The app that's been in the news just about every day is also a big thing at our house... for the kiddos that is.
Ainsley had it first on her phone and then got Walker interested in it... he's the one that will be up early and say, "Can we go for a walk Mommy?" He's been riding his bike so much that we had to get a phone case that attaches to the bike so that he doesn't have to worry about it falling out of his pocket or missing the elusive Pokemon...
We shared with the kiddos all the stupid things people have made the news for... and encourage them to go with someone... be aware of your surroundings... don't go on private property etc. The amount of miles put on the bikes the past few weeks has been awesome! The best thing I love about it... I have a walking buddy when I take the doggies out on the trail and these two kiddos are actually talking... laughing... instead of just having headphones in or arguing!
My favorite early morning or late evening activity right now is picking raspberries. The smell as you wander to the back of the yard is so yummy...
Right now I am only getting about 2 cups every couple of days so I do a quick rinse, check each one for any bugs hiding out and do a quick freeze so that I can add them to my bags in the freezer without them all lumped together...
Summertime raspberry jam with homemade biscuits and soups this fall... yum!
Ainsley went and saw the movie "The Shallows" with friends and is now a fan of jump scare movies!! So not my thing... but Stewart likes them... especially if he has someone to watch them with. Now he doesn't have to walk up the stairs in the dark with his back to the wall by himself anymore!! Ha!
These two watched a scary movie on Netflix the other night...
I went upstairs to read and shortly afterwards this one decided she wasn't a fan of scary movies either...
When the screaming on the movie started... this one was upstairs asking if there was room in the bed too...
4th of July was a bit of forced family fun this year... yes the teenager could go out with friends later but she had to have a bit of family time too... because we kind of like her most days too! We did the usual parade in the morning... bought fireworks... took my annual kiddos picture... watched movies til dark (Zootopia and the 5th wave) and instead of a BBQ... had fish tacos and homemade salsa... mmm... and ended the evening lighting fireworks and watching them... still love that boom you get in your chest when the big ones go off.
Setting a curfew was a first this summer. Us parents were like, "uh... what time should be choose??" We couldn't pick something that was unreasonable like 8:30... even though we were secretly wishing this would fly. And we are too old to be staying up past midnight waiting for Ainsley to come home... especially since one of us still works during the summer.
So after much thought we figured 11pm was a fair time... it's summer there are no "have to's" for her and I'm usually reading in bed until that time so I figured it was a win for me too! There were big talks about meeting curfew... needed to be home at 11pm... and the consequences of not meeting curfew (it could be changed to 10 pm not being able to go out next time etc.) I know mean parents right!?!
There are also the 4 questions each time... who is going, where are you going, how are you getting there and what are you going to do? We also had to throw in no walking home by yourself... which includes friends ( I don't want anyone walking home in the dark by themselves) She is to text if their "where abouts" change and if rides are needed. So basically I'm on call until 11pm most nights and do a lot of nighttime driving and waiting...
Ahh... the joys of parenting during this time of life... happy to mention that no curfews have been missed yet!! We had to put our foot down a couple times when she texted to see if she could stay out later... since EVERYONE else was... nope sorry 11pm is curfew. I know..(insert eye-roll here)..We did let her stay out til 11:30 on 4th of July so we aren't that mean right?!? Life... always full of adventures and stories!
It's been 7 years since we first went to Glacier NP... and since it was only an hour away from the Lookout Tower it was a must. It was a little irritating that you had to buy a 7 day pass even though we were only going to be there for the afternoon... and even though the park isn't fully opened they still charge you the full price of $30. Besides all that it was a great day for a hike and to take in some much needed nature for the soul.
We had planned on the Trail of the Cedars Hike... the same one we went to back in 2009. It's one of my favorites... the roar of the creek, the light and dark color contrasts, the smell so earthy and fresh... plus an added bonus there are flushable potties!!
It was fun trying to find the pictures we took back in 2009. I had Walker stand by the rock that I thought was the "one" even though he was adamant it wasn't it... Guess who was correct??
Ainsley was so not into re-creating the before/after pictures... too bad got one anyway... i miss that always ready for a picture smile!
Last stop was McDonald Lake... I could just sit still here for hours...
The only wildlife I saw... these two acting like prairie dogs...
Adventures... are few and far between as the kiddos get older... I've realized this now more than ever over the past few months as the kiddos (especially Ainsley) have had more solo life adventures than family adventures.
So to head out on a family adventure to the Lookout Tower was a great start to our summer vacation.
To be out of cell service is both a blessing and a curse for all of us but to have moments of uncontrolled laughter, tons of card games played, and nature all around that changes right before your eyes was pretty awesome!
We set the alarm one night to get up at 1am so we could watch the stars overhead... to see the milky way that "close" is something I will always remember. Other awesome memories I will hold close are the boys making our meals... us girls first introduction to freeze dried dinners!
Ainsley wanting to bring my old SLR camera to practice some photography skills... be still my heart on that one!
Other things that I will remember about this adventure... the storm that blew in shortly after we arrived and how we all hunkered inside searching the sky for lightning while counting the rumble of the thunder. How freaked we first felt when the wind came to the tower and seemed to ever so slightly sway the tower... that same wind also rocked us to sleep that first night.
There was the 49 stairs that had be climbed to get to the top... the trap door that had to be secured at night so the pack rats didn't come up to the tower and the mosquitoes that loved feasting on Bug and myself... even after multiple layers of bug spray!
One last picture... little Bug so excited to have this birthday adventure...
It's only fitting that the first and last days of school for Ainsley were filled with cheer activities. I love looking at pictures that show a change in time.
First day...
Both kiddos had a fantastic year... both were filled with triumphs, learning experiences and character building moments. They grew so much this year... literally for Walker I think it was about 5 inches! For Ainsley it was in confidence.
Last day...
Love these kiddos... here's to a fun summer and new adventures in the fall!!!
Walker's birthday is always during the most craziest times of the year... end of the school year. When they were little we planned parties months before their birthday... finding just the perfect theme, making all the invites, the treats to bring to school and planning all around birthday fun! But as soon as middle school happened it's last minute assignments that are due, end of year concert performances, end of year piano recitals, not to mention all the last minute going ons for Ainsley and this full time work really puts a damper into my schedule!!
He picked his birthday dinner location which was Red Lobster this year and decided on the Ultimate Feast instead of just crab legs which was his original plan.
Even though we were all stuffed to the gills... and he had an ice cream sundae at Red Lobster with singing we HAD to have his Birthday cake on his actual day... with singing and candles at home too!
My most favorite picture... hoping all your dreams come true Little Bug you are loved beyond words!
Every year his birthday seems to be more low-key than the year before so I try and plan a fun thing just after his birthday and when the school year is done. This year I found an article in the Sunset Magazine..(my favorite magazine) about renting Fire Towers... how fun is that!
I began researching and soon realized they were quite the popular destination... I had no idea. While most of them were booked solid until October I lucked out and found a cancellation. I asked Bug if this adventure would be a fun one for him and he was super excited so I immediately booked it! We are staying at the Mission Lookout Fire Tower near Flathead in June... I'm super excited for the photos I hope to capture!!
How are we to the point where we have 3 days left of school!!!
Over the weekend I took 6 8th graders down to Salt Lake City for a choir competition and then spent the rest of the day at Lagoon Amusement Park.
These cuties were my responsibility for the day...
The drive down was a bit treacherous with the pouring of rain... puddles and standing water on the road not to mention a detour around a couple freeway accidents but we made it... just in time for them to warm up and then perform.
My phone died half way thru one of the songs but it's a little preview of the Franklin Show Choir!
lighting super bad and it's a tad creepy watching the kiddos have no faces... but they sounded amazing!
The judges thought they sounded pretty good too since they got a 94 out of 100 score which earned them a Superior rating!
The rest of the day into evening was spent in Lagoon. On the way to the park the kiddos were talking about which rides were their favorite and Ainsley says, "I don't know which rides I like since I've never been." Oh my the comments I got about depriving my child from the rollercoaster experience!
Ainsley was a bit nervous about going on the first ride but she soon discovered she loved them all!!! Even the scary rides that just watching made me feel a bit urpy!! The kiddos had free reign of the park as long as they checked in with me via texting every 90 minutes. The 3 other chaperones were diehard riders so for SEVEN hours I walked around and people watched... had a minor attack when 2 of my kiddos didn't check in with me... due to dead phones and another oh &*%$# moment when I got a text that the 3 other cars had left the park and I was still waiting on 3 of mine to finish up on a ride. But after a bottle of Coke and a full fill up on gas I was able to find the right exit to head home... a wee bit late but we made it back to the school at 10:30pm.
All in all it was fun... I love this group of kiddos or I wouldn't have volunteered. Sure it was loud and crazy at times with all of them belting out Karaoke songs... movies playing, tons of laughing and always selfie picture taking!! But a fun experience to share with Ainsley.
