saturday was a packed day as well. It started at 8:00 with a great pancake and more breakfast. Then we got that cleaned up and headed to Arimo park where we played softball and let the kids play on the playground. I played with the kids for the majority or it because if there is one part of the reunion that Gaupo really likes it is the softball game. So, I let him enjoy that kid free. However, towards the end my cousin Lisa volunteered to watch Kylee and Tia while I played for a bit, so I took her up on it and play and it was super fun. I got to bat a couple of times and luckily nothing really came my way in outfield, so it was awesome.

Chris, Gaupo, Spencer, and Robert playing softball.

After softball we play genealogy jeopardy, and then had lunch. Then Gaupo took the girls back to the house for nap while we had a pie eating contest, and another round of Forever Wed. This time Josh and Nicola won and they also won in double or nothing. Let me tell you, those Jensen's know each other when they need to. Then we played the Amazing Race. So, this was a race where we split into teams and got in cars and drove all over Marsh Valley and did and or answered things. We visited Grandma and Grandpa Studley where we answered trivia questions. Then we went to Grandpa's and had to roast mallows to perfection. Then we went to the cemetery and found the family headstones and the counted all of them in the cemetery. Then we went to Flags West and got milkshakes, and then we finished by stopping at Great-Grandma and Granpa Brady's and getting a tour of their home from the current homeowner, Kathy. I love that Kathy has that house. She loves it and all the history and everything is just so great for her. I really love how much she loves the house. After the amazing race we had an action using Brady bucks we earned at reunion and then we cleaned the church and were done. It was a crazy couple of days, but you know it was awesome. I love getting together with all my cousins. I love seeing there families grow and hearing what they are up to. I love being silly and playing. I love it all.

Emma and Tia enjoying the cows after reunion.

Anyway, reunion did come to end and we all said good-bye. Although on Sunday, my cousin Mike blessed his baby in Inkom, so we went to that with all his family plus Oma, Papa, Kitt, Klaire, and Grandpa-Great. Then we really did say good-bye and headed to SwanLake to surprise Grandma and Grandpa Merrill by coming sooner than they thought (not by much, but a little.) It was so great we got the reaction we wanted which was happiness and surprise on both their faces, so it was totally worth it. So, we stayed for church there and then we rushed to the house and got some lunch and then went to Logan to visit Grandma Hammond. We visited with her and everyone else that was there for a couple of hours and then headed home and dinner. Then we got the kids to bed played some games, chatted and then headed to bed too. It was a crazy wonderful weekend.

7/11/2017

So normally 7/11 is not that much different than any other day of the week, but this morning that all changed with a text. This morning I got a text from my friend asking if we were going to Cow Appreciation Day at Chic-a-fila. I said well what is it. She said you dress up like a cow and then you can get free food. So, I decided hey why not. After my presidency meeting, the girls and I got all spruced up to look like some pretty crazy cows. Kylee was green, Tia pink, and I was black and white sort of. We made head bands with ears and little horn, painted our faces, and add paper spots to our clothes. We headed out and picked up our friends and went to Chic-a-fila. It was packed. Luckily for us we did not have to wait outside, but we were close. Anyway, the kids were troopers and Chic-a-flia moved things along quickly so it worked out great. I got the Chic-a-fila sandwich and the girls got kids meals all for free it was pretty great. So, we enjoyed lunch and then the girls played. Actually, Kylee liked her fries and Tia was okay with applesauce, but neither liked the chicken and they were so-so on the lemonade. Good thing it was free. Anyway, after letting them enjoy the play place a little we headed home.

Kylee and Tia mooing for the camera.

The three cows.

Then it was pretty normal until after we sent Gaupo back to work and I remembered that it is 7/11, so free slurpee day. So, we went and got a free small Slurpee at 7/11 and then went to a park and played. I was sure the girls would get board after a little bit, but not they weren't even ready when we had to go, so that was awesome.

Slurpee at the park.

So, this year that is what we did on 7/11. 

Our Arizona Vacation (Better Late Than Never)

I bet you thought, I would be done posting about Arizona after two posts, but no. We did way too many things, and I was suppose to post about stuff while I was there but didn't so you get it all in one big gulp.

So the majority of days in Arizona consisted of similar activities. I would try to wake up early (about 5:00ish) I would read my scriptures and then try to be really quiet, so the girls didn't wake up. However, I only had to be quiet a few days because my kids were up at about 5:30 every day. Luckily, Oma could walk and I could run even though the girls were awake because Papa was around and they were more than happy to follow him around, play in the sandbox, play with skippy, or play around in the house. I will tell you one thing, Tia loves Skippy and the chickens. She would ask Papa every day to take her out to the chickens, and she would go outside countless times a day to just pet Skippy. Anyway, I would come back from my run and play with the girls. Sometimes we read books, sometimes we played in the sandbox it just kind of depended on the day. Then we would go inside and have scriptures and prayers with Oma and Papa before Papa left for work. Then Oma and I would try to get the girls outside one more time before it got to hot. Then it was breakfast. Then we would play and play and play. Sometimes we would swim. Sometimes take a shower. Just kind of did whatever we wanted to. Then lunch and naps. Then we would swim again. A couple of times after swimming Oma let us take a bubble bath in her Jacuzzi tub and it was so great.Then come help with dinner and then books and bed. It was so great. I so loved just hanging out it was so great.

With that schedule in mind we still managed to do a lot of little and big extra things too. One really big thing we did was go to the Tuscon Temple open house and Tuscon Zoo. We left early on a Monday morning with a sack lunch and headed to Tuscon. Oma and Papa treated us to the zoo. I had forgotten how great that zoo is. We met up with my cousin Michayle and her girls. It was a really fun trip. The animals are, so close that it isn't hard to spot them unless it has gotten too hot and they are inside there houses. We got to see almost every animal except the Jaguar. We played for awhile at their elephant kingdom. We probably spent a good 2  hours walking around the zoo and it was the perfect amount time to see everything. At the end of the zoo trip, the girls got so spoiled and got to ride on the carousel. They have wanted to do this since they noticed the one at the Denver zoo, so they were thrilled. After the ride, we went to a near by park and had a picnic lunch.

Kylee and Tia looking at the Giraffes.

Kylee playing the instruments that were near the elephants. 

Cypress, Gilliene, Tia, Ginny, and Kylee at the Zoo.

Kylee and Tia loved this egg and insisted on this picture.

Kylee a little unsure in this picture, but loved it. 

 A little blury but here is Oma, Kylee, Tia, and I on the carousel.

Kylee, Papa, and Tia by the elephants.

Then it was off to the real reason we headed to Tuscon which was the temple open house. The girls were so excited to go inside a temple again. This tour was a little more guided than the Ft. Collins one, but it also had a a TON of people going through it. It was a beautiful temple and then it was so great to see it. You can't tell by the pictures, but the girls really did have a great time. Once we finished our tour, we started our trek home although we did make a quick stop at McDonald's for ice cream, and boy was that a nice treat after such a warm day. Oma and Papa were real troopers to put up with us in the heat and in the car, but I am so glad they did because I love taking my girls to the temple, and it was super fun to go to the zoo.

Papa and Kylee on the bus to the temple.

Tia and Oma on the bus to the temple.

Kylee, Me, and Tia at the temple.

Papa, Oma, Kylee, Tia, and I .

Tia and Kylee after the tour.

Another great thing I get to do when I go home is go to the temple. Oma and Papa live about 10 minutes from the Gila Valley Temple and it is so great to go. My first Friday home; Oma, Papa, and I went to the 4:00pm session while my cousins watched the girls. It was a fairly big session, but not too big and it was so great to just go to the temple. There is always such peace in the temple and really just lifted me to be able to go. Plus, I always love seeing my family in the celestial room. The second Friday I was there we went to the temple again. This time we did some sealings. The sealings were did were some of my Grandma's relatives from Germany and we sealed a whole family together. Then  another couple was there too, and we helped seal some people too. After doing that Oma, Papa, Papa Ross (he joined us for sealings), and I went out for lunch at one of my favorite Mexican food places Casa. However, I just hadn't gotten enough of the temple that day and wanted to go back. So, my mom dropped me off at the temple to do initiatories and then went home to relive the babysitter. It was so great to go back. I loved hearing the initiatory blessings again, and then I loved going and sitting in the Celestial room. However, when I left I felt a lot more satisfied, so I am glad I went back.

Me at the temple.

So, it is now (7/11) and things are getting foggy in my memory, but I saw some more pictures and wanted to document two more things we did. One was on both Saturday's I was home we did firepit things. The first Saturday we did a weiner roast. It is always so good to have a fire roasted hotdog. Also Oma made brownies to put on instead of chocolate and it was so good. Plus it is always a treat to enjoy extra time with Papa Ross. He came on both Saturday's and I think he had a good time. Anyway, the second Saturday we did dutch oven. My dad really likes dutch oven food or at least I think he does, so I wanted to make him some because he never gets it. Well, I can't do it on my own, so luckily my dad was willing to help me out. It turned out so good. My mom grilled chicken and we made dutch oven potatoes, peach cobbler, and my dad made homemade ice cream. It was quite a feast.

Getting the fire started for hotdogs.

Me, Oma, Papa, and Papa Ross chillin in the backyard.

Kylee and Tia playing after the hotdog roast.

Finally, one last great thing was that we got to see Lindsay, Betty Jane, Allen, and Roxy. It was so fun to watch those kids together. Tia and Allen actually played with each other which is a first. They swam together and did that way after the other two were done, they played in the sandbox together, and they watched Papa together it was awesome! Kylee and Betty Jane also had a good time together. They did the normal things like play house and stuff like that. I just really love watching my kids play with their cousins. Tia and Kylee but especially Tia was thrilled to death to have Roxy around too. She loved to hold her and help her. Poor Roxy, but luckily for me Roxy handled it well. We really only had a about 36 hours together, so the kids had to play fast and they were just getting really good at it when we had to part ways, so we definitely need to get together for a longer span of time next time. I am so glad Lindsay survived the horrific adventure of their car catching on fire and still bringing Aunt Kitt to surprise my dad and bringing the kids over to play. I think it was such a great thing.

Alllen, Tia, Betty, and Kylee in the sandbox.

Tia loving on Roxy.

Four cousins sitting on a bench.

Allen, Tia, Kylee, and Betty eating dutch oven food.

Kylee, Betty, Allen, Roxy, and Tia at breakfast.

Allen, Rox, Betty, Kylee, and Tia under the sign they made for Papa.

Arizona With Oma

I love going to Arizona for a lot of reasons. The number one is to be home and see my Mom and Dad. If you didn't know my mom and dad are very different and love them for it. They both have unique talents and abilities and I am so glad I have both of them to help me though this journey of life. In the last post I talked about some adventures with my dad, but no visit would be much of a visit without Oma.

You see our Oma is who plays with us whenever Papa is not home. However, like any good mom because they are around all the time sometimes the adventures we have with them get glossed over because we take them for granted because our mom seems like she is always just right there. So, some of my adventures with my mom are simple like when she reads to my kids. If you didn't know my children love books, especially Kylee. I am pretty sure if you were to read to Kylee all day she would listen. Tia doesn't last that long, but I am always impressed at how well Tia will listen for how busy she is. Anyway, I also loved being read to as a kid. My mom reading a book is one of my favorite Christmas traditions, and I also love the sound of my mom's voice reading any other books. So, I love it when she will read to my kids. They love cuddling close to her and listening. Plus, my mom is great at slowing down and asking questions. It is awesome. Everyone loves story time with Oma.

Oma also knows a lot of great places to play. She took us to the splash pad in Thatcher. My girls are not usually real big slash pad people because they water is sprayey instead of surrounding them. So, I wasn't sure how this would go over, but it worked great. Tia's splash world was turned completely around when she finally went through the water. You want to know who she wanted to take her through--Oma. You know who willing went though with her Oma. Let me tell you Tia had a blast at the park and running through the spraying water and it all started with a run though with Oma. Kylee also had a great time and she loved the 'guns.' She loved to changed the direction of the water and squirt it where she wanted. We had a great time at the splash pad. We spend probably an hour and half there. That is amazing because most times it is significantly less than that.

One last great adventure I had with Oma was shopping. My clothes are getting worn out and I really do want to look cute and put together, but shopping with two kids is not my idea of fun. I do like shopping, but I like doing it with someone, but not with my kids so this gets tricky. Anyway, bless Oma's heart she took me shopping. It is true we just went up town (Safford), so there were only two stores, but she patiently watched my children  while I tried on everything I thought might look good. The trouble is almost none of it fit. However, it was good to try it all on. One store had a great spot with a movie and a couple other things in it and a lock on the little door to it, so the kids couldn't get out. Luckily I had Oma, so she could look out for the kiddo's but I thought this was a genius idea. After much trying on, I ended up only getting some basic stuff--black and white understhirts, and black and white nice t-shirts. However, I did try on a cute white dress that I wasn't quite sure about, but later ended up getting and I love it. The cut is so cute and it makes me look all girly. It is all white, so it is kind of risky to wear, but I feel really cute in it, so I guess its worth the risk. Anyway, I am so grateful that Oma took me shopping to get a few new things, because I really needed that. 

I love spending time with my mom. I love that we can just hangout together whether that is at the splash pad, the store, home on the couch, in the pool, or on the phone when we are apart. I love watching tv, and movies with my mom at night. My mom is a lot of what makes my home, my home. So grateful to have a wonderful Mom. Sadly our mom adventures are not documented as well. Oh well, maybe some day.

Arizona with Papa

I am currently sitting in my girls room blogging. I am doing this in hopes that it will convince them to stay in their room and go to sleep. You see we went to Arizona for the past couple of weeks and one of the many great things that happened there was my girls fell asleep IN their beds. The trick is Papa. You see Papa has a unique ability to lay on a tiny piece of the bed, tell a fascinating, but true story and then fall asleep for awhile. Then when he wakes up he is up for awhile then goes back to sleep for his nightly rest. This was such a treat for my girls, and Papa was such a sport to go lay by them every night. They loved his stories and company. I loved them as a girl, so I totally get where they are coming from. However, it makes it a little tough to bring them home and convince them to sleep in their beds. We have been working on it, and there have even been a couple times we haven't stayed with them and they feel asleep. It is so awesome.

In other awesome things with Papa, he took both his Friday's off work and played with us. The first Friday was a true Papa adventure. Papa, Kylee, Tia, and I got on the four-wheeler and rode back behind the house to what I call 'The Splice.' The Splice is a place where a long time ago a wash cut a a deep splice right through the foothill. It was pretty cool to see and I really wanted to hike through it, but the chances of rattlesnakes seemed to great, my girls were not interested, and even Papa seemed a little wary of following a path through a clay hill. Needless to say we didn't hike it, but if I was every there November-February I would be really tempted. Anyway, it was a fun ride, but part of it was in a pretty rocky wash bed, so Kylee was so done with bumpy four-wheeler rides.

A wide view of the splice.

Papa, Kylee, and Tia in the splice.

Tia, Papa, and me in the splice.

So, when we got home Papa asked if we wanted to go out on four-wheeler's again and Kylee said No, but when he offered a truck ride she was all for that. Kylee, Tia, Papa, and I climbed in the truck and we took the back roads to the Ft. Thomas bridge. Technically my Dad needed to look at it for work purposes, but it was still a great little place. The river was flowing but it was shallow there wasn't a lot of traffic. It was so great. Anyway, Papa had brought a few rods to try and figure out where the bottom of the bridge was so he was poking the long on in the girls took his short one to the other side and started hanging over it trying to touch the water with it. Sometimes I know where my kids get there ideas (like from me) and it doesn't actually make it any less scary. Anyway, we poked around from above for awhile, and then we decided to climb into the river bed and poke around from there. We did really good at staying dry until I let the girls put there feet in. Then you know how it goes--Tia squatted down instead of bending over, so her bum got wet. Then after watching the girls for a bit I had to put my feet in too. Then I had to see if I could wade across without getting wet. Which then Kylee followed and slipped on a rock and fell in. Then Tia wanted to come and crossed fine until the way back when she slipped and fell in. So, once the girls were wet like that it was pointless to not play, play in the river. I walked around more and enjoyed the water. The girls would jump up and land on their bums, or flop down on their bellies. They splashed. I helped them wade into some deeper spots. We had a blast. It was a great thing to do on such a hot morning. After we managed to barely keep the girls awake on the way home, we finally got home and went swimming in the pool to rinse all the sand off. I took a shower, so I could go to the temple later. Overall we made it sound like a great time because we Oma pretty jealous when we told her of our adventures when she got home from working at the temple.

Me, Tia, Kylee, and Papa driving along in the truck.

Tia hanging over the side trying to touch the water with the short stick. 

Papa, Tia, and Kylee 'playing' on the bridge.

Papa searching for the bottom of the bridge and Tia and Kylee playing.

Kylee and Tia in the river.

When your wet why not just sit?

Tired, dirty, wet Kylee and Tia in the truck.

The next Friday Papa had off we didn't get to go on quite the adventure because Papa needed to get to the temple and do an endowment session, so that we could seal a family together. However, being who he is he still took us out on four-wheelers. The girls really wanted to go 'shooting.' They asked Papa to get his 'gun' out for them. So, my dad decided that a pea shooter was probably as close as we need to get to using a gun at this age, and I agree. Anyway, we went to the dry spring and had the girls collect shotgun shells. They then lined them up on hay bale and tried to shoot them with the pea shooter. Kylee loved it! Tia had a hard time getting the coordination down for it, so she kind of lost interest. Papa and I also had a great time with it. I am not a good shot, but it was fun to try and shoot and then see where it ended up.

Papa showing the girls how this 'shooting' is done.

Papa and Tia 'shooting.'

Kylee 'shooting.'

The view on our way back.

My Dad is so great. I love going on what I call Papa Adventures. I love that it doesn't seem to matter how many times I go out with my Dad he manages to show me something else I never knew existed. I love how he loves the desert. I talk to a lot of people who think the desert is ugly, but to me it holds its own beauty and I love that my dad can show it to me. I also love that whining and heat doesn't really seem to bug my dad that much, so going on adventures with my kids in the summer is totally do able. I also love being able to just be with my dad. He is so wise and soft spoken it is awesome.

A Visit to Aunt Kitt's House

A couple Friday's ago, we went to visit our Aunt Kitt at her house. Tia has occupational therapy on Friday mornings down in Broomfield, which is a little less than halfway to Kitt's house. It was her off Friday, so we decided to go play and I am so glad we did. The traffic getting down there was a little heavier than expected, but not bad and we got there safe and sound. We got there a little bit before Kitt, so we had to wait for just a couple of minutes, but then the fun started.

The girls were so excited to go to Aunt Kitt's house. They were a little leary that I was going to leave them, but I assured them I was not and that I was just here to play with them and Kitt. So, we went into Kitt's house and of course the girls (mainly Tia) wanted to go swimming right away, but it was not warm enough yet. So, we decided to play games for a bit. We played Clue Jr. (Kylee's pick). It is too complex for Tia, so Kitt let her dig through her wallet and just play around on her own while we played. Then we played Curious George Matching. Tia loves this matching game. She loves it and she is good at it. So, we played that at least once, maybe twice. Then we finally caved and went swimming. It was a little chilly in the pool, but once we started swimming it was just fine. We swam and the girls showed Aunt Kitt all their new tricks. Kitt and I had a couple races and contests, so it was great. The girls however, started to get cold, so after keeping them in the pool as long as we could we hopped over to the hot tub. We relaxed in there for a bit and then convinced them to go back in the pool. We jumped in all together. Then I showed Kylee a cannonball. I am honestly not the best cannonballer but I am to a five year-old. So, Kylee was jumping in like crazy working on her cannonballs. Tia jumped for a little while, but then tired of that, so we went to the steps were she could stand and she wanted to swim and be chased and stuff like that. After awhile they tired of the pool, so we back to the hot tub. We sat in there for a bit, and tried to convince the girls to go jump in the pool again, but they refused. So, Kitt and I jumped in and then got out. We laid out on the sidewalk and enjoyed soaking up the heat from the pool deck. After warming there for a few minutes, we went up back up to Kitt's apartment for lunch. We changed and while lunch was cooking Kitt and the girls played 'Go Fish.' Kylee really likes that game and Tia likes it when she has some help to play. Anyway, eventually the Mac and Cheese, hotdogs, and peas were all ready and we had lunch. Then after that we had to get ready to go. I really wanted to stay longer, but I was trying really hard to be good and not break the "rules," so that when I ask if I can go do it again the answer runs a much a better chance of being a Yes.

It was super fun to go to Kitt's house. I had a blast just doing our thing, but doing it with Kitt and doing it somewhere else. I love having a sister, so close and having my kids be old enough that trips like this don't totally shake the foundation of our life. I don't know how long Kitt will stay close, but you know I love that she is here and close. Plus, now that I have proved to myself that I can drive down there and that it actually worked out really well it is a lot more tempting to go play, because it was fairly simple and, so worth it. Family is what it is about and I love that I get to be part of amazing families.