It's Summertime!

It's summertime around here, and we liked to start the summer by having a good ol' fashioned whip cream fight to celebrate the last day of school... oh yeah!
 

 We've been going to lots of splash parks...

 Swimming Lessons started the very next day after school was out, every day for two weeks.  Brock was a trooper cheerleader while Ella and Cole took turns for their lessons. Next year, dude, it's your turn.

 We spent a super fun day at Eagle Island with tons of friends from our ward. Sadly, I only got two pics!

 The kids were invited to a party with a splash jump slide... AMAZING!

 

 We've gone swimming at friend's pools...

This week we were so lucky to have my sister and her adorable baby come visit us. We went to a park, the kids climbed up the climbing rock, and took turns jumping to daddy.

Ella adored her baby cousin. She was such a great babysitter-in-training!

What family fun night would be complete without a stop at the best local ice cream shoppe? So yummy, salted caramel, and Scott's lemon meringue... INCREDIBLE. Now we are so sad Mel had to leave.

Memorial Weekend: Stanley, ID

 We planned the most spontaneous memorial weekend trip to Stanley, ID. Literally decided to go on Wednesday, planned and booked it on Thursday, left on Friday.  I was lucky to find a place with availabilities, and it was a RUSTIC cabin. No T.V., very basic with a small kitchen and bathroom with shower. It was basically camping under a roof, I felt. 

We got there late Friday night and to our amazement walked out of our cabin, and THIS was our view: 

I think I heard angels singing as we first gazed upon it. Marvelous!

 There was a bench swing which the kids enjoyed,

 as well as climbing the tree right next to it.

 Here was our sleeping arrangements: Ella on the couch (most nights), Cole on the floor, Brock in his pack 'n play, us on the HARD bed. Not comfy, not great sleep at all.

 The first day we went to Red Fish Lake and rented a paddle boat for an hour and explored the lake. It was beautiful, and great exercise!

We drove around and went "swimming" more like "sitting" in a couple natural hot springs all over the river.
 That night we made s'mores over our gas stove.

Every day we hiked a long mighty hike, either at Red Fish Lake, Stanley Lake, or Alturas Lake. One day we took a small soft cooler and packed our lunch to eat in the middle of a dewy meadow with the gigantic white tip mountains as our view. Breath taking for sure.

 We were so high up we came across TONS of BIG snow patches, and had ourselves a little snow fight in the 70 degree weather.

We saw lots of wild deer, elk, antelope, and more.

The last day of our trip, on Monday, we took the charter boat across the entire Red Fish Lake and were dropped off there to hike around for a couple hours. Great times.

On Sunday we found the local branch that met at the Sawtooth Valley Meditation Chapel. It was a log cabin with stained glass windows along all the sides, and right smack in the front were these large windows so we could view God's beautiful creations during our meetings. BY FAR the most spiritual sacrament meeting... EVER.

After church we took a drive to Alturas Lake to walk around a bit and watch the sunset on the beach.

On Monday after our boat ride, we came back to Red Fish Lodge and grabbed lunch and ice cream cones!

Then we played around in the sand before we left to drive back home.

Great memories made here in Stanley, we will be back soon!

Ella: Gymnastics & Field Day

 Ella finished her 1st year of gymnastics, and has really learned a lot. I'm surprised by how timid she is to trying new things, so I know this is good for her.  Her favorite event is the bars, and twirling over them. I'll learn the correct lingo later

 FIELD DAY

Ella begs for me to volunteer all year long at her field trips, but can't always go because I have two littles around who can't go with. But I figured I should do one thing for her, especially her favorite activity day: Field Day!

 Tug of War

Water Relays

Hula Hoop Toss

Bounce with Ball Between Knees

 Potato Sac Races

Jump House Fun

Run through Hoop

 Pass the large tin can with holes in it over your head in line to see which team has the most water left in the end

 Ella's friend Aubrey from her class and ward, very sweet girl.

 It was a blast as always. We learned from LAST YEAR that you get really wet with their water relays and games, so it's best to just wear your swimsuit under your clothes.

Ella's teacher this year, Mrs. Leonardi, is phenomenal. 

She's retiring this year, which is so sad that Cole won't get her. I couldn't thank her enough for her teaching philosophy and love of music she instilled in the classroom.

Mother's Tea and Preschool Graduation

 I love Cole's preschool, and every year they do "Mother's Tea" a couple days before Mother's Day, where the kids serve their moms brunch and sing songs and give us gifts they made us. It's precious!  (see last year here)

 Then two weeks later he graduated... for reals this time (not like last year)! I can't believe he'll be going to Kindergarten in the Fall. I'm glad Scott was able to make it to his graduation, even though we forgot to take pictures until after he left, bummer! But he started with Miss Janica for half of the year until she moved, and Miss Erica finished as his teacher for the rest of the school year.

This boy of mine has really made me proud of the good boy he's become.