Boating, Parades, Parks and Painting

Who ever coined dog days of summer didn't have two little ones! We have had such fun this year, just spending time together and doing things with our family. When we aren't at the pool, we find other ways to entertain ourselves!

We took the girls shopping, and they have have never been better than when they had their own cart. It's almost worth the extra drive to Smiths Marketplace.

We spent some time pretending to fix the go-cart. Braelyn must be my father's grandchild because she can already go to the toolbox and find a philips or flathead screwdriver, hammer, wrench and needle nose pliers. I am hoping to train Berkley to cook for me and Braelyn to fix everything!

When it starts to rain we usually find ourselves congregating on the porch to watch it. This particular day we were waiting for someone to stop and ask if we had locked ourselves out.

After the sun finally came out we were invited to go out on the boat. I was nervous about how Berkley would act, and she did not disappoint. She was absolutely miserable the entire time. We can't figure out why no one can make a life-jacket for babies that isn't totally miserable! Once the boat would start moving she would just snuggle down with her water bottle and pout. She is absolutely not a water baby yet. Braelyn on the other hand has completely taken hold of this beach bum lifestyle! She loves to ride on the boat, loves to hold up the flag (for a few seconds anyway), jumps in the water, and especially loves to drive the boat! I had to do my first ski of the season and it has become tradition that when I do this at Utah Lake I absolutely plow out and hurt myself, my family thinks I'm showing off, because I usually don't get my hair wet when I ski, but I really am just kind of a spaz. I came away with a bruise and a headache this year. Kevin tried slalom skiing again, and I was proud of him, it's not easy to come into a family that grew up on the water and try to do these things, he gave it a good shot but didn't quite get up this time, but I'm sure he will before this summer is over. He still loves to do the skim skate and both he and Taylor had fun doing tricks on that this night.

My Mom wanted to put the boat on the trailer for her first time, and as we waited for my dad to back the trailer down, we saw a boat pull onto it's trailer completely crooked she was just gunning the engine, shooting water everywhere. We assumed because she was almost tipped on the side, that she was trying to back off to get on straight, but suddenly the truck peeled up the ramp, squealing it's tires, smoking and turn around the corner so fast, he was about on two wheels, and the boat was so crooked it was bouncing all over, and the girl driving the boat was just screaming. I thought the boat was going to roll off onto the other cars in the parking lot. It scared me so bad that I screamed even though I was holding Berkley and she was sleeping. Everyone in the marina was just staring at them, we couldn't believe what we had just seen, it was totally silent! My Mom got our boat on great and as we pulled out of the ramp, we this other boat surrounded by cops, lights flashing, and the driver was doing sobriety tests. It's scary to think they were probably drunk on the lake, but I'm glad they were stopped, before someone really got hurt this time.

The Cedar Hills celebration was earlier than usual this year, and it was way too expensive for the pass, but we did get to see the parade. Kevin got up early that morning to go for a run, and set out a blanket to save a spot. When we walked down that morning, there was one car parked on the entire street and our blanket was right behind it! They were trying to get it moved, but we just laughed and squished down by the people next to us. In years past we have come home with too much candy to carry, but this year it seemed to be about how much advertising they could cram in your face. I even had someone stop and ask for my name and phone number so they could test Braelyn for reading disabilities. Talk about a celebration! Braelyn liked to wave and when someone would throw candy, she would grab one piece run it back to me and then go out for another piece. Luckily Kevin was there to guard her candy from the big kids who would swarm in form everywhere, because she was much too slow to grab it on her own. I think once you go to junior high, you should let the little ones have a turn, but maybe that's just me. Braelyn hated all the things with sirens and would cover her ears, which cracked me up, as she tried to pick up candy with her hands on her head. The cooloest part of the parade was at the end, when a funeral home, had four horses, all decked out with black feathers on the bridles and everything, pulling one of those enclosed glass carriages they put a casket in, and the drivers looked like something straight out of the haunted mansion, I think they were 300 years old. It was very spooky, and I got chills when they went by, but it all looked very cool!

My mom decided to clean out and paint the garage for my dad's birthday. I thought she was crazy to attempt it in this heat, but she worked endlessly and the garage looks wonderful. She let Braelyn help her paint one afternoon, and Braelyn would say, "I'm such a good painter!" And then she would sing, I am A Child of God, at the top of her lungs.

Last but not least, we have gotten in a little time at the park. I don't love going because Berkley wants to do everything on her own, but is so unsteady, but the girls sure love being outside and running wild! Here is some shots of the little monkeys doing their thing, including what Berkley does best now, which is plopping on the ground and crying when she doesn't get her way. Is one too early for the terrible-two's to start?

Roberts' Reunion

We had the annual Roberts' Reunion at the cabin this year. I think it has become the only place that can hold all of us these days. I was not very excited about this, because I was worried the girls wouldn't sleep with all the commotion, but I figured we could survive two days of anything. But we ended up having so much fun, and had a really great time. A lot of the group had gone out Thursday to do a hike to the grandaddy lakes, but my mom had scouts so she drove out with us early Friday morning. We left right after they woke up, and stopped in Heber for breakfast. The girls were wonderful and they gobbled up their pancakes. We got there early and Hal and Kathryn arrived soon after. They had pulled out the outhouse but Hal didn't get the hitch secured and tipped the whole thing over, and tore the roof off the outhouse. But it became the joke that everyone enjoyed the skylight and the custom ventilation he added. We got the food unloaded and set-up and then settled down in the sun to enjoy some relaxing and Hal took Braelyn for a walk. During lunch Grandma arrived with some cousins, and Braelyn was glad to have some more playmates. I put Berkley down for her nap, and she slept and slept, and ended up napping for four hours! She never does that, and I had to keep checking that she was breathing because I was worried about her. My grandma's brother and sister were supposed to join us, but because of health reasons they weren't able to, which was a disappointment to everyone, we had looked forward to spending time with them. We spent the day talking with Grandma and Norm, while Courtney watched the kids (it was so nice to have her) and then we got in a 4-wheeler ride before everyone got back. I had Braelyn and Danika on mine, and Danika did not stop talking the entire ride! I'm not sure when she breathes, she was sure full of stories. We picked wild flowers and headed back. Everyone started getting there and the fun really started. Braelyn loved wandering around with all her new friends and thought going in and out of the tents was such fun. She found Kal and followed him around endlessly. Kal is kind of the strong, silent type but he tolerated his new buddy pretty well, and even asked her the next day, "Braelyn, are we best friends or what?" So sweet!

We had a program around the fire that night, where anyone who liked could share stories or thoughts about our great-grandparents and grandparents. I really love things like this, and love hearing others memories, and hearing about people who I may be lucky enough to take after. We heard many wonderful stories about how they worked or church service, but the overwhelming theme of the night seemed to be how much grandparents and parents love their children, and their willingness to sacrifice for them. It was a great chance to share memories and remember those who have passed on before us.

We put both our children to bed, and then went to play night games with "the younger ones." We started with ghost in the graveyard, then moved onto sardines. Taylor hid first and it was so hard to find him! I finally got away from the group and heard a bird call, that I knew was him. I kept whispering to him to keep making the sound until I could see him. We laughed pretty hard watching everyone trip and stumble until they found us. We finally got to bed and the girls slept great, Berkley actually slept from 8:00 that night until 11:00 the next morning!

I laughed so hard during breakfast listening to my teenage cousins tell jokes and stories, if you ever need a good laugh ask Justin about making 20 bucks on an airplane or have Sam show you the back of his pants. After breakfast Taryn and I loaded up with Kel to take a ride on the ranger. Kel is absolutely one of my favorite cousins, I could listen to his stories all day. He was born blind and because of that has developed a wonderful sense for life and a very unique perspective on things. We ran into to baby fawns on the trail and a very nervous mother deer.

Grandma Roberts' always has something great planned for the kids, and this year she planned a pirate treasure hunt. Braelyn is so into pirates and knights right now that this was perfect for her. They followed the clues and found the treasure, and then they got to go in the field and finds rocks Grandma had painted gold. After Braelyn got the idea she was unstoppable with this. She really thought she was getting treasure, and she did not want to trade in her rocks to Grandma for candy. Grandma let us keep some too, so that we can play pirates whenever we go up there! I love a great-grandma who has so much fun with the little ones.

It started raining and with farmers that means it's a good excuse to get home and check the hay, so after some fishing everyone headed out. I had such a wonderful time, and I'm so grateful for the family I have been blessed with. They have always supported and loved me, and I'm grateful that even the kids let me play with them. I am already looking forward to next year.

Father's Day

We were going to be at the cabin for Father's Day, so the evening before we left Braelyn and I planned a "fancy" dinner date for her and her Dad. She was so excited to be able to wear her "fancy" dress and shoes, because I never let her wear them outside the house. She helped me wrap the gifts we had gotten them, and then we went grocery shopping for our dinner. Kevin loves steak, and I never make it because I don't like it, but after 15 minutes in the meat section, deciding between more cuts of steak than I never knew existed, we had our meal planned. I researched on the Internet how to cook steak, and I am proud to say I even turned on the bbq by myself. Braelyn and I set-up a formal table outside in the backyard, and when I was back inside doing other things, I saw her sitting so sweetly at the table by herself, even though Kevin wasn't going to be home for about an hour. She was so excited, and it was so cute to see her really get into being the fancy lady.

Kevin got home early, so we sequestered him upstairs while we finished cooking. Braelyn got seated at the table, and I got into my "waitress" outfit. Kevin seemed a little nervous about our surprise but was pretty excited when he was told he would be going on a "date" with a lovely lady. I served rolls, fruit punch in wine glasses, lemon water, steak, scalloped potatoes and garden vegetables. Braelyn loved having a napkin to put on her lap, and her own butter knife to use, and she even ate some of Kevin's steak, which is unheard of for my little vegetarian. We opened gifts, then Braelyn promptly announced it was time to dance. She loves dancing and singing, and that was a requirement from her for the night.
I think both Kevin and Braelyn loved having some special time, and it was priceless for me, to see how grown-up she has become, and I love creating fun memories for her. This night seemed to really help Braelyn and Kevin get a long better, and she even asked him to read her, her bedtime stories that night, which is a strict mom-only zone. I loved seeing them connect and enjoy something different from our normal routine.

For Father's Day, like I said, we were at the cabin following the Roberts' Reunion (more on that coming). We opened gifts then we went to church in Tabiona, and enjoyed a yummy dinner from my Mom. It was rainy so we spent some time playing games, then we all loaded up for a 4-wheeler ride. Munga had Berkley on the ranger, and she slept most of the ride, and Braelyn started out with Taryn, then she fell asleep as well, so we snuggled her in the middle of the Munga and Papa. It was gorgeous because of all the rain before, but I was freezing even with 3 coats, gloves, and a snow hat!

We had a long ride home, because Berkley wouldn't sleep, I felt carsick, and we couldn't Braelyn awake. I never knew before kids, about all the hassle and worry that goes into, putting them asleep when they don't want too, planning activities around naps, and then keeping them up when it is too late so they will sleep at night!

I am so blessed to have the father I do, he is such a blessing in my life, and has always shown me unconditional love and guidance. We love when he is home, and both the girls I have found that no matter what he is doing, if we need something from him, like a kind word or a hug, we can wander into his office or follow him around the yard, and get whatever we may need. He is wonderful example of hard work, and a life that has been lived in diligence and love to his family and the gospel. We have been blessed endlessly by the sacrifices he has made to give us all that we have needed. We love you very much! Happy Father's Day!