Splash Park

We love Splash Parks!!!

Whirlwind Weekend in 3 Posts.

We went up to Cascade Springs in American Fork Canyon on Saturday. On the way up a bunch of motorcycle cops stopped us and told us we had to pull over because there was a big bike race down the canyon. We had to wait for about 20 minutes for all the bikers to make it down the mountain. When they came down in big groups the sound and wind they produced was awesome. They were going so fast it was amazing.

We started off before our hike with some lunch. We had way too much food and none of the kids wanted to eat, they were too excited to be in the mountains. Austin found a butterfly injured on the ground. He picked it up and put it in a tree.














Shane, Greta, and Alina

Matthew, Shannon, Tessa, Kelly (Shane's Friend) and Shane. Cameron and Alina at a tree that burnt down. There was a big fire up at Cascade Springs a few years ago, there are a ton of trees like this, but you can also see all the new growth.

.Caden and Alina really wanted Carson to take the picture with them, but he wouldn't

Caden, Alina, Greta, and Austin. Kevin and Camo who couldn't stay out of the water. He fetched rocks over and over again.

The whole family minus Ryan.

I love this picture of our little family, thanks Shane.

Alina fell down face first in the water and hit her face on a rock. She cried pretty hard, but she soon started playing again.

Austin, Greta, and Alina had so much fun walking in the tall grass, playing in the water and collecting rocks.

Shane taught me how to take panoramic pictures with my camera.



Shane and Kelly

Carson is my 1 year old nephew and he is the cutest little thing. He's very mello and doesn't make much noise. He loved this bridge and walked over it and over it. He's adorable.

After Cascade Springs we went back to my parents and had Shannon's last favorite meal, orange pancakes. Then we said goodbye before she left for the airport and the kids were sound asleep on the way home. It was a great weekend and we already miss you Shan.

Friday Night at Aunt Tessa's

We started the day off taking the kids swimming at the South Jordan pool. Austin went down the slide without water floaties, he was was so proud of himself and so was I. Matthew and I decided to test our swimming and we did one lap and were dead tired. The kids had so much fun and they didn't want to leave.

Tessa and Kevin had us all over for dinner that night. She made a complete meal made out of all organic food. Tessa is a nutritionist as one of her professions and she's been trying to get my dad to realize that organic food tastes better so she had us over to prove her point. We had a pasta dish with that was really good, with crusty organic bread, watermelon and blueberry lemon cookies that were REALLY good. I'm not sure if he was converted, but I know he liked it all.

We hung out in the backyard, played pool and watched Michael Phelps win his amazing 7th gold medal.

The hammock actually started breaking after this picture, too many kids.

Tessa, Holly, Shannon, and Mom.



Tessa and Kevin

Shannon and the kids.

This is Tess and Kev's dog Camo, Alina loves him and cuddled with him all night.

Last Weekend of Summer

Austin starts school on Monday and Shannon leaves Saturday night so we had a jam packed weekend. It started Thursday. We had been gone all week at my parents and Thursday the kids really wanted to play with their friends. We went home and Greta and Alina invited Sara and Brooklyn over to put the sprinkler on under the tramp and they jumped all day. Austin hung out with his friends at their house.

Then we had a marshmallow roast at our house. They ate 2 entire bags. Austin finally got to find out who his new teacher is and that Braedon and Jeremy are in his class, he's very excited.

Braedon, Austin, Greta, Alina, Braedon's cousin, Carter, Ethan, and Sammy.

Alina Turns 3!!

Alina is 3 today and on the table this morning she found her favorite breakfast cereal and 4 Care Bear books. She was very excited.

Since Alina turned 3 today she has promised us that when she's 3 she'll stop sucking her thumb and go in the potty all the time, we'll see. But right now she's watching a movie and sucking on her thumb.

Yesterday we had her birthday party with my family at our home. We almost didn't have the party because Alina had been sick for a week and I had the flu the day before, but yesterday morning we were both cured.

We started off the day by having Austin and Greta go to friends so that we could take Alina shopping. She picked out a barbie doll and we went to Costco and she got to eat lots of treats since they were giving out samples, I think that was her favorite part. At one time she had two samples in her hand and looked at her dad and said, "ha ha, I have two treats."

That night everyone in my family (minus Ryan since he's in Peru) were there. It was so fun to have almost all of us together. We put up the Vortex for the kids to slide down. Alina had two of her friends Brooklyn and Sara come to the party. It started raining, but we kept the slide up anyways, we figured they were already wet.

Even Shannon and Shane went down the slide.

Then Alina opened her presents. She got a princess dress from Aunt Shan, a playdough set from Tessa and Kevin, and from my parents coloring books, a barbie table set, and Labryinth the movie. Me and my sisters loved Labryinth when we were kids, and Shannon has helped pass the tradition on to love the Goblin King to my kids. Alina loved it all and didn't want to share any of it.

Since I was sick the day before I didn't have time to make a Care Bear cake for Alina, so we went to Costco to pick one out and she also picked out creamies instead of ice cream. The kids got out the playdough and made a huge fun mess.

Then I tried to get Alina to look at me and smile while playing with her new barbie set and she just refused.

Shan and Greta. Cam, Holly, and Alina.

Me, Alina, Shannon, Cayden, Austin, Carson, and Greta.

Austin and Greta stole the camera and took silly pictures.




And this is how I found Alina after we said goodbye to everyone. It was a great day.