More Fun...

The grandkids played hard outside, celebrated a few birthdays including Conrads...
Went to an indoor play area called Blast Off (for some reason my kids really thought that was a cool name and keep talking about it).
More playing outside.  We had a lot of rain while we were in Idaho, which is so unusual for summer, but the kids managed to fit in some sprinkler fun on the few times the sun came out.

Playing at Grandma and Grandpa Simpsons

Girls waiting patiently to go for a ride.

The few gandboys all hanging out

Poor Kelsey and Garth got suckered into playing Bingo with all the kids.  Though us parents didn't mind too much!

The group

What would a summer trip be like without the fireworks?

Jeremy with his newest daughter, Karlyn--only a few days old.  So fun to meet her.

Abby riding an ATV.  She sometimes surprises me at what she is willing to do.  I can't believe she was so into driving.  She would have probably stayed on all day if we would let her.

Jeana also going for a ride.

A Day at Lagoon

Abby and Autumn on another rollercoaster (again because her Mom bribed her a week earlier to ride one.)

Jeana with Autumn

Abby with Brynlee

The kids all wanted to ride the gondola and I think that is the first and last time you will ever catch me on one.  It sounded like a nice pleasant ride (maybe it would be different on the side of a mountain) but the whole time all I could think of what that we keep stopping, there is one little bar to hold our kids in, we are way above the part and being held by one small beam wrapped around a metal cable.  For some reason, I just couldn't find comfort in that concept.

Grandpa with his little girls...and there are lots of them--so far still outnumbering the boys.

Grandpa and Abby on a ride going up...up...up I was actually surprised Abby rode it.

A few days after school got out, we took off for home to visit David's parents before they left the country for three years.  We stayed with Ian and Stephanie for a few days and did some fun things in Utah.  We went shopping, ate some yummy mexican food (hard to find out here) and frozen yogurt.  We then spent a day at Lagoon.  The girls had a lot of fun with all their cousins.

Fun in UTAH

Silly silly silly girls.
Playing and collecting rocks
I don't know how many shows the girls put of for us, but we saw a lot.  Although this time, they danced to alternative rock instead of disney and Taylor Swift.  Jeana also went with her uncle and cousin Eva to an Emery concert...I don't think she knew what to think at first, but after awhile she got into to...ahh the new things she gets introduced to.  However, once we got home, it was back to Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.
Again mom trying to play photographer.
Playing around at gateway mall.
Eating out with the cousins.

Jeana's loose tooth got bumped and became even looser at Ian's so she asked him to pull it out, it took a while, but eventually...again with the help of mom (I tell you I still should be a dentist) it came out.
They also decided it was fun to spin each other on the computer chair...again until someone got hurt.
When we first went home, we stayed in Utah for a few days with Ian and Stephanie.  It was really fun to see their house--very cute.  The sun didn't shine for the first few days and the girls were running out of activities, so we had to get creative.  The girls were playing with edible playdough in the picture and I think they all ended up making pizza and cookies-yum!

Butterfly Release

Jeana with her friend Emma holding a butterfly who decided to make a return landing

One of the cutest things about 1st grade for Jeana was the butterfly release at the end of the school year.  The class spends the last month learning all about butterflies, the life cycle of a butterfly and the changes.  They then get their own caterpillar and get to watch it build a chrysalis and turn into a butterfly.  Families are invited to come watch the release and help decorate a cookie as an end to symmetry in math.  At the end we played jeopardy- adults vs. kids.  It was all about butterflies and it was very cute to see the kids get so excited.  They were totally in the lead until the last question which they missed, so the parents got to guess and of course a dad who didn't know the unwritten rule of always letting 1st graders win, answered the question right and we won.  The kids were very sad, but we all still had a great time.  

Good-byes for Teachers

On the last day of school, the girls gave their teacher a thanks you gift (I made with a cricket and a tile from Home Depot total cost $2.50) and a card.  The cards were so cute, I had to take a picture.  Abby drew a picture of a clown and Jeana drew a picture of a mommy horse and a baby horse out in the sun.

Stricker's Grove

Every year at the end of the school year, Jeana's school rents out a little family owned amusement park.  So, our friends, the Vaughns, met up with us.  The kids all had a good time...

Eating sno cones and cotton candy...
Riding the rollercoaster (this is where the cotton candy came in.  There was a very small roller coaster I tried to convince Abby to get on, but she wouldn't so I finally bribed her with cotton candy, but she said she was too scared.  Eventually, the cotton candy was worth it, she rode the coaster and loved it, though I knew she would.  She then rode the ride at least six more times, her favorite of course.)...
The ferris wheel with Matthew and Rachel
And a casual boat ride.