Heber with cousins...doesn't get much better...

So this summer we got really lucky to visit with two new cousins. They flew in from back east and we spent a week playing with them (and everyone) at Papa's in Heber. We went swimming at a water park, played at Thanksgiving point, older kids went to space camp again, we had our annual water fight at papa's thanks to uncle Ryan but it was pretty cold and windy...we also hit the county fair and got sick (Jocelyn) on the rides. We rode the Heber Creeper and Creed was NOT a fan of the fake train robbers who had a whip...and really we just tried to get our fill of our new babies the whole time...It was so great!

The view out of Papa's front windows is so amazing...Mt Timpanogus with the sun setting...Pictures don't do it justice but it is a little slice of heaven.

Jocelyn couldn't get enough of feeding the babies. As soon as it was bottle time she was there ready to jump in.

Water park baby care was almost cooler than water park rides...These two little cousins were volunteering every chance they got to hold or feed one of the babies.

Water park picnic lunch...

Cami and her little cousin buddy...nothing says bonding like sandwiches and chips....

Dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving point...

Exploring the science room at Thanksgiving point...

Exploring the Exploratorium at Thanksgiving Point...2$ Tuesdays are awesome but oh so crowded...

Feeding the fish at the super cool ponds...Sharon and cute girl!

The Heber Creeper gang...so many cute cousins!

Before the fake robbery when Creed was still loving the ride...

Creed sticking them up and feeling so nervous of the fake robbers....totally broke my heart...and his...

Faye wasn't sure at first but when we busted out the treats she was cool with the whole train robbery..

Creed's shopping with boy cousins...He tried it on and said, "Mom take my picture and put it on Facebook. This is so funny!"

The yard water fight...the tradition and memories continue on another year despite the wind and chill. Kids vs. Dads...while the moms watch from the distance night and dry...

Shakes at Granny's...

The county fair...They were a little nervous to ride the tall Ferris wheel but said it was awesome when they got off...

This may have made Jocelyn sick...but it was a good time!

Running off the county fair with ice cream sandwiches and park games.

Are you kidding me???

So we have three girls in this house with long hair. You would think this would provide plenty of opportunity for cutting off pony tails. Nope. None of them have ever been so crazy with siccors.

Then we have a boy with fairly short hair...I sat down to pay bills for two minutes and he walks in saying "Mom how do you like my hair..." All I could say was "Are you kidding me?!" 

How do we make it through three girls and never once have a hair incident and we have a boy...a FIVE year old boy (not two) and he cuts his own hair? Good thing it was mostly easy to fix...but he had REALLY short hair for a while....

Later Brent asked him what he was thinking...He told Brent it was getting too long and it was bugging him so he cut it off....

The Cut

The Fix

Finally home...girls camp2017

Cami spent a week at a high adventure camp this summer. She zip lined, repelled, canoed, and did all kinds of super cool things with super cool people. It was really an awesome opportunity for her to do things that were hard for her and conquer them. She really bonded with the girls there and made great friendships and memories....And it was a good opportunity for Taryn to be the oldest child for a few days...The house seemed so quiet...BUT we were all REALLY glad when he finally got home...

Annual Garden Party 2017...luau style

I wish I could personally thank Pam and Jim and Dwight Schrute (the office) for inspiring this wonderful tradition of a garden party....Every summer when the Fergusons come down we garden party like its 1999....basically we make finger food and wear hats and play silly games (or in the case of this year binge watch more flash episodes....). It is silly but the kids look forward to it and we love  keeping the tradition alive. This was the first year we had to move the party out of Grandma's patio and that was sad but the temperature was way more comfortable inside an air conditioned house...and it was sort of gardeny with Grandma Rice's flower wall paper...I want my kids to have anchor memories to look back on and say man we had a pretty good childhood...my family was the bomb...

Million Dollar Smile...

Cami had an awesome summer....

Before

During

After....after ish....she still has her bottom brackets on because one molar is coming in really slow...but the tops are DONE! Now Please child just wear your retainer because three kids in braces in one summer is freaking expensive...(but worth it)...

When Cousins come to play....flash swim

Every year we love the cousins annual swimming lesson trip. They come down for a session of swim at Kristen's house then we play the rest of the day for two weeks. Its such the fun time. We always squeeze in parties and activities and lots of hanging out doing nothing time. This year we spent a lot of time pool side and then a lot of time binge watching the Flash on Netflix. It was super fun for all involved. The kids are all great swimmers and the mom's don't necessarily have to be in the pool on life guard patrol...but we can if we want. We do half the time...This really is the best way to summer....

Swimming Lessons-Creed is the last man swimming

We have gone to Kristen for swimming lessons for lots of years....like since before Jocelyn was even born...and now the only kiddo still in lessons is Creed. I sort of feel like it is a parenting victory that they all have some grasp on a life skill. But we owe that all to Kristen for her patient no nonsense teaching. 

Creed took three sessions this summer and improved to a level four so his days of needing lessons are numbered...but he can still learn new strokes and improve form for a couple summers probably. It has been really helpful for him to go to a lesson then come home and practice for a few hours everyday..He's gotten much stronger and can dive down and touch the bottom of the deep end and not scare me that he is drowning....and he sleeps really good at night. It was super funny at lessons to hear him talk to the other kids...he was trying to reinforce everything Kristen was saying..."Ya guys. Do it like this because it works...etc" He was a kind of bossy but he wasn't wrong in what he was saying...but sometimes it didn't go over super well. Swimming really is such the best way to keep a busy boy busy. 

Kristen did also teach Jocelyn the butterfly for a week too which she loved and hopes to compete in it next summer on swim team. Swimming lessons with Kristen are the best!

Last Swim Meet of the Summer

Jocelyn begged to go to an away meet. We were out of town for the away meets that weren't too far away but we were able to hit the away meet in Mesquite NV. Despite being excited to go she got all nervous to be in a new place. Luckily she snapped out of it and had a good time. She swam the same races (freestyle, backstroke, and two relays). She has gotten faster for sure but mostly she just really had fun. 

 I also ended up helping as a timer which she thought was super cool. It was hot but cooler for the timers since they sat under tents so overall it was a win...It was kind of sad after the meet to realize that something that made her so happy was done for the summer but she chowed down on a McDonald's Sunday on the way home and it was OK. I love this girl and she LOVES swimming!