Swim Lessons

 We've started up swim lessons again this Summer.  We loved Miss Sara coming to our neighborhood pool so much last Summer that we're doing it again this year.  We're a little busier this Summer, so it's only 2 or 3 times a week, but the kids always look forward to it. 

Packed Day

 We attended 2 baptisms and 2 recitals today.  Double the blessings and double the music!  The first baptism was very special.  Austin asked Joel to baptize him.  It was such a lovely baptism!  Austin's testimony was so moving.  

BB's friend, Kiran, also got baptized.  They're on the same soccer team and are in the Gifted program together at school.  

A bunch of my students performed in the first recital and then all of the Thompson kiddos performed in the final recital.  Little Guy played piano, BB sang, Little Lady played piano and sang, and Little Man played piano and guitar. 

Little Lady has a new favorite piano piece - "Fountain in the Rain" is so lovely.  Little Man kept his love for Beethoven alive and well with "Fur Elise."  I think the celebratory ice cream afterward is still their favorite part.

Out and About

We're trying to get the kiddos ready for our visit to Yellowstone later in the Summer.  A lot of walking will be involved, so we've started daily walks as a family.  Today we went with some friends to Wilderness Valley.  It's a fun path along the Blue River that's situated in the middle of a neighborhood close by.  The flowering lily pads were gorgeous.  Pictures do not do it justice.  

Watching frogs skip along the lily pads was pretty cool. 

Afterward, we sat in the shade while the kiddos played on a nearby school playground.  It was a lovely morning. 

Swinging Into Summer

We're trying to get into a bit of a new summer routine around here, but it's nice to have extra time to enjoy together.  We went with friends to the temple to do baptisms with Little Man this morning, and then headed to a park with different friends to enjoy a picnic lunch.  

(I told him if he got stuck he was on his own to get out.  He couldn't pass up the challenge).

Ferris Wheel Adventures

BB got a couple of gift cards to Scheels.  If you're not familiar with the store it is a huge outdoor sporting goods store.  It's 2 stories with a ferris wheel in the middle, a cafe, and random activities like mini bowling, and duck hunting.  The kiddos had never been inside before, so we all went together as an exploration adventure.  There are also a ton of taxidermy there as well of a lot of really interesting animals.  The highlight of the store was going on the ferris wheel.  The youngest two had never been on one and the older two were too young to remember.  

3 out of 4 loved it.  (I rode with Little Guy)  Little Ladie's fear of heights was not helped by it stopping to let someone out while she was dangling at the top.  The boys all want to come back, and Little Lady has emphatically declared it was a one and done experience!

Bouncing Fun

BB had his birthday party over the weekend.  He just wanted to invite his soccer team.  That's 15 eight year old boys, but with these sort of things not that many usually show up.  Plus, it was a holiday weekend.  I thought for sure not many would be able to come.  The joke is on me.  10 boys came!  That's a lot of boy!  Gratefully, we had rented a blow-up obstacle course for the boys to play on outside.  It was SO much bigger than what I pictured in my head, but it fit, and the boys loved it.  I worried constantly for weeks about the weather not working out.   It had been raining just about every day and it was not warm enough to make it a water slide, but the weather ended up being beautiful!  We lucked out!

The boys were legit crazy, but no one ended up in the emergency room, so I call it a success.

I have no idea how Little Guy managed to survive the entire party without being hurt by the bigger boys, but he had a great time as well.

BB requested Oreo cupcakes.  They have an entire Oreo at the bottom of the cupcake with Oreo frosting.  The boys devoured them! 

The older two showed up when they heard the word "pizza."

The party was a success!  We had a set number of hours for the rental, so we decided to get the most bang for our buck.  Little Lady invited friends over to play on it before the party started, and then Little Man had a friend over and Little Lady another friend after the party was over.  They played right up until the guys showed up to take it down.  They slept well that night.

Today BB actually turned 8.  He requested waffles and buttermilk syrup for breakfast and sweet and sour meatballs on rice for dinner with a side of carrots.  

Happy birthday, BB!

School is Out!

 Yesterday was the last day of school.  We survived a crazy year!  We celebrated with our traditional ice cream cone.  This year we went for the dipped cones at Dairy Queen.

The day had more fun awaiting them.  BB had his soccer banquet.  He was awarded for how he went all out during practices.  Little Man headed to a Harry Potter party at Andrew's home.  (He said the butter beer was delicious). We found out a little too late that he has completely grown out of his robe.  It was a sad day for him, but a happy day for BB, because now he gets to run around the house in a Harry Potter robe!

Orienteering & Biking

Little Man had an activity this week with his Deacon's Quorum.  Supposedly I can know drop him off on the side of a mountain and he can find his way home.  I don't know that I would take that bet, but he had a great time learning how to do it.  

Meanwhile, he's been getting ready for high adventure.  They're supposed to be biking 50 miles in one day.  They started out on 5 mile trips and then raised it to 10 miles.   This week they biked a full 20 miles!  I'm really proud of how hard they've working.  I'm not sure if they'll truly get to the 50 mile mark, but I'm seriously so impressed with the 20!