Boating with Uncle Joe Joe

My kids love their uncle Joe Joe- it probably is because he has pet chickens, a huge sand pile, a large garden, etc., but if any of you know Joe, he also just has a knack for being with kids. Well, when he invited us to go boating I was very hesitant (3 young kids and me-- ikes) but when they saw their Uncle Joe Joe both Rylie and Daniel were insistent on going. It was a windy, overcast, sprinkling day-- so not close to perfect conditions for boating, but it was nice to be out on the water. Rylie didn't agree. She clung to me as if her life depended on it and just begged to return back to the shore. Daniel had fun and Wyatt fell asleep. After we saw lightening we headed to shore and when it cleared up Daniel and I went tubing behind a wave runner, just for the experience. Thanks Joe for inviting us, most of us loved it ;-)

Pioneer Day Parade

On the 24th of July we had the opportunity to be in the Pioneer Days Parade in SLC. After a trip to DI, we were set with costumes and all. The only problem was that both Rylie and Daniel refused to walk. They both wanted to be held by me and for a complete parade route, this just wasn't feasible. So, I ended up being one of the lucky ones who was able to ride in the handcart surrounded by my 2 oldest. Wyatt on the other hand was happy to be passed around from one adult to another. (I have to say, I'm sure lucky he is such an easy going kid because I really would go nuts with 3 needy kids on my hands). After all was said and done, it was a neat experience to share with my family.

Backman biathalon

The last day we were in UT, we had a Backman children biathalon. (the week prior there was an adult triathlon, but more on that in another post). There were 3 divisions-- preschoolers, elementary and middle schoolers. Daniel and Rylie participated in the preschoolers division, which meant that they had to do 10 laps around a little grass median, and then one lenght in the pool. It was so much fun watching the little preschooler division. Rylie won first for the girls (yes she was the only one) and Daniel won the prize for being the most clever--- see the video at the end. He learned the secret to winning races, cheat. Rylie needed a little help (I did carry her about 3 laps, and had to drag her across the pool with a noodle) but she actually did really well for only being 2. We sure hope this becomes a new tradition that we can repeat in the future! Thanks Opa for putting it all together!







Proof of how clever Daniel really is! Don't you love how well he cuts right across the grass. Always has been a smart one, that one.

Feeding the ducks with grammy

We went up to UT for 2 weeks in July and had a wonderful time being with family and friends. One highlight of the trip was staying at my dad's new place in Midway. It was perfect for our little family because there were a handful of activities you could do that were within walking distance so we could still get in our naps. The kids got so off schedule this was a life saver-- and made the trip much better. While there the kids loved swimming, going to get Gelato , and riding on the ferris wheel.
Grammy came to stay with us over the weekend and we ended up going to feed the ducks. So much fun! It always is so great to see how well Daniel and Rylie get along. They really enjoy each others company.