Backyard Work

After this happened to our trampoline last fall during a wind storm one night where the trampoline flew over the fence and across the street we bought a new trampoline and have been waiting to get an area flattened to put it up.

 Here's the play area now, leveled out and with mulch instead of grass (with watering restrictions in effect we want to get rid of as much grass as possible).

You don't know how happy this makes me as I can just tell the kids to just go outside and jump on the trampoline to get their indoor wiggles out.

No more homework, no more books

It feels like all the other kids around have been out of school forever but we just got out today.  Next year our school will be going traditional schedule so we have a nice long summer to enjoy.

Happy girls for the last day of school.

 L for last day and not something else

 

Coldstone treat after school

 Splash park fun on a hot day

We'll see if I can balance the need to get out and do things with the lazy feeling of staying home while trying to not let the girls drive me nuts this summer.

Time to get down and dirty, camping that is

Last weekend we went camping up to Estes Park for the second year in a row with some friends from our prior ward (we were pretty much crashing the ward campout).  It was a little cooler than down in Denver which was nice and the T-storms stayed away as did forest fires that seem to be ravaging our state again this year.

We had a bunch of elk come through the campground and Elizabeth got a little too close for comfort.  This guy even hung out a few yards from our tent eating his cud.

 We went up to Rocky Mountain National Park and went on a little hike up to Alberta Falls.

 The sometimes happy hikers but we all made the trip.

We ate good food in fresh air and enjoyed time with friends, what more can you ask for?  Until our next camping trip next month.

Wedding Trip

On May 31 we traveled to Idaho Falls, ID for the wedding of Eric's nephew Brian.  The girls were so excited to be flower girls again in pretty dresses and it was nice to get out of town for a little bit.  Get ready for a bunch of crazy beautiful pictures (the subjects, not my less than stellar camera skills).

Rachel with one of Brian's new nieces, Reagan.  They had a blast together!

Evelyn with her favorite cousin--Carissa

Presenting Kellyn & Brian as husband & wife

Kellyn's entourage of flower girls eager to do their duty and hold the wedding dress up.

Not the most flattering picture of us but I like the tulips

The flower girls at the wedding reception

Playing in the elevator all night.  I heard them say they broke it, hope not.

So who decorated the getaway car--these guys?

Or these guys?

Passing the time at the reception on cousin Stuart's phone.

What, are we going to cut this thing?

Nicely feeding the cake to each other, I would've smashed it!

Cousin Brian is a great cousin to my girls!

Leaving to a spray of bubbles and confetti.

After we left Idaho Falls the day after the wedding, we stopped at a friend's house in Wellington, UT where the girls had to pet the horse.

And we stayed at Bear Lake where we just had to get LaBeau's shakes!

Why YOU Should Have a Pet Rat

Today for the second to last day of school, Elizabeth's class had an author's read aloud where each child picked a piece they wrote during the year to read to us parents.  Elizabeth picked one about pet rats.  I love her expressions.

 

And here are the girls "new" pet rats, we've had them about a month and they are named Patch and Mooney.  Without the red eyes like the other albino ones they aren't creepy and we can actually tell them apart.

Field Day 2013

This year the kids had perfect weather for field day--sunny with a little breeze.  Evelyn and I were able to bounce back and forth between the girls to watch them compete in different events and have fun.

First up picture wise is Rachel and her blue team

 With BFF Ella

 In the dressing up relay

My favorite event: tug-of-war

 Elizabeth's turn with the pictures.  With her BFF Courtney on their black team.

 Pretending to be a horse carriage

 Getting ready for the 50-yard dash

 Tug-of-war for Elizabeth's class

Spectator Evelyn hanging out with Ella's sister