Some summer goings-on

Daddy daughter date: Saturday, June 5

Seth and Winnie went to Blast Off! for a fun time in the playground and arcade.

Winnie with the tickets she and Seth earned at the arcade.

Frosties from Wendy's.

Visiting graves: Thursday, June 10

We have yet to make it to the graves of Seth's local ancestors, but we managed to squeeze in an evening to visit the Lincoln, Iona and Ammon cemeteries to visit Andrea's. 

Next to my great-grandma and great-grandpa's grave in Ammon.

Minna was a step-great-grandma. Instead of cutting flowers and leaving them on graves, we brought decorative rocks.

My great-grandpa's first wife and baby in Iona. After these two passed away, he married my great-grandma and had more children.

My grandparents' in Lincoln. 

Greenbelt bike ride: Friday, June 11

Another way to get out of the house and do something fun together. We loaded up the bikes and rode from Snake River Landing all the way down to Highway 20, up to Sunnyside and back. 

Group selfie at the pond at Snake River Landing.

Four cute girls on a rock.

Teton Flood Museum escape room: Wednesday, June 16

We were in Rexburg to visit Grandma Hendricks anyway, so we scheduled a visit to the Teton Flood Museum's escape room while we were in town. Rebekah came with us to visit Grandma, but then she left Rexburg early to be back at Bonneville for band camp that afternoon.

Miriam trying to unlock a tool box while Ana searches for clues on the clock.

We made it! With 14 seconds to spare!

Jostens yearbook camp: Sunday, June 20-Wednesday, June 23

Rebekah stayed home to record her original jazz composition at ISU (she won their statewide student composition contest), but the rest of us spent a few days at Zermatt in Midway, Utah, at the annual (albeit it was canceled last year) yearbook camp.

A few days before the camp, Ana learns how to use Grandpa Scott's old camera so she can participate in the photography track (taught by Grandpa).

Ana and Miriam eating breakfast on the first day of camp. They all got staff shirts.

Winnie with her lanyard, badge and T-shirt. Miriam and Winnie spent time swimming in the pool, playing miniature golf, playing giant "chesskers" (checkers but with chess pieces), watching movies, playing video games and checking out the resort.

Andrea and Seth finishing their rendition of "Sweet Caroline" as part of the talent show on the last day. We spent our time shooting photos/video and making the slide show that is the finale of the workshop.

Primary bike rodeo: Wednesday, June 30

The Primary invited all children to bring their bikes (or other sets of wheels) and spend some time decorating them before riding them around the church parking lot. 

Winnie zipping past on her rollerblades.

Tuckered out after a few laps.

Miriam attempting a lap on the wiggle car she brought.

She did not last long. She brought the wiggle car to us and started jogging her laps.

Renaissance faire: Friday, July 2

Miriam earned a free children's ticket to the local Renaissance faire, so we decided we'd all go check it out. (All of us minus Seth who stayed home to replace the broken handle on the van's sliding door.) After we paid the entrance fees and made it to the common area, Ana quietly asked me, "Is that a statue?" There was a bronze statue of a lady sitting in a dress and holding a vase. I told her, "Yeah" and we carried on. Imagine my surprise when we circled back around and saw that the statue had changed positions. That's when I finally noticed the tip bucket next to the statue. That lady definitely earned the tip we gave her.

We enjoyed some shepherd's pie, a turkey leg, some fries and frozen bananas while we were there, and a few of the girls purchased some souvenirs. 

Ana learning how to crack a whip. Her last one was so loud it made my ears ring.

Bekah chatting it up with the dude with the fencing gear.

Winnie date: Wednesday, July 7

Winnie wanted the two of us to have a picnic at the Japanese Friendship Garden for her mommy-daughter date, so we made it happen and had a great time.

Winnie playing in the waterfall. We actually saw a little fish in one of the streams that runs through the park. Then Winnie found she could race her flip flops against each other in the streams.

Eating our picnic lunch on a rock overlooking the river.

Dessert at Orange Leaf.

Birch Creek area: Saturday, July 10

Seth invited girls to come with him to search for arrowheads. Rebekah and Winnie took him up on the offer.

Winnie with a found arrowhead. 

Rebekah licking (?!) a found arrowhead.

Wading in Birch Creek.

Next to some native pictographs.

Winnie and some pictographs.

Pine Basin: Monday, July 12-Thursday, July 15

Miriam got to attend the summer camp the district holds for 4th-6th graders at Pine Basin with her best friend, Kaitlyn. And since Seth is on a work trip to San Diego, Winnie got to accompany me to family night on the 15th.

Miriam and Winnie outside the lodge.

Miriam showing how she's too long to twist on the stick swing tied to the willow tree.

Winnie checking out the shelter Miriam and her group made while learning about outdoor survival.

Ping pong on the Greenbelt: Friday, July 16

We had bought some ping pong paddles at D.I., so we had to try them out at the Greenbelt and have a picnic lunch together after our weekly library visit. It's a good thing I've got a little bit of ping pong experience under my belt (thanks, Ethnie, my college roommate who would play with me in the lounge and beat me every time) so I could show my girls who's boss.

Playing some doubles.

Ana serving.

Winnie being a troll under the table (I guess?) while Bekah and Ana play singles.

Eating lunch on the blanket.

Grover girl ping pong selfie.

Hike #3: Webster Dam

 I'd heard about Webster Dam up past Kelly's Canyon, and I thought it would be fun to ask Tyson and his family along. Turns out Tyson has been there a bunch of times on a mountain bike and knew the trails better than my hiking app. So on Saturday, July 17, we followed Tyson up on some lovely bumpy roads to a warming up and headed up the trail.

Our crew (minus Grandpa Scott who was (guess what?) taking the picture. Bennet, McKall, Tyson, Easton, Oakley, Miriam, Andrea, Ana, Bekah, Winnie, Grandma Scott and the dogs.

Going along the trail.

Oakley, Easton and Winnie wading in the water above the old dam while McKall takes a picture.

Bekah, Miri, Ana and Andrea at the waterfall. Winnie came down to the waterfall later (see below). Poor Ana scooted over on a wet rock to make room for the rest of us and ending up with a foot stuck between a literal rock and a hard place. The poor girl hiked back out with a soggy foot.

Winnie's waterfall pic.

The group crossing the footbridge near the old dam. Grandma Scott, Easton, Oakley, Winnie, Miri, Bennet, McKall, Andrea, Ana, Bekah, Tyson.

Bekah giving Winnie a piggyback ride for a little while on the way back.

Hike #2: Aldous and Hancock Lakes

I had never been on this 5.1-mile hike near Spencer, so I loaded up the kids and dog and invited my parents (who had been there before) to check it out on Friday, July 9. Google Maps led us on a crazy route through at least six gates (two of them log and barbed wire gates), so we took the gravel road back out. 

The group (minus Grandpa Scott who was taking the picture) at the trailhead. Bekah, Ana, Grandma Scott, Andrea, Winnie, Miri and Peach.

Headed up the trail.

The first lake: Aldous. It was covered in tiny green things. Peach didn't mind drinking the green lake water. We minded the bugs that were covering us.

The second lake: Hancock. This one was clear from a distance, but if you got closer you could see the hundreds of tadpoles that were swarming the southeast shore.

Like these guys.

Ana and Winnie scooping up tadpoles. 

And Winnie found and caught a frog!

Peach and Bekah after eating lunch.

Kids and a lake.

Grover selfie on the way back.