Wednesday, August 18, 2010

summer updates

Part I--General Pictures and Baby Blessing

Here are some more pictures of the kids from this summer. We have been busy, busy. Frosty is a total trooper. We cart her around everywhere. We have been to Weber a few times, but not as much as usual because of conflicting travel schedules. We haven't gone anywhere, but we have had lots of visitors. Initially, my family was going to drive from SLC to Glacier National Park and then on to Calgary and Banff in the beginning of July. I told Captain F we could totally do it with our 4 year-old, 2 year-old, and newborn. He was very skeptical. It sounded like torture to him. He said, "This just sounds like Weber with a 14 hour drive. I get all the cowboy I want at Weber and it is just 1 hour away." That comment was enough to derail my entire family. They decided to go another direction, New York City. Needless to say, I didn't think we would have fun taking our 4 year-old, 2 year-old, and newborn there. In the end, we decided a trip just wasn't in the cards this summer. Good thing people came to us.

Ootsie took this picture of the kids on the last day of her first trip to Utah of the summer.














We were able to take some friends up to Weber in June for an overnight adventure. We decided to go the day of and we actually pulled it together.









































































We blessed little Frosty on July 3rd. I know it was not a Sunday. The Canadians arrived in Utah on July 2nd, and my entire family left for NYC at 6 a.m. on July 4th. Saturday was the only day we could do it. We had the blessing and brunch at my parents' house. It was so nice not to have to get my house ready on top of everything else. The blessing was nice, if not real reverent, and the food afterwords was great. Lots of people went swimming, too. It was a fun celebration for little Frosty.





















































































V had her first swimming lessons this summer. The first day she was very brave for the first 25 minutes and then started to cry. The second day I got in with her when it was clear she was going to cry again. After that, she was a star student. She loved to volunteer to go first for everything. The Prince turned out to be a little too advanced for his class, but when I signed him up at the beginning of the summer that would have been the right level. He is basically water safe at this point. We still watch him, but he is able to swim without a life jacket or any aid. He just swam the length of the pool at my parents' house a couple of days ago. Like I said, I would never leave him unattended, but he is doing great.


































Part II - Family Reunion

Ootsie and Outsie stayed with us for a couple of days in early July. They came out for the blessing and to go to Ootsie's family reunion in Zion's National Park. They did lots of yard work before leaving our house to stay with Cicada, who had them do lots more yard work at her house. Then it was on to the reunion, which is a four day affair. Captain F decided to take both the Prince and V from Friday to Sunday. Frosty and I stayed home. The sleeping arrangements were too hard for a newborn baby. The kids had a great time. They got to sleep in a tent, go to a water park, do lots of swimming, and learn to belly dance. I had a quiet weekend at home. Everyone was happy, especially Ootsie who was glad Captain F would brave taking the kids alone to join in the fun at the reunion. I think even Captain F was happy, even though he got all the work.


























































Part III--Richie's Visit

Richie decided to come out to Utah this summer afterall. He was here for a little less than a week, but we packed it with lots of activities and some down time, too. One of the funnest things we did was hike to Cecret Lake in Alta with the kids and Aunt Brat. The kids were great and walked almost all the way by themselves. Richie volunteered to carry Frosty, but he said he wouldn't take her if she had poop. To which Aunt Brat, who had volunteered to take her as well, said, "That goes for me, too." Richie was also very careful while watching the kids by the edge of the lake. You can see he has a good hold on V. We followed up the hike with a trip to Lagoon that night with all the family, except Senor who was on vacation with his girlfriend.





























































We also did lots of swimming and ate lots of good food. Richie is a great cook and always makes delicious meals for everyone. We should have taken pictures. Oops.



















(I am including the following picture because it is the only one taken of me recently that looks like I could be remotely attractive. I'll let you figure out why.)




























































Richie is definitely a favorite uncle. Lucky for Richie he also got to spend time without the kids. He and Aunt Brat went on another hike and a movie without us. I think it was a successful trip.