August so far

We have been keeping busy this month as we get into the school routine and enjoy the winter.  Not just with open houses, sports and scouts starting, and getting up early.  But with having some fun!

The only times we have used our winter gear since we left Iowa nearly two years ago is when we have gone skiing.  Dallin and Easton opted to stay home, however, they decided next time they are definitely coming.  The snow was decent, not great, but it was a really good day of skiing with my boys.

 A stop at a car show provided these two with an opportunity to get up close to some "REAL fast race cars!".

 We decided to hike a mountain (Manquehue) close to our home on a Thursday holiday - Assumption day.  We didn't make it all the way up, but we went pretty far, especially since Easton walked all of it (minus about the last 2 minutes, his legs stopped working at that point :-)).

 Oh the views!  And check out our winter weather...a tad bit different from Iowa (August is the equivalent of February).

We had to go shopping to get a few pairs of hiking boots for our upcoming trip to Peru.  After our hike we realized that some of the boots we had longer fit and other kids had nothing but running shoes that slipped on the trails of our hike.  We had a little intermission to race the cars.

First day of school

2013-2014 School year begins...

It wasn't really his first day because he is on the Chilean schedule...just going back after our long winter break in the US.  But he got in on the excitement of it all.

3rd Grade

First day of middle school - 6th grade.  And no more uniform.

8th Grade

Cold and dark, but ready to go!

Utah/Oregon Week #4 and #5

So on Sunday we went to church and then headed north to Aunt Jill and family.  We had a wonderful time visiting and playing with Jill's family.  Jill also has 4 boys, so just imagine the noise level and energy level with this crew.  It made me happy to have all these boys together.  The older boys spent a good part of Monday at the local water park.  While Jill, Mark, and I took the two littles to a fountain park to run in the fountains to stay cool on a very hot day.  Then on Tuesday we headed out to Oregon.  We ended up taking two of Jill's boys with us and leaving Dallin with Jill, since Jill and Jared and the others would be joining us in Oregon in 2 days.  The boys all did so good on the trip.

Got to love a big wheel.

On Wednesday we were able to go attend a double header baseball afternoon for one of the older cousins.  It involved a lot of talking in the shade while cousins played in the grass, trees, sprinklers, and creek by the ball field.

It was a VERY hot day.  And yet, he caught for two games, he did so well.

And this cute bat boy is another of our amazing nephews.

Mason is hidden in there too.

These two have a lot of fun together.

Drying off in the sun.

The next week or so was spent hanging out with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandma and grandpa.  We also were able to attend a family reunion with Mark's Grandma Last.  This included all of Mark's aunts (his mom is one of five girls) and many of the cousins.

Aunt S, Aunt G, Aunt J, Grandma Last, Mark's mom, and Aunt J

The whole clan...

This is my favorite picture and memory of the day.  Great-Grandma watching her great-grandkids playing together as the fireworks started in the background.  It was a tender moment.

Mark, Easton, and I went with C and Aunt Sonia to watch C's gymnastics class.  I love doing these things when we visit.  I rarely get to take part in the everyday things of my sweet nieces and nephews, so it is a big deal for us to get to be there for the little things. 

Other things to remember:

-Dallin and Mom going to little T's baseball game.

-Going to the movies with Jill and Sonia's family and Ryan

-Sitting around the fire, watching skits by the cousins, and eating s'mores (twice)

-Church and a big Sunday family meal.

- Mark and I running in the mornings through farms and by the reservoir

-Big Wal-mart shopping 

-Spending Tuesday afternoon and evening with Tonia's family in the Tri-Cities

- Lots and lots of cousin time

-The big haul back to Santiago, starting at 4am on Wednesday and finally getting home at 10am on Thursday.  And the kids rocked it!  There was a lot of video games and snacks...and not just for the kids. 

- Arriving at the Santiago airport and knowing we were home.  That's a big deal.  Last year it was dread and depression for several weeks.  This time we had our normal back from vacation drag for a couple of days, but then happy to be home feelings ensued.  It's all good.

Breakfast in the Park

While in Utah, we got to spend a morning with our friends the Snarr's.  We met the Snarr's nearly 10 years ago in Davenport, Iowa.  Both families moved from Iowa, but then found ourselves back in Iowa (and then of course we left again, but we'll be back).  We love this family and were so excited to find that our times in Utah overlapped!!!  They are an amazing family who we feel blessed over and over to have in our lives.

 

Look at all those kids! 

I couldn't help myself.  Look at these three!

Colorado/Utah (Week #3)

Sunday: Church and all the family for desert.
Monday: Family pictures, lunch at Red Robin, and the movies to see Monsters University

Tuesday: A trip to Denver to the water park with Uncle Pat and his family.  Then a stop at the outlets to buy a whole lot of shoes!  And then a great night for a baseball (watching the Colorado Springs Sky Soxes) with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Curtis' family.

Wednesday: Zoo day!  And last night dinner together.

Drew "saw a man about a wallaby."  If you have seen Nemo, you get my attempt at humor.

Dallin and Drew got to help with giving water to the opossum.

My sister-in-laws are amazing!

Caught in the act!

 Thursday:  A day in the car from Colorado Springs to Linden Utah.  We drove right to a ball park to watch a cousin play a baseball game.   We went to dinner afterwards with Mark's brother Doug and his family (which is where we stayed for three nights).
Friday:  The intent was to hike the Y, but rain came our way.  So instead we went over to the bookstore, where we always have way too much fun.  Then we had lunch, and a little more shopping.  Then we got to spend the afternoon and evening with Doug's family.
Saturday:  The morning was spent with good friends (which I am going to do a separate post for. Then we did a little more shopping.  Then dinner and a movie with Doug's family.