Pioneer Days

We are now down in Utah for our annual summer trip to Springville. We spent Wednesday (July 23) driving down and made it in a record 12 1/2 hours. I packed all the kids a huge snack bag to munch on all day. That way we only made quick potty stops and only one stop for dinner. The kids were so excited to arrive at Nanny and Grandpa Hansen's house and hit all their favorite spots right away. Sean dove into the toy box. Chad ran out to the back yard to catch bugs and jump on the trampoline and Halle played with the barbies and all the new outfits my mother had knitted for them.

Thursday was Pioneer Day here in Utah. I was excited to be down for Pioneer Days with my kids as they really don't know what that is all about yet. We started off with a great parade in Spanish Fork for their Fiesta Days and parked our car on the road leading into our old neighborhood where Chris and I started off our married life. Chad was into the different cars, clowns, and military equipment. Halle waved to every princess. Sean kept rolling himself into a burrito with our blanket. And even though it was 97 degrees outside we had plenty of cloud cover to make being outside enjoyable.

After the parade my dad spoiled the kids by taking them on the carnival rides. Sean and Halle stuck to the little kids rides. Chad got adventurous and went on a ride with his dad that was pretty wild. You were strapped into a seat and then sent twirling around and upside down and all over the place. It was hilarious to see both Chad and Chris's faces as they flip flopped from terror to delight every couple of seconds.

The next adventure was to get everyone down for naps! After a long drive and an early morning we grownups were exhausted!

We then ventured over to the Spanish Fork swimming pool. It is the greatest pool in the world! A deep end with two diving boards. A huge swimming area. Three different kids' areas and a big slide to go down. And what was the price? Only $3 per person!!!! Why can't Spokane have better and more affordable pools?!!!!

Finally we had a BBQ with my grandparents and then lit fireworks. My dad gets excited to spoil the grand kids! And after hearing me whine that fireworks are illegal in Spokane, my dad set out to make amends. He bought a box of fireworks as tall as he is! The kids were ecstatic to pick their firework out and then have dad or grandpa light it for them. As soon as it was lit they would run as fast as they could away from the firework and yell, "Run for your life!" It was so funny.

It was a great Pioneer Day! Although, I don't think my kids still understand what pioneers are. But they had a lot of fun.

Today we got to go boating at Yuba Lake. My brother, David, joined us. It again was perfect weather (under the shade)! Hot enough to make the cool water feel refreshing and a slight breeze to help cool things down. Just to make things interesting, by dad build a fire to cook hot dogs. That's right. A fire in 100 degree weather!!!! What we should have brought was a solar cooker - it would have worked great!

The kids spent the day catching bugs, swimming in the water, tubing behind the boat and riding in the boat. We almost got Chad to water ski. He got all the way in the water but then quit as soon as Grandpa tried to get the skies on him. Oh, well. There is always next year.

Chris and I skied only once - that is all we had enough energy for! As we were getting ready to leave a huge storm came in and tried to blow all our stuff away. Sand was blowing everywhere!!! It was really crazy. I was glad we were not out on the water any more.

After a great dinner of KFC (my absolute favorite fast food!) we again had my grandparents over and did more fireworks! Yes, there were still plenty left from the night before. It took about an hour and a half to finish them off tonight.

The kids are now tucked into their beds. They are sun kissed and so happy to be having so much fun. And this exhauseted mommy is going to bed! Goodnight.

I'm a Cub Scout Now

Yes, I have a new calling. One of those you always dreaded and figured you would never be called to. I am now the new Wolf Leader for the cub scouts in our ward and in the 6th ward.

As usual, I had a feeling the calling was coming. So, when my dear husband brought it up it was no surprise. I said yes, because I knew the calling was from our Heavenly Father and I also figured I would be getting into scouting soon enough anyway with an almost 8 year boy myself.

So far I have been having a blast. I think this is the first calling I would say as being really fun. There have been a lot of callings that I enjoy, or were easy to survive. But this one I really like.

It might be totally fun because I work with such an awesome person, Carolyn!!!! And it might be fun because all the ideas are given to you to use. And it might be fun because you get to play like a kid again. Or maybe I just haven't had this calling long enough. We'll see how I feel after day camp next week.

I forgot my camera last meeting and I'll be gone for the rest of the meetings this month - but some day I'll post a picture of Carolyn and I wearing our fabulous scouting uniforms. Now that will be something for posterity!

A Very Serious Threat

Is Sean hanging around Halle a little too much? Usually they play pretty great together. Sometimes that involves barbies and fairies, etc. I don't mind - as long as they are playing and letting me get stuff done. Not Dad's favorite thing for his son to do - but oh well.

I threw Halle and Sean in the bath together tonight. As usual, a water fight erupted and grew into a kicking match. I had to come in and break it up. Sean was still really upset and not pleased about having to come out of the bath. After I got him dried off and was getting Halle out he came back into the bathroom and yelled, "I won't believe in Tinkerbell any more!!!!!!"

Guess that is his way of threatening Halle, as she truly does believe in Tinkerbell. I suppose it is time to enroll him in Karate or something else manly to work out his frustrations. We certainly wouldn't want Tinkerbell dying because he doesn't believe in her any more.

This Is Your Mind on Clutter!

Want to see what the inside of my mind looks like? Just look at pictures of our "Toy Room" downstairs. I'm so embarrassed to show these - but I am trying to improve. I worked non-stop for a couple of days to sort out toys. Some now have homes - the rest are all going bye-bye. I can't believe how much stuff we have!!!!!

I'd like to show you the "after" pictures but as soon as I was done with that project I started another. So now the Toy Room is littered with clothes that I need to sort out and give away.

I can't wait to be clutter free!!! But it is also such an emotional process for me. Especially to be getting rid of all my baby stuff. It doesn't seem possible that I am now past that stage.

Late Easter

As usual, I forgot to get a family picture on Easter Sunday. So I recreated the moment a few weeks later to at least capture the kids. So here they are at their smiling best.

The Circus Came to Town.

Chad, Halle, and Sean with the Chipmunk Clown.

During track season I am always trying to find fun things for the kids and I to do together to compensate for dad always being gone. I hadn't taken them to the circus for a few years and when they all came home from school with free tickets it was a done deal! I was a little scared to take all three of them all by myself. But I forget how grown up they all are now. They all did great - even Sean. They stayed totally mesmerized by all the circus acts the whole time. I think that I even had fun.

Human juggling.

My kids loved this one because they like it when dad juggles them. They couldn't wait to tell dad how to do some new moves!

This act caught my attention because I couldn't believe the costumes (or lack of!). I had my camera set on continuous so I could catch different posses as they spun around. But believe me you do not want to see the back of any of these ladies - there is just way too much to see!!!!

Our over all favorite was the bear act! They were pretty amazing. Walking barrels, jumping hurdles and riding a motorcycle!

During intermission you could come down and pay to get your pictures taken with the bears. But that is not how we Caviness' do things! Oh no - it is just not as much fun if it is not free. So I had my kids sit by were they were getting ready for pictures and took my own. You can see the trainer in the back trying to hide the bear from me and my camera.

Track Finale

It is now June and I am trying desperately to catch up on the last couple of months of my life. Thank goodness for pictures and words scribbled all over my calendar to jog my memory of what has been happening.

I love track (which is a good thing) but haven't been too into it lately. There is always an excuse: bad weather (can use that one 99% of the time), young kids (okay they are growing up now), no in-laws to help (I can't believe I have already survived 4 months without them!), and competition of time with Chad's soccer schedule.

Chris had some great girls the last few years that are now graduating and moving on. Since being at Ferris he has mostly coached the high jump. His best girl, Kelly McNamee took first place last year and also this year at state. She now has a scholarship to attend Washington State.

The whole team did fantastic this year. Winning every single meet and becoming the GSL champs! (It was mostly just nice to beat out Mead! They are pretty sore winners and loosers.)

One of his other girls, Kelsie Adams did well this year too. She took 8th at state this year.

And just to show you what high jumping looks like, below are a few photos. The photos are of Kelsie, not Kelly. But they were the only ones I was able to get at the Ferris meet this year. Can't believe this is from way back in April. I really wanted pictures of Kelly - but oh well.

Coach Caviness at his post.

Kelsie making her approach.

Up she goes.

And over.

And that is how it is done.