Whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself

 July 2021

The third leg of our epic summer road trip took us to Idaho to visit Andrew's sister's family. The drive was gorgeous (including a welcome rainstorm) and peacefully uneventful. Our kids would have been happy just to run through the grass, jump on the trampoline, and play with their cousins, but we also adventured to an ice cave, got shaved ice and giant ice cream, watched base jumpers over the snake river, and went kayaking/swimming. The kids and their cousins performed plays that they made up and had lots of time for dressing up and getting to know each other again. Oh and Hannah and Adaline made the cutest "spa for moms" and did nails and foot rubs and hair dos for me and Miriam. 

This kiddo knows how to take a good nap

Started out as a slip n slide, but soon turned into playing house (it's nighttime and they're asleep, of course)

Getting fancy with hair chalk

It was the perfect kind of day to visit ice caves-blistering hot above ground, but a lovely 28 degrees in the cave

Hanging out in the shade/sliding down the concrete "slide" while we waited for the base jumpers to get ready.

And then we were home. It was such a fun month of adventures and visiting family!

Good progress in the garden while we were away thanks to a fantastic neighbor

This is one of their favorite ways to play outside together and I can't stand it 'cause they're ruining my deck chairs

I found all this while I was unpacking- a few of the props that we made/used for the "escape room" that we put together for the family reunion activity. 

Adaline practicing more braiding

Homemade berry pie with not too much help from me

Getting home from our month long trip meant potty training this 3 year old. He's done really well, but certainly isn't prefect. It is nice not to change diapers all day for the first time in...8 years.

One morning we were wrestling and someone bonked heads. It quickly turned into a full blown hospital with all kinds of injuries that needed attention.

I had never made monkey bread before! So we made some from scratch on a whim one morning and it was delicious.

Playing chess while on the toilet...obviously

Towards the end of July, Andrew and Adaline headed out on an adventure of their own. Andrew went backpacking with his dad, brothers, and a couple of the older cousins, and Adaline spent the week with Gram and a couple of the other cousins her age. She went camping for a night, went to the Tracy aviary (my science and nature girl loved that), and had lots of time to play with cousins. Back at home, the boys and I baked treats, abandoned our regular schedule, and lots of play time. 

Rockin' jump with all the kids who can still go to tot time!

https://youtu.be/0V2unxQyhbY

https://youtu.be/_drxm1IRMII

He loved building this dinosaur head

The other primary activity leader and I got to go watch a couple of our girls perform in the Lion King and we brought them these little flower/candy jars. They did so well! I was incredibly impressed with their abilities to memorize their lines, songs, and cues, as well as how much fun they had with it.

Ugh, then the end of the month brought summer colds for everyone. It seemed to come on so fast (playing and happy in the morning, and then fever of 103 in the afternoon), but we have survived and are healthy once again.

We also had a 2 week round of swim lessons squeezed in there. Because the pool was closed last year, this was the first time for both Michael and Alex and I ended up just putting them in the same level. Everyone loved it and made great progress. Hooray for getting some of their activities back!

https://youtu.be/ctS6lQJ7ZKk