Keepin em busy

OK so the kids are all downstairs watching America's Got Talent with Jared. I don't know what my deal is, I love talents, but that show drives me nuts. So I'm taking the alone time to blog.
Today I pried the kids away from the media devices and we went on a bike ride down to the Shaved Ice Shack. And when I say down, I mean straight down, 30 mph down 400 E.  We took a more gradual trail back up, but it was still a little tough for them in the mid heat of the day.  But they got out!  And exercised. Fiora got some heat hives on her face and Weston was beat red and Savanna about hyperventilated.  I gladly sprayed them all with the hose when we got home to cool them down.

In other news, Fiora got a hair cut, Savanna is officially taller than me, and Weston has been allowed to join a pre-team level 5/6 class in the fall for gymnastics. Which means if he and we can handle the commitment, three hour classes three times a week. This is a "generation of masters." Competitors really want kids to specialize in something these days!  Whatever you decide is your "thing," be prepared to sell your soul. Gone are the days of a little soccer here, baseball there, swimming if we feel like it. If you want to dance, and do it competitively, you dance your feet off sister! Even Savanna's violin teacher has asked to increase her lesson time and subsequently the tuition come fall, and that combined with orchestra means Sav will need to be on her violin at least 9 hours every week too.  Jared and I are still wondering what Fiora's "thing" is, she has managed to avoid specializing in anything other than reading, and playing "Tunnel Town" on the iPad. (I actually really like that particular game).  Guess she will grow up and be a social worker like me! I don't master at anything either except my MSW, but I'm not of the "generation of masters."

Some days are long and dull for the kids with both parents working at times, this morning the kids resorted to playing "pretend" and were taping power cords to their faces pretending they were oxygen cannulas, and needed surgery. I thought that was funny, but also I was glad they are still young enough to play make believe, they are growing up too fast. Weston and Jared went fishing one morning, Weston was cold and fell in the river but still claimed to have a great time. I took the kids to the Lindon pool a couple times, they have way grown out of the kiddie area and now stay in the big pool the majority of the time. One evening Jared and I joined Heidi and Gabe and my parents and went to the over priced under fed "Communal" and then to sports comedy club.  That was hilarious! Would love to revisit that place. And last night we had a wonderful "Pioneer Campfire" at our home and the Barretts joined us for food and fun. The fireworks throughout the valley we can watch from our deck on the 24th are amazing!

 

 

   

Savanna's song "I Knew You Were Mormon"

(To the Tune of "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift)

Once upon a time, a few Sundays ago
I was in your class, you caught me with the phone
You saaaaaw me you sawwww me you saaaaww me e e e e
I guess you really cared, and I guess I liked that
And so I felt bad, and switched to scripture app
Alllmmmmaaaaa 3 almmaaa 3 almaaaaaa 3 e e e ee

And as a Young Woman, I stand strong
And I realized...Temple Run is not for me OH
Cuz I knew you were Mornon when you walked in
With your skirt and shoes and
That nice look without any sin
You don't even try oh
I knew you were Mormon when you walked iin
Now my Strength of Youth is more important
Oh OOHHHH OOOHHHHH Mormon Mormon Mormon

Summer time

In some ways I like the less structured summer schedule, in other ways I do not. Even though I have more "free time" on my hands and more play time which I like, it seems there is never a good time to accomplish tasks like blogging, but here I am ready to catch up. First there are some girls camp pictures of Savanna I wanted to add, she loved girls camp! She came home dirty and happy, and spiritually fed and uplifted. Jared went up and stayed one night with the YW and was able to snap a few pictures of Savanna at Aspen Lakes. Sav made up a song to the tune of Taylor Swift's "Trouble" that the Young Women loved so much they made her sing it to the whole relief society.  Savanna has been keeping busy since she got back, she babysat her niece Lexi for a few days and earned some money (thanks A and A) and she has continued with her violin practicing and lessons. Fiora has done some clogging summer workshops but otherwise is busy trying to read the Harry Potter series this summer, and she takes some time to work on typing, math, and cursive in preparation for her A.L.L. class in the fall.

 Weston brought home this massive trophy from gymnastics one day, they rotate this thing around the class whoever does the best that week, so he got the weekly trophy. Weston has a lot of stamina! I took the kids to the canyon one evening and we had KFC and tried to play catch, it just ended up being fighting and crying instead of catch, so I suggested we hike to a waterfall instead.  The girls hate to hike, so Weston and I left the girls and hiked from Canyon Glen to Bridal Veil falls.  It was so fun! Last Saturday Jared and I decided to bike from our house to Utah Lake, and Weston gladly accepted our invitation to join us, the girls slept. And what a trooper, he biked all the way there with only 2 short water breaks and never complained. In fact when we were done and I asked if his legs felt like jello he toughly stated "I'm good." My legs felt like jello. What a beautiful trail and a beautiful way to enjoy the summer in Utah.

  

 Weston continues as a BEAR in scouts, and this last month participated in the rain gutter regatta. His boat was supposed to be made from a vegetable, his was a zucchini.  It didn't work very well surprise surprise but Jared got some pictures anyway.
So what have the girls been doing you might ask? We forced them to join us on the 4th of July to hike to Silver Lake, what a beautiful hike! It had just rained so the earth smelled and felt like paradise. And we got there early before it got busy so it was a good time.  The girls had a tough time hiking the 3 miles up, their stomachs hurt and hey hyperventilated and their feet hurt, etc etc, but once we reached the beautiful lake on the mountain ridge they relaxed and played and it was fun times.

 

 We we all pretty spent after the hike, but that didn't prevent us from going to the movies and seeing "Epic" and then going to Provo that evening to hang out with family until the stadium fireworks started.  Those sure are spectacular and loud and huge fireworks!  But the fun doesn't stop there.  On July 6th we had a new nephew join the family.  Justin and Shawna had their baby boy! Tate Richard, who was a 9 lb 5 oz baby angel and so handsome. We have welcomed 3 baby boy cousins this year into our family and its so wonderful! And I'll add one more picture to this over long post, my final Orem Chorale concert was last week a patriotic concert and it was fun to participate in and the kids actually came and supported me this time, even though the girls never applauded and weston fell asleep!