Last (thankfully) Vacation of the Summer

It felt like we were gone more than we were home this summer.  Many of the trips were to spend time with extended family so at the end of the summer we wanted a simple family vacation, just the six of us.  We found a dog sitter, we found a rat sitter and went on our last adventure of the year.

We headed to Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, UT.  Thanksgiving Point has four different sections.  There is The Gardens, with 50 acres of immaculate flowers, a river and the largest man made waterfall in the world.  There is a working farm experience with pony rides and animal petting.  And there are two museums.  The Museum of Ancient Life has the most full size dinosaur skeletons in the world and takes a person from the beginning of the world up to cavemen times.  The other museum was called the Museum of Natural Curiosity.  It had everything!

Our first stop upon getting to town was the Gardens.  We broke out a picnic lunch and feasted.
It was also very warm and the none of us wanted to do much exploring.

 So we saw the waterfalls...They were....a little...well...little.

We quickly scanned a couple of flower beds and headed back to the car promising we would come back when it was cooler.  We lied.  It's a pretty park but not really what the kids are into.

We then headed to the Museum of Natural Curiosity.  This was a place for kids!  And it was air conditioned!.

This booth blew hurricane strength winds.  Who knew fast moving air feels almost as refreshing as a shower?

Ethan's default camera expression.

After spending a couple of hours and seeing only a fraction of the museum we had to head out so we could set up camp before dark.

Sometimes Dreams Really Do Come True -or- Ethan is One Lucky Duck

Ethan wants a Kindle.  Desperately.  He put it on his birthday and Christmas list.  He has been saving money for one.  He reads all the time and is enamored with the idea of getting library books whenever he wants, not when mom has the energy to run everyone to the library.

He has been searching craigslist for affordable ones.  I decided to buy him one for Christmas.  I even emailed a guy a few days ago on a craigslist ad, but it was, alas, already sold.  I decided to keep looking.  I wanted to buy him an e-ink one so he could read all he wanted and I didn't have to worry about eyestrain or endless internet browsing.

Yesterday I checked my email and found one from the Boise Public Library.  I was expecting to read that I had an overdue book.  Instead it said:

Hi,

Ethan won Kindle Fire in the Summer Fest prize drawings.  Yay!  You can pick up his prize at the desk in the Children’s Room of the Main Library.

Congratulations!

Ethan almost made a hole in my floor he was jumping so hard.  After he finished his chores he asked if we could go to the library.  Unfortunately, no one else was as motivated as he was and I couldn't leave yet.  He asked if he was allowed to bike down by himself.  I thought this was reasonable and he shot out the door.

See how gingerly he's sliding it out of its plastic sleeve? He gets that from his dad.

He got more than he ever hoped for.  Now our family has to figure out some rules for his Kindle that allow him to read when he wants but not browse the internet all day.  I'm a little tempted to claim his Kindle Fire and give him my old e-ink one.  But I won't, because sometimes I try to be a nice mom.

Growing Up

Ethan, Sam, and I were biking to get the girls from a friend's house.  Ethan was complaining about biking.  I sassily asked him if he wanted to ride my bike where I was hauling Sam.  He did.

I rode his bike feeling light and free while he biked over a mile like this.

I was grinning like a fool.  I'm not sure if it was pride, humor, or overwhelming relief.

He wasn't as successful in transporting both Sam and Grace, but I will take what I can get!

The Problem with Vacation

When you leave for a week you come home with dirty clothes.

After being washed and dried, they still need folded.

Sigh...

McCall

Ethan wanted to go to Boy Scout Camp.  He is old enough to go but not old enough to spend the night without a guardian (according to church rules).  Michael wanted Ethan to be able to go.  He talked about taking the week off work and staying with him at camp.  The camp is in McCall.  We have access to a tiny little house in McCall.  I decided if the boys were going on a trip, I wanted a trip.  I suggested I take the three littler ones and stay at the McCall cabin.  Michael quickly decided the food would be better with us than at camp.  We decided to just pick Ethan up each evening, let him sleep at the cabin, and return him early the next morning.  Seeing as the camp was only a couple of miles away from the cabin, this worked out well.

Ethan went canoeing, rappelling, lit highly flammable things on fire, and even spent some time working on his merit badges.  He was returned to us euphorically exhausted.

Meanwhile we ate a lot of treats, went on walks and bike rides, and spent a lot of time playing in Payette Lake. 

Playing on a decorative train after a giant breakfast at the Pancake House.  The cinnamon roll was bigger than a standard dinner plate.

Climbing on rocks.  It seems to be becoming tradition to bike up to these rocks, climb around, and then speed down the mountain on our bikes.

Another favorite was the free bus.  We bussed even when it was more reasonable to bike or walk.  The kids adore this bus.  By the end of the week the drivers knew where we were staying and would drop us off without our even having to ask. 

 

Sam getting ready to conquer the water!

 

 Libby already had the water conquered.

A beautiful private garden called Charlie's Garden.  It took us awhile to find it but then we wandered around the garden for the better part of the morning.  It was amazing.

We found several playgrounds.  We did not know what this was or how to actually use it.  So we climbed. 

 Michael taking on the monkey bars. 

Libby being photogenic in front of the lake.

It was a great (albeit exhausting trip)!