My Favorite Things! (ok... so I'm on a song title post kick...sorry)

When Lauren was 1 we bought Dave a hammock for Father's Day. It was the best gift I've ever given him. It hangs under the huge tree in our backyard and for 9 years now it has been the place for the world's greatest naps with Dad and hammock night.


Three of my favorite pictures in the world are the kids at one point in their lives having a nap with Dave on the hammock. (I've got to see if I can find the ones of Lauren and Kenzi and I'll add them.)

During the summer the kids rotate having "hammock night" with Dad and get to go out at bedtime and snuggle in the hammock. They have astronomy lessons, discuss great inventions they will make someday and talk about the most important things in life.

That's What I Like About You!!!

There are lots of great things about Dave, but two of them came to mind on Saturday morning as I walked out in the backyard. He is very creative and is a very hard worker. Every summer he gets bored and creative at the same time and we end up with some cool new things in the yard. (Last summer it was the tire swing!!!)

Earlier this summer he built a firepit (see cutting phone lines post). He decided we needed a cute little patio to go along with the firepit up in the pines. For Father's Day I got him two Andirondack chairs and this weekend he started (and almost finished) the little patio.

The thing I love the most about these projects is having the kids help him. As soon as Cameron found out he was outside Saturday morning he got on his gloves, got his tool kit and spent the few hours "helping" dad!

Lauren also immediately when back a spent the day helping him design and put it together. (Kenzi likes watching and bringing out sodas ... that is her way of helping.)

It turned out great and we've enjoyed it already. (We just need to work on the estimating. He bought 3 bags of sand and ended up needing more like 15. I think by the end of the day between both of us we had made at least 5 trips to Loews for supplies).

What Do You Do in the Summertime?

So my siblings and friends from my childhood tell me I have too good of a memory. They say I remember everything... especially things we don't really want to remember.

Nevertheless... I have four very distinct summer memories from when I was pretty young that have come back to me this summer as I've watched my own kids outside. My kids love these things and when I watch them it just makes me smile.

1. Playing in a little pool in our backyard (probably 3 or 4). At the end of the day standing on the edge of the pool with my mom to let the water out. The water felt so warm after being in the hot sun as it trickled over my feet ... and I loved the feeling of the soggy grass afterward. I can still remember exactly where the pool was in my backyard the first time I did this.

2. Doing the slip-n-slide on the side grass. (I know it is awful on the grass Dave, but my nostalgic side just can't say no to the kids.)


3. Playing nightgames with the neighbor kids. Kick-the-can was our favorite. Ghost in the Graveyard seems to be the popular game in our neighborhood now.

4. Eating sherbet icecream with my friend Lezlee Smith. The summer I remember this we were on a lime sherbet kick and had one everyday. Now the Hess kids love the sherbet and popsiscles too!!

4th of July -- Stay-cation

Due to a variety of circumstances, we are not taking a big family summer vacation this year. Instead, we got to enjoy our own (stay-cation -- stay at home vacation this week). We had a week of visitors and fun. Mandy (my niece from Washington), the Jones' (Dave's family from California) and the Bauers (one of my BFFs from when I was 2 who now lives in Idaho) all descended upon the Salt Lake valley this week.

It was such a fun week... I'm a little exhausted tonight... but well worth the fun! Highlights include (kids when you say at the end of the summer we didn't take a vacation just re-read this and remember the massive fun week we had with our family and friends.)

Mandy, Rachel and Hess Kids

Cam & Kenzi dancing in a ballroom at J.S. Memorial
Grandpa, Jana, Mandy & Hess Kids

Cool Cam & Cute Mandy

I think we wore Kenzi out... this was only day 2!!

Cardiac Canyon at Cherry Hill was their favorite place to play!

A log jam on the ride... Lauren loved it... Kenzi not so much.

Katie/Jackie/Jana Wall -- Rachel Cottle -- Mandy Wall -- Kaylee Lyman -- Hess Kids

Cam has turned into a swimming maniac this summer -- he loves to swim under water! We went around the Lazy River at least 20 times ... and he never would get in a tube.
Lauren, Austin Bauer and Drew (Bauer's friend).

Lauren LOVED a day at Lagoon with big kids only!

Brent, Austin, Lauren & Nat getting ready for a ride.
Jac & Madison showing off their great teeth/healthy mouths at Lagoon.

(Nat the dental hygienist should be so proud.)

Cameron & Jacqueline Bauer enjoying the cul-de-sac fireworks.
Mike Cottle and Jacqueline at Timp Caves.
Jacqueline & Madison in the caves.

(Sorry Dave... I have no proof you were really there so you'll have to do that hike again. Dave said you only need to do that hike one time in your life with your kids.)

* BBQ at Grandpa's and Cousin sleepover

* Play day with Mandy (including yes Becca and Scott a trip to the U of U bookstore)

* Late night tennis

* Cherry Hill with the cousins.... the kids LOVED that!!!!!!!!

* Playgroup Water Fun

* Watching Trevor play volleyball at the Jr. Olympic Tournament (Trev you are so cool and so good)

* Temple Square/Joseph Smith Movie/Lunch at Joseph Smith Memorial new cafe (Yum!! Mandy you are so cute by the way.)

* Cleaning Rice Eccles Stadium after the Real Soccer Game (great fundraiser for Lauren's soccer team -- she thought it was the greatest late night ever. We watched fireworks and then cleaned the stadium for 2 hours. While the parents ran the leaf blowers the kids went on the field for an hour and played soccer. Dave didn't think it was too fun, but I thought it was a great experience for Lauren. Maybe getting to bed at 2:00 am and then getting up at 6:00 am the next morning wasn't too great.)

* Ward 4th of July Breakfast and kids bike parade (the kids LOVE decorating the bikes).

* Climbing Timp Caves with Bauers and Walls and Cottles (thank heavens for the cloud cover. Dave, you know it wasn't as bad as you think it was.)

* Dinner out at Wingers (finally....who new every restaurant closes at 6:00 pm on the 4th of July but Dave had unending patience as we drove from restaurant to restaurant and then when we finally go to eat ordered two entrees and ate most of Kenzi and Cameron's food too).

* Fireworks in the cul-de-sac

* Lagoon from 10:00 am - 11:00 pm (for Lauren and Bauers only -- thanks for taking her she loved it!!)

* Group sleepovers with the Bauer kids and the Hess kids on the floor every night! (How many blankets and pillows do such little bodies need?!?!)

* Fun family dinner with the Jones, Aaron and Jenn, and Katie and her cute friend. (We have such great family. Great pork chops Dave... if anyone wants a good recipe let me know.)

* Watching Jacqueline record a Jenny Phillips song at a studio (great singing Jacqueline)

More Playgroup Summer Fun

I love the fountains at Gateway... watching the kids screaming (you can hear Lauren for miles) at the top of their lungs during the huge water fountains during the songs makes me want to be a kid again... but not enough to go stand in the middle of the water with them. Here are a few photos of the kids and friends at our neighborhood playgroup a few weeks ago.