Back to school

And just in time. We were all getting a little crazy. All of us were ready for the routines of school.

I thought Sal might get a little lonely but this is how she spent her first day of "kids in school" freedom:

Hanging out on the back patio eating goldfish. See that big smile on her face? I have the same one with a Dr. Pepper in my hand.

"Look, there's the governors daughter!"

Today we decided to go for a bike ride for a family activity. Rian wanted to fly kites so we threw them in the bike trailer and decided to go to the soccer park to fly kites. By the time we got to the park we could see lightening so we could not fly the kites. About 3 minutes later it started to rain. We all ran under the Bowery for cover and thought we would wait it out. After a few minutes of cloud burst type rain and scared kids we knew we needed to come up with something to take minds off of the rain and pass the time. We decided to play some games that Rian learned on Trek. He taught us "Octopus" and "Ninja". We played those for a while and laughed. The rain was not letting up. Mr. Lucas taught us "King of the Jungle". He learned this game on his mission. We laughed and laughed while playing this game. The rain was slowing down and someone noticed a rainbow. Then Brad said "Look, there's the governors daughter!" and everyone looked at the rainbow and the "King of the Jungle" lost his spot. We laughed and laughed some more and then rode home.
I know many of you who might read this will not understand the games or what is so important about the governors daughter (another story for another day). But it was one of those nights that I hope our family will remember and laugh at for years to come. I picture Rian and Emily talking about in in 20 years at a family party "Remember the time we rode to the soccer park and it rained so hard we had to stay there? And remember the games we played?" It was a night when we all laughed and forgot about everything for a while. Everything, that is, except who was going to be the next "King of the Jungle."

Tutu for Sal

Or entertainment for Emily.

Calories and Tornados

Jake is obsessed with the calorie count of what he is eating and if a tornado is going to hit us. You can ask him anytime how many calories what he is eating has and he will tell you (assuming it was a prepackaged food item).
One day he said "Wow, this has a lot of calories! That is why I like it!" I never knew if he was counting calories to make sure he wasn't eating too many or if he was eating enough. Sometimes Jake gets confused about cold and hot. He will climb into bed and say "I am so hot!" and pull the covers all around him. Or the water temperature of his bath he will say is too cold and then add cold water to it. So I was not sure what he was thinking about calories. I just know he is obsessed about them.

Earlier this month there was talk about the tornado that went through Salt Lake 10 years ago. Jake was already worried about weather related trauma but this just added to his fear. Luckily his fear has subsided.

A yellow shirt, a whistle and a stop watch.....

I am not sure why this was so awakening for me because I am the one who forced him to call the city to see about a job. When Rian came home with new job papers ( w-4, direct deposit bank info) my heart sank. My number 1 child has a real job. I am getting old and so is he.

New job: referee for city rec soccer games

Hot Lava Springs

Our annual trip to "Hot Lava Springs" with the Memmotts was as wonderful as we had hoped for. The Thai food was worth the drive alone. The new over the road water slides were fast and furious. The campground (nicknamed "Tijuana") was as it always is. The hot springs were hot. The nights were cool. The river was a wild ride.
Can't wait for next year. Hopefully we won't find poop in the pool in 2010. Good eyes Em and Brin!

Fun at "The Goon"

For the past few years we go to Lagoon for Mr. Lucas' work party. Every year our kiddos ask why we can't get season passes and we often think "Maybe next year..." until we spend the one anticipated day at "The Goon". Then we remember why we don't get season passes. Maybe another year. :)

Sarah LOVED the merry go round. She would scream when we had to get off until we walked around and she saw we were going again. So her and I spent a lot of time on that ride. It was one of those moments that I wish I could imprint in my brain. She was so happy on the ride. The sweet things that make a baby happy.

In the evening we let her go on some other kiddie rides. Some she liked others not so much. The two boys working the boat ride thought she was so cute. They smiled and waved at her when her boat floated by them.

It ended up a fun day at Lagoon. Except that Rian was sick. He had caught my yucky flu/cold. I think he smiled once, maybe twice the whole day.

Maybe passes next year. Maybe.