Utah/Idaho Trip Summer 2024

Annual Trip out to Utah was good times.  We arranged to caravan- of sorts- out there with Mark and Jenna's family.  We didn't stick together the whole time but we did meet up with them at lunch time at a park on the way there and then we met up and stayed at the same hotel in Cheyenne, WY the first night.  Paul & Janice happened to be driving East- back from Utah- on that first day of driving also and it was good enough timing that they also met up with us at that park for lunch.  It was olive's birthday so we went to Olive Garden in Cheyenne for dinner and then the kids partied it up in the hotel pool!  

In Utah, we tried something different this year and rented a vrbo that fit ours and Mark's families so we could have our own space and not have to invade Amberly or Russ's houses.  It ended up working out pretty well!  The house had a hot tub and the kids had fun making use of that and we had the space and were middle ground so that Amberly, Phil, and Russ's family came over for hang-outs a couple of nights.  

While in Lehi, I also spent a morning meeting up with my sister Pam and her boys for a hike together.  We had a great time and the boys- Zach especially- had fun freaking me out climbing up on all the rocks.    We also went down to BYU one day with the kids and then went over to the Provo Rec Center Pool.  It was huge and crazy but the kids had a great time! 

We went up to Idaho and spent time at Grandma & Grandpa's.  The kids enjoyed rides on the four wheeler, trips to Papa Jays, and saying goodbye to Sambo- Grandma's old doggie that was on his last legs and died a month later. The kids were sad he was so sick but happy they got to see him one last time. 

After Idaho we dropped Jon off at the airport in Salt Lake and he flew to Phoenix to work and then kids and I went and stayed at Becky's house for a few days.  I rented a blow up water slide for an afternoon and we invited the Rider cousins and we all had a great time!  The kids also enjoyed lots of time at Becky's pool and going out to Despicable Me 4 with Becky's kids.  

It was a great trip and we had lots of great times with family!  

 

Summer Fun- 2024

 Summer 2024 was fun, full, crazy, and busy!  We played hard and we had a great time doing it!  By time summer was over, I think we were all ready to get back to school- but not because we were having a bad time, just because we were all exhausted from all of the fun things!  After getting home from our Niagara Falls trip. we jumped into June and all the summer things: swim lessons, soccer, visits to MN, and Madi wrapped up her dance year with a recital in Ames on Father's Day. She did a great job and looked so cute up there on the stage.  Katie, Madi, and Zach all did swim lessons as well as soccer at the church on the corner during June.  They all worked hard and did great!  All of the kids also had camps throughout the summer, and- of course- we did our family "Summer Fun List" that kept up busy as well!  

Katie did Spikefest volleyball camp, Madi did art camp, Zach had a science camp, and Colton had a couple of computer-tech camps.

Summer Fun List 2024

Dad:  Eat at a new restaurant 

• Went to Pizza Ranch- the kids loved it!

Mom:  Yankee Doodle Pops (Fireworks show at the state captiol for the 4th of July)

• Went with a group of friends including Morales' and Johnsons.  It was hot and the jazzy intro music was too long, there were tons of people, and the fireworks were a little underwhelming, but overall a good time and felt patriotic!

Colton:  Driveway Movie Night

• Always a fun time!  We watched the new Descendants movie and had plenty of neighborhood kids join!

Katie:  Camping

• The only weekend that ended up working out was the hottest weekend in August and was so blasted hot!  We were sweating up a storm.  We got an electric campsite and had box fans going in and out of the tent but we were still dying! 

Zach:   Science Day

• I'm never a huge fan of all the science experiments but Zach loves them and the kids always have a good time. We did Boo Bubbles, some fluffy slime, rock candy, and the mentos-diet coke experiment.

Madi: Bowling

• This was our first time bowling as a family!

Other fun things this summer included: trips to the zoo, celebrating the 4th of July with too many fireworks and the other Days, berry picking, Blink 182 concert for me and Jenna in Minneapolis while Mark watched our kids in Rochester, icecream truck, and a first annual (maybe- but it was fun!) cousin swap.  We met up halfway between rochester and ankeny and Olive stayed with us for a 5 days while Madi and Zach went up to Rochester with those cousins.  We all played so hard that week- eating out, school shopping, swimming, urban air, sprinklers, trampoline, sleepovers, etc. 

Colton also put together a cardboard arcade with his buddies this summer.  He spent months working on it and spend more money on it than he made.  It ended up being a bit chaotic overall but I think most kids had a good time and it was a learning experience for Colton.  

I also ran a virtual (In My Running Era) 10K.  

Lots of walks, playing outside, bike-rides, beautiful sunsets, and more.  Summer 2024 was one for the books!