Puzzles at the Powells

 I try and keep the tv off when I can and so we pulled out the puzzles.  The kids loved it and had to take pictures of the finished product.

I tell you, some of the only pictures I get any more are when the kids take them.

Game Night

We just love Tuesday night game night out here in Camp Gumbo. We were missing the Banks and it wasn't quite the same without them. But we carried on and had some amazing treats thanks to Pinterest.  Nate didn't like that he had to wait for all of us. Or the fact that I was taking his picture.

Letter from Romania

 The kids love getting mail.  Even more when it is from Grandpa and Nana that are in Romania serving a mission.  Katy got one today and loves that she gets one all for her.  She got a magnet in her letter and had to run and put it on the fridge right next to the other ones.

Pool Play

We have loved going to the pool as much as we have.  3 days in a row and on the 3rd day, we had only been in for an hour when this puppy came and forced us out.

Huge storm forced us to stay the whole day inside.

Late night games with my siblings make for weird conversations too.  I won't tell you but just know things were talking to me that shouldn't have been, wearing glasses and big white eyes, talking like a muppet.  Then John trying to prove a point and Celest just barely hanging in there til the end of the game.  2 in the morning is way to late to be up anymore.  I'm just to old for that.

4th of July

So many plans for the 4th and we only did half of what we planned.

John, Celest and Winni came to spend the 4th out with us since Nate had to work and we couldn't go be in Lehi for the day.  I just love having family out and I really do have the best family ever!

We had signed up to run a 5K in the morning but when we looked at the starting time the night before a little after midnight and saw that the race started at 5:30, we decided that sleeping in was so much nicer.  We also decided to scrap the pancake breakfast made by the Scouts and make our own.  Celest brought out stuff to make Flag pancakes and we made our new favorite, Churro pancakes with cinnamon butter syrup.  So worth missing a race for. :0)

Off to the parade next.  Again, an other plan that didn't happen; the kids were signed up to ride their bikes in the parade.  They were suppose to be at the starting line at 10:40 with their bikes.  Next thing I knew, Nate was saying the neighbors had left for the parade and it was 10 minutes to 11.  Guess watching is good enough.

There was a dust cropper that came and dropped ping-pong balls down the parade route.  We didn't realize what was going on til it was too late and Norma was the only one to get one.

 We had all of Camp Gumbo here.  I love our neighbors!  Don't know what I would do without them.  We think we should do a Camp Gumbo float next year. ;0)

 Everyone in the parade threw candy.  Any other parade you would go to you might get 1 or 2 pieces of candy.  Not in Wendover.  SO. MUCH. CANDY!

 This guy wanted to make sure us Mom's got some candy too.  Tried to put some down Celest shirt.  I laughed and loved his pants. ;0)

 The only floats in the whole thing.

 Winni needed a picture of this car.

 When in Wendover...

We were surprised and had my parents drive out to spend the day with us after my Mom got off of work.  They got there after the parade and we spent the rest of the day at the pool.  We only were missing the Camp Gumbo men, they were all working.  I haven't had that much fun at the pool in years!  Mom and Dad got in with us and bought some water toys for the kids, the pool wasn't busy at all and we stayed for hours!  We have spent so much time at the pool this summer and we love every minute of it.

I should have taken pictures of the kids chalk drawing contest.  Each kid drew a picture and then we had judges pick the winners.  Norma won with a mermaid she drew.  Hunter came in next with a Starry Night scene.  Tucker drew a video game character that was really good.  Thad drew the biggest picture of a dragon.  He is always drawing dragons.  Gerald would be so proud.  Sam did a dinosaur and my mom helped Bella draw a fish and a flower.  Katy was zonked out in bed and missed the whole thing.

We decided against going to the ball field to watch the city fireworks because Daddy spoiled us a bought us some to do on our own.  Plus I said we would be able to see the city ones from our place.  Nate disagreed.  Look who was right.  :0)

 The wind kept changing and half of the glow sticks weren't working.  We also spilled 2 of the root beer floats we had as treats and the men couldn't get the lighter to work with all the wind.

 They thought that lighting them on the ones what were already going was a good idea.  More than one ended up falling over.  I had to laugh because Jimmy had been trying to light one, didn't think it had lite and walked off with it when it started going off in his hand.  "That one's lite."

 Then we had a few rain drops.  Okay, we can handle just a little rain.  Then they got to be bigger rain drops.  Karlee bailed and Winni left Katy standing there all on her own.  Before we knew what was happening, it started hailing, the wind was so strong that it blow the fireworks across the road, we were soaked and running around trying to get everyone in the house and out of the hail. 

 Listening to the rain, we put in a movie and Thad brought out his pillow and blanket.  Eva cuddled up and they were both asleep before the end of the movie.  I love Eva asleep on her back, paws in the air and Thad holding one paw. :0)

I love the 4th and am so lucky to have been able to spend it with my family and friends and have such a wonderful day full of wonderful memories.

How we Play catch

I asked Thad and Katy to quit throwing the ball in the house and when I looked again they were like this. 

I guess they thought if they laid down it would be better and they wouldn't hit anything.

June Happenings

Well we are keeping busy and here is what we do.

- Wash the truck.  Often.  Just to get wet.
- Swimming at the pool
- Geocaching
- Free school lunch.  Awesome!
- Riding bikes
- Jumping on the tramp, late into the night sometimes.
- Walking
- Video Games
- Movies
- Tuesday Game night with the neighbors.
- Homework, (for me)
- Nate delivering another baby on the freeway making his total up to 3.
- Library visits where we might read through the whole library by the end of the summer, it's that tiny.
- Playing at the "dizzy" park.  It has old fashioned merry-go-round and all the toys that Utah has taken out of their parks
- Nate and I going on dates to the post office and Smith's for groceries.

July is looking to be a lot of the same stuff here.  We are staying here for the 4th of July and have a lot of things planned for that day.  Hoping to go on at least one camping trip this summer but not seeing it happening with Nate working as much as he is.  We are just hanging in there, doing what we can to stay busy.