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!

Jr. Miss Santaquin

This year Rachel decided with her best friend that they wanted to sign up for the Jr. Miss Santaquin pageant.  I was a little surprised at her interest in doing it because I would never have thought that dressing up all pretty and walking across a stage waving to judges and an audience would have been something that Rachel wanted to do.   For a whole week before the pageant, Rachel and all of the other girls spent time each day learning a dance and working on posture and their walks.  They also completed a service project as a group.  When the night of the show came Rachel was glowing.  She both felt and looked amazing.   The night was a long one for an audience member and Dan may have bribed the girls with money to never do it again but it was worth it to see my girl on the stage smiling like the world was hers for the taking!  As Rachel was walking across the stage waving to everyone I was so happy for her.   At the end of the her walk she stopped at one end of the stage to draw a question out of a bowl to answer.  Her question was "Why did you want to enter Miss Santaquin this year?"  Rachel, as honestly and as eloquently as she could said "I wanted to do Miss Santaquin this year because I wanted to ride on the float in the parade.  Thank you."  Ahh, I love this girl!

Getting ready to preform their dance number "New York, New York"

Quick change and set to walk the stage.

After the dance performance I sent Kelsey in to the changing room to see if Rachel needed any help with getting ready.   Kelsey came back quickly and very dramatically expressed concern for her own life in entering that room.  She said there were so many mothers in there helping their kids that she felt she nearly suffocated from hair spray inhalation and that she almost lost an eye from a "bump-it".

One of her Miss Photogenic pictures

Wearing her crown and 3rd attendant sash!

Good Job, Rachel!  She will get to ride the float this year for the Payson Onion Days over Labor Day weekend and she did inform her dad that he would be sitting through it all again next year :)

Long ago in a Galaxy Far Far Away...

....there lived the funniest four year old ever.  April 10, Sam turned four and when asked what she wanted she said that she wanted Ballet shoes (no she does not do ballet) and a new light saber.  What an odd combination!  She also said she wanted a Star Wars party.  I don't normally do full on birthday parties with the whole theme, games, and other peoples children but this year I figured, why not?!  I started looking online for ideas for star wars parties and do you realize that there are crazy mothers out there that spend outrageous amounts of money and time on kids parties?  It was nuts.  One mother was proud of the fact that her 6 year olds party ONLY cost her $250!  Well, its a good thing Sam cant read because I was not about ready to make jedi training cloaks for all our guests and outfit them each with a light saber.  We did have a great time though and Sam thought I was the best mom ever so really that's all that matters, right? 

Light saber "cake"

Kelsey was in charge of the pinata

What party wouldn't be complete with a couple of games?  We played "Pin the light saber on the Jedi", a memory game that required them to use their jedi powers to do, and "Dont eat Luke".  The funny thing about this whole party is that I think Sam was the only one there that even knew Star Wars.  I had to explain what a Jedi was and who Luke was?  Psshh, kids these days!

Sammie got lots of fun gifts for her birthday and while she did not get her new light saber (I thought two was enough) she did get what she thought was the greatest gift ever.....

Thank you Nana for the creepy Yoda costume.  She screamed when she got it and laughed at herself in the mirror for a good five minutes after putting it on.  Sam loved it!  What a girl!