Summer Soccer

Megan and Josh had their first soccer games for the Summer season last night.
Megan played first and was a little slow starting but by the end of the games she had scored two goals.  It just took her a little bit to figure out how to turn the ball around to go towards her goal and then she was golden.
Josh did decent for his first game with the older kids.  His team is now 1st and 2nd graders with a bigger field and bigger nets.    So it might take him a little while to get into his grove with this new level.  He liked getting to play goalie and even stopped a couple shots.
Tyler will play his first game Thursday.  Allie liked getting her picture taken like the big soccer players.

Independence Day: Fireworks!!!

Tyler with his bowl of Pop-Its.

Josh enjoying his bowl of Pop-Its.

Allie really liked the Pop-Its.  Tony held the bowl for her and she would take one and throw it into the street (generally not hard enough to make it pop) and then go back to Tony for another one.  It was pretty darn cute to watch.

Megan went through her Pop-Its the fastest.  She she loves them.

"Family Picture" - Tyler wasn't too pleased to be getting his picture taken with Josh and Megan.

Allie wanted in the picture too.  Love these silly kids of ours!

Yummy...taffy.

Josh found a friend.  This is one of my parents neighbors...I guess they hit it off.

Megan and Hayden enjoying fireworks.

Tyler says "Bring on the fireworks"

Allie playing while waiting for the fireworks to start.

Tyler and Josh have a perfect spot to see the fireworks.

Daddy, Allie, and Megan watching the fireworks.  Allie had just come over from the curb a little scared by the big fireworks.

Josh, Allie, Megan, Hayden, Grace, and Lucas in the background enjoying the fun!

Independence Day: Family Parade

Josh, Hayden, and Tyler all ready to go on the Clark Parade around the neighborhood.  We can't stop all our traditions!

Tony, Josh, Averee, Megan, Hayden, Julie, and Tyler before the Clark Parade.

Allie wanted to sit right here on the trailer.  I tried to get her to sit with me and she got up and sat right back down righ there.  She likes the freedom and wind in her face.  She liked the ride.

After the trailer parade the kids decided to do a running parade and throw candy at up adults.  Josh was first up.

Allie ran in the parade too.  She was the cutest one for sure!

Tyler was tricky and threw two pieces of candy.  Silly guy.

Megan thought she was hilarious throwing her candy.  So funny.

Independence Day: Murray Fun Days

Since my family decided to break with tradition and go up to the cabin we decided to go to Murray Park and check out all the festivities.
We first went to the "Money Find" for the kids.  They had already done Megan's age by the time we got there so we waited for Josh and Tyler to have a turn looking for coins.
Josh found one nickle, but poor Tyler didn't find anything.  They had fun though.
After that they had a fishing booth for fifty cents.  So we let the kids go fishing.  I thought they'd get one little silly toy, but they actually all got a bag with three or four toys in it and a flower necklace.  I thought that was cool and well worth the money.
After that the kids wanted to play on the playground.  It is a pretty fun one, so we let them play while we waited for Grandma Margie and Grandpa to meet up with us.
Once they came we started seeing all the different things that they had to offer.  We came across a both for the ice rink.  They had a line for hitting a puck that Tyler really wanted to do.  So we got balloons for the three younger kids and then let them go see how much tickets were for the rides.  I stayed with Tyler to let him hit the puck.
Tyler did really good and when he was done we met up with the others who were looking at what to eat for lunch.

We made our lunch choices and then found a place in the shade to eat.  The food wasn't very good, but now we know for next year.  After lunch it was play time.  Each of the kids had some tickets for the bouncy houses and rides and they had no problem using them right up.  They each got to do everything that they wanted and had a super good time.

Their was a soccer one where if you kick the ball in the whole you won a blow up soccer ball.  Tyler really liked that one and played it twice, winning two soccer balls.
They had mostly bouncy activities that the kids really liked, but a couple others.  The had a little kids swing that went around in circles that was powered by a fan.  It was pretty cute to see all the little kids riding around in circles.

Allie LOVED this ride.  She could not get enough of it.  She went on it at first by herself because the other kids were on other things.  She wasn't scared at all and just sat in her little swing soaking in the fun.  She looked so content in her swing and just enjoyed going around and around.  This girl loves the wind in her hair.

The other kids came over and saw how fun the swing was so Megan and Allie road it again together in a little side by side swing duo.  On Allie's third time on the swing Josh decided he wanted to swing too and found him a swing.  It's amazing how something so basic is so fun for kids.

I think Allie went on the swings one more time before we had all the kids go on the train together.  We thought that they would like it.  It was a cute little train that took them down and around a portion of the park.  We had just enough tickets for each kid to go.  Lucky the girl let Tony go with Allie.  I was concerned that sending her just with Tyler might not be a good idea.  If she decided to stand up or moved around too much Tyler wouldn't know what to do.  So it worked out.
The kids were not amused by the train.  Tyler said he likes the bigger and faster rides.  Ah well, what can you do.  After we got the kids snow cones and cotton candy (kettle corn for mom).  We then drove home to put Allie down for her nap.  She took a good nap and we decided to eat at Leatherby's for dinner.  Grandma Margie joined us and it was super yummy.  After that we headed to my parents for the evening festivities.

Independence Day: Murray Parade

Tyler, Josh, Allie, and Megan waiting for the parade to start.  I love going to the Murray Parade!

Tyler, Josh, and Megan waving their flags proudly at the parade.

Grandma Kim and Papa G.

Allie with Daddy (with grandma Margie in the background).  I didn't get a picture of me this year.  I didn't even think about it.  Darn it.

Patriotic Sunday

Sleepy Tyler

Before heading out to dinner with the Steenblik's Tyler came outside to wait for Grandma Margie to come pick them up.  I went out to dinner with some of my friends from my ward so I didn't go out to dinner with them.
Tyler decided to lay down while he waited and fell asleep in the swing.  When grandma got there he said he was just closing his eyes, but he was totally asleep.  Too much fun at the sleepover at Margie's the night before. 

Waterfight!!!

Our pool water was starting to get pretty gross so the kids and I got out our buckets and started collecting water from the pool to dump on the dry spots on the lawn.
Allie followed me for the first half thinking she was some how helping.  She really liked it when I would dump out the water all over the grass.

Tyler and Josh got a good amount of water each time and were really great helpers.  Megan would get some water and most of it would fall out of her bucket by the time she got to the dry spot.  I am pretty sure she is the one that started getting wet first.
I told the kids that it was okay with me if they got wet, so then they stopped being so careful about staying dry and started getting very wet.

Josh would go to the dry spot and just dump out the bucket of water on himself. . It was pretty funny to watch.  It didn't take long before the kids started getting each other wet.
I told the boys they could not gang up on Megan and get her all wet, but beside that they could pretty much have at it.

They thought that was the best thing ever.  I did tell them to go on the lawn to get each other wet so we weren't just wasting the water.  Occasionally I would make them all come to a  dry spot with their buckets of water and then I would count to three before they could throw the water.  Megan wasn't super good at getting the boys wet, but really good at dumping out her water.

They were all really good helpers and Allie did good at hanging out with me.  She wanted to go for a ride in her little car so I pushed her around while the kids got each other wet.  That kept her away from getting wet and she loved watching the silly kids.