Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

We went to get ice cream at the one and only gas station in Dutch John after lunch/dinner at the Flaming Gorge Lodge.  We took the kids to a little duck pond adjacent to the gas station and fed the duck those gross pellets that those fouls love so much.  I love summer days like this.  Something about it being so warm but overcast with impending rain is just so appealing to me!

Marley, Chelsea, Seth, Josslyn, Tina, Jono, Orimi, Kimbra, Hendrix, Alece and Grace (Kevin is missing as he was taking the picture!)

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

We went to lunch/dinner at the Flaming Gorge Lodge and were surprised by little piles of hail in a few areas around the cabin.  Of course my brother Seth had to do something goofy and make everyone bow to the hail.  I just can't bring myself to fall into his nonsense, even if it is kind of funny!

 I don't know why Marley has such a sour look on her face!

 Both Hendrix and Grace wanted to play in the hail pile!

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

I love this little man!  He was having such a good time at the cabin.  I think he will have more fun when he is able to walk around.  I don't want to let him crawl around outside too much because the lawn is littered with deer poop and who knows what else!

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

Croquette anyone?  Marley and Grace were so excited to play this game, even though they really don't know how!  I don't know what Grace is doing on the grass in that first picture...

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

It was so great to see my mom playing with the kids.  They loved that she got on the trampoline to jump around with them.  I think it helps to have all the family around so she doesn't feel the loss of my dad so hard.

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

Kevin put Hendrix on the four-wheeler.  Of course Hendrix was so interested in what was going on with the four-wheeler, and I know Kevin cannot wait until Hendrix is old enough to ride on it!

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

Nice hat Seth!!

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

My mom, Grandma Orimi, spend lots of time jumping on the trampoline with the kids (which they loved). My mom even got Josslyn on the tramp, as timid as Josslyn can be sometimes.  It was so cute to see them pal around on the tramp!

Flaming Gorge with Ackroyd's in July

This is the second year we have gone to the 4th of July parade in Vernal (it's about 30 minutes drive south of Flaming Gorge).  The kids love going and I love being with them!  My family didn't quite make it to Vernal in time for the parade this time, but they didn't miss too much.

What a Shiner!

Kevin's sister, Kristen has two sons that play on competitive baseball teams.  Kristen was at one of their games and got smacked on the left eye with a baseball.  Luckily it wasn't worse that a few stitches!!

Party at Avery's

Marley's adorable friends (who are twins), Courtland and Avery, invited Marley to their birthday party. So cute to see them together!!!

Down the Toilet

Anyone who has children of both varieties,  knows how much different raising boys are from girls.  Let's just say that Hendrix is giving me a run for my money...in my bathroom toilet I found this:

He was attempting to throw more things into this toilet other than what he'd already chucked in there when I stopped him.  I find him attempting to put things in the garbage as well, so who knows what has been thrown away. I'm just hoping it's nothing too important!

Plumb Tuckered Out

Every time I see this picture, I just have to laugh!!  It so crazy because my brother Jono said that Josslyn was just playing around one minute and the next minute, passed out!  How cute is that?!

Good Buddies

Kevin's friend from college, Brian Issacson, was in town from New Mexico, with his family visiting family, and was kind enough to think of us and invited us to a BBQ.  This family is so fabulous and they have three boys that are similar in age to our girls.  We had a great time!

Zoo with Cousins

We were lucky enough to have my cousin, Rami, bring her adorable girls, Savannah and Aleah, down for a visit.  They are so much fun! We made a trip to the zoo and went to the bird show.  The woman running the bird show called on Marley to come up and help with one of the birds.  Marley got to hold out her arm. Marley got to have one of the birds fly to and land on her out-stretched arm.  I don't know how much Marley liked it...she said that the claws of the bird were a bit sharp, but I still think it's so cool she got to participate.

Zoo Birds

We were so lucky to have my cousin, Rami and her two beautiful girls, Savannah and Aleah, come visit for a few days.  We took them to the zoo and I finally was able to let my kids see the bird show that the Hogle Zoo puts on every day (every time we go to the zoo, Marley asks to watch the bird show but we either miss it or don't have time to watch it)

 Grace, Marley and Savannah

 Marley got picked out of the audience to have a bird fly to her and land on her arm.  She was so happy she got picked!!