School's out for the summer!

Yep that's right,

School's out for the summer!  

(I really think this is a song by Alice Cooper and why I know that I don't know!)

I do however remember a chorus that went something like this.....

No more pencils

No more books

No more teacher's dirty look

Well Mr. Cooper you were right about no more teacher's dirty look but mom's dirty look takes right over and it trumps all other dirty looks.  

Whew, see what a flashback from the 80's can do to you?  It sent me right on a tangent.

It's now time to show you where we like to go, go, go!

Nana's House is always a first priority when summer is in session.

Grandpa Delon threw a pizza party the first night at almost midnight so what's wrong with Nana serving ice cream at almost 10 pm?  

What happens at Nana's stays at Nana's.  

Next stop - Alyssa's Farewell.

Alyssa is serving her mission in California and she swore over the pulpit that she was going to be famous and baptize Brittany Spears (I am holding her to it).

I didn't get any pictures of her, the party or our stay at Grandpa Don's so I thought I would throw this random one in of the kids right after church (at Alyssa's Farewell).

Onward and Northward -

On to Park City for a few days!!!!

Now I don't know about your kids but when my kids hit a hotel room they can tear it apart in about 60 seconds.  I think the person who designed hotels never had children or why else would they put the beds across from each other spaced "just perfectly"  to make it a challenge to jump from one to the next?

  And they wonder why the people below my hotel room don't like us?

 If there is a challenge my kids are going to take it. 

 Come on, really??   

(This is right after dad put the kibosh on the jumping routine, I let them do it again when he left the room)

I want to put a plug in for my Aunt Teresa here even though she is not pictured.  We can't make it to Park City without stopping at Hogle Zoo and Aunt Teresa just happens to get us in free every year,  we really like that about her!

We also like Aunt Teresa because she let's Colton tag along with us and I think he is fantastic!

Do you think Jake is going through "I am too cool for pictures phase"?

This picture made me happy all vacation, why?  

Because I have a picture drinking out of this disturbing lion's mouth when I was little, Rand remembers it and now with this picture of Miss Lu Lu my Lion Head Drinking Fountain  pictures with all of my children is finally complete.   I repeat all of my children have now been pictured (different years) with this germ infested water fountain and I love it!

Park City is truly one of my favorite places to get away to.  How lucky are we that it is just in little ole' Utah.   I love that I can leave 115 degrees in June and have a snowball fight with my kids  right beside the Olympic Half Pipe!

I love that Rand can apparently fill like he owns the world,

and I can talk with my children on the ski ride without them escaping. 

I take this time to really treasure the moments.. 

We talk about life, dreams, goals and then we see who can spit the farthest.

Vacations give me time to play with the kiddos and Rand without any distractions like cleaning, or the normal daily work.  I feel so blessed to be able to spend time with my little family in the great outdoors.  

Just an observation....

Each of my kids could choose what they wanted to do in Park City and this is what they chose.

Jake wanted to climb a rock wall!

BMan squeezed, twisted and turned through nets until he reached the top of this obstacle.....

(loosing one sock that never will be seen again)

and,

Miss Layla opted to climb a rock mountain (barefoot of course)!

In observing each of my children and their very different personalities, I was pleased to see that although each one took a different path each path they took were upward and onward.  Each thing they chose was a challenge and I hope that they continue being the great people they are and keep climbing upward facing obstacles head on.  I safely assume that is every mom's wish for her kids, that they succeed, make good choices, are happy and achieve their goals.

Now for my favorites!

1st -Talking with Layla on the way to the Alpine Slide. 

 I must set the scene here....

The boys are up ahead talking about running over gophers on the track and talking smack.  Layla and I stroll along and stop to look at every flower and leaf.  (Best part of my whole day was when Layla found the perfect purple flower and did a fantastic spread eagle right there on the trail in excitement.  It was almost a real life toe touch).  I might just have a cheerleader yet.

2nd Favorite besides the weather - realizing that my kids are getting to ages where they can mostly do anything and they are really funny little people with great big personalities!

3rd Favorite (this could be tied with 1st)  Watching my cute hubby of mine eat up his little girl, he basically thinks she walks on water and he is so fun with the boys.  Love his adventurous side and his daily effort on learning patience!

I think his exact words were, "I get to ride with Layla, it's just too fun!"

So that left mom riding solo - I got dumped and replaced by a 3 yr old.  

4th Favorite of mine

The kids took a nap while Jake and Rand explored the Olympic Park.

I love that the little ones had a nap which made the night fun for me and I really put this next picture in my list of favorites because...

Do you think someone really set out to paper machete a huge buffalo head?  Or do you think they were going for something great and this is what it morphed into???

I just realized it may be yak!

Most assuredly a yak!

Jake, I hope this is a picture of things to come!

Another favorite.