Halloween 2011

Halloween this year was a little different for us.  My kids are getting older and they didnt all need costumes.  Good for me because I didnt have to sew four costumes but sad too because, well my kids are to old to trick or treat.  However, even though they could not go door to door they made their holiday a fun one.  A family in our neighborhood puts on a annual spook alley in their garage.  Kelsey and Rachel both spent many hours before Halloween helping the Glazners set up this spook alley.  Every night for the week leading up to the big night and halloween night itself they spent working as monsters or ghouls in the "Haunted Garage".  They had a really good time and loved every bit of it.  Entrance fee into the spook alley is a can of food to be donated to the food bank.  For this good will the local paper came to interview the Glazners.  The kids were all pretty excited to get their pictures in the paper.  Kelsey, Rachel and somehow even Sam got into the paper.  I think that Sam was just there playing when the Chronicle came to take pictures so she just hopped right in there.  She has been carrying the paper around with her ever since it arrived yesterday.

Outside the garage

Kelsey in the jail cell

Not Rachel but she did wear this costume on some nights.  

While the older girls were doing their business and Riley was off with her friends trick or treating, Dan and I and the Broadbents took our younger kids out around the neighborhood.  The weather was so mild that we trick or treated for  over an hour.  We probably would have gone longer had Sam not wet her pants during the fun.  Sometimes you just cant take the time for something as trivial as a bathroom break when there is candy to be had. 

Getting ready to leave for the night.

Miles, Sam, and Ada

Then, of course, was the annual Aunt Kristen Halloween party.  Kelsey and Rachel did dress up for this one.  The girls always look forward to this family party.  Numbers were fewer this year than years past but the kids had a great time.  Angry birds were the costume of the year.  We had fun doing them.

All the "Angry Birds"

After eating her donut on a string

Happy Halloween 2011

Colorado Family Reunion!

Ok, so Im going to try to not make this a travel log but we did so much in Colorado for our family reunion this year that I dont want to leave anything out.  Especially, because Grandma and Grandpa Wood were not able to be at this reunion this year.  They are in Germany serving a mission and although we know they wanted to be in Colorado with us we are happy that they are serving right now.  So, what better way to include them in the fun then to provide a blog full of pictures for them to look at.  Of course this blog will lean towards our family.  There was so much going on with everyone that I couldn't get pics of it all.  For us, the week started out with a long 9 hour drive to Colorado Springs.  I am a terrible traveler so we needed to stop after 3 hours for a break.  After eating lunch we went over to a Dinosaur Museum and let the girls (and me!) look around a bit.

Back in the car we were able to endure traffic and construction to finally arrive at the Burton's house.  We were glad to be there and loved having so much family around.  Besides Grandma and Grandpa and Josh (also serving his mission) , everyone of the Wood family was there.  Each day we were together we had a big activity in the morning that we did together then we spent the afternoons doing whatever we wanted.  For us the afternoons were spent swimming at the pool, playing games or sleeping off the busy morning.  The first day was an all day thing though.  We went back up to Denver to play at Elich Gardens, a six flags amusement park.  It was hard to move that many people at once so we often times split up.  Thanks to cell phones and texting though we all met up at different times, swapped stories, ate  lunch, and then went off again.  I am somewhat of a ride wimp but it was fun to see all the kids having so much fun on the rides that made me sick to even look at!  Sam also was not a fan of the rides.  She was terrified of anything that left the ground so she spent most of her time at the bumper cars and loved it.

Stopping for lunch outside the park gates

Riley after a boat ride!!  She was soaked all day!

Waiting for a roller coaster :)

Sam dancing at a kids show

Riley's poor feet after a day of wet shoes

About 10 years ago, Dan and I lived in Colorado Springs.  We left when Kelsey was 5 and Rachel was 3.  So much has changed in the past 10 years but one thing that was the same was the Garden of the Gods.  This is an amazing park of red rock formations.  We spent the morning walking around the park and stopped for lunch in the park.  I think the kids had the most fun chasing the squirrels at lunch. 

Connor kept stealing Kelsey's watermelon. 

 The last day we went up to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.  I normally tend to really hate zoos but this one I like.  This zoo is literally on a mountain side.  Yes, the walk through the zoo is up hill but it really is so beautiful.  The best part of the zoo was when Kelsey decided to go into the bird sanctuary and came out with bird poop on her arm.  She was not amused but I laughed. 

We really had a great time in Colorado.  The Burton's were perfect hosts.  With 25 people crammed in their home and being loud it still managed to be a great time.  Sue did so much work for us.  The meals, the beds, the activities...she went out of our way for us and we are all so grateful.  Next year will only be better with the addition of mom and dad.  We missed you guys and love you lots!

Oh what do you do in the summer time....

Mmmm....snow cones, swimming, shopping, camping, family reunions, backyard layouts.....I could go on and on.  There are just things you do in the summer that make it summer!  And most of the times it is the small simple things that make it the best.    In fact, I wont even confess how many stops to the snow shack we have made!   The summer has begun and already we have had lots of fun stuff to do.  I think the girls have something going everyday!  If they are not with their friends they are with each other trying to make fun.
Kelsey started her summer with EFY.  (Sorry, if I posted pictures of that it would only be Kelsey's pictures of way to many different people that none of us know but her!)  Sam has already had one session of swim lessons and has another to come in July.

Swim lessons for Sam

Riley had a week of British soccer camp.  The kids were all divided up into teams with different country names.  She was on the England team.  All week they worked together to learn new skills and earn points for their "world cup" tournament that was held on the last day of camp.  This is the second year she has done this and loved it again this year!

Riley showing her team spirit

Riley with her team

Riley with her coaches.  Yes, they are all British.

 

Rachel has not had her big event for the summer yet, although last week she and her friend did put on a small Day Camp for all the neighborhood kids.  That in itself proved to be a big task for her!  But in July she will go to stay on BYU campus for four days for a basketball camp.  I dont know if she is more excited to stay in campus housing and eat at the Cannon center (like Kelsey does at EFY) or to just play basketball for a week.  There is no reason these girls should go back to school in September and say that they didn't do anything this summer.   It seems that if there is a day that they are "bored"  I get to feeling guilty and take them somewhere.  This week we went to an Extreme Sports arena with olympic trampolines and foam pits.  They played so hard that the were all dripping sweat by the time we were done.

Supposed to be a pic of Riley climbing the wall but Rachel just had to be in it too!

Jumping from one tramp to the next

Rachel

A very sad Sam in time out.  Dont feel to bad for her.

Jumping off the wall!

Fun stuff.  Now its onto family reunions, youth conference and girls camp.  This is the stuff memories are made of.  I love the summer when we can play together as a family!

I cant help but think of the primary song...

Oh what do you do in the summertime
When all the world is green?
Do you swim in a pool
to keep yourself cool
or swing in a tree up high?
Is that what you do?
So do I!