summer time fun

Alright...This post is really long and goes most recent to oldest. I finally got a big chunk of time to sit down and do this! Nap time is the best. There are four slideshows with lots of pictures. Enjoy! We have had such a great summer filled with fun, family, friends and traveling. Loves. 

Happy Birthday Dylan!

We celebrated Dylan's fourth birthday this last weekend and we had so much fun. We started off with a spagetti dinner on Friday...Meghan's first. And the Lentil festival over in Pullman was also going on , so we went over to the parade. The kids loved the WSU marching band and Lola loved all the floats with the "princesses" on them. "They are so pretty." she would say. It was such a good parade and the kids scored on candy. Sunday after church Grandma and Grandpa Chamberlain came over for a few days for the main event on Dylan's birthday. After a yummy breakfast on french toast, eggs and orange juice (Dylan's request) we went to the park. There are so many great parks in Moscow and Dylan was trying to explain to me which one he wanted to go to and I couldn't figure it out, so I picked one and it turned out to be it! Yeah! "This is the park I was talking about!" (oh good. :) After the park we came home for lunch and naps and after daddy got home from work we all went to Shari's restaurant for dinner. Dylan was sad he didn't get to open his presents yet though, we had everything wrapped and decorated when they woke up, so having to leave and do something as unimportant as eating was crazy to him! But he was sure excited do it once we got home! And Lola was excited for him too. She kept telling Dylan..."it's your birthday Dylan!" And she was very good as he opened his presents. He loved everything he got and my living is now littered with blocks, cars, and "doctor stuff"--as if that's different from before...I mean really. But they are having fun and he loves the books that Grandma Tash and Grandpa Allen got for him. And Lola loves to listen to everyones heart...mine is in my knee and Allen's is in his shoulder...and why not. After presents we had the traditional "happy birthday" song with candles, cake and ice cream. Ever since Lola's birthday in March he has wanted an orange cake with green frosting...and dinosaurs of course. It's amazing how much more grown up he seems now that he is four. I told him he really needs to stop growing up and he said, "But I have to grow up." Plain and simple.

Star Valley, Wyoming

Since we were down in Utah for the wedding we decided to head home by way of Star Valley, Wyoming to stay with Allen's parents for a few days. And what a fantastic choice that was. We had so much fun. We went to church with them on Sunday and Lola got to go to nursery taught by Grandma Tash and Grandpa Allen--she did really well-she doesn't usually go to nursery by herself when we are visiting other wards. The valley up there is so beautiful and we went to see camp and the kids got to ride in a huge bus, and Grandpa's big truck. And their house is coming along too. The kids got to help Grandpa hammer in a few nails by the front door. Dylan was very excited about that-he loves anything and everything to do with building. "I want to help build! Can I help build?" -So cute. We also went to Bear Lake and Allen and I went their a couple of times when we lived in Logan, but I'd never been to the other side of the lake and it was great! The kids could run around in the water because the beach was so big and there was no drop off. Lola practically taught herself how to swim. She was putting her face in the water and swimming around all over-the little fish. The water was the perfect depth, and Meghan had the time of her life. She was crawling around everywhere and it was one of those times to just let her go and enjoy herself-and that she did. She has really grown up these last few weeks and just love playing with Dylan and Lola. At the house we played in the yard, watched a thunder and lightning storm during the day, read books, played in the "house" that great-grandpa Hal made when grandma was little, made homemade oreos, played cars and blocks and tired out Micah and Merrilyn. When Allen and I were packing up the car the kids "packed" up their "car" and set off for home. It is so fun to see what those two come up with. On the way home we stopped in Rexburg for a few hours to see the temple and walk around campus and go to the bookstore. I love BYU-Idaho. Always feels great to be there. We spent too much time there and came all the way home through Montana. But the kids traveled soooo well and it was a really great family vacation. We are so glad we were able to go and see so much family and friends and to see so many great things.

Jared and Jessica's wedding

The first week of August our little family packed up the car and drove down to Pleasant Grove, Utah for Jared and Jessica's wedding. We stayed with Tony and Nicole and all of Allen's family gathered there for yummy BBQs, playing in their backyard, swimming, and taking care of all the little ones. Lola loved the pool. She had water wings on, and i could hardly keep hold of her she was everywhere. And she loved jumping from the side of the pool--at first I was catching her as she came in the water but by the end she was going under and i was just spotting her on the way up. Jared and Jessica were married in the Mt. Timpanogas Temple and it was so beautiful. What a special day for them at the temple. I included a few pictures of the happy couple in the slide show above. It was so great see Allen's family we had such a good time and Dylan and Lola are still talking about it. (Dylan took the picture of Jared and Jessica sitting at the picnic table)

July in Ephrata

July was fun and hot. We did a lot in the water. The kids played in the little pool in our yard and when we went to Ephrata for the 4th of July we all had fun playing with cousins and aunts and uncles. I also had my 10-year high school reunion July 18-19th and we went to the lake and to the aquatic center over in Mosas Lake. So much fun in the sun!