Thursday, September 9, 2010

Summer fun

We took a trip to WA to spend time with my family. We had a lot of fun! This is Brad and the boys after a water fight at my mom's, I think Brad had the most fun.


WATER FIGHT!


Eddie is trying to get some water to throw on his dad




We also had a silly string fight at my mom's, the boys loved it.


Lily had her first biter biscuit at my mom's, she loved it and got really messy!


Eddie, Benjamin, David, Ethan& Lily and Shyla. We LOVE cousins! This is the best pic we had getting them all in the same place at the same time long enough to snap a couple of pics before someone ran away.


Cute little Benjamin in his shades and cool car


Bonnie and John came to see us while we were at Grandmas, it was so good to see them again


We all went out to eat together at a restaurant my dad occasionally clowns at. It was fun for the kids to see Grandpa all dressed up making balloon "things"


Grandpa and Eddie having dessert together. (For those of you who don't know my grandpa this is who we named Eddie after)


Silly Grandpa making balloon swords


Dad, Jeni & Shyla, Grandma Kauer & Lily, Grandpa, Wendy, Benjamin, Starling & David. My boys were running wild in the play area


We went to the playground of dreams. Eddie played in the water with David, Benjamin and Grandpa Larry


Eddie was cold after about 10 minutes of playing in the water


Eddie, David and Benjamin having a great time in the water, for a few minutes.


Grandpa Larry (my dad) and Lily wearing his hat. We took the kids to the mall to play


Ethan and Benjamin


Eddie and Shyla


Ethan fell asleep on this tiger, on top of the picnic table the day after his first sleep over w/his cousin Dante. He was SO tired. They stayed up until midnight and were up at 6:30!

Wendy, me, mom and Jeni


Wendy and her twins David and Benjamin from CT, Jeni and Shyla, Mom, me and my kids.


Lily's 1st swing ride, she wasn't impressed


Grandma and Grandpa made this awesome swing set. When we got back to ID Ethan said, "Do you think we could trade Grandma Terri swing sets?"


Out to lunch w/mom and two of my sisters Wendy and Jeni



Story time! I started reading Eddie and book and by the end of the first page I had 3 more listeners, not including Grandpa.



My mom was great about helping me with the kids when Brad was in Vancouver WA for a work conference for a couple of days during our trip. Thanks mom, you were a great sanity saver at the end of the day.

Eddie and his cousins having lunch. They had a great time together all week. It was so nice for him to have some buddies to play with. Can't wait to play again next summer, wish CT wasn't so far so we could play moreWendy and I went to see our little brother Scott, he is not so little anymore! I can't believe how much he has grown! It was great to see him. Many of you have never met my brother Scott. His lives in a group home because he is severely autistic. Autism can be very very difficult to manage, especially being his size and strength.

Scott loves music and played us a tidbit of any song we requested on one of his many keyboards. Including "Michelle" by the Beatles and "Wendy" for Wendy and I. We played head solders knees and toes. He showed us how all his toys worked and showed us how he walked to get his diploma at graduation. He is still the same little boy inside that I remember.



Aunt Jeni and Lily w/her 1st ponytail! So cute!


Most nights my mom helped me bath Lily in the sink. My mom doesn't have a bath tub in her house but she does have a nice big sink. She helped hold Lily down, because she wanted to stand the entire bath. (:



Ethan had a great time w/Dante, he is my step sister Lisa's son. They are the oldest boys cousins. It was so nice for Ethan to have someone close to his age to play with.



Lily's Great Grandma Kauer making her giggle

Great grandpa and Lily. It was so great to see my Grandparents, I miss them. I'm glad they finally got to meet Lily.

I loved our trip to WA, I loved being w/my family and I loved watching the cousins play. I look forward to summer every year for this trip.



Right before leaving for WA I turned on the wrong burner to cook dinner, went to get Lily and this is what I found along w/tons of smoke. It was very scary! I put Lily in her bouncy seat in the back and turned off the burner and threw water on it and opened all the doors and windows. The smoke burned my throat and skin and gave me a head ache in just the few minutes I was in the house. Brad came home to a smoky house, and found us in the back yard. The house smelled so bad! We decided to pick up some chinese and have a picnic in the backyard. The boys thought it was fun.

Me and Lil, I love having a little girl!


Happy Lily


Lily rolling over! Yeah Lily!


Brad took the boys to his family reunion. I didn't go because I had family in town but I heard they had a lot of fun in this hammock and w/their Aunt Steph below.






Our wild haired baby after her bath. HAPPY!


My dad and neice Shyla petting the goat at the zoo


Lily enjoying the Zoo


My sister Jeni and my neice Shyla drove from WA for a visit. We went to the zoo w/them and Jared, Nikki, Allie, and my dad. We all had a great weekend together. I especiallyenjoyed watching the cousins play.


The Blue Angels came to Idaho Falls. The boys went w/Brad and his parents the the air show. We live pretty close to the airport to we hear them practicing all week. The Boys loved it. This is Eddie working a huge gun


A piolt lifting Ethan up to see the inside jet



My Grandma and Grandpa Gale came for a visit from WA. My dad later convinced Grandpa to stay for a week and help w/the basement remodel. My grandpa is still a great carpenter at 89, I was very impressed. It was fun to have him and dad stay for a whole week.


Lily and her Great Grandpa Gale


Dad, Grandpa and Brad working on our Basement. We did A LOT in a week! We also put new tile in the laundry room and bathroom.



The finished basement, so much better! Thanks Dad and Grandpa for everything!




These are the before pics of our gloomy basement. Gross tile, duct taped green carpet, ugly panneling and florecent lights.







We took the boys to the temple visitor center to see some amazing pics that were taken from the Hubble telescope. This was taken on the temple grounds afterwards



Ethan doing Gymnastics. He loved it and really imporved this summer


Ethan doing a front flip into the block pit


Eddie in swimming lessons. He improved so much this summer. I think his orange goggles helped w/his bravery


Brad climbing Table Rock w/the scouts. This was the practice hike for climbing the the Grand Teton the next month. The you can see it behind him.


Happy little Lily



Eddie sitting in his chair in the shade in the backyard.


This is a dress, hat and booties crocheted by Grandma Carren! Thanks Grandma, amazing!


Eddie, Ethan and Allie playing in the pool after Crators of the Moon



Riding home after Crator of the Moon. That hairy orange thing is his favorite stuffed orangatange that he sleeps with "Harry"


We went to Crators of the Moon w/ my brother Jared, his wife Nikki and their little girl Allie. We had a great day, but I can honestly say this was an experience I will never forget! We got caught in a terrible rain and hail storm. Crators of the moon is flat, just lava covered ground. I know there are trees in the back ground of this pic, but on the trails there is nothing for cover. When we came out of the cave and started back to the cars it started pouring and then hailing. Nikki and I ran w/our babies as fast as we could turned sideways to protect them. As a mother I have not had an experience like that when I have felt so desperate to protect my children. Lily and Allie were crying and screaming which didn't help the panicked feelings. I have never been in a storm like that and not been able to get cover. You are probably thinking, why didn't you climb back into the cave? I thought of that, but Nikki and I thought we could make it back to the van before the storm got too bad, and when it started pouring and hailing we we inbetween the van and the caves. I also didn't want to be stuck in the caves w/a wet screaming baby while we waited out the storm, since we didn't know how long it would last. In the moment it seemed to last forever. Knowing now that it only lasted 5min of intense hail/rain I would have definately waited in the caves. Nikki and I had welts on our arms and legs. It was very painful and extremely intense. Above is a pic of after the storm. Luckily we had dry clothes and blankets for the kids.


Ethan LOVED every minute of the cave



Eddie was very nervous about exploring caves. At first he wanted to sit w/ mom and sleeping Lily and watch everyone else go. When he finally decided to go w/his dad he came back out of the cave w/a big smile on his face and
proudly said, "That wasn't so bad!"



What an adverture!




Grandma Diane holding our sweet Lily on the 4th of July. Thanks for the cute outfit Grandma!


Eddie hiding in an empty cupboard


Lily sleeping through the fireworks

We spent the 4th going to the parade w/Brad's family. The boys loved getting lots of candy. Then we went to Brad's parents for a BBQ. Later that day Jared, Nikki and Allie came and we had dinner, set off some fire works and then went to the fire works show down by the river. It was such a great day. I'm so greatful we got to have some fun times together this summer before they moved to OK. I miss you guys!

The boys doing sparklers. Probably not the best idea for Eddie to be doing that in his batman cape.

Our brave boys watching their dad light fireworks, from a safe distance.


Lily and me at the parade. Crazy Idaho, the only place I've had to wear a sweater on the 4th of July. It was so cold that morning!




The boys got a gift card for Toys R Us from our relator after we bought the house. They spent it on light sabers that light up, make noise and even spring out when they turn them on. They were very excited! Brad turned on Star Wars music and Eddie put on his Batman cape and a Darth Vader mask our old neighbor gave us. They were both very very happy that day!

4 comments:

  1. As always I loved reading your blog! Our Washington was so fun. I loved looking through the pictures and remembering the good times. Love you.

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  2. I loved that little crocheted (sp?) outfit, she is so cute, with all that light hair and blue eyes. Beautiful blue eyes, just like her mom.

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  3. It sounds like you've had a great summer! Your kids have sure grown up! Lizzi sure misses Eddie in Nursery! We drove past your old house the other day & Nicole said, "Boy, I sure miss Ethan. He's so much fun!" We'll have to get together sometime & let the kids play!

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  4. Wow, what a summer! You are looking great, Michelle. I really like what you did to your basement. Had to laugh about the melted stove mistake, that has happened to me.

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