Summer Daddy Kid Dates

This is another Dad post. I just wanted to write about one of my favorite things about summer...Daddy-Daughter and Father-Son dates!!! Every year when school gets out this is something that both me and the kids really look forward to. The kids all drew pictures of the options they were considering and then decided on their favorite activities.

Zoey kicked things off with our traditional evening at the PG Strawberry Days Carnival. We had a blast! She knows how to have a great time and she knows just what to say to get me to buy her a stuffed animal and cotton candy.

Jackson was super adventurous this year and decided that he wanted me to take him on a full-moon 25 mile bike ride on June 3rd/4th at Antelope Island State Park. It was glow in the dark theme and we decked out our bikes and our selves with glow in the dark sticks and lights. There were probably 1,500 -2,000 riders which made for a crowded 10PM start time. It was a lot of fun seeing the train of glow in the dark riders making their way around the island. Jackson and I had three goals: 1) don't get hurt, 2) no walking up the hills, and 3) have fun. I'm happy to report that we accomplished all three. Jackson continues to amaze me with how strong a rider he is at such a young age. For the second year in a row I think he was the youngest rider in the event we've participated in. And despite being so young he is a really aggressive rider and he would respond to any comments of encouragement or praise from other riders with an extra burst of energy. He got tired, especially towards the end, but I think he gained a lot of confidence as we rode passed hundreds and hundreds of adults that were walking their bikes up the hills. I hope we can do bigger and bigger adventures each year.

Both Eli and Calvin wanted to kayak down the Provo River. Calvin reminded me of Eli last year when he fell asleep on the river. I think it must be something about the rocking and the sound of the water. Eli had a blast and enjoyed doing his fair share of paddling. Eli in in a fun phase where he likes to pick up rocks to collect so we brought home a couple pockets full or river rock (aka treasures). It was a great time and none of us fell in the river this year - success!!

I love the great memories that I have of these dates with the kids. There is something super special about spending one-on-one time together. I'm already looking forward to seeing what they choose to do next.

First Day of School!

I honestly cannot believe summer is over. On our Last day of summer, we took the kids up to Sundance and hiked around, got lollipops at the lodge, and did back to school blessings at home. It was great day to be together. We yelled "Goodbye Summer" on our way down the lift. Jackson, Zoey and Eli wanted to show their independence and ride a chairlift without mom and dad. They did a great job of handling on their own!

The first day of school for these three was very exciting. New clothes, backpacks and lunch boxes, school shoes and school supplies makes the start of the year very exciting. Zoey had a really cute tinker-bell bun in her hair. We have a great morning routine going so far. I hope it sticks.

 Jackson is growing up! He's started 3rd grade this year. He is a hard worker, very smart, and very independent. He also knows how to be sneaky and push his siblings buttons, or tries to see what he can get away with from mom and dad, but he is such a good boy all in all! He'll talk to us about anything and seems to really listen. He enjoys hearing stories about us when we were growing up. He is very genuine. He is starting to read Harry Potter.

Zoey lost 3 teeth right before school! She's changing like a butterfly right before our eyes! She's headed into first grade and is excited to eat lunch at school. I will miss her. She wants to be a big girl and do things on her own. She's an emotional handful sometimes, and needs breaks from her brothers who are rough, but she's sweet and still asks for snuggles every night. She's coming along really nicely in her piano and will play to anyone who will listen, although practice time is a bit of a argument! 

Eli is starting his second year of preschool. He missed the kindergarten deadline by 4 weeks, so he'll be one of the older kids in his class! He's so sweet and kind and very goofy! He's genuine and very concerned about how others are feeling. He is such a strong boy! And what a boy he is...he's all about bugs, dirt, cars and building! I'm excited to see how he grows in school this year. over the summer, I saw him improve a lot in his ability to draw and write, and I think he'll be proud of his progress over the school year.

Calvin is at such a sweet stage in life. I am excited for the time we'll get to be together on mornings when the older kids are gone at school. He is such a great conversationalist, really funny, and a great companion. Although he throws a temper like any other toddler, his overwhelming special trait right now is that he is so darn sweet. He is especially kind towards Isaac and has recently showed a desire to hold his hand, give him hugs, and pat his head to show affection (not always appreciated by Isaac, but the intent is so sweet). He is such a sweet boy! Sweet, sweet, sweet.

Isaac is growing up quickly and he's a mama's baby! I can't wait for him to start talking! He is trying to communicate, and each word he picks up means that there will be less screaming in my ears! He's picked up on: more, cheese, shoes, truck, mom, dad, night-night, and bye-bye. I've had some really great experiences of overwhelming love for him...which is great because it carries me through his screaming fits! The mornings with just these two will be neat.

Spring Break! Potty Training and Zion

Chelsea has been asking me to do a blog about this past spring break. I guess now that summer is drawing to a close, it's about time that I finish it up.

This year has had a lot of really odd weather. Record warm April, cool May, and a super wet June. It turns out that the week of Spring Break started out a bit cold and rainy, but I was undeterred...or more accurately, the three oldest kids wouldn't accept another option. It was Zion or bust! So on Wednesday, we headed out in cold, rainy weather, hoping for more sun in the south.

We wished Chelsea, Calvin and Isaac could have joined us...kind of. Although we missed them tons and tons, it's kind of fun not being held back by the two little ones. And I think that Chelsea and the older kids getting a break from each other once in a while is good for everybody...distance makes the heart grow fonder. Besides Calvin was working on potty-training!

It was a big challenge for Chelsea to take on...and also a big success from what we heard! We are super excited to have 4 out of 5 done! Only 1 to go!! It took a few days for him to get it. They stayed close to home and close to the toilet... the whole week. They played puzzles, play dough, colored with markers, and played outside. Anything they could do to be near enough a toilet. By Friday, they ventured out for the first time and made a short trip to the store and he had NO ACCIDENTS! Calvin earned ice cream for a reward :) wahoo! He finally figured it out! It's worth noting that Calvin has the most unique way of getting on the toilet. Rather than backing on to it, he kind of attacks it head on, climbs up and then walks his feet around the right side, the back and the left side before sitting down. It's fun to watch, but I'm sure he'll out grow it some day.

When we left for Zion, they kids were bouncing all around, so excited and full of energy, but before we got to far down the road they had fallen asleep!

In Zion they all worked on their Junior ranger badges and brought back Calvin an "honorary ranger badge". The kids love riding the bus in between hikes and adventures. At night we did s'mores and even a pop corn and an iPad movie night.

After the last day, we took the long way/back way home, through Bryce Canyon, Escalante, Boulder, Loa and Richfield. It was beautiful but took a long time. The kids loved to pass the time listening to Radio Lab podcasts about Otzi, cool science and history stories. We all had an awesome time and are already looking forward to next year.