July Update

On July 4th, we usually go to the Murray Parade with Brian's sister, but their family decided not to go this year.  Instead Brian and Eric washed the car while I took Andrew and Tanner to a new Splash Park.  It was great -- not many people there, probably because it was a holiday.  

In the evening we drove into the mountains and did some hiking.  It was 20 degrees cooler (yay!), and even though it was 75 degrees we still found a pile of snow that hadn't melted.  

Tanner has to "pose" in every single picture.  It is hard to get him just smiling.  Goofy Kid.

Eventually we arrived at a small lake -- it was a good hike.  I have always been a pretty poor hiker, even when I was in shape.  So now I my endurance was pathetic.  Andrew and Eric were so thoughtful on the hike....each taking turns to stay back with me to rest, and holding my hand on the steep parts.  (Luckily I didn't fall because I would've just taken them down with me!)  If I told them to go ahead, they would say "No, that's okay Mom.  It's not very fun to hike alone."  It touched me to see them being so thoughtful.

We enjoyed lighting off some fireworks when we got home.

We also started swimming lessons this month.  It has been great!  Tanner bravely jumped off the diving board.

My sister was in Park City with some of her kids and some of my brother's kids.  We went and hung out with them -- swimming at the Condo and then going to the Olympic Ski Museum.  Here are some of the kids piled into a Bobsled at the museum (Anna, Andrew, Tanner, and Eric.)

And Uncle John came to visit one weekend.  We went to Wheeler Farm -- a Historic Farm that we used to go to quite a bit when the kids were younger.  It was fun to go back and see all the animals.

Here in Utah we have a State holiday on July 24th -- Pioneer Day.  Since Brian had the day off we headed up to my parent's cabin in Island Park.  It was great.  It was much cooler -- in the 70's mostly, but the last day we left it was in the 40's and raining!!!  I loved it.  :)  My brother and his family were also there, and my sister came up for a day too.  

The first day we went into West Yellowstone and went to the Bear and Wolf Discover Center.  We got a close-up look at the bears.  Eric took some great pictures of them playing.  

 The rest of the days we spent at the cabin.  The kids had a great time playing on the lake and riding the 4-wheeler.  It was so nice having my brother and his family there because Max and Tanner are good friends and it really occupied Tanner well.

And I just had to throw in this last picture.  It is possibly the only picture that I have with Tanner simply looking at the camera (rather than doing a goofy pose.)  And of course, Eric had to do "bunny ears" on him.  Oh brother.