Fish, bikes, and pie

Casey and Brett took the kids fishing on Tuesday this week to Hayspur hatchery in Picabo. They were gone most of the day so I took the opportunity to go to a session at the temple, grocery shop alone, and get some cleaning, and sewing done. The kids had a fun day out and they caught a good group of fish.

We got some bike riding in this week. Peter keeps changing his mind about his training wheels. He'll ask for them to come off, but he only lasts a short while without them before he's done. Casey knows he can do it if he would try but he doesn't want to do well just go at his pace.
Casey spent a couple of days going to Wendell for a teacher's conference. The kids and I hit up the park, lunch at the school, and made cookies.
Friday we decided to walk around the canyon rim a bit. We saw a couple of base jumpers go of the bridge and spotted people boating below. The kids wanted to venture onto the bridge so we did, however as soon as a couple of semi trucks rumbled past and everything shook Casey and I decided the bridge adventure was over. We also stopped into the new visitors center that's by the canyon rim.

Saturday night was our Stake pioneer dinner. They had some bounce houses up so the kids downed most of their dinner so they could get to the fun. There were tables and tables of pies to choose from. I ended up eating the kids' because mine was still frozen and they just wanted a few bites before they ran back to the bounce houses. They did scout out some otter-pops too (thus the blue tongues below). I taught Kendal a bit about pioneer day, what it means, and a bit about church history.

Kendal is so excited for kindergarten next month. She asks me frequently when it starts and had loved doing a bit of back to school shopping the past could of weeks. Kendal has been doing well with reading and her work book this summer. We've also found a website to help her pick up some math skills. She's so in love with the math site that she asks to do it for most of her allotted computer time. We're happy she loves to learn and is gaining so much knowledge. (We realize she is over prepped for kindergarten. So hopefully her teacher has a good amount of patience with her and all that she knows and likes to share.)
I can't believe July ends this week so it's just a few weeks till Casey goes back to work, he's got football stuff the next couple of weeks and will start with his team about a week before school starts. We're going to soak up all of the daddy time we can and fit in a few more summer adventures before then.

Who wouldn't want to wear their new helmet to snack in. Safety first right ; )

Camping, Ruinion, etc.

Last Friday we ventured out to the you pick garden that CSI has. We searched a few rows of bushes and came away with a nice bag of raspberries. After that we needed to cool off so we hit up the CSI museum for a water break and to see the latest exhibit (nothing much but hey it was air conditioned ; ). After the museum Casey found the Frisbee golf course that's on campus while the kids and I stayed and played at a park.  Later at home Kendal helped me mash up and turn the berries into raspberry jam that we've been enjoying ever since.
Last weekend we hit up Kimberly Good Neighbor days. Friday night we went to a dinner in the park. Saturday morning Casey went to help Brett with the fun run. After the kids woke up we joined everyone at the park. The kids played and we watched the parade together. After the parade we wandered the stands for a bit. The kids played on the bouncy slides and got to do a cupcake walk.
Casey went fishing with Brett in Haley Monday. He had a good time and probably would've caught more fish if his reel hadn't broken. The kids and I hit up lunch in the park that day and played for a while. Wednesday we gave the kids to Sarah for a bit while Casey and I went on a pre-anniversary date to see Jurassic World (Good movie!). The kids had fun together and even got to hit up the pool in Filer. They weren't thrilled when mom and dad came to stop their fun. Kendal wanted to "dive" (belly flop) and go down the slide a lot and Peter spent a lot of time in the kiddie pool area.
The rest of our week has been pretty low key. We've rode bikes, and spent time at home.

After lunch on Friday we headed out to Raft River. The kids played while we did a bit of Garden work for Casey's moms birthday. Sarah, Terry, and their crew of boys met up with us in Raft River and we headed up to Heagler canyon to camp for the night. It was a bit colder than we anticipated but we still had a good time camping. The kids had fun playing together, and spent some time sliding down the hill Saturday morning to amuse themselves while we cleaned. up.

After we cleaned up camp we headed back to Raft River to join the Brown family reunion. Casey took the kids to ride the tractor with Grandpa then we went to the water slide for the reunion. Both Kendal and Peter enjoyed the slide and loved going down the whole time we were there. We had all of the cousins together Saturday and a lot of extended family. It was nice that Kendal is sprouting her independence and would go down the slide on her own / with cousins. After the water slide / reunion we spent some time back at Casey's parents house. The kids played and adventured their hearts out all afternoon. After dinner we headed across the street to Casey's cousin's wedding reception (Mckay and Echo). After the reception we let the kids play a touch longer before we headed for home.

Nine years ♥

When your little Disney fairy tales seem so great and idealistic. It takes growing up and entering a real relationship \ marriage to understand that those fairy tales you once thought perfect aren't real.

The life we lead is real and its hard. No one goes through life singing citchy songs (though we try to ; ), having wildlife clean for us, or have magical things happen to us every day. I'm grateful for this real life I lead and I'm more grateful to have Casey by my side through it all. He is my perfectly imperfect Prince Charming.

These past nine years have brought many changes. Casey and I are no longer our doey eyed younger selves belting out A whole new world. Our tunes have changed just as we have changed through life experiences, education, children, health, family, etc. With those changes we've adapted and changed as a couple. We've seen each others best and worst. It takes constant forgiveness, courage, patience, partnership, and unyielding love to keep our marriage strong. I can truly say we are stronger together and more in love as time goes on. 

My fairy tale ending is not in this life, but in the eternities that I get to spend with Casey. Our story didn't end just as we feel in love or got married like the fairy tales show. It's an amazing story we will continuously add too; the good, the bad, and everything in between!

 Happy Anniversary to our little family that began nine years ago! ♥
7-18-2006 to Eternity →

Summer trip to Logan

We came to Logan for the week to celebrate the 4th and spend time with family. Tuesday morning we went up to USU. We showed the kids around campus and reminisced about our collage days. It was a nice outing and it was fun to see the latest additions to the campus. We had my Dad being up a picnic I packed. We ate it and then enjoyed some Aggie ice cream. We pulled out my parents kiddie pool and the kids played in it Tuesday afternoon. (My Dad was installing a vent on his roof Tuesday morning and Peter got to join him and Casey for a bit.)

Wednesday after Casey was done helping my dad for the day we took a mini trip out to the pepperidge farm factory for some sweet discounts and also hit up the fat boy factory as well. We ate some delicious treats and came out with two cases of fat boy seconds : O ! The kids had some more pool time in grandma and grandpa's kiddie pool when we got back.

 Thursday morning I locked my keys in the car so we ended up walking to the library. I read to the kids and they built blocks in the kids area of the library. After Casey came and unlocked the car we headed out with lunch to Nana's. We got to visit with Nana for the afternoon and got to see Billie, Emma, and Ben. The kids played with Nana's cool retro toys while we chatted away. We hit up Cox's Honey on our way back.
Thursday evening we went up to David and Anica's to swim in their appt. complex pool and eat some pizza. The kids had a lot of fun playing around. They enjoyed some toys that David and Anica gave Peter for his birthday. Elliot did a bit of pool lounging in his float. Peter flirted and played with a little girl there. Kendal swam and played her heart out!

Friday morning my parents and I took the kids to the Castle park in Logan. (Kendal made her latest reading goal and choose this park time as her prize.) It was a great time and Kendal even made a friend that tried to talk me into letting Kendal come and play at her house.

We had a hot dog roast Friday night. Billie, Eric, and their crew joined us all. We let the kids shoot a few fireworks then headed over to the research park to watch the fireworks that are done at the stadium. (I've never been to the stadium for fireworks, probably cause I grew up living so close we had a great view every year and living in Aggie Village provided unbeatable views.) The kids had a blast with glow sticks and we watched a great firework display.

 

Saturday morning we headed out to the Lewiston parade. It was hot, but fun. Kendal collected a lot of sweets and Peter attempted to collect but ended up having to get help from Billies kids and Casey. We ate a Snowcone after and walked around a bit. After lunch we headed to a local park. The kids hit up the splash pad while the rest of us played a game in the shade.

 

We couldn't agree on dinner so my parents and Katherine kindly got the kids Chick-fill-a and watched a movie while the rest of us went to watch the Cache Valley cruise in from the comfort of an air conditioned restaurant. Later we went to Tony's for fireworks, but the wind proved to be our enemy so we called it a night before many were shot off.
Sunday we went to church at my home ward. Later Nana and Aunt Peggy joined us for dinner.
We spent almost every night of the week playing games with David, Anica, Mom, and Katherine. I got in good snuggle time with sweet Elliot; and the kids played to their hearts content outside and around the house.
  Several counties in Utah participate in a unplugged program where businesses give out badges for doing certain activities. So during our stay we did quite a few of the activities. We Visited Cox honey and learned about be keeping, ran in the sprinklers, went on a picnic (USU), had a Bbq, roasted marshmallows, went on a road trip (pep farm \ ice cream), walked a mile (library visit), cooked a healthy meal, etc.
Monday morning was spent going out to pick up badges of one's we've accomplished in the past week and Monday afternoon we went out and did a few more. We went to the Logan airport saw some planes and had a paper airplane contest, we went on a history hunt at the small pioneer museum, and we hunted for our favorite animals at the zoo. Peter favorite was the monkey and turtles that he collected leaves for, Kendal loved a duck with a bunch of ducklings, and Campbell loved the Eagle and Turtle. After dinner we went bowling at the fun park to end our night.

(You can see Kendal's necklace that's full of "brag badges" from our adventures!)

Tuesday morning we had the opportunity to go and see my cousin and her sweet family sealed together in the Logan Temple. It was very special to see their two precious little girls light up and look so sweet and spiritual as they were sealed to their parents. Afterwards we joined some extended family for a luncheon to celebrate the happy family. It was nice to see and spend some time with my extended family.

Always fun adventures when we visit Logan during the summer. Thanks Mom, Dad, Katherine, David, Anica, Andy, Campbell, and little Elliot for making it Great!
We left Logan Tuesday afternoon. We visited Casey's parents on the way home and ended up crashing the night at their house.

end of june

We got to have Aria's girls over on Wednesday. Casey took Peter to story time at the library while I painted finger puppets with the girls. After lunch the kids spent some time in our little pool in the backyard. The turned the pool noodles into sea monkeys and had a blast playing together. We ended with play dough which all of the kids enjoy.
Thursday we ran some errands in town that ended up going into the lunch hour so we took the kids to lunch at the park. The kids played in the pool in the backyard again to beat the heat.
Friday we had an easy morning at home. We had lunch at the Elementary with the kids and Casey practiced with his new Frisbee golf set. Later in the afternoon we took the kids to Dirkies lake to swim. Peter claimed he didn't want to swim, however once we got there his fears went away (till Casey took him to the deeper parts). He had a blast roaming around and building / destroying sand structures. Kendal loved going and was happy to be there. We played at their playground for a bit, then went to the falls before we headed out. Kendal commented on how the falls were the most beautiful she's ever seen and talked about how they seem to look different every time we come (water level differences).

Casey and Brett took the kids fishing Saturday down to Dirkies lake.

The rest of our weekly gaps are filled in by the lazy days of summer happenings of just enjoying time at home with Casey, doing projects, playing, making popsicles, and trying to stay out of the heat.