Summer - 4 of 4 - June and July randoms

This post is dedicated to all the random things we've done this June and July so far.
-Dave spent 6 weeks full time finishing up a research project at the U of U to finish his master's degree.  He had to go on a couple overnight trips to the Tar Sands to collect water samples as well. 
-Zoo, lots of zoo.  Just us, or with friends.
- Aviary - Sam loves to see the "boodies."
-Seven Peaks - visited the water park a couple times with Jessi and Quin.
-Hiking/walking - Millcreek, Solitude/Silver lake, local nature trails.
-splash pads - it's so hot in July!
-Movies
-Bowling, miniature golf, arcades.
-READING!  so much reading.  Learning to read (sometimes much to Isaac's chagrin.)
-and you know...life.
I kick myself ALL. THE. TIME. for not writing down the hilarious and surprising things the kids say.  Here are a few kiddo-isms I stole from my Facebook posts, followed by some random photos from June and July thus far...

Isaac:

Mom, there is so much you don’t know about my life.

Mom, I am so mad at you.  I am going to be mad at you forever.  When you are older, I might not even push your wheelchair!

An alien with 1,000 eyes, and 1000 eye patches still cannot see the world no matter how hard it tries.

Dad, I will be a great grandpa when you die.  I hope you will come visit me at my house the day before you die.

Sam:  He is a mix between SO incredibly sweet/cute and the grumpiest elderly man ever.  He cracks me up every day.

 All summer: “Get offa me sunshine, you’re too bright”  Or sometimes just over and over while rubbing his head “get off sun!  get off sun!  get off sun!”

During a rainstorm, yet under the cover of our porch “stop it rain, get away from me, you’re too muddy!”  Muddy is his word to describe anything wet or dirty.

Out of the blue, he will just start saying defensively “that’s my smoothie Eloise!  That’s my cracker Noah!  That’s my fruit snack Emiliano!”  These are kids from daycare that he hasn’t seen for over 6 weeks.  Now we know he was the bossy one at daycare.

Some songs he knows most of the words to are: “went to the bakery,” the “Bob the Builder” theme song, and “Miss Mary Mack,” and it’s soooo cute to hear him sing them. I will try to get video.

 

Isaac SUPER proud of his Lego creation.

Said goodbye to my 14 year old Mazda!  This was a great car.  We got a Honda Odyssey which I love and wonder how we ever survived without :)

Jessi does pudding finger paint with Quinn a lot, so we tried it.  Success!

Thanks for the photo, Jessi.  Quinn and Isaac on the carousel at the zoo.

Isaac started T-Ball this summer and I found these hats on clearance for the boys.  They love them so much, they wear them daily.  Sam gets ticked off when I try to take his hat off for a photo.

The joys of summer.  Shirtless and strange fruits.

Dave jammin' on Sam's doggy guitar.  I love this guy.

The next set of photos are from today at Silver Lake with Miles and Tori.

Dave brought all the cool things needed to investigate the water and all the little creatures in it.  fun :)

picnic on the pier

Good buddies Isaac and Miles.

Many key ladies in my life in this photo!  Brittany had a bridal shower last Saturday - Ben and Brittany getting married in 2 weeks!  Hooray!

And last but certainly not least.  A photo from the end of the school year given for Teacher Appreciation week.  As much as I do love all the homemade cards and gifts from the students, I have to say this present was probably my favorite teacher present because it made me laugh so hard.  I love when parents have a sense of humor and see teachers as regular people.

Summer - 3 of 4 - South Lake Tahoe

My maternal grandmother - Joanne's family had a reunion this month in Lake Tahoe - the California side.  Many of my mom's cousins, aunts, uncles and extended family were there.  We drove, and it was a surprisingly easy 10 or so hours from Utah to Tahoe.  The new vehicle helped make it easier, for sure, as did my mom's presence.  She drove both ways with us and certainly helped entertain and care for the boys (in additions to books, toys, games, snacks, and iPad games and movies.)
We camped at a place called Camp Richardson and shared a camp with my parents, Ben, and cousins Tim, Natalie, and their kids Quen and Duncan.  The boys LOVED camping there (well, Sam screamed bloody murder the first night when he woke up and didn't realize where we were.)  They thought it was awesome waking up with the sun (which was not so awesome to me,) and going to bed late and dirty.  I think they were in heaven having other people there to entertain them besides the same ole same ole mom and dad. 
While there, we spent lots of time at the lake, (swimming, playing, kayaks, volleyball, etc) and a little hiking (Emerald Bay - gorgeous!)  We met up with the bigger family every night for dinner and visiting.  It was fun to see people I hadn't seen for YEARS and YEARS, and meet some new faces, too.  There was a mini talent show (my mom and sisters/cousins sang a Mary Poppins song) and Isaac decided, after a bribe of $1 from Ben, that he would get up in front of everyone and sing "We Three Kings" (remember the video from Christmas?)  It was adorable.
 I brought the camera on this trip, but forgot to take photos (I think I got like 3 pictures! haha!)  The photos here are from Ben and Aunt Clare.

Ben teaching Isaac to "lay down a beat..." haha

Aaaaand, this video of Ben and Isaac beat-boxin'!

Summer 2 of 4 - Zion and 10th Anniversary

Dave and I celebrated 10 years of marriage on June 12th.  I KNOW!!!!  We met in the year 2000, and it has been a fantastic 14 years. My love for Dave truly does grow every year - he is an amazing husband and dad and I feel so fortunate to call him mine :)
(2 is kind of popular with us)
2 kids later
2 dogs later
2 houses later
2...shudder...scorpions later
2 Masters degrees later (1 for each of us!)
2 career changes later (1 for each of us!)
2 trips to Europe later
I thought about moving onto threes, but decided I would be here awhile, so I best move on to Zion while I can.  We spent 4 days in Zion the week after our Anniversary with some great friends.  It has become a tradition for us to return to the same Bed and Breakfast in Springdale where we were lucky to be a part of our friends Hilary and Quin's wedding 9 years ago.  This year we spent a day hiking the Narrows, a day hiking Puranuweap Canyon and the Barracks, and the rest of the time relaxing and enjoying the company of friends.  We stopped at Nate and Tara's farm in Orderville on the way home, which was great.  Pigs, goats, cows, chickens, turkeys (we have our name on one...Ruff Ruffman,) and lots of greens!
Here are some photos.  The Narrows were beautiful and relaxing, and as always, one of my favorite hikes, with a side adventure up Orderville canyon.  In all, about 5 hours and maybe 6ish miles round trip, mainly hiking in water.  I NEVER get tired of looking at those canyon walls and the water which flows through them.  Gorgeous. 
The next day...well...THE NEXT DAY was HARD.  The reward was worth it, the scenery was amazing, but HOT DAMN.  That was a difficult, strenuous hike through desert heat, sand slogs, some ominous scrambling, and never ending trail. My hip flexers were feeling 96 years old from hiking the Narrows the day before, and I wanted to die with each step.  HOWEVER, true to the hike's description, the river oasis was one of the most spectacular and breathtaking things I have ever seen.  The pictures don't even come close to doing it justice.  It was similar to the popular Narrows hike I love, except more narrow, more dramatic, no people, so green, and what I would imagine a perfect place to spend a day if I knew it would be my last (sans the hike in and hike out prior to the water!)  I am pretty certain I had heat exhaustion coming out of the canyon.  I was confused, exhausted, and I was feeling winded even going downhill.  We arrived at about 9 AM and left this canyon about 9 PM - 12 hours and 12 miles later.  If I ever do this hike again, one of three things will have to happen:  1st scenario:  I am in marathon shape.  :)  2nd scenario:  I parachute in.  hehe  3rd scenario:  I am rich and hire a Sherpa to carry backpacking gear in and we backpack half way in, finish, backpack several days in the oasis, then backpack out, sleep halfway, finish.   Lastly, I looked like I needed a cane for a couple days after this trip, and I probably did.
Anyway, it was a lovely 4 days with good friends and family.  Thanks to Dave, Julie, Tim, Nate, Tara, Dana, Hilary, Quin, and Joe for the good times nonstop laughter.

A group shot in the Barracks - Puranuweap.  Us, plus Nate and T's goat cheese = good times.

Long time friends and MK's - Hil and Quin.  @ Zion Canyon Bed and Breakfast.  LOVE THIS PLACE and these people!

snack break on the hike to this hidden Oasis that I thought was a big made up lie by a force stronger than me, trying to get me to do real exercise. ;)

Nate and Tara were great guides and great company on this hike.  Plus, I would have either a) died if they weren't there or b) would still be lost in this canyon surviving on cacti and evaporated urine.  EW!

The boys in the Barracks (minus Nate, Nate was too damned fast and like a monkey hopping from thing to thing.)

The girls in the Barracks (minus Tara - see above comment about monkeys.)

Dana and I in the Narrows (and Julie and Tim photo-bombing - YES!)

Orderville Canyon - side trip from the Narrows.

More Narrows with Julie and TIm.

Summer 1 of 4 - Isaac graduates!

Isaac graduated preschool early June.  So silly that they graduate preschool these days, but still highly entertaining and cute to see them feeling so accomplished.  This concludes his time at St. John's preschool.  He will start kindergarten next month at the school I teach at - Spring Lane!  It feels pretty surreal that that time has already come.  A recap of where Isaac spent his pre-K years, which I of course measure September-ish to May-ish each year, because that is when Dave and I are working.
Year one:  So lucky to be watched by Nana full time while we worked.
Year two:  So much fun spending time with Nate three days a week, Julie one day and Nana one day.
Year three:  One day a week with Nana, and happily spent 4 days a week with Miles and Tori!  Made a life-long friend (we hope! :) that year.
Year four:  St. John's in Miss Luci's class.
Year five:  St. John's in Miss Lori's class.

Moving the tassel

Singing "Got the Whole World in His Hands"