24th of July in Utah

And we're back. Last week we went to Utah in time to greet Jacob and Ryan -- they had been in Utah for a week prior -- and celebrate the 24th Kanosh style. And I thik that is all you can say about how Kanosh celebrates. They have a parade that anyone and everyone that wants to participate can, and they can jump in and out of the parade as many times as they want. Jacob met teh 12 year old or maybe 14 year olds, and liked their float so he threw water balloons, and Spencer chose to ride on Grandpa's wagon behind his team of horses and with Uncle Owen and the dogs. Candy was thrown for Ryan to collect and the cousins descended from Salt Lake and Aurora! It was a fun parade!

 

After the parade, they have a big dutch oven dinner at the park, and everyone meets there. This year they fed about 1400, people which isn't too bad especially since there are only 700 in the town! After eating they have races and contests. They had a tug-o-war with the adults vs the kids and the kids beat them handily, the adults weren't even "just letting them win" -- give you an idea of what that was like?

 

One of the days we were up in Kanosh, Jake got to do what Jake likes to do. Swath, if that is the right word (cut) the hay. He loved it.

 

We also got to go up the canyon for a picnic and Marshmallow roast. My neice Mahrin, was such a ham, she hasn't been walking for several months -- and she brought up her crutches and acturally walked! Hooray for her until she decided to crawl -- she is the very fair one with the black face -- we loved her expressions and zest by the fire!

 

To keep the excitement of the vacation going, we decided to bring one of my nephews home with us so, he got to take his first flight and we are hoping to do lot's of fun things this week before he has to go home!

Tulsa and Beyond

Well, Spencer and I took a quick trip to Tulsa with my Sister in law and her two children (they actually live there but were visiting for the past 5 weeks) -- and we had such a blast!! Thanks for putting up with us. . .
We took the first day and went to this super cool aquarium just a few minutes from their house. The kids got to touch some sting rays, and small sharks and starfish. Spencer and Cooper were both a bit hesitant to do so. . .then we got to walk under where the sharks were swimming. That is always a bit creepy for me, and I know there was killer shark that was just licking his lips (the pictures were too dark to prove it). . .
quick

 

The next day, we went to route 66. . .Yep, now I can officially say for sure I have been there, I think I had been there in AZ, but I digress. One of the attractions is in a town named Catoosa, and it is a blue whale buildt on a lake. Yep it was buildt in the 70's. . .but a man made it for his wife, complete with a high dive and slide -- I am not sure how much he loved his wife looking at the water she was supposed to dive into. . .but he opened it to the public and now it is an attraction on route 66. We then went to a town named Owasso, yep, the names of their towns are a bit, um random, and they had a super fun park for the kids to play on.

 

On Friday, we went to Woolaroc and this was pretty. It was owned by the founder of Phillps 66, and it houses his private collection of artifacts and it is quite amazing. There is a wildlife preserve there too, and we were able to see lot's of different animals including an ostrich that Lauren fed and fortunately we were able to outrun the park ranger so she is still with us :).

 

That night, we had the opportunity to go to Oklahoma, the musical, in yep Oklahoma. Not many can say they have done that. . .but I have. It is actually a pretty good performance and kind of neat, it is an outdoor amphitheatre and the insects are loud around you. There are even fireflies to keep you entertained when there is intermission. I know, I am an Arizona girl and easily entertained. . .but we got to meet the cast, and needed a souvenier picture so we were high school girls getting one of our favorite actors in the play's picture.

 

Before we went home, we went to the most amazing park, it is one of the most beautiful picturesque places I have seen, now if I could have kept the kids still and had better skills. . .another day, another time. But we had fun and enjoyed seeing the beautiful country.


We are glad to be home for a few days and are looking forward to meeting up with Jacob and Ryan closer to the end of the week! Thanks Drew and Lauren, Cooper and Georgia for putting up with us, we can't wait until you get a house so we can visit again!

Fun TImes

For the past five weeks, my fun and cute sister-in-law and her two children, Cooper and Georgia have been staying at her mom's house, about three minutes from our house. So, we have been having a blast with them here! They are getting ready to go home :( -- a sad thing.

But, we have been having a blast! This past week, we took Spencer and Cooper and her brother Kade to the Brimhall pool, and Kade insisted that Cooper was tall enough to go down the waterslides. So we said let's see if they are -- they were -- Spence and Coop are about the same size -- so we spent the next TWO hour playing on the slides! Fun time -- then, Cooper wanted to do it again the next day and the next -- they don't allow cameras so I don't have the documentation, but I am going to ask tomorrow when we go our last time. . .

Two weeks ago, my brother Clint and his wife Natalie, and their three kids came to AZ to visited my parents. Well, we got home from our family trip and had dinner with them and the subject of Wicked came up. We, my mom and I mentioned that we had an extra ticket for Friday the 10th and too bad she couldn't come. Well, for some reason, my brother's youth conference got canceled for this weekend, and she came down! So my wonderful dad, gave up his ticket and Lauren, Natalie, my mom and I got to form another memory at Wicked! Fun time! We really had a great time!

Saturday, we had a girls day, and Marlene, Natalie, Lauren and I went and got pedicures -- HEAVENLY! and then went to lunch with my mom and dad and Mar's husband Jon at Joe's Farmhouse Grill (yummy) and then Natalie and Porter had to run off to catch an airplane -- thanks Natalie for coming, and thanks Clint for letteing her come!

Now, I see how fun it would be to have a bunch of sisters that lived close so that we could trade babysitting and leave husbands home with kids and make fun memories! Can't you all move down here? Please?

Utah Trip

So we made a super quick trip to Utah on Thursday to Saturday -- Jake's family had a reunion in Sterling, Utah and we were able to get together with all of his family. It was full of kids, visiting and work! But I think we are glad that we made the effort.

Before we went to the reunion, we went to the Oquirrah Mountain Temple open house. That was awesome! The kids were so well behaved and loved getting to bask in the Spirit that is felt so strongly in the temple and were all so good. I was really glad that we got to go!

 

 

While in Sterling, we went to Palisades Lake and it was COLD! I refused to even get wet, and about froze when I was splashed! The weather was great!