Swimming, Fireworks, Surprise!, FUN, Reunion!!!

I can't believe half of this month is already gone!  And so much has happened so far.  There will probably lots of swimming pictures this summer--I just can't get enough of them in their swimsuits.  :)  These were taken on 7/2; their friend next door came over and swam that day, too:

 

 

On Independence Day, we had Timmy over (Kiki and fam were supposed to come over but Carma and Kiki were sick); we went swimming, BBQ'd some hot dogs and zucchini and squash, ate Oreo pie, then went to the neighbors' and shot fireworks (some may or may not have been illegal ones from Louisiana, ha ha!), and had root beer floats with them.  It was super fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My parents drove here, Ben and his 2 girls flew here from Louisiana, Nikki flew here from Texas, and Michelle and her clan drove down for my surprise 40th birthday party last Sat. (plus lots of other family and friends in attendance).  It was awesome!  Jared took me to dinner and a movie on Friday, 7/5, then we stayed at a hotel that night:  

Little did I know, it was all so Kiki and my family could decorate and get ready for the party the next day.  I was so shocked!  I'll post video later of when I walked in the door.  Jared gave Kiki the money and she went all out with the decorations (tiki/luau), food (BBQ pork and chicken sandwiches), and everything (I'll have to get photos from her to post later of all the decorations before everyone got there).  They even rented a karaoke machine and we had so much fun!  Makenna was so funny with the "microphone" (we gave her the fake mic that goes with our Elmo toy) and she was "singing" into it while shaking her hips and playing the tambourine and shaker egg at some points.  When a song was over, she would stand microphone stand back up, then pull it down when another song started.  It was hilarious!  Avery opted for the Elmo bongos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been going non-stop since the party.  Here are some of the activities we did last week:

Sunday, 7/7: Jared stayed home to work while the girls and I drove up Aspen Grove with all of my family to Cascade Falls.  We then took the back road to Heber, then drove home through Provo Canyon.  That night, we played Tripoly at our house.  :)

 

 

Monday, 7/8: Nikki flew home that mid-morning.  We had our adoption home study (last thing to do before we're "on the list"!) that afternoon, then the girls and I went to Kiki's for dinner, after which we all went to a park by her house.  Makenna went down the "big" slide over and over again.  Avery preferred the small one.

Judson let Makenna play soccer with him

Tuesday, 7/9: The girls and I, Kiki and her kids, Ben and his girls, and my parents all went up to Tibble Fork Reservoir in American Fork Canyon and had a picnic.  It was gorgeous up there!

Wednesday, 7/10: My parents left early that morning.  Ben and Kiki and their kids, and Jared and the girls and I went swimming at the Lehi pool.  Jared took Avery down that big slide again.  Nope, she still didn't like it, ha ha!  That night, we all drove up to Squaw Peak.

Thursday, 7/11: Jared, Ben and I took all the kids, except for Wyatt (Kiki had school and Michael stayed home with Wyatt), to Bridal Veil Falls.  Ben, Belle, and Judson hiked up to the lower falls while the rest of us stayed down at the bottom and fed the fish and waded in the cold water (well, Carma and Brenna did, anyway).  Everyone came to our house for dinner and my choc. chip pecan cookies.  Ben and his girls flew out really early the next morning. :(  We had so much fun with them!!!

 

 

 

Makenna jumping!

Carma and Avery.  Aaaaaaaw!!!

 Friday, 7/12:  We drove up to Hoytsville for the Ted Crittenden reunion and slept in our camper that night.  I'll post pics later of that. 

Sat., 7/13: There was breakfast that morning but hardly anyone had camped out.  Then the C.H. Crittenden family gathering was that afternoon; we only stayed for a little while, then went and saw Grandma for a few minutes before the girls and I drove home to eat dinner and get ready for bed while Jared stayed and cut some firewood for Grandma and drive Uncle Jason's car to our house to sell.

We were exhausted by Sunday but it was all so worth it!  I love spending time with family!