Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Cousin Love

From the time we told Sofi that her cousins were going to go to Cherry Hill with her, she wouldn't stop asking. Lucky for us, that day finally arrived when the Ball Fam came to town.

Sadly, I didn't get any pictures, but know that it was awesome and Sof was ecstatic to be able to play with the big kids.

Nothing to do with Cherry Hill, but I saw this fatty one morning walking. I'm still not sure how he got up there.
The same day we went to Cherry Hill ended up being Cow Appreciation Day at Chik-Fil-A. Here's Sof dressed like a cow. She glued those spots on herself.
Nothing brings families together quite like free food.
The party kept going when Sof decided to pick beans in her birthday suit.
They weren't quite sure how they felt about their trip to Costco.

Another day, Grandma & Grandpa Spjute treated everyone to a ride on the Frontrunner to downtown SLC. It was so fun! The stop ended up being right behind Greg's work, and if it wasn't so expensive, we would be riding that little beauty a lot more often.

Sof refusing to pose with her cousins for a pic.
We made it to the Primary Children's Museum and it was so cool! They have this round room where you can watch a 5 min video of Joseph Smith's first vision. Soooooo cool! If you haven't seen it, you need to.
Waiting to life that big stone. She's so strong!
Claire was content to sit on the floor wherever we stopped.
Touching Angel Moroni's feet with special gloves.
Running to Crown Burger.
Even though she was sick and skipped her morning nap, she was a champ!
Sofi loves Beanie babe.

Greg's sister Lindsey's favorite mission companion was in town from Nepal, so we all got together to chat with her. I had to leave early with Claire, but it was fun to be able to meet her.


Cousins!

Cousins in age order. (I had to hold Sofi up because she was having a meltdown. turns out the tendon on her elbow had become dislocated and she was legit crying in pain ... Whoops!)

Festival Day Parade!

#Truth
We were late and had to park 5 blocks away, but we made it!
We love free fatboys!
We love free capes!
Claire loves Pace bars (and keys!)

Everyone decided to take a break up Farmington canyon to go bum sliding. Sofi was not impressed.

But all was made right when the squirters were brought out.
What a fun-filled week we had. It's always rough when life returns to normal, but it's the mundane that makes family visits so sweet.

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Thorley Cabin

Sof woke up bright and early Tuesday, July 3 ready to go to the mountain! She was so sad that Claire still had to take a morning nap before we left. Little did we know that Sof was sick. She had a 100 degree fever when we left. Greg gave her a blessing, and I gave her drugs, so between the two she was feeling much better by the time we actually got to Cedar City.

Does she look ready or what?
 
It has kind of become a sad little joke around here that Greg is allergic to fun. He always seems to get sick whenever we have something fun planned.

Poor Sof was exhausted and refused to eat dinner at my parent's, so I put her to bed at 6:30 that night. Then I put Claire to bed. Greg took his mtn bike down and was excited to ride a new trail he found in Cedar. 

I was feeling a bit nostalgic driving back down the canyon by myself. It's this view that really makes me miss where I grew up. I spent a lot of years driving up and down these roads, and sometimes I wish my girls could have the same escape. 
This is a pic Greg snapped of the trail he rode. Holy crap!

When I got back into town, I saw Sof running around out front with my parents. Apparently she had woke up around 8:00 pm thinking it was morning. She came down the stairs requesting mush and was ready for the day! So, instead of putting her back to bed, we fired up the CT-70 motorcycle and went cruising the neighborhood streets looking for cousins.

We found them up swimming at my grandpa's neighborhood pool.
Then we watched fireworks!

The next day was the 4th of July parade, and it was fun to watch it with cousins. But boy has that parade gone downhill. It pretty much consisted of every softball and baseball team in town armed with squirt guns. My dad had brought along his old fire extinguisher and I was forced to chase down a certain team who has sprayed Sof in the face one too many times. I was ticked!! One poor boy had no idea that I would chase and spray him as far as I did. 

pictures with Great Grandma Jolley
4th of July babies!
Pictures with Aunt Katy. Claire reminds me a lot of Katy when she was a baby. 
Once we hit dirt roads, the girls get to come out of their car seats.
Helping Grandpa unload the toys.
More rides on the motorcycle.
We forgot Claire's jacket so she had to wear mine.
We got a fun new swing hung up. A big improvement from the giant tire swing I grew up with. Now no one will fall through the middle (someone always did).
I got to cut down a tree with the dullest chainsaw known to man.
She slept good.
Grandma on the zipline.

My nephew Thor has the cutest baby motorcycle and Sof loved to sit on it. This video of her is hilarious!

Getting cool tattoos.
Cute Claire in the nasty hammock.
Hummingbirds galore. 

The traditional zipline video. Sof would go on this zipline at the other cabin but not at the one we put up. She's crazy.

The view seems to get better each year!
Greg doing manly things.
This is Greg after rescuing Sofi from the bath where I was laughing my head off while she screamed hers off. She couldn't get in bed fast enough.
The sunset was beautiful on this particular night! Greg and I sped up to the point to see it.
Sofi still loves to hold Claire.
Claire slept good when she decided to sleep.
Time to go! My sister Jess loaded Sof up for one last Ranger ride. They went ahead of me to open the gates.
Both girls asleep. Proof it still happens.
Cute Claire.

When we woke up Sunday, Claire and I weren't feeling too good so Sof and Greg went to church without us. There must've been something going around up there because pretty much everyone was sick after we all went home. It must've been a combination of the crazy, dry weather/dust and low water table (the water tasted terrible!). Not sure what else it could've been.

We had a lot of fun at the cabin, but it sure feels good to be home.