Pioneer Day and Boating

We spent the 24th of July at the Bountiful fair where we met Jonny and Brooke for navajo tacos and cotton candy! Actually, we got corn on a stick and a yummy smoothie, but Kerry always likes to tell people I am a carnival fanatic and can't wait to eat my navajo taco. He is stretching the truth a little...

We ran into Eva's cousin Mylee who was there with her other grandma. They had been able to see each other up at Bear Lake for a weekend when my sister's family came up from California, but they could have hung out the whole summer and been happy.

Becks kickin' trash up the obstacle course.

Mysterious fishing pond -Best thing ever when you are 3.

Later that afternoon we headed up to Echo and went boating. Ethan was the first to try out the new kid skis. It was a great way to spend the holiday weekend!

Becks and Uncle Jonny

Usually this picture is of Beckham - asleep on the boat. But today it was Ethan. Wiped out.

Just a couple of whiteys!

Brooke and her little brother who was a blast to have along. Just as dorky as Brooke! And I mean that in the very best cool dork kinda way.

Summer Going On's

So as fall approaches, ok so as fall is already upon us, I thought it would be smart to finish this post that includes a few of the things we did this summer. No time like the present!

Tasty's Doughnuts

The kids loved this - and so did all the doughnut loving moms! We arranged for a fieldtrip/tour of the great local doughnut shop and they got to go right back where they prepare all of the doughnuts and get their hands in on a piece of the action. The doughnut master was so cool - the kids loved him!

(Side note: Just so you know, none of these doughnuts were served to the public....!)

Becks playing with his doughball. Mushing it through his fingers...mmmm.

Each of them got a free doughnut at the end and then we bought sandwiches and headed over to Andy Adams park for the rest of the afternoon.

Eccles Dinosaur Park

Becks looks pretty tough here riding wild dinos, but when we went inside the exhibit and he saw the robotic dinosaurs, he was petrified. We've been here so many times and he's never been like that. I think he must now have a greater appreciation for the fact that they are little boy eating carnivors.

Ethan and Jackson made friends with the wooly mammoth.

Eva inside the Dinosaur park....notice the caption. So true.....

Boys being Jedi Knights

A couple of our neighborhood girls did a really fun summer camp each week for the kids where they did all sorts of projects - Olympics, arts and crafts, Star Wars, water games, etc.

Danny, Ethan and Beckham came home with their new lightsabers from camp, along with their Anikan Skywalker tunics.

This is a picture of Becks being spoiled - again. He is holding a train that his Aunties boyfriend Kunal sent to him from Japan. He picked it up while he was on business over there and Becks was super impressed.

Trip to Gateway via Trax

Inside the Gateway Planetarium Imax theater. This picture makes me laugh every time I see it.

We usually take Trax down to the Gateway and spend the afternoon. We get lunch at the food court, spend time in the planetarium and catch a 3D movie, and hang out at the fountains. I can tell all of our kids are getting a little older, because this year all of the girls around Eva's age just wanted to spend time **shopping!!**

The Strikers Cup Aug 2009

Eva spent a lot of time this year with her soccer team and preparing for a summer tournament. They ended up playing in the final game for their division and took 2nd. Eva is improving so much this year - Kerry and I enjoy watching her and are so proud of her. I used to hear parents talk about having to go to soccer games on Saturdays and I remember thinking it sounded more fun to weed the garden. Then you have your own. It's so exciting when it's your own kids...!

And finally here is Beck's cruisin' with his friends - Dani the Girl (as he calls her) and Gavin.

Kiddies

Ethan just told me that he "knows how robbers get stuff."

(drumroll.....are you ready for this??)

THEY STEAL IT!!!!!!!

Becks told Kerry to count to 10 and then he would get his shoes on. So Kerry counted to ten and then Becks said, "Ok. Count to 11."

Eva has just handed out flyers for her new art class for toddlers that she and her friend Donell are doing for the next 10 Mondays. She made very professional phone calls to remind people and that they needed to RSVP as soon as possible. (because it is starting in an hour..)

Our Trip to the Big Apple

A couple months ago Auntie Kirst organized this trip for the girls to NY. It was so much fun and I only wish we could have stayed longer....

It was Auntie Kirsten, my mother in law Cay, myself, and Eva. We stayed right across the street from Ground Zero in a great hotel which was the perfect base for us to explore the rest of the city. Like one would expect- we had our share of great food and saw a lot of iconic NY landmarks as well as some off the beaten path secrets that Kirst knew about.

Day 1

Wahhahhhahhaaa!

!

Wicked on Broadway

I. loved. this. show. Again! Again! Again! Now I understand why Mike and Jill are Wicked groupies and travel all over to see it :)

It was 'unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe' how much we all enjoyed it! We have the soundtrack playing at home and can't seem to get the songs out of our heads, even Becks is singing along. Eva has also been practicing her awkward blonde hair flip to be the next Galinda. Oh This was so good!!

The majority of the 2 days was rainy - but it was kind of fun to walk around the city with our umbrellas. My camera broke the first day, so all of these pics are from Kirst. Thanks!

The Bull on Wall Street. We also took a picture of him from behind to send to Kerry. It is, shall we say, a very generously, anatomically correct statue. If I only had the picture....

Miss Liberty in the rain.

We took the ferry to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty. I didn't realize that she was hollow inside.... I guess I'd never thought about it. What a proud piece of history to finally witness.

Inside the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

By this time, we are hungry. So we head back downtown (uptown?) for lunch by taxi.

One of the most authentic parts of our trip would probably have to be eating at Jing Fongs in Chinatown. This is true Hong Kong style dim sum at its best - I've never really experienced anything like it. You walk upstairs to this large regal-feeling ballroom that is the main dining hall in the restaurant. It is loud and bustling and busy. There are tables stacked with people as waitresses roll carts through the aisles and offer you the endless variety of hot steaming dim sum dumplings. Deeeeelish.

We knew this was the real deal, because we were the ONLY non-Asians in the building. It was awesome.

The cart-rolling waitresses are aggressive and ready to spoon dumplings onto your plate if you nod your head in any way yes. You had to wonder sometimes what was actually in some of them.... Chicken feet were also available to nibble on.
If you weren't sure what was in something and you asked your server if it was shrimp or chicken they would just say , "Yes. Yes. that is what it is. You want?" It didn't matter what you asked them - they just agreed or nodded or repeated what they had called it and it didn't make any sense at all - still. So you just said ok and took it - hoping it was not chicken feet.

These are the hot dim sum bamboo steamers. Very tasty. (not the steamers. the dumplings)

After lunch we walked through Chinatown to a store called "The Pearl." I thought this was such a fun place - it reminded me of a small chinese Ikea. Everything and anything asian was in there - from dishes to hello kitty to paper lanterns and soap. Plus, it was cheap. Bonus!

As we wound through the street shops I broke down and bought some Jadore perfume. We had them spray it, smelled it, tested it. It smelled like the real thing - even though I knew it couldn't be for that low of a price. I really didn't care - as long as it smelled nice.

Upon getting home and opening the box, I came to find out that I got suckered - it smells fantastic. For about 5 minutes. And then it absolutely evaporates.

Lesson learned. Suckered in NY for the first time. Cool!

Walking through the city. Stopping to shop, sample or taste anything we were in the mood for.

We ended our first and fabulous day at the Gershwin theater on Broadway.