Croquet & S'Mores (Idaho)

My grandparents have always owned a cabin out on Blackfoot Reservoir in Soda Springs, ID. I have so many fantastic memories associated with this place! A couple of days after the fourth, we decided to go spend a day at the cabin. The kids had a great time playing together and Joaquin really enjoyed the attention he got from his cousins.

(Poor Detroit was having a little bit of a reaction to her sunscreen.)

Detroit got some croquet tips from Grandpa.

spider webs and baby birds:

Hot Dogs, S'Mores & Sparklers:

There is almost nothing I enjoy more than cooking hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire. And there is great joy to be had in making s'mores with toasty, golden marshmallows. We ended the evening making hot dogs and s'mores. Unfortunately for Detroit, she grabbed the end of her metal hot dog stick while trying to get the hot dog off. She did not enjoy her experience nearly as much after that. Poor little girl got a pretty serious little burn, but she was a trooper (as long as we kept her hand iced). Thankfully we had sparklers so we ended the evening on a happy note.

OUCH!!!

(Hayley, does this remind you of when I put my hand on the electric burner in our apartment?)

After a looooooong day, Joaquin was totally and utterly exhausted!

Foam Fun (Idaho)

The day after the fourth, the fighfighters in Soda Springs fill up a field at the park with foam. It is one of the funnest things we have ever done. The kids LOVE it! In fact, the adults love it too. There were plenty of grown men running and sliding through the foam on their bellies.

Sunscreen Hair

Initially, Joaquin was not excited by the foam, but it didn't take long before he started to enjoy it.

A Foam-Hawk

More Foam Fun:

Uncle Ryan

Allie, Detroit, Ryan & Josh

Josh, Ryan, Detroit, Joaquin, Tiesha, Cammie (my aunt), Allie

Fourth of July (Idaho)

I have WONDERFUL memories of spending the Fourth of July in Idaho when I was little. It was fun to be able to take my kids and enjoy the festivities in the small town of Soda Springs.

THE BREAKFAST:

Every year that we have spent the Fourth in Soda, we get up early and go to the Lion's Club (?) pancake breakfast in the park. It is a yummy breakfast of pancakes, eggs and sausage. My grandpa likes to go around 6:30, but thankfully this year, we talked him into 8:00. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of this delicious experience.

THE PARADE:

I don't know if all small towns still do this, but the best part of the parade in Soda Springs is the CANDY!!! They throw tons of candy to the kids and it is a wild scramble to get as much candy as you can before the next float comes. Watching Detroit reminded me of the first time she experienced a pinata. Yikes. She is not very aggressive and gets overly excited so she spent most of the time prancing from candy piece to candy piece flapping her arms but not actually picking any up. (For anyone that has seen her do an Easter Egg Hunt...you know what I am talking about.) The three-years olds next to us already had half a grocery bag full and Detroit had four pieces. It is a good thing Ryan and I were there to give her some lessons and encourage her (RUN!!! PICK UP AS MANY AS YOU CAN! KNOCK THE SMALL CHILDREN DOWN!) It was all very grown-up! Lucky for her she also had her grandma, great-grandma and aunts collecting for her as well. Thankfully, she ended up with as much (or nearly as much) as her cousins.

THE FESTIVITIES IN THE PARK:

All day long there were fun activities in the park for the kids. They had a good time playing games and winning prizes. At one point there was an announcement that all kids who were going to ride the mini-bulls should come to the arena. Detroit was conviced that she wanted to ride a mini-bull. (By the way, they are not that mini.) Can you really imagine Detroit riding a bull? I didn't think so. Somehow we convinced her that it wouldn't be like riding a pony at a carnival. They run fast and kick hard and when you fall off it really hurts. It still would have been pretty funny to get a picture of her on a mini-bull...maybe next time.

FIREWORKS:

After a long day, we all gathered at Kelley Park to watch Fireworks.

Joaquin's Glorious Kisses:

Detroit and her Cousins:

(Josh, Riley & Allie Fisher)

Idaho (July)

The kids and I got to spend several days in Idaho visiting Great-Grandparents. My parents were also there and my brother Ryan. We all had a great time together over the Fourth of July weekend.

Grandpa Boyd & Grandma June

(my mom's parents)

Grandma Polly

(My dad's mom)