Idaho Fun

After the 4th of July we headed up to Victor, Idaho to see my sister Kristen and her family.  I had gotten sick after the 4th and so the first few days at Kristen's I was basically laying in bed trying not to puke...but I got better and we had lots of fun!

Uncle Mike took us for a little hike to a pond in their neighborhood.  Here he is helping Townsend get across some rocks.

Julian choosing his steps carefully

My three boys

Townsend and Julian having some slip 'n slide fun

Townsend and Jeremy Porter race to the slip 'n slide

Julian having fun in the swimming pool with Kate Porter

Jeremy and the boys at the pool.  We went swimming almost every day we were in Victor, we had wonderful weather!

Kate and Julian enjoying some treats from the Victor Emporium

Victor is really close to Driggs, Idaho where Hyrum's father is buried so we made a trip to the cemetery one morning to visit Opa's grave.

It was lots of fun visiting Kristen and her kids, they are always so welcoming and my boys have so much fun with their cousins.  I left Townsend with Kristen and headed for home with just Emerson and Julian.  Once again, it was nice to only have one twin in the car...not so much fighting:)

We had one more stop before arriving in Portland.  We stopped in Boise, Idaho to spend a few days with some good friends from our med school days, the Knorpp's.  It is always fun to see Dan and Krystal and it's great to break up the very long trip to Portland.  Boise is just about halfway home so it's always nice to get a break from driving:)

We spent a whole day at Roaring Springs water park.  There was so much to do.  Lot's of different play areas and water slides.  Julian's favorite was the lazy river, I think I spent about 3 hours during the day just floating in the water with him.

Julian and Ollie on the trampoline

I tricked the kids into thinking this was a really FUN activity...and I got a free car wash:)

Julian helping to wash the car

Marly Knorpp and Emerson getting ready to float out on the lake in a little rubber canoe

Julian just floating around

Ollie Knorpp at the lake

Once again we had wonderful weather and were able to play outside and enjoy being with friends.  After a few days with the Knorpp's I packed my 2 boys up and we drove into Portland.  I think we had a fantastic few weeks in Utah and Idaho visiting friends and family.  I truly hope my boys have good memories of their summer vacation!

4th of July

We got to spend the 4th of July holiday with my good friend Kari Christensen and her family in Lewiston, Utah.  We have been able to spend the 4th of July here a few times in the last couple of years.  It's such a fun, small town, celebration.  I love it!

The day starts with a fun parade where the boys get tons of salt water taffy from the various floats that pass by.  This is Julian and Maggie Christensen at the parade.  It was a HOT day!  I think the boys were just too hot and tired to really enjoy the festive parade but I still had fun:)

Maggie's Aunt had been taking care of some rescue animals...two cute baby raccoons.  They were so fun to watch.  They loved to explore everything and stayed right with you as you walked around.  

Townsend, Max Christensen and Emerson playing on the trampoline

Julian takes a break in the shad with some iPad time

The Baldwin family had their river raft all filled with water that the kids could play in.  It was just perfect because the day was so hot!

Julian even took his stuffed Sammy into the water to play:)

All the kids gathered on the side of the house and got the hose out to make a fantastic waterfall/mud pit.  This is what summer afternoons should be...playing outside and getting dirty:)

Of course we had to head over to the dairy cows and say hello.

Another tradition, ice cream at Caspers

We ended our fun day with sparklers in the front yard before heading over to the baseball field to watch the big fireworks show.

Emerson and Townsend with their sparklers, looks harmless enough...

...I wonder if we can start the grass on fire?

I love spending the 4th of July in this small town with my friend and her family.  I love the countryside and seeing the dairy cows.  I love the parade and little carnival.  I love the ATV rides and playing outside with friends.  I love the fireworks show in the evening when the heat of the day is gone and it's so cool outside you want your jacket and some blankets to snuggle in while you watch the show.  Good times!

Utah Fun

After our fun week at Lake Powell we spent another week or so just playing around in Utah.  Hyrum had to fly back to Portland to get back to work but I stayed with the boys and we had lots of fun!

Julian with Uncle Jason on a hike to Stewart Falls

Happy hiker!

Oma with Hyrum and Jason at Stewart Falls

I got to spend the afternoon with a great friend from med school days, Kate Mooth.  I also got to snuggle her precious new little baby girl Edie while my boys and her son Wilson had water gun fights in the yard.

We explored the brand new attraction at Thanksgiving Point, the "Museum of Natural Curiosity"  It was a fabulous museum and made me wish I lived closer to this place:)

Besides the giant indoor play area they also had an outdoor playground which was lots of fun.

The twins all geared up for the ropes course.  They got to walk around the ropes suspended high above the museum.  In some parts they were as high as 70 feet from the ground below!

The boys had no fear!  I was scared just standing on the platform and watching them!  I am proud they have no fear of doing things that might be new or difficult.

We spent a few fun afternoons at an indoor trampoline place...lots of fun

Townsend grabbing the trapeze bar to swing and then fall into a giant foam pit.

The boys playing in the creek at South Fork Provo Canyon

Julian ready to throw his cup of water on me...watch out...he's coming this way!

Look who just happened to be in Salt Lake the same day as me?  My sister DeNae!  I got to meet her new little one, Owen.  He is such a cutie:)

Julian playing in the fountain at the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City

The best cousin picture I could get.  Can you tell Emerson is not into having his photo taken?

Julian, Townsend, Matthew, Ethan (holding Owen), Leah and Emerson

It was such a treat to have some sister time while in Utah:)

We did lots of other things while in Utah.  We ate at all the fun restaurants and of course walked around BYU campus and got ice cream at the BYU creamery.  The boys played a lot at the playground behind Oma's house.  They rode their scooters around her neighborhood.  We drove up to Heber and ate at the Dairy Keen, home of the "train burger."  Lots of other things I just can't remember...I need to try and update my blog more often!

Lake Powell, Utah

Way back on the 20th of June Hyrum and I set out to drive to Utah with our boys.  Emerson had flown down to Utah with Oma earlier in the week and so it was just Townsend and Julian on the drive down to Utah.  There was a lot less fighting with only one of the twins in the car:)  We drove down on a Friday and got to Oma's house in Orem with no problems.  We left Oma's on Sunday to head down to Lake Powell in Southern Utah for a few days of fun on a houseboat.  We were joined by Andrea and Craig Merrill and their daughter Stephanie as well as Katrina and Steve Doxey and their boys Cooper and Sam.  It was a lot of fun in the sun!

A photo of the houseboat in our own private little cove.  You can see the high water mark on the rocks around us.  I think it was down 50 feet from the high water mark.

Cooper Doxey giving Townsend a ride on the paddle board

Sam, Cooper and Emerson having fun on the "molecule"

Besides having Craig Merrill's boat to play on we also rented a jet ski.  The twins would ride around the lake and rev the jet ski all the way up to 50 mph!  I tell you, it was pretty scary being on that thing when a 10 year old was driving!  This is a photo of Hyrum and Oma going out for a ride.

Daddy and Emerson on the kayak.  Lots of fun water toys to keep boys happy and occupied:)

Cooper, Townsend and Sam being pulled by the boat.  I love Townsend's hair in this photo:)

Townsend tried wake boarding for the first time.  He got up a few times but only lasted a few seconds.  I was proud of him for wanting to give it a try!

Julian had lots of fun swimming around the little cove we were in but did not want anything to do with the jet ski or riding on any of the inflatables Craig had.  He was ok to ride in the boat and watch others get towed around on the inflatables but was too scared to try it himself.  But he sure loved swimming.  It didn't matter if it was the first thing in the morning or after dinner at night, he wanted to go in the water!

We stayed at Lake Powell from Sunday to Thursday and then headed back to Oma's in Orem.  We all got a little sunburned but we had a fabulous time.