Things that keep us busy

We've had a lot of fun, and even fit in some somewhat educational experiences this summer. Here are a few pics:
The MOA had a Children's Art day in June. They had all kinds of things for the kids to do. They made crazy bubble wands,
decorated yummy cookies, sang songs and played musical instruments.
We got to tour the Walter Wick exhibit as well as some of the other exhibits there, build castles, do some puzzles and get our faces painted.

Later on in June, The Collings Foundation brought the Wings of Freedom tour to our local airport. I took the kids and they really enjoyed it. Mimi and Sweetsa got to sit in the cockpit of an airplane,
and Buddy and Mimi got to sit in a helicopter.
We saw planes that flew in WWII missions.
We saw pictures, guns and ammo, and heard stories of veterans shot down and rescued behind enemy kines (ha ha I mean lines...wouldn't that be interesting to be shot down behind enemy cattle!). It was really neat when a "Rosy the Riveter" met the fighter Ace that was there sharing his story. I got to heft a British gun that weighed more that Sweetsa! I don't know how these soldiers do all that they do carrying all their heavy gear and weapons! Thank you to all who defend our country and freedom everywhere!


We got some coupons for the Children's Museum and spent the day there earlier this month. Mimi and Sweetsa love the "little world" area where they can play in a children's scale size house/grocery store/construction zone/ and some farm attractions. Buddy liked pretending to be a blacksmith as well as the construction zone. Peaches just loved everything, here she enjoys the water tables.


July is always a fun time of year in our area. We like to tell people that this is the place to be to celebrate our country and everything it stands for. The past three years we have had Colonial days as well as the annual freedom days. At Colonial Days, people get to experience some of "a day in the life" of a Colonial person. Each year it has gotten bigger and more interesting. This year the kids enjoyed playing "graces", carding wool, making freedom necklaces, lavender sachets, cornhusk dolls, Native American stone art. There is always live entertainment as well as various artisans demonstrating their skills. This year they had a wood worker who built a lathe during the course of the festival and he actually turned a few pieces by the end! It was really cool to see how he used authentic tools and methods to do what they did so long ago! Somehow I didn't get any pictures taken of the kids at Colonial days...maybe next year. Mimi told me as we left that she wants to volunteer for Colonial Days next year!Here Sweetsa sports a hand beaded necklace we got for her at Colonial Days.

After Colonial Days we went to the carnival downtown with some of our Patrick cousins. The kids enjoyed going on the rides together. This was a ride I called Teacups on Steroids. It was fun (yes I went on it too!) but Sweetsa was sad she didn't get a chance to go on it:(


After the rides our family headed over to the kids area and did some free crafts, attended a reptile show, jumped on some bouncy things and looked through a Revolutionary War period encampment. It was fun to be together and learn new things about our country.

That evening we headed over to our Annual July 3rd Block Party. We always have fun with old and new friends, talking, eating, playing, throwing water balloons, launching water rockets, dancing and of course watching "Rocket Chick" ride up and down the street to end the evening.
Dancing.

Riding the train.

One still moment

More dancing

I have been trying to include a clip of rocket Chick but can't seem to get it to work. I'll try to post it later, I guess.

On the Fourth we went to the neighborhood Crepe Breakfast where we caught up with old friends who have moved away...that's one of the best things about the holiday is reconnecting with friends!Here's Peaches getting some crepe numminess.

We also had a fantastic lunch at Gramma M's house with all kinds of Aunts, Uncles and cousins. The kids spent the day playing in the water and the adults got to visit and relax. It was a wonderful afternoon!




That evening we visited with Carolioness, Daisy, Nagol and Ka'lel. The kids played around on the tramp and the sand box.



Buddy and Nagol enjoyed "fighting" without contact on the trampoline, and generally had a great time together. Then we enjoyed some Fourth festivities of poppers and sparklers (somehow I didn't get pics of those :(

When our cousins from Castletown came to spend some time with us, the kids thought they were in heaven! We spent a day doing corn husk characters:


We ended up with (from left to right front):two Prince Caspian dolls, complete with swords; an easy demo doll; a baby for Peaches; Kiersti's "baby";(second row left to right) a Japanese cornhusk doll; Lucy from The Chronicles of Narnia, complete with dagger and cordial; Susan from said Chronicles, with accompanying bow and quiver of arrows; a Ninja Princess Warrior, named Ruby; (back row): Colonial demo doll with apron; Sweetsa holding her doll named "Diamond". The kids all had so much fun with these... way more than I ever expected! I thought it would take up an hour's time and then be set aside in favor of other pursuits. Literally hours were spent making and decorating these dolls as well as playing with them when they dried!

They also loved playing in the sprinklers together. They came up with some interesting things: the girls all ended up with water babies:

the boys just loved squirting each other with untied water balloons that they refilled again and again and again!

And of course we did sparklers for Pioneer Day.



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Last night we had our ward camp out. It was so beautiful, but I'll try to do that in another post because this one is beyond marathon now!