18 Year Return

Before I started BYU, my best friend from High School and I went to Seven Peaks.  We had a great, relaxing time.  I always remembered Seven Peaks like that -- a fun place to go and play in the sun and water and even relax.

So I was a little surprised when I came back 18 years later with my four kids and my niece and Wow!  Now you had to pay for parking?  What are all of these slides?  Wasn't the lazy river longer and. . .lazier?

The kids had such a great time.  It's perfect for everyone.  There are thrilling slides for my go-getters (Garry & Emma).  Medium slides for my more cautious kids (Macey & even Molly on that day).  And a small pool for little tikes like Braden and bigger but still not scarier slides for Molly.

We were not sure how long we would stay -- but we stayed an entire 7 hours!  We stepped out for a picnic, but then the big kids hit a few more slides right before closing.

We cannot wait for next year!  We will get season passes and go back often!

Book Signing With Jennifer Stewart Griffith

When I was at BYU, I completed an internship with Senator Larry E. Craig of the airport bathroom fame.  Working in that office was interesting.  The other interns hated me because, since I was from BYU and we had a special program every Friday, I got every Friday off.  But still got paid the same.  And since I had a carpool, I had to leave on time, everyday.  Yep, I would have hated me, too.

The one ray of light was Jennifer Stewart.  She worked up front, and once a week I got to help her on the phones.  I loved it.  When she went over to work for the House of Representatives, I was very sad.  The new guy was weird, and he was a chain smoker.  He would take a "break" every hour on the hour and leave me to handle the phones by myself.  I also thought that he was a weird fit for the office.  Usually the front office staff should be from the state because they are the ones that interact the most with constituents.  This guy was not from Idaho, and if he was a Republican, he was a card-carrying member of the Log Cabin Republicans.  I could not figure out how he got hired.  But now, nearly two decades later, it all makes perfect sense.

Jennifer Stewart became Jennifer Stewart Griffith, and she became an author!  She has written four books, and I was so excited to attend her book signing at Trolley Square.  Her latest, Big In Japan, is about a great man who is embarrassed by his weight in his mediocre job in Texas, but he finds fame and love as a sumo wrestler in Japan.  Great read!

We Love This PLACE

This year I bought the family season passes to This Is The Place monument and village.  I have tried to take the kids there at least once a month.  We have a great time riding the train, mining for gold, riding the horses, buying old fashioned candy and yummy donuts.

It's a great PLACE!  I also love learning more about the history of the pioneers while I am there.  We toured Brigham Young's farmhouse a few weeks ago, and I still need to tour Heber C. Kimball's home.  It always seems to be closed for a private event.  Also, everytime that I go I stop at Mary Fielding Smith's home and pay tribute to that amazing woman who came across the plains not only by herself but when the men of her company did not want her to because they thought she would be a liability.  I want my daughters to learn all about her, and seeing her modest home gives them something of an idea of which to build upon.

Starting Off, Coming Home

The girls are in what is called "C" track.  It's an interesting schedule because they do not start summer vacation until the very very end of June and then go back at the end of July.  But, once in, they are only back in school for three weeks.  So, Emma started the Second Grade and a day later Macey started First Grade, but they are already "off-track".  A lot of parents hate it, but I do not mind it so much.  I just consider it a second shot at summer vacation.  Now if I could just get motivated to do something incredibly fun!

Hiking

Since last year. . .right around this time. . .Garry has wanted to take the girls on a hike to go see a field that is famous for its wildflowers.  He went last year but the spring was so cold the flowers were way behind season.  But this year they had success!  Beautiful wildflowers, beautiful hike!

A Twenty Five Percent Chance

With kids so young, it is IMPOSSIBLE to get everyone to look nice for the camera all at the same time.  In fact, most of the time we just give up.  Bless Emma, she almost always looks perfect. These pictures were taken within ten seconds of each other.  Goes to show the highs and lows of having little kids.

The Antics of Molly

I do not know if all parades are moving away from throwing candy, but the one in Idaho Falls certainly is moving away from it.  Instead of throwing candy, they have people throwing and handing out coupons.  Not living in the area, the coupons were completely useless to us, and I had built my kids hopes up for coming home with a ton of candy -- they even had little bags ready for their loot.  It was a bust.  I did not like the parade much this year.  Luckily, there's always Molly.  She LOVED the music and dancing and jumping and when I could tear my eyes away from another silly coupon, Molly was usually doing something much more entertaining than anything that was happening on a silly float.

Cousin Campout

The best part of Grandpa Camp is the Cousin Campout!  This year there were not very many cousins, and so we stuffed them all in one tent.  Five kids.  Three man tent.  Luckily my niece Dannah was crazy well prepared and even brought out a movie on her laptop to settle the kids down and get ready for a good night snooze!

Fun With The Bronsons

While we were in Idaho we stopped at the Bronsons home, which is about 30 minutes from my parents.    Nathan and I have known each other since the third grade.  I did not like him much growing up, mainly because he was a boy.  But in Jr. High, High School and at BYU, he was my best friend.  

He agreed to let the kids ride one of his calmest horses.  They had a good time going around the yard, but one day I am going to have to get these city girls on a real trail ride!  Nathan also had some dogs, chickens and a rope swing in his back yard.  The girls had a blast!

Hell's Half Acre

While we were in Idaho Garry wanted to take the kids on a hike -- but an easy one and one with a paved trail that would accommodate Braden's stroller and that was not too far away.  What better place than Hell's Half Acre?  Located between Idaho Falls and Blackfoot, it's a really old lava flow, not from a volcano but rather from a crevice from which the lava came out of the earth.  The kids can go and see lava rocks and old caves.  They had a great time hiking with their grandparents!

One More Thing

In my blog yesterday, I forgot one of Braden's favorite, favorite words.  Ball.  I took this picture about a week after Braden started walking consistently.  We were at Emma's soccer game and my brand new walker dribbled the soccer ball to the middle of the field during half time.  I was sitting with my friend Shauna and she told me to take a picture at this baby who could barely walk but knew exactly what to do with a soccer ball!

Say Again?

Braden is becoming quite the talker.  He can say my name (loudly, usually at 6 AM), he can say Molly's name, his own name, bye-bye, hello, uh-oh, thank you (dank do) and this week he has picked up everyone's favorite -- no.

Which has made nap time a little harder because he can express his preference.  Today I told him it was time for a nap.  He answered with a guttural "uh-uh".  Which is pretty universal for no.  But just in case I did not understand, he looked at me and said, "No, no."  And just in case I did not get that, he started nodding his head emphatically no.  And just in case I did not understand that, he tried to wiggle out of my arms and run away.

Nonetheless, he's still napping happily as I type.