Pioneer Day and Ashley and Will Visit

Monday we played outside first thing in the morning. There was another birthday party in the quad for a little girl.  It was pretty simple but tons of fun for the kids.  Most of the day we watched and played with Andrea.  She is Bradley's good friend.  They played together almost daily.  In the afternoon she went on a walk around Wymount with us and some of our other friends.  It was a good walk with a stop at a different playground than our own.

Tuesday was pioneer day.  We went to a parade in Mapleton in the morning.  It had a fun small town feel to it.  All the stake presidencies were in the parade.  One was on a flat bed trailer with barbecues grilling hot dog pieces and then handing them out along the parade route.  We had a fun time in our shady seats that we snagged when the start of the parade was only a block away.  Everyone in the town is either in the parade or watching it...or so it seems. After  the parade we came home for a bit to water plants.  Then we went to a park in Provo for the celebration there.  There were a lot more people there this year than last year but most of the same fun activities. Jeff and Elizabeth and Spencer came over later in the afternoon for a barbecue.  We had lots of yummy food.  We decided to go and try to see the fireworks in Mapleton (we have always been to Spanish Fork for fireworks on the 24th ).  Mapleton had good fireworks and we got lucky and got home quickly afterwards. It's always fun to have a holiday.

 All dressed up for the parade

headed home

racing through the obstacle course

Brad was pretty nervous about the snakes...they were plastic

riding on a pony

having a handcart ride

It was a little rainy while we were eating, but then we saw a double rainbow.  The second one is above the brighter one.

Since we were up so late Wednesday we had a pretty slow morning.  Ashley and Will arrived while we were still working on breakfast.  I went visiting teaching while they all stayed home and played.  In the afternoon Alan needed me to take him shopping for some parts he needed to hang curtains in his lab.  He needs them for a user study he is doing but I guess there have been several jokes about their curtains.   Will wanted to do some shoe shopping while he was here so Jared and Lauren went with Ashley and Will...it sounded like they had a pretty fun time.  Lauren came home with a pair of sandals and Jared with a little super soaker.  Bradley, Connor, and I took Alan...We were much faster :)  Jeff and Elizabeth came over for dinner.  Alan made us all yummy pizza.

Enjoying popsicles after lunch

One of the favourite things to do was take pictures on Ashley and Will's camera.  I think Bradley took this one...it is one of the better ones.

I sent Jared out to put on the tablecloth.  When he didn't come back after a few minutes I thought I better check on him...

Thursday we went to the last summer library program.  We made the craft (a Halloween plate picture ) heard story time and turned in our summer reading papers...everyone got to choose a book for finishing.   We got several really good ones.   Ashley and Will went with us. We came home for lunch and when Ashley and Will got back from theirs we went to Trafalga in Lehi.  We mini golfed, rode go carts, bumper boats and in general had a pretty fun time.  While I was on the go carts with Bradley, Jared got stung by a bee or wasp or something...3 times.  Once on the back of the neck, once on his ear lobe, and once on his thumb....it's a good thing he doesn't swell up like his dad :). That night we had white bean chicken chili and corn bread.   We also made home made ice cream and Elizabeth made a fruit pizza.   I'm sure we all got stuffed again!

Playing before the library

right before his stings

Yum!

Friday we walked around campus.  One of the highlights was visiting Jeff at work...and the baby mice.  We also stopped by Alan's work and saw the curtains and Ashley and Will tried the robot too.  We also visited several other places around campus. We got home and had lunch.  Then we tried to go swimming at veterans Memorial pool but we didn't realize that it closed as early as it did, so we decided to go back the next day when we would have more time.  We did walk through the pioneer village that is right there close.  We came home and set up our own water stuff, shot water rockets, and had a fun barbecue and watched bits and pieces of the Olympic opening ceremony.

Jeff at work holding a whole bunch of fleas

Baby mice

Will animating the robot (with the curtains up)

watching the robot do Will's animation

Building blocks in the MOA

Between rocket launches

Water slide...even I went down...It's pretty fun.

Saturday morning we went to the library's trick or treat in July party...you had to go to enough summer activities at the library to get to go.  Everyone dressed up and had a fun time.  Ashley and Will stayed here and got ready to go.  We all went to the pool in the afternoon for several hours.  It was a hot day so it felt really nice.  On our way home from the pool we stopped by a birthday party for a friend who had just moved and Ashley and Will got pizza for dinner.  We had a fun last picnic dinner (our second pizza party during their visit) and finished off the creamery ice cream from the night before.  We were sad to have to say bye to Ashley and Will.   We loved having them here visiting.  Two of Bradley's good friends both moved too...Lily and Andrea.  I'm not sure who he will play with out at the playground now.  They were both so sweet.

Olympic swimmer, Alfalfa, pumpkin, Mickey Mouse, Mom

Wow! Look at me

Sunday was a pretty normal day at church.  I went and heard Jeff and Elizabeth speak in their ward.  They both did a great job.   We had a fun time talking to Grandma and Grandpa Schachterle and just relaxing.

Applesauce for the first time

Loving some red pepper

Lauren is 5!!!!

Monday we had a fun day running some errands and getting ready for Lauren's birthday.  We also spent a lot of time outside.

Tuesday was Lauren's Birthday!!!!  I think she had a great day.  We didn't do anything too special during the day, but had a fun party in the evening.  I put some apricots in a dehydrator and pureed some others to put in the freezer.  Then when we were headed out to the library Grandma Atherton called to talk to Lauren and wish her Happy Birthday.  They all had a fun time talking to grandma.  Then we hurried to the library to get there in time for story time.  In the afternoon we baked her cake and played outside some.  Lauren wanted hamburgers and hotdogs with corn on the cob, potato salad, and jello for dinner.  Jeff and Elizabeth came over to eat with us.  Then we watch Lauren open her presents and had cake.  We all loved talking to those of you who called!  I think she had a really fun birthday.  Jared sewed some tutus for Lauren's stuffed animals.  They look really awesome.  He had the idea and did most of it all by himself.  Lauren also got a bike for her birthday.

A pink bubble cake!

Several weeks before her birthday we started looking for a bike that would work.  About a week and a half before her birthday we decided that we really needed to find one and we were going to drive around and look at some yard sales and DI and any other place we could think of that would have one her size in our price range.  I said a prayer that morning that we would be able to find one for her (since I knew she really wanted one and would love it).  I had the thought that the Wymount yard sale was that morning (always the first Saturday of the month..so July 7th) and I should go look.  So I went over to look and saw a few friends from quad 2 and stopped and talked for a minute.  They asked what I was looking for and I said a bike for Lauren.  I just needed one sitting there waiting for me with a big bow on it...since it was for her birthday.  At first glance I didn't see anything...but then I notice a little ways down the sidewalk was a bike.  I ran down to see it.  It was just the right size!  I asked the people there if the bike was for sale...not letting my hopes get too high, but they said yes!  There was a girl there about 10 who was selling it.  I asked how much she wanted for it and she said well...the bike was $6 and the helmet was $3, but no one was buying either so it was $3 for both of them.  I told her I would take it...but I didn't need the helmet (Lauren already has one) so I would just pay her 6 dollars for the bike...unless she didn't have change and then it would be 10.  She assured me that she did have change.  The girl was just as happy that someone wanted to buy her bike as I was to buy it.  I told her she had made my day.  It may not have come with a bow (we did put one on it) but it came as a huge blessing and tender mercy from heaven.

Wednesday we got up and played with birthday toys.  We went to Ready to Learn.  We spent the afternoon riding bikes and playing outside.  That evening we ate quick when Alan got home and then went to Seven Peaks for a couple of hours.  Everyone loved it and can't wait until we can go again.

Thursday we played outside for a lot of the morning.  Then we went to the library to do the craft.  We had missed it on Tuesday.  We got lots of fun books that day too.  Then we hurried home and ate lunch and waited for Eden to come play.  The Browns came from Spanish Fork for the afternoon to play.  We had tons of fun playing in quad 2. 

Friday we were planning on going to the outdoor movie.  But Wendy called that evening and said that Keegan had a show that night on campus (that started at the same time as the movie) as part of a Young Ambassadors' camp that he went to.  We let Jared and Lauren decide what they wanted to do and the wanted to go to Keegan's show.  It was a bunch of show tunes and Keegan had a couple of solos.  When that show was over we stopped at the outdoor movie which was How to Train Your Dragon.  We had to walk right past it to go to the car.  At first Jared didn't want to stay but Lauren did.  After about 10 minutes Lauren was ready to go but Jared wanted to stay...we ended up staying for the end.  It was probably only 10 more minutes or so.

Saturday Lauren went to a mermaid birthday party in the morning for Marigold and in the afternoon everyone went to a Mickey Mouse party for Landon.  Both were fun.  Between the parties Bradley, Connor, and I  squeezed in a trip to Winco.  I found a penny in the parking lot and gave it to Bradley.  He got so excited..."A money for me!  Jeff gave me a money one time."  It's tough being number 3...the older ones always find all the pennies.  After Landon's party we all went to the trafalga in Lehi.  We had a really fun time.  I even tried rock climbing...but was too scared to go too high...so was Lauren.  She did go a little higher than I did and she was too light to make herself come back down.  We all got soaked on bumper boats and loved it.  It was a super fun time.

Sunday was just a nice relaxing day.  We had stuffed peppers for dinner...they were delicious.  Ashley and Will stopped by around 8 and stayed for a couple of hours.  Lauren had fun running around saving baby dinosaurs with Ashley while the boys played in the sand box.  We are glad that they were coming back later in the week.  No one wanted to let them go.  It was a good fun happy week.

Lauren trying out Ashley's glasses

Lauren's Friend Party

Another fun week has come and gone.  I can't believe it is already the middle of July.  Last Monday we went to an activity at the Museum of Peoples and Cultures.  It was a passport thing where you visited different stations and learned about a different country at each one.  It was a fun thing to go to...it's been awhile since we have been there and the exhibit has changed since we were last there.

Monday morning breakfast...Connor is just hoping.

Lauren writing her name on papyrus 

Tuesday was a HOT day!!!  It was over 100 degrees....and so were several of the other days this week. Our ward had a ward walk at 6:00...the hottest part of the day.   It was mostly a primary activity.  We walked up to the temple, then to the MTC, then home.  When we got back we had snow cones.  They were super yummy.  They had tons of ice, so everyone had all they wanted.  We also went to the library earlier in the day and I made 2 batches of apricot freezer jam.


There were enough people and strollers we could have been a parade.

enjoying snow cones on our steps while talking to the sister missionaries

Wednesday was another hot day.  We spent all day trying to keep cool.  Connor and I had a spray bottle outside to help keep us cool.  Jared lost his first tooth on the bottom...and the first one that he wiggled out (instead of dentist pulling it).  It came loose while eating an apple at the library on Tuesday and then he worked on it until it came out Wednesday night.  He left it for the tooth fairy and she brought 2 quarters....I need to make a tooth fairy pillow soon!

Thursday we worked on even more things to get ready for Lauren's birthday party.  In the evening we went to a barbecue out in the quad...and had more snow cones...then we rushed off to a play at the Scera shell.  It was All Shook Up.  Jared really liked all the Elvis music in it.  While there Alan and I realized that we were there 9 years ago to the day for our first date (ok really the second date, but they were both the same day ).  I think in the 9 years we have only been to one other thing at the outdoor stage.  It was really fun to relax outside into the evening on such a hot day.


Friday we had a pretty slow morning since we all had been up so late.  It was a lot cooler a thunderstorm had blown in and it felt so nice.  It rained in the afternoon...but not too bad.  It felt really nice to be out in it.  There was supposed to be an outdoor movie on campus but it got postponed until next week because of the weather.  We finished watching the Lion King here instead....We had started it last week.   We are slowly making it through the Disney movies...slowly being the key word.  I think they have read more of them in books than they have seen in movies.

All the bags of pop corn before they got the cute tags across the top that said Thanks for Popping by!

Saturday we spent most of the day doing the finishing touches for Lauren's party.  We were grateful that it didn't rain too hard.  We were still able to have it outside.  We have only had a handful of wet days this summer, so we really needed the rain.  It was good for the bubbles too.  The theme for the party was bubbles.  We did bubble painting, blow bubbles with different kitchen utensils, make your own wand with pipe cleaners, ghost bubbles, and tried giant bubbles (we'll have to tweak our solution), had a pinata, bubble gum bubble blowing contest (and marshmallow eating for those who couldn't blow a bubble with gum), over under game with a balloon, and bubble bubble bubble pop (duck duck goose), we had cupcakes, red punch, presents, and everyone took home a bag of jello pop corn and a small bottle of bubbles. Everyone had a great time. I never did get a good head count, but there were close to 35 kids there...maybe a few more.  I made 44 pop corn bags and there were only 3 left over...and 31 bubble bottles got taken, but I don't think everyone took one of those.  I also made 5 1/2 dozen cupcakes and there were about 10 of those left.  It was lots of good crazy fun.  A big thanks to Jeff and Elizabeth for coming and helping...everything went a lot smoother with them there.  One of the funniest things that more than 1 person said was come here and I'll teach you how to blow a marshmallow....obviously they meant blow a bubble with gum.  Lauren was all smiles and giggles the whole time...I think she loved it.  After the party we just relaxed the rest of he day.  I did go to a baby shower for a little bit but it was nice to just be home for the most part.  While I was gone Alan and Jared worked on their never ending monopoly game and Lauren and Brad watched some bob the builder.

Bubble painting

Using fun kitchen utensils... 

ghost bubbles....there is dry ice fog in the middle of the bubble...and did you know you can catch a bubble on a dry glove

the ones who wanted to try blowing bubbles with gum

Lauren and the pinata...that didn't last long enough for everyone to hit it...but probably long enough...they all just wanted the candy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

More ghost bubbles

Today was a good day.  President Samuelson was in our sacrament meeting, but he just sat on the back row of the chapel.  I played piano in primary and Alan taught.  He had 10 in his class today (21 total in primary)...I think it went okay.  People keep moving out...several more families moved last week and more will move this week.  Now we just need some new people to move in...our ward is getting pretty small.

Connor has some very well timed ooos and aahhs.  His pitch and timber of his voice always match the conversation well.  It always cracks Alan and me up.  He is a pretty good little communicator.

I guess I'm the one who was saying funny things tonight...Alan kept laughing...but I'm too tired to remember what any of them are!  I guess I could blame my poor spelling and grammar on being tired, but you would know that it's normal...