Sunday Fun

The Utah portion of our family eats dinner together most Sundays. It's a fun time hosting and bonding with the kids and grandkids. We usually play a game or go for a walk after dinner. Today we decided to show the grandkids a park not too far from our home. These are the photos of our afternoon.On the way to the park I noticed our shadows and thought they were so cool. I had everyone stop so I could get a picture. If we had had more time I would have had everyone do lots of poses but since we were on a quest to see the park, that would have to wait for another day.

Do notice that my husband (far left) is a pin head. I've always thought that but now he can see it's true for himself. OK...so I'm the tent in the middle.

I have been looking at ads lately and noticing models doing some crazy poses ..... nobody looks like that in real life. I saw a model on the beach whose back was arched so high that a dog could have walked underneath her. This picture is called a broken model. Look at those arms! And of course you must not smile. The light was right in the park so the girls decided to give me their version of the broken model. Now don't you just want to go out and buy something?

I don't know what this crazy chair is on the playground, but you sit on it and with a little motion you start to spin. It's not a straight spin but wobbly and you get going so fast you can hardly stop. It scared Millie and Nick quit doing it. All the adults but me tried it. I have a little common sense and don't like to throw up.

Oh, I always hate the way I look in pictures but Nick took this one by the stream and if I ever want to be included in the family blog, I have to get in here now and then. I know what you are thinking..."who is that drab chubby Grandma?" I need to visit Mary Kay soon.

Is there anything more intriguing than water where children are concerned? Isabelle finds a culvert but is firmly cautioned by her mother to stay outside of it. Oh it's tempting!!

Emerson decided that the slide was not so bad. Up until recently, he was too afraid to go down.

There is a big old tree in the park that has had the trunk burned out but which still has all it's leaves and now looks like a good place to hide out but Isabelle says "no, there are spiders in there".

Many people think Emerson looks very much like Nick. I don't know how that

works since Emerson looks just like his Daddy Wes, and Nick is a Yarro, but they are

both Italian so maybe that's the connection. They both have black eyes and are cute as

a puppy's knees.

Amelia and Isabelle share the playground equipment

Wayne and Colett discuss politics, religion and kitchen hints....just kidding.

It's fun to be with the family every Sunday.

Now if I could just get them to do "ALL" the cooking and cleaning up afterwards, it would be a pretty perfect day of the week.

Colett did a "tag" blog entry a while back about what was in her purse. I took a picture of the contents of mine and realized just how much I carry around with me most days and how hard it would be to not have the stuff I use all the time right next to me. I feel a little like a scout in the "be prepared" department such as what if my hands get dirty, what if I need to measure something at Home Depot, what if I get something caught in my teeth or snag my nail? If I lost my purse, it would be a HUGE catastrophe. OK, here are the things in my purse. The fashionable big purses make it easier to keep adding things like books, Wayne's sunglasses or wallet, games and food or water bottles. No wonder my shoulder hurts sometimes. You may have to click to enlarge the picture see what everything is.

These are the items:

cute matchstick type emery boards, wet wipes, a bottle of hand sanitizer, lotion, sunglasses, a garden nursery coupon, store coupons, kleenex, my wallet which is heavy...Utah has a 7% sales tax and I get so many pennies as change, store receipts, a pen, reading glasses (yes I am in that age category), a comb, a tag??? from something, tweezers in case I have a hair grow out of my chin, a measuring tape, band-aids, lip balm, 2 lipsticks, dental floss...by the way the Crest Glide is the best floss I have ever used and is really different from all the rest....gum, candy, mints, a sack of Ibuprofin, my cute notebook to write ideas I see when I go places, and a picture of my hair to take to my stylist so she can remember what she did last time. I usually have garbage in there too but my purse just happened to be fairly clean this time. Now as I look at my purse, I am thinking a shopping trip is in order. This one won't do for Fall. I need a darker purse or maybe "RED", my favorite color. Maybe I will blog it and show you what I get. OK, what's in your wallet?? (purse)

The pioneer day activities were fun but we were exhausted and HOT! My son-in-law Matt has a brother that is kind enough to include us in many of their family functions. Thank you Ralph and Jackie! We all went to their home for swimming and food. That is all except Wayne and me. You couldn't pay me to put on a swimsuit the way I look right now. Well, maybe if the price was right....we'll discuss that later. Anyway, Wayne doesn't particularly like pools either so we watched and sat in the shade. Big E and Wes have a tender father, son moment

Make up your own caption for this picture.

Wayne is content to just sit and watch

Here is Millie floating......now watch

She is only 4 years old and has learned to swim.

Way to go Millie!!!!!

Emerson was not sure he liked the water, but after a few minutes he was calm, unless someone splashed. The water really was warm though.

I snapped this just as Nick splashed Wes.

Wes, I think this is called a farmers's tan. Have you been workin on the old south 40?

Nick looks on as his Mom and Aunt do their Olympic trials for the water ballet.

After Amy and Colett perfect their hand-standing routine, they pop out of the water with this beautiful hair style....do they bring to mind pictures of the FLDS polygamist wives??

EWWWW!

Matt and Colett not only swim for fun but are training for their triathlon in September.

They have to swim 1/2 mile. I have to be honest....that scares me a little.

Isabelle is a good little swimmer but had fun paddling on the floating something-or-other.

Wes, Amy and Emerson

The whole gang

Pioneer Day in Utah is a state holiday. No matter what day of the week the 24th lands on, it is celebrated with parades, rodeos, programs, food and fireworks and workers get the day off.

I wanted to be in Cowley, Wyoming for the 24th but the schedule just didn't work out that way so we went to Wallsburg with the girls and their families. It is a tiny town like Cowley and they celebrate it the same way. It starts off with the parade, a program, kid's games, a BBQ, rodeo and night show. The only difference was Cowley's parade is wonderful with lots of floats, bands etc. and Wallsburg had the worst parade I have EVER seen. People just rode their 4 wheelers, or pushed their kids in their strollers, and there was only one float....a family that dressed up as bumble bees. There were a few old cars and horses and that was it. It was scorching hot outside and luckily we had taken our golf umbrellas and camp chairs so that helped. The activities of the day did get better as we watched the talent show and rodeo.

We had hamburgers for lunch and then proceeded to give the kids, cookies, brownies, snow-cones and cotton candy. None of them threw up and it's only once a year....maybe twice or maybe three times tops. Isabelle LOVED it.

We gotta protect those baby eyes. I wonder if these have 100% UV protection?

Emerson Daniel loves to be outdoors and that's putting it mildly. Here he is just chillin' and eating leaves.

I stole this picture from Colett's blog. Millie had these crazy sunglasses and we all took turns wearing them. I had brought my camera but neglected to put the card back in after uploading the last batch of pictures to the computer, so the only pictures I have are either the ones I took with their cameras or the ones that Amy and Colett took.

The kids found lots to do. Millie waited for 30 minutes before a swing became available and then Grandpa and Grandma became the pushers.

This was the announcer and jokester for the rodeo. (And he looks mighty fine in his chaps). Being a Wyoming and Montana girl for so many years, I gained an appreciation for a good looking cowboy. You wouldn't know it now, but I married one. Wayne wore boots and a cowboy hat and worked on his uncle's cattle ranch when I met and dated him.

Nick's holding a chicken that his cousin caught in the bunny and chicken capture race.

The Dressers

There was a goat dressing contest so Isabelle, her friend and Millie signed up to do it. It took forever because the goats did not want to cooperate at all, but they finally got the deed done and won second place. It was so funny watching the concentration on their faces and Millie....well she was just a tiny bit afraid.

Millie got these foam stickers at the fish pond and was sticking them on everyone. If she put one on your forehead, you were officially a prince or princess. Colett has more than her share and I'm sure she must think she is a queen but there can only be one queen in this family so she is just a very, very high ranking princess.

Emerson is pointing and I'm sure what he means is...you bring me back here again, got it?

If for some reason we can't make it to Cowley next year, I will look for a fun time at Wallsburg again or some other small town that does celebrations for pioneer day...it shouldn't be too hard to find.

Mormon wagon train