We toyed around with different ideas of things to do on the 24th of July and decided we would beat the heat and go to the aquarium which was actually pretty cool. It's new and huge!
Here are some Various Sweatland creatures....
Glowing Wyatt!
Ethan next to a "black and white" fish (above and to the right of the starfish) which I told him reminded me of the black and white tie he purchased at Mr. Mac and thus I needed to photograph him.
When Brandon saw the play area behind here, he jumped for joy and exclaimed: "Why isn't anyone in there? It's the coolest!" but then we found out the price wasn't included in the price of admission, and it was only for those under 12. I'm not sure what Lauren and Reagan and Eli were up to, but it looks fun!
Round and round the penny goes - Jane's getting bored and I think it shows!
We also had the traditional back yard "water day"which involves much pumping of air into plastic toys (and then umpumping them and putting them away which Dennis is so good at bless his soul).
Wyatt Dean is rrrrrrrready to rummmmble! Everyone had a great time with these squirters until half of them broke, but that's what you get for $1 at Walmart.
Eli Andrew ready to rummmmble "Back atcha Wyatt!"
And I don't think Jane can do anything without a big smile on her face!~
12 of the 16 grandkids posing in front of the back yard playset.
AFTERMATH!
Whitney and Jane wanted to create some artwork (they're both artists!) and asked me to give them a theme to draw about. I assigned them "Life is Good" and they started creating. And yes, life is good even when Uncle Tony's mug is inbetween two pretty faces.
They wanted us to choose a winner and Aunt Cindy was game!
Later on they also created fairy villages under the fir tree in the back yard! Whitney's fairy house with picket fence. These are so darling but they take about three hours to deconstruct.
Vivi's fairyland with garden area!
Caroline's Fairyville with bejeweled pathway!
Later on that night we did some fireworks since Utah has them available for the 24th of July. Angie, Tony and I drove to fireworks tent in the Walmart parking lot to buy sparklers and and a few fireworks, but everything was so expensive. $7 for two dinky tanks. Highway robbery. Plus, our neighbors were booming away with fireworks displays that would make any small town proud. Seriously. Missed the fireworks guys (Forrest, Dave and Andrew plus missing you Lou, Amy, Jack, Macy and Carly too)!
These photos are what you get with a phone when everyone's in commotion!
One favorite moment was watching Calvin take it all in. Oh he loved it! And he LOVED throwing pop its so much! I wish we would have had 10 more boxes for him!
We have THREE scooters that make sparks when you ride them.
Elise and Forrest arrived and joined the fam (Hooray!) and did the necessary "OH MY GOSH YOU ARE SO TALL" fun measuring as part of the welcoming !
I love the randomness of this!
Jane and Whitney - A perfect pair!
Sugar, and spice, and everything nice - that's what little girls are made of!
I didn't do a dish. Everyone pitched in and helped so much, with grandpa being the chief bottle washer. THANK YOU!!!
Then Andrew flew in from North Carolina and their family was re-united - and they have a selfie to prove it!
Another "HI COUSIN!" photo with Elise and Whitney - the exotic raven-haired beauties!
And that's a wrap! XO
Mom
