Zoo morning

For the past few years we have renewed our zoo membership every summer.  It's cheap, and good for a whole year. Pretty easy to get more than your money's worth.  The morning is the best time to go.  It's cooler, crowds are smaller, and the animals are all out.  Jamie & I met up there one day to take the kids around.  Poor Emma woke up sick that morning, and said she wanted everyone to still go.  Since she's old enough and Jared's office is so close (as well as two grandma's) I felt ok letting her stay home, but felt sorry for her.  She just went right back to sleep.  

 These two pics are from Kelsey's camera - can you tell?

Whitney, Mallory & Rylee

Such a "Spiers" expression!

Just as we hit the playground these two knocked out. 

Lagoon 2011

Our Stake Lagoon Day (or Family Fun Day, as it's called now) was Thursday Aug. 4th.  The kids couldn't wait.  We usually hit Lagoon twice during the summer, but with so little time left I'm not sure if that's going to happen.  The kids had fun, Conner was tall enough for 'Wicked' and he was SO excited.  He came running to me when he got off saying, "Mom, that was awesome!"  It wasn't too crowded, not too hot.  The park did close 1 hour early because of lightning, but we were done by then anyway!

Emma rode the log flume with the Bergmans

 Log Flume with Dad

 The kids went solo (with a couple of nice strangers!) on Rattlesnake Rapids - we adults weren't in the mood to get wet.  Especially THAT wet! They got soaked!  I realized doing the girls hair was a waste of time.

I liked this picture because you can see both of the guys working.  Seth in the distance on the left on his phone and Jared on his.  What fun!  Not.

Mallory, Emma & Rylee

 While Jared took the "big kids" on bigger rides, I took Mal to the kiddie area.  Soph was asleep, and with Conner now graduated to the larger stuff he did not want to join us.  So I felt very anxious sending Mallory into the lines to wait all by herself, with no one to help her with her seatbelt, etc.  But she didn't care at all! I think someone's ready for kindergarten.

Last ride of the night, I was lucky to get this shot as Conner & Mallory went past me. Made me laugh.

July 4th Celebrations

Utah has new fireworks laws, which allow for "aerial" fireworks.  Jared couldn't wait to buy some.  We threw together a last minute fireworks show.  Todd had some, Zane had some, so we ended up gathering in our front yard when it got dark.  It was a lot of fun!  We were all sitting pretty close to Smart Lane, and when Todd lit off the first aerial firework we all jumped up and ran back, it surprised (or scared!) us all.  

Mallory, Libbie and one of the "Twinees" (as we like to call them). 

Getting all the fuses ready & waiting for it to get darker....

For the 4th of July we went to Sandy City's show like we always do.  Tyler, Sara & Fred, Kadee & Zane, and our friends Jay & Ramiro came too. With all our blankets we had a pretty big area.  It's always fun, with booths to shop at, food to eat, live music, and bounce houses & slides for the kids.

Sophie was content to put her baby in and out of the cup holder all night.

Conner and Kobe - Jay & Ramiro's oldest boy.  

The salon I took Kels to for her bday had a booth, so Emma got a feather too.

Kadee & Zane just got a puppy, the kids (and complete strangers) loved playing with her.

The stage was a lot closer than it looks here.  A vocal ensemble from BYU performed, they were great!

Kelsey is THIRTEEN!

  On Friday, June 24th Kelsey turned 13! When I asked her what she wanted she said, "Make up and clothes."  She ended up with some different gifts, some large - some small.  A couple days before her birthday she said she didn't care if she got anything - she just "really, really" wanted to go get her hair done.  Cut, color and feathers.  Yes, feathers.  So when she got up that morning we had a small gift for her to open - a new cellphone. Then she got to go to lunch with Grandma Denise & Papa Brent - just the three of them (I should have had someone take a picture!).  Then she and I went off to her hair appointment.  For dinner, we went with Whetman's & Bergman's to La Costa.  

This is another birthday gift - while she was gone to Oakcrest we surprised her with a new mattress and new bedding.

Dinner at La Costa!  See the new do? She has 3 feathers, but Jared's camera phone isn't great....

Happy Birthday to you....

That next Monday Kelsey was off to Oakcrest Girls Camp.  Monday - Friday.  That's the longest she's ever been away from us!  It was a very, very long week.  You'd think with 5 other kids to keep busy it would fly by, but it took FOREVER.  But I was so excited for her & the experiences she would get to have.  As they lined up to get on the bus, we said goodbye one last time and I walked back to my car.  And I teared up, a little.  She's so grown up!  I stayed and watched the buses pull away.  We missed her so, so much.

My baby is on that bus!  I was feeling so excited and nervous for her at the same time!

The buses were supposed to be back Friday at 12:30, so we all loaded up in the car & were pulling into the church parking lot at 12:10 - I didn't want to get there late.  But as we came around the back of the church it was quickly obvious that the buses had already dropped off their passengers.  There were girls everywhere, but not very many parents!  Jared spotted her right away, "There she is!"  She had seen us & was walking over.  I parked the car in the closest spot & Jared and I got out.  Kels was crying & she hugged me so tight - I loved it (the hugging part)!  I was worried maybe she's crying because she was so miserable, but she said she just missed us so much.  Then she talked & talked, and told us all sorts of stories.  She had a blast.

Kels is a great girl.  She cares about other people, she's great with her  younger cousins and siblings, she's an excellent babysitter, she cares about always doing her best.  We sure love watching her grow up into such a fantastic young woman.