Rainbow Park/Nature Walk

Alyssa had an assignment to go on a Nature Walk and make something to show what she found.  So I took the kids to the park, and gave her the camera.  She took some amazing photos!  She picked some of her favorites and printed a photo collage to take to school. 

Love the leaves and the lighting

Across the valley

Of course she would find the purple flowers

Love her these red leaves she found

I also had to get some of the kids.  I love this one of Alyssa walking down the road.  

She's mastered the monkey bars this year

He wanted an action shot

My little climber

Caleb was there, but must have been hiding from the camera. 

3rd Grade Aquarium Field Trip with Parker

Parker was a hermit crab

 Parker's class went on a field trip to the aquarium and I was able to go along as a chaperone.  I had nine kids in my group, and didn't lose any of them!  We had a good time.  We went to a class and learned about tides.  At the end the kids played a game about hermit crabs finding resources (things like shells and fish).  It was really fun. 

The penguins

 These were one of my favorites.  The kids all had to write about their favorite animal.  Two girls in my group wrote about penguins, the six boys and the other girl wrote about sharks.  I thought I took some pictures of the sharks, but can't seem to find them. 

 The aquarium also has a South America exhibit with quite a few non aquatic creatures. 

 Parker liked seeing the frogs. 

 After the aquarium we stopped at this park to eat lunch and play.  The weather was perfect.  I was glad the field trip was today, and not yesterday when it rained and snowed! 

It was fun to get to spend the day with Parker and some of his classmates. 

Trip to WY and CO

Spencer, Grandma, and Laura

 August 7-12th our family went on vacation.  We stayed with Grandma and Grandma for 3 nights and my sister for 2 nights.  Our actual traveling went better than in previous trips.  Since Alyssa has been prone to carsickness I gave her some medicine before we left.  She slept for about half of the trip, but then was awake the rest of the time.  She was even reading in the car which made me really nervous, but she was fine and didn't get sick at all.  On the way home I didn't even give her medicine and she was fine!  I am hopeful that maybe she is outgrowing her motion sickness. 

Parker, Caleb, and Garrett

 The kids had fun climbing on rocks. 

The boys on a rock

 Friday morning Grandpa took us to the beaver ponds outside of town to do some fishing.  Notice the cows in the background.  Spencer wanted to take one home to keep in his bedroom, so he took off walking toward the grazing cows.  As we approached one of the cows started to moo, almost like he was sounding the alarm to look out for Spencer. 

Alyssa and Spencer

 Alyssa and Spencer found quacker noise makers at Grandma's house which they wore around their necks.  They quacked happily much of the time we stayed there, and even brought them fishing so they could quack if they became separated from the rest of us. 

With Grandma

The view

Grandpa showing off his catch

 We got tired of slogging through the marshy grass taller than Spencer and decided to just explore.  After we left him alone, Grandpa was able to catch three fish.  It was probably easier without all of us quacking along beside him. 

Friday night my mom hosted a barbeque for all the family living nearby.  We also played in the park out her back gate.  Saturday we visited the county fair to see the pig and sheep that my nieces raised and were selling.  Sunday we went to church with my parents.  Alyssa had Grandpa for her Primary Teacher and Caleb was in Grandma's class.  Spencer went to nursery without me, and I went to Relief Society alone.  Then after Spencer's nap we drove to my sister's house.  The kids had a great time playing with cousins.  The five oldest boy cousins all slept in one room, once they finally stopped talking and playing and went to bed. 

Getting ready for scriptures

 Monday morning we went swimming in their neighborhood pool, had Nerf wars in the basement, and played Legos.  In the afternoon my sister taught me (again) to can black beans (17 jars). I came home with 24 jars (but several were other things my sister had canned.  I just might be able to try pressure canning on my own after my second lesson. 

The boys couch

The neighborhood was filled with bunnies.  Alyssa was excited to get close enough to this one to have her photo taken with it.  Tuesday morning we headed home and had good traveling for the most part.  I loved getting to spend time with family. 

Family Campout in June

 We decided to go camping this week.  Keith had the pager over the last weekend, and got 41 hours of work in for the week by Wednesday morning at 10 am.  So he didn't even get to use any of his vacation time for our camp out.  We headed out Wednesday afternoon up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Tanner's Flat campground and came home Friday after breakfast.  

Caleb and Parker helped Keith pitch the tent, so they could pass of some cub scout requirements.  The kids had a great time playing outside, making a hideout, hiking around camp, spotting wildlife (snake, lizards, chipmunks, birds, deer, roly polies, ants), chasing each other, playing catch with a football, squirting each other with squirt guns, and playing in the dirt.  Caleb and Parker helped to plan our menu and did some of the cooking.  Grandpa Scholl joined us for Wednesday night, and we enjoyed his company.  Alyssa and Spencer got a ride on the campground manager's golf cart. 

 Alyssa seemed very comfortable and happy outdoors

 Now you see them

 Now you don't

 Hanging around the campfire

Spencer loved hiking

Kindergarten field trip

 I went with Alyssa on the Kindergarten Field Trip.  This is the first time I have gone on a school field trip, thanks to my friend who watched Spencer so I could go. 

Alyssa had fun seeing all the animals.  The weather looked like it might rain, but it ended up staying dry and being a nice day for a trip to the zoo.  I saw the wolves for the first time ever.  We also got to see scuba divers cleaning the polar bear's water. 

Spring Break

Spring Break started early this year.  The kids got out early on Thursday, had Friday off, then had a whole week off school!  Friday we met Keith downtown, and walked over to the mall for lunch.  Then Keith took Caleb and Parker to the LEGO movie, and I went to the airport to pickup my sister and niece who came for the General Women's Meeting. That night we had an impromptu piano recital with Bryn, Caleb, and Parker demonstrating their skills.  I love watching my boys get excited to play for someone else, and makes all the hard work worth it. 

Saturday night I watched the broadcast of the first ever General Women's Meeting (for all female members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints eight years and up).  It was amazing to feel the power of so many women and girls joined together throughout the world, especially when the young girls were invited to stand and sing "Teach Me to Walk in the Light". 

Sunday we enjoyed having Beth and Bryn come to church with us, then Bryn and Spencer made us a yummy dessert, Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.  I won't tell you how many of them I ate, but it is a combination of two of my very favorite desserts.  They are hard to resist.  

Monday morning Beth and I took our kids to tour BYU.  We also stopped by the Museum of Art and saw the Sacred Gifts exhibit.  I was hesitant about taking my kids to see it, but they did remarkably well.  Beth encouraged me to take them because they will never learn to appreciate great art if I never expose them to it.  I was glad I took them.  Many of the paintings are familiar, but to see them in person was amazing and awe-inspiring.  Christ on the Cross by Carl Bloch shows so much raw, human emotion of the women at the base of the cross.  The lighting of The Resurrection, also by Bloch, was so bright and realistic, and I felt such a feeling of reverence looking at the paintings.  We ate lunch outside, then walked over to the creamery.  I have two other nieces attending BYU, and two sisters-in-law that work there.  They were all able to meet us for ice cream which was so fun.  Then we had to take Beth and Bryn back to the airport so they could go home. I wished they could have stayed forever. 

Tuesday the kids and I all went to visit the dentist, and no cavities!  That night I helped the Young Women in our ward work on sewing pioneer skirts and bonnets because they are going on Trek at Martin's Cove this summer. 

Wednesday we headed up north to the Hill Aerospace Museum.  I have driven past many times, and have always thought it would be cool to see.  They have two giant hangars full of planes inside, and some larger planes outside.  Spencer liked the freedom to go around, but I don't think he paid much attention to the planes.  He did slow down enough to walk past a display of flags of all 50 states.  They were lined up alphabetically, and we were going backwards past them, but he stopped when he got to Maryland and said he liked that one (my Mom will love that). 

Then we stopped at the LEGO store on our way home.  The kids were all excited when Keith let them pick out a small set that he bought for them.  We also stopped at RedBox to get a movie for the kids, and while Keith picked out the movie Caleb mentioned that this ranks with the best Spring Break ever.  We had a babysitter for the late afternoon and early evening.  We went to look at sliding glass doors and bathroom flooring, and had dinner together.  It was nice to spend some time together. 

Thursday we went to The Leonardo, a museum downtown.  They currently have a display of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  It was amazing to see them.  The kids had fun with some of the more interactive exhibits.  They made clay creations, stop-motion videos, and played in front of a green screen.  

Thursday night the boys had a sleepover with the neighbor boys at our house, and Friday we took all of the kids to play at Classic Fun Center.  They had fun jumping on the big bounce houses, playing in the jungle, and the older boys went into the Blast Zone.  We tried rollerskating, but most of us only made it halfway around.  Our family still needs a lot of practice.  We ate lunch in the car, then walked around the outside of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. 

Saturday and Sunday we watched and listened to General Conference.  Sunday the kids played Conference Squares, and when they get five in a row they get a treat.  Several years ago I printed off the cards and covered them with clear contact paper.  It is a great way to get the kids to listen to conference.  We also had a birthday lunch on Sunday to celebrate a niece, nephew, and Keith's brother's birthdays.  It is always fun to see family. 

A walk in the park

Parker has a school assignment to go on a nature walk, and then complete a project about it.  So, I convinced the kids that we could go to a favorite parkway of mine. 

Parker's photo of the ducks

Caleb and Alyssa riding off into the sun

Alyssa on her bike!

Pretty view of the river

Caleb zooming along a dirt trail adjacent to the paved trail

Parker on his scooter

Happy to be out of the stroller

Getting all the kids to look at me was not a walk in the park

Love those blue eyes

This is The Place!

Several weeks ago our family visited This is the Place Heritage Park for the free admission day. It was a little crazy, but we had fun.

The kids loved playing in the small houses.
Caleb wanted to stay and relax in the hogan, where it was nice and cool.
Parker liked the little train.
Alyssa got a kick out of watching these geese file up the hill to a small pond.