America's 248th Birthday

Happy birthday America. Let's do things the right way, the American way, the freedom way.

Freedom breakfast:

Pancakes, bacon, eggs and Old Glory ice cream.

Red, white, and blue colored pancakes too although the blue turned out more green. We talked about the Bill of Rights and discussed our favorite freedoms.

Even the lamp got the patriotic treatment and wore a tricorn hat.

Then we watched "Ben and Me" and then listened to JFK read the Declaration of Independence.

I don't know if I've ever read the entire thing before. I love seeing the signatures. These men were committing treason. Would you sign it?

After that it was only like 10 am so we watched part of Top Gun: Maverick and then got ready to go do something American.

While driving around I read a list of 50 uniquely American foods. Smores, hotdogs, basically anything manmade.

Sandwiches, swings, climbing trees, resting at the park.

Then to Brooker's Founding Flavors for some American ice cream. You can see there Revolutionary War flavors here.  We can only afford to take all the kiddos here once a year so July 4 it must be.

These waffle cones are amazing. Aaron Burr's Murderous Shot black vanilla is a favorite.

 

I got James Armistead Double Spy Undercover and John Locke's Natural Honey Comb Rights Crunch.

 

On the way home Justin stopped at a fireworks stand and took so long picking out fireworks I fell asleep in the car.

After we finished Top Gun we got ready for our hamburger dinner. Justin's parents and Dallin came over. The burgers were amazing and the weather was not hot.

And then smores, of course. During this time the fighter jets flew right overhead after flying over BYU Stadium of Fire. Best moment of the day.

We cleaned up dinner in the back and then moved to the front for Sidewalk of Fire

 

We could hear and see fireworks from all over town and hear them echoing off the mountains. It was uniting. True Americans.

We love you, America. May we live up to your ideals.

The last of June

The day after father's day Justin left for a work trip to Colorado. He got back Wednesday afternoon just in time for him and I to head up to girls camp. We ate dinner with Sarah, watched the skits and then met with just our ward for dessert and testimony meeting. The bishopric served the girls ice cream cones.

It's always so fun to see the young women and to see Sarah having fun with all the girls. 

There are a couple of boys building a fort in a huge empty field near our house. One day I saw these awesome signs but no sign of the fort. I took a picture for Justin because it makes him happy to see kids playing outside doing creative things.

Summer isn't summer without swimming lessons although it felt weird to only have two kids taking lessons. Sarah's schedule didn't line up with the weeks that a class for her was offered and I couldn't talk Henry into taking anymore lessons. So just the littles.

Erica learned the front stroke this year and she did awesome. I think she had the advantage of practicing a little with her older siblings here and there since last year. They also started diving in this class and she did great at that too. Her teacher often pointed out to the rest of the class how little of a splash she made.

She also won the survival float contest.

James was all about doing whatever he needed to do to pass the class. He's a quick learner but he often gets goofing around with whoever is around him and doesn't listen. 

But this year I could tell he was trying a little harder because I always get them a treat if they pass and he really wanted a kids meal or a big box of goldfish crackers. 

He passed and he was so excited. He impulsively chose pizza and ice cream from Costco and had major remorse on the way home that he didn't get goldfish crackers. I'll see what I can do to make it up to him. We've all been there.

He and his little biker games of friends crack me up. Sandlot anyone?

Friday all the kids had their dentist checkups. James has like 5 wiggly teeth, Henry has a molar ready to fall out of his mouth but he won't do it because he hates losing teeth, Sarah was fine, poor Erica has two more cavities. Everyone was cooperative so we got doughnuts at the grocery store per tradition.

Justin got back yesterday from a weeklong canoeing and fishing trip in Minnesota with his friends. I don't remember all the details but he got rained on, bit by leeches and mosquitos, but said it was awesome.

A week apart and then together for Father's Day

Tuesday morning Justin left with the priests for their summer campout at Lake Powell. Henry and the rest of the young men and leaders left on Wednesday. I had a lot of pictures of Justin's to choose from and I wish I could tell you all the details but I can't. I do know they had fun boating and tubing, got in a wild windstorm that tested their resolve, went on a great hike guided by Justin's cousin, ate well, slept okay and were hot hot hot. Here are some pictures.

Here's our faithful bishop driving home. I was so concerned for him all week. It's hard to be in charge. It's really hard to be in charge of a campout of 20+ boys far from home and in an inhospitable place. But judging from the boys' talks the next day in sacrament meeting, he did a good job.

Meanwhile at home: 

I just want to note how nicely my trees and shrubs are all growing. They are my favorite things to grow.

Sarah and James had kid camp all week long. Sarah as counsellor (as part of being on the city youth council), James as participant. 

The year's theme was Olympics so the kids were divided into countries for the week. James was in the Philippines group. He had a blast. He asked every day if I could sign him up for next year. 

With Justin and Henry gone we had a quiet week. The kids hung out with friends and I barely cooked. I did lots of yardwork though.

Saturday evening when Justin and Henry got home, Erica and James did their Father's Day Magic Show. They did such a great job. Erica had been practicing tricks all week and even though I had seen their rusty beginnings, I was tricked too!

Father's Day! The best part of Father's Day is no extra meetings for Justin. It feels like a holiday just to have him home on a Sunday.

But we still have early church so we only had time for a picture.

Afterward church the kids and I gave him some presents. Sarah gave him a gel headache hat, Henry gave him a new grill brush, I gave him an under the grill mat, Erica gave him squeezy sauce bottles and this:

 
And James gave him some BYU ice cream and this:

It's a tiny bbq grill he made at a primary activity.

These kids love him so much. Well I do too but it's fun to watch them make a big deal about their dad.

After a much needed nap, we made dinner. Steak, chicken, shrimp, roasted vegetables, fruit salad and homemade lemonade.

But before we ate Justin tried out his portrait setting on his phone on us.

For dessert I surprised him with a Basque cheesecake. I first heard about this Spanish cheesecake on Thursday, made it Friday in the midst of a power outage,  and we ate it Sunday. I think we all liked it. It's much easier to make than a NY cheesecake and a fun and interesting texture.

We are doing another week apart this week. Justin left today for Colorado for work and Sarah left for girls camp. Sarah will be back Thursday. Justin will be back Wednesday but he's got more work this week in Ogden and a father and sons campout Friday night. Then next Monday he leaves for 6 days to Minnesota. Sigh.