4th of July

Fourth of July in Elberta with cousins.

I actually ran a 5k with my sister in the morning. 

I came in 3rd which is pretty awesome, okay not so awesome my sister who was pushing a jogging stroller and a grandma beat me.  If I leave out those detail it sounds much better.

We then watched the Elberta parade which consisted of this float, a tractor and some kids on bikes.

That was just the right length for our parade watchers (Jake and Grace).

Later we went to the BYU men's soccer game and fireworks in Provo

with Brett et al.

Eliza in her patriotic gear.

Soccer camp and other vacationy stuff

We stayed in Provo for a week so the kids could go to soccer camp with their cousins.

The soccer campers, Paul, Merry, Jacob, Ella, Joseph, and Brett.

Mom dropping the kids off at camp.

 Meanwhile Grace and Adam made a lot of rubber band rings.

 Eliza developed a love of flavored soda.

We swam a lot.

 And ate a lot.  I love splash pad hair.

 And visited with a lot of cousins.

P,B and J.
Who would leave their baby on the ground like that?

We also visited the Dino museum and the Bean Museum which for some reason did not get photographed.

We actually visited the dinosaurs 3 times because Adam thought they were so cool.

 Then we took a trip to Park City to ride the Alpine slide and see the Olympic village.

The boys were very cautious coming down the hill.
Merry drove by herself but did not get pictured.

Brian grew a beard and watched Eliza and tried to catch up on some sleep.

Still driving there

The next leg of of vacation.

 

We stopped in Cheyenne, Wyoming to visit cousins Hannah and Christian. 

Fun times.

Grace was excited to see Christian again because he is just her age.

Uncle Mike started blowing up a swimming pool, it was pretty entertaining even without the water.

We didn't get to stay for the completion because we had to get back in the car and keep driving.

Sunday evening we finally made it to Provo.

On the way there

This is the beginning of our vacation, a road trip across the country.

First stop Nashville, Tennessee and the Grand Ole Opry.

 This is what happens after you have been in the car too long.

Jacob and Merry discussing which guitar is better, the acoustic or electric.

Rule breaker.

Getting a little more energy out before we get back into the car.

Second stop, the Gate Way Arch St. Louis, Missouri.

 Eliza was not impressed by the Arch or museum under the arch,

but the puddles outside were fascinating.

 Jacob catching the streaming rain off of the arch.

Stop number three, after a good night's rest, was the Liberty jail in Liberty, Missouri.  The kids are sitting by a replica of the buried wall.

There were models of Joseph Smith and the other captors to depict how cramped the quarters were.

It was incredible that the prisoners survived in those harsh conditions.

Stop number four, a corn field in Nebraska.

Now they have visited the breadbasket of America.

 There was a really cool flower to look at in Nebraska.

To be continued

Fourth Grade

 Things about Jacob at the end of 4th grade.

Teacher: Ms. Townley

Best Subject: reading (He read almost a 4 million words).

What I want to be good at: powers

Favorite Fieldtrip: Biz Town

Favorite sports: soccer and dodgeball

Favorite websites:  Poptropica and Club penguin

What I want to learn more about: coding

Favorite food: anything with cheese

 Jacob's art work.

 Wiggle art.

A story about a ninja with no ending.

A story about a what could be in a brown bag.

 Fun with friends on the last day.

Food is involved of course.

Grace's kindergarten year.

 

Grace and her teacher Mrs. McCarthy.

Things about kindergarten.

The most awesome thing about kindergarten according to Grace is recess.

Her favorite food is pizza.

Her favorite thing to draw is an owl.

Her favorite color is yellow.

 

Grace at the end of school.

 They had the end of year luau to celebrate finishing kindergarten.

 Posing in her luau apparel.

 

Dancing to the Hukilau.

 

Butterflies were a big part of Grace's art work this year.

 A story about puppies (Harbor has cured Grace of her fear of dogs).

A story about volcanoes.  Hawaii seems so appealing when she tells about the the lava bombs.

Grace loved kindergarten!