They are SOOOO ready!

Need I say more!

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Parades

Wayne was invited to go on a 3 hour dirt bike ride with some guys from work on the 24th of July. They started out here in Cedar and went on the back roads to Escalante (spelling?). Wayne hasn't been able to do much racing this year and the one time he was able to go his bike got hit and crushed a very important pipe. So needless to say I was basically pushing him out the door and telling him to go have fun.

The kids and I planned to meet up with him the next morning for the Escalante Parade. The morning of the 24th I got the kids ready for their first trip down main street on a parade float. They had been invited by Trinity Knell to be apart of the Ashdown Forest/Cobble Creek float. Ty and Kaitlyn got to be cute little carrots surrounded by green jello. Megan walked with some of the older kids as a cute box of Jell-O. They were all good sports and seemed to be enjoying them selves. Trintiy and crew did an awesome job on the float, it turned out really cute.

The next morning I followed the other wives to Esclante and we arrived right before the parade was to start. We had been told that is parade is by far the biggest "candy" parade around. I had always thought that Santaquin was the best, but I was WRONG!
The Escalante parade starts off like every other parade with with the American Flag followed by the fire trucks. And then the candy came...it was like it was falling from the sky. The girls kept coming back with handfuls of candy. Every time they turned around there was more and more. They even got a little help from and elderly woman who was sitting next to us. It wasn't just candy though it was otter pops and toys too! I was even givin a small fan. I am pretty sure I won't need to buy Halloween candy this year.

After the parade the water trucks empty out their tanks and all the kids get to run out into the water and get soaked. Kaitlyn was the first to venture out into the water followed by Ty and then Megan. After that the water they put on a shoot out show. It took a really long time for them to get started and I was able to watch only so much before I felt like I was going to pass out from starvation. I made Wayne take me and the kids to a restaurant to go and get some lunch before the actual shoot out happened.

After lunch the kids and I drove home and Wayne finished off his trip with 6 hour dirt bike ride home. We all had fun and are thinking this is something we may do again.

2009 Orchard Days!

So the kids and I went up to Santaquin for Orchard Days this year and instead of only going for the day the kids and I went for an entire week. We spent the first and last part of the week with my mom and the middle of week with Wayne's parents. We spent Tuesday at the new Payson pool. The only way to describe it is it as if you are at the Washington pool, but all of it's outside. The kids had so much fun. Ty played and played and played. I had a terrible time getting him out of the water for any length of time. Because I was with Ty the whole time I wasn't able to get any pictures. I think the next time we go I will have to have Wayne come with us, so that I can get some pictures.

On Wednesday the kids and I drove out to the great "Land of Goshen" and spent some time with Wayne's parents and his sister and her kids. Wayne's dad had plans for me to help organize some of their pictures. I don't know why, but for some reason I wasn't thinking of family photos. I was thinking framed pictures that you buy at the store. After they pulled out 3 boxes I has two thoughts. 1- what have I gotten myself into. 2- this is going to be fun! We decided that the best way to preserve and organize the photos was to scrapbook them. Wayne's mom and I left all the kids in the care of his dad and headed to Walmart to get some supplies. I have to say that shopping with other peoples money is better then shopping with my own (sometimes). We bought tons of stuff and I got started later that night. I would have to say one of the kids favorite parts of going out to Goshen is getting to ride the horses. As Ty and Grandpa were riding down the driveway you could hear Ty yelling "Oh Yeah! WOO HOO!" and then you would hear Wayne's dad laugh. The next few days I spent scrap booking while my kids played with their cousins. It was great! I was also able to go horse back riding with my father- in-law. On Friday we headed up Payson Canyon and had a great 3 hour ride. I haven't been trail riding since Megan was little and it was so nice to have some one on one time with a great man who I admire for many reasons.

Friday the kids and I went back to Santaquin to stay with my parents. We were very excited to find out that Wayne was only 30 min. away (he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to come up). When he got to my parents the kids were so excited to see their dad.

The next morning I was going to be running in my first 5k in two years. I told my nephew Tyler that I would run it with him and secretly was hoping he would call and tell me he wasn't going to run, but he never did and instead of only running with Tyler I was able to run with his brother Austin too.

I was very nervous and right before the race started I decided to take it easy and enjoy the run. I ended up running it in 37.58 which is only 7.58 minutes longer then when I ran it two years ago. I know that if I had pushed myself I would have done a lot better, but I am satisfied and I have committed to running the 10 next year. Hopefully I will be able to get some after race pictures soon.

After the race is the amazing Santaquin parade. They had I believe over 130 floats enter this year. The great thing about this parade is that it is a big "candy" parade. Plus many of the people in it are people I know.
After the parade is the fair. We went down to the park and enjoyed good food and music and fun. The kids got their faces painted (wasn't the best paint jobs, but went towards the scout program). Kaitlyn got a pink kitty face, Ty got a red dinosaur, and Megan got a wingless bumble bee. I also let the kids pick something from the craft booths. Ty got a foam sword, Megan some really cute flower clips for her hair and Kaitlyn a writing note book.

After the fair we went back to my parents house and hung out until it was time for the rodeo. If you ever get a chance to go to the Orchard Days Rodeo go! It has only gotten better with time. It is by far my favorite rodeo and look forward to going to it every year. I believe they had 80 bull riders sign up but they could only take the first 30. I love sitting on the grass hill with all my family. Talking and catching up on life, watching my kids play with their cousins and seeing amazing athletic talent. It just doesn't get any better, except after the rodeo when they gave the fabulous fireworks show. This is a family tradition that Wayne and I will continue for many more years to come.