Where we left off....

*the real 4th of July*

skipping the "traditional" balloon morning breakfast, we opted to go eat good breakfast- AKA, McDonalds. Karri, JD & Chris joined us. Mana, Pat, Breanne and family went to the "traditional" one. I like our choice much better!

So, we met up, bright eyed and bushy tailed at 545 in the morning.
what the crap!

Sawyer was content with her seat of choice, but soon had a melt down, and sat elsewhere...no hard feelings gents.

Finley just chilled all perfect like in her seat while we all ate in front of her.

cute July girls

We've reached the conclusion that going to the balloons on the actual, real, 4th of July is not a good idea. There are WAY more hoards of people there than on the other days. We found the perfect park, but somehow JD and Chris's car didn't see us and had to drive around for like 30 min to find anything...JD was not the most happy and loving of our independence that morning.
And after all that driving around, it was too windy for the balloons to actually take off.....BOOO!!

there was a Darth Vader balloon. The kids were in heaven.
Somehow it turned into a Star Wars Festival.
But oh well, they had fun.

Family 4th Picture

They at least filled the balloons up and let them dangle for a bit

and it was cool to sing the Star Spangled Banner with this one

As they were letting them down, one came hurtling towards us. It was kind of scary!!! Ok, I panicked for a fleeting moment. Brent was holding Sawyer and ran TOWARDS the falling hugeness- she was not happy with his decision and cried/screamed the entire time.
Max, however, danced with joy

JD finally finding us...

Cute Fin & Jess

My cutie pies that weren't afraid of the balloons/fire/wind/rain/everything/ or contained in a stroller

Finally they found Aunt Karri, but when we went to find the rest of the family, they'd already left without even a hello! Rude!

I finally convinced Sawyer that it wasn't all that scary, and she was quite proud of herself!

3 years in a row we have gone to the balloons and 3 years in a row they haven't taken off on the day we've gone....is it a sign? 3 strikes you're out????
for dinner that night, we had:
*dinner at Mark & Sabra's*
with their family.
YUMMY!
kids played on the tramp

adults played on the deck

Hosts cooked delish burgers and dogs!

and Finley chewed on things

it was fun, and we loved them for the invite!
We even learned actions to do with the preamble to the constitution! (at least, I think that's what it was...)

Straight from there we headed over to Mana's for:
*Fireworks at Cul-de-sac du Fire*

cousins

Jess was 6 again. He had a blast
the set up:
and KA-BOOMY!

kids loved it

cutie pie gals

I love that I caught Mara as she got surprised by a loud one

Pull up a chair!

Jim, JD, Chris, Terri

Darren, McKenzie, Laurie and Mana

good times on the blankie, under the tree, away from the rain

Meanwhile, Sawyer was inside avoiding all things loud, and rainy, and windy, watching a movie. She fell right to sleep!

zonked right out

i discovered that I can take AWESOME pictures of sparklers

and Finley hated it

Then every neighbor within a mile started their "real" fireworks. It was an awesome sight. There were fireworks in every direction. I loved it. Conli tried really hard to be brave with every BOOM!

And of course, as I was trying to get a picture with my baby girl, creeper #1 joined in

try #2...awesome...creeper #2

It was a long day, but a great day! We love the traditions this weekend holds, and that we have family and friends to hang with.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

hahaha....in case my children ever think about getting obese, we have these "what if " pictures to scare them away from those "extra donuts"

this is my ALL TIME favorite picture ever
janet- this is soooo our "oh my" face!!!

Since our ward doesn't do a Father's and Sons campout, Brent has formed his own the last couple of years. Max looks forward to this night with his daddy so much, and they have a blast. This year, Jeff+Taylor+Easton, Mike+Claire, Jason+David, Ben+Easton+Phoenix joined in the fun.

they went fishing

and hiked and had all types of boyish+Claire, fun!

It was a fantastic time

*Swimming at Steph's*
my cute friends decided to have a little bday luncheon for me since they missed my bday lunch
It was fun, and nummy!
We went swimming at Steph's moms- pool o'plenty
with Summer, JesseAnn and Steph

Collin & Sawyer above,

JesseAnn & cutest Landon below

Max being brave jumping off the log

then a little break with some foos ball

Max and Easton playing down the slide

Conli just paddling away

Sawyer got brave and went down the slide. Good thing she was prepared with her nose plugged

Con taking the plunge

Casen, Jesse & Landon

Sweet Fin was laughing her head off- best.sound.ever.

My sweet friends.

Seriously, I say it all the time, but how did I get so lucky!?

chubbyguts in the hot tub

my sweetie pies concocting some courageous plan

Steph manning the baby poolMORE PEAKS FUN
We've been having so much fun here this summer.
Luckily some of our bestest friends have passes and can come with us most of the time.
Even better, Jess was here for 2 trips!!!!
He's the best!
Sawyer likes to kick it in the kiddie pool always.

or in the lazy river with Jess & Ash and his goggles

these 2 are such good buddies

"MAMA- I'M A JESS PACK PACK!"

and these 2 are such best buddies.
moving apart broke Conli's heart.
I'm glad they still get to play

hit is Soy!

Em was nice enough to take Bradley down the slide while Ashy was brave enough to go alone

And we convinced Conli that she would love it if she went with me.
waiting in line...she put her brave face on

but really she was scared to death and spent every moment like this:I took a video of our plunge and she giggled the whole way.
love her.
Ellie and Em & Bradley waited patiently for their turns

then we played some more

this may have been one of the only times we saw these boys that day.

We did all go down the racing slide together, and then Jess got Max to put on his brave pants and he went down EVERY big slide there. I was dying. I took video of each plunge, and he was LOVING every minute. Braxton and Burke joined them on most of them.

the wave pool is always fun...or always making me sea sick- i'm so lame at these places
raise your hand if you're having fun!

Soy holding on for dear life

the boys after their Jagged Edge experience
I love that Max still has a "I just id that!" look on his face

more wave pool fun

maybe the best picture of these 2 ever....a-doyeee!!!

proof that he's brave

these guys were bobbing in and out of the 3 holes in the tube and popped out the middle one at the same time. Oh the laughing that ensued.

Jess called this his "LADY BENCH"

Me & Em

All kids love Jess.

and I don't blame them, he's fabulous.

We spent a fun day at Heather's
doing tea party's

towing eachother around the streets,

playing on the floor,

and playing grown ups!

*OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS SWIMMING*
heather's always good to take us up on swim days at our pool

oh the fake laughing

just loving on my girl

she loves her hat strap

and they love swimming together

as do they

and sometimes Jake comes and the girls think he's the best ever

Hayleigh loves Finley

just a little hot tub chattin

Conli really like this boy.....and you should've heard the lines he was shootin out at the girl across the way...she couldn't hear, but kids gonna be smooth! :)

3 little chickadees
Ella, Sawyer & Hayleigh

*A LITTLE CHUCK E. TO TAKE AWAY THE HEAT*
We got to play at the Cheese with friends one time too.
Tobey, Simon, Easton, Evann, Max, Taylor

Easty and Con

GREEN!!!!

*CHILLING AT THE PARK OF FUN*

and once when it wasn't too hot for fun outside w/o water, we gathered friends and went to the park to play!
Sawyer, Hayleigh, Belle

Chubbs and Me

Easton & Conli

more tube fun

and posings

Heather, Katie, Heidi

Tiff, Me and Fin

I'm so glad it's finally summer time.
I feel like it's going to be gone all too quickly though!
Please bless it stays warm for a long time!
not hot- don't get mad at me- just warm- warm enough to play outside and not freeze our nay-nays off!!!!