Take two...

As I am typing this Mark is introducing the kids to one of his favorite movies "Rudy", it is at the climax and the crowd and players are chanting "Ruuudy, Ruuudy"  poor Rufio is pacing and barking at the screen thinking they are calling him.

Flossie decided to come to Charlotte for another cousin trip...hoping that this time did not include another hospital visit.  We met at Sarah's pool again.  Ashley and her kids came as well.

The kids built a 'boat' out of chairs ate dinner there.

Katie with Nate (Sarah's newest)

 Flossie and her kids slept over at our house.  The next morning we walked down to the train tracks.  This time I remembered to bring pennies with us.  My kids have been bugging me to put pennies on the tracks since I mentioned it to them when we moved in, we just kept forgetting to bring the pennies when we took a walk (and it has been WAY to hot to be outside for the past few months).

While we were there, a city truck drove by and told us we better leave before the police saw us bc someone had been hit by the train a few days before.  Why thank you sir, for saying this in front of 6 children.  The kids then wanted to know where and wanted to walk down to the scene.  (I am assuming since this is within walking distance of my house and I knew nothing about it, and because you can see and HEAR the train coming in plenty of time, that it was someone impaired who was hit.)  Of course we did not visit the site, but we did wait around for the train to come and collect our flattened pennies.  (The kids continued to talk about the dead guy for the trip home and the rest of the week.)

 On the way home we passed the fire station and the kids talked their way into a picture.

 Then we headed to Discovery Place

Katie on the bed of nails, you push a button and they emerge until you are literally laying on a bed of nails.

 After Discovery Place we supported Chic Fil-a, I'm not sure they want our kind of support though because my kids ate all their mints.

Utah

This summer is going by so fast...how is there only a few weeks left?

A couple of weeks ago we had a very full and fun trip to Utah.  The kids, of course, were super excited for the airplane ride.  Our flight left at 7am so we had to get up early, we parked the car and piled into the parking shuttle.  The kids were all in a little bit of a trance from getting up at 5am so Addy is clinging to me.  A nice lady sitting next to us looks at her and says; "wherever you are going I hope she is coming back with you, she looks a little attached".  I smile, trying to tell myself not to be offended and said, "of course she is coming back she is mine."

The flight was great.  It was straight and the kids are at a great age.  They were so excited to see everyone.  We headed from the airport straight to Cafe Rio.

The first few days were full of family, fun and (yummy) food.  The kids had a blast in the back yard and on the neighbor's trampoline.

Addy and (Emily's) Mike had a no-smiling contest which Addy won everytime, seriously, I don't know how she didn't crack a smile even when he started picking his nose.

Uncle Mike had a birthday complete with cupcakes. 

The kiss got her a second cupcake

Thanks Riley for the fancy nails

Katie got her fill of babies

We hit the lake one day.  Mark's parents rented a jet ski.  We spent the day in the sand and water.

Mark and Rosie

Addy got the award for best passenger, she is the only one who let me go as fast as I wanted.

While we were at the lake a big wind storm hit.  EVERYTHING blew away.  All the kids were hiding in the shelter of the bathroom while the rest of us ran around like crazy people trying to catch plates, hats, clothes, etc.  Katie got a little scared, because she thought a tree was going to fall on us.  But despite her fear she helped us gather up all our stuff.

Wed Mark's grandparents arrived.  We all went fishing (we cheated a little bc it was a trout farm, and we would throw food in and drop the hook in), but despite our cheating, we were not able to catch the 4th fish we wanted.

 

 

Thurs we headed to Bear Lake for a family reunion with the Sanofsky family; Mark's grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  It got crazy fast and was lots of fun. (Bethany and Eric drove down from Rexburg to join us for the day on the lake.)  More Jet Skis, sun, sand and water and everyone was happy for a while.

Marcus, Nick, Matthew, Rosie, Katie and Addy

Except for Marcus when we tried to get the grandkid (above) picture.  He would not smile or sit, Mark told him we was going to dump his Gatorade in the lake if he didn't behave.  He was good enough (no smiling) until we tried to take a family picture, and then Mark dumped the drink and Marcus lost it.  Emily was great enough to capture it on film.  

Our sneaky little drink lover had been hanging out at the shelter talking a different adult into giving him another soda or Gatorade.

Katie chasing some random dog--mostly just missing Rufio

One day we took a hike, we had a great time in the shade,  but when we walked out into the sun, the kids started whining and it turned into the longest mile of my life (it wasn't that bad, I will just remember to never take my kids hiking in the sun).

Marcus, Mark, Addy and Grammy

There was a pool where we stayed, where my kids spent quite a bit of time.

Addy and Katie in the hottub eating Bear Lake's famous raspberry shakes.

Mark and I had many a late night playing cards with his cousins. 

Our attempt at family pictures, we got all ready and it started raining, we will see how well these turn out edited. (Thanks Em!)

The clan