Celebrating 250 Years!

Happy 250th birthday USA!!! It was such a fun day of celebrating. Megan took these cute pictures of the boys... cute little firecrackers! We gathered for a nice steak dinner at 5pm and got to have the missionaries over for dinner. That was really fun... everyone was here except for Brooke and Ben--we missed them this year. They were up in Wyoming for an Israelsen family reunion. Our dinner was so yummy-- steak, baked potatoes, a yummy salad and watermelon... and Megan brought a yummy triffle red, white and blue style with angel food cake and strawberries and blueberries. It was soooo good! After, the missionaries left a message with the Elders singing to the ukulele a song that Elder Howard had written about the First Vision. It was a beautiful song! Elder Holmes is going home this next week and we had a really good visit with both of them. When they left, everyone went swimming and outside to play pickleball. Logan was cold so he came to me to cuddle... that's my job! We went back and forth to the water though, as soon as he warmed up each time... he loves his "squishees". We enjoyed the pool along with the beautiful AZ sunset! When we started to hear more firecrackers and see lights in the skies, we went to the front yard to set off our own. Luke and Logan LOVED helping Grandpa set them off. Boys love that kind of stuff! After the fireworks were over, the Polley's went home and Bill, me, Katie and Kaden watched the surrounding fireworks all around us from the jump wall at the pool. There were shows and neighbor's displays all around us! It was fun. Then we played half a game of Shanghai Rummy with McKenzie and then we played a game of Rook with Katie and Kaden. They beat us, but it was a really good game! Kaden kept getting amazing hands! They left late to go back to his parents' house and I cleaned up and went to bed... good day celebrating a remembering that freedom isn't free. I am so grateful for this country and all the freedoms we have! We are fasting in gratitude for these freedoms today and tomorrow and asking that they be preserved and kept for our children and future generations! Happy 4th of July!

Summer Regionals...

Beautiful mornings here in Tucson and lots of mule deer... I saw a pack of about a dozen or so yesterday morning on my run. We had our meetings this morning and then lunch. I spent the afternoon napping! I intended on going to the pool, but got comfy on the bed and fell asleep. I probably needed it though! The boys went to their kids club tonight while us adults went to our dinner. It was fun-- we got to sit with Megan and Todd (assigned seating on the last night) but we sat with the Bradley's and their son and daughter in law-- who is doing Jones. They were really nice! Afterward, they had some people come in and teach us country dancing and line dancing. Bill and I learned some new things and a lot of tips that make it a lot easier! It was a fun night. I didn't get any pictures at the dinner, but they boys were sleepy and ready to go when we went to get them from the babysitters. Daddy and Papa gave good rides back to our rooms! And then sleepy time for everyone. Tomorrow we pack up and head back home! It has been a crazy June and it went by so lightning fast! Now we slow down a bit and take a breath and wait for Miss Abigail to arrive!!! Her arrival will be so fun and I know Megan is READY!!!

Summer Regionals...

This morning after breakfast we had a really fun animal interaction at the hotel! People from a nearby museum/zoo brought several animals and talked about them with all the kids! They brought a King snake-- which I thought was pretty small or young, but they said he was 22 years old! They also brought an Iguana sized lizard, but I can't remember what kind he was.. but looked a lot like an Iguana... and then this here little desert tortoise, who they let walk back an forth down the center aisle of kids. Luke had a pretty good seat! Logan was more interested in the snacks in my purse, but sat happy and content on my lap and watched from afar. Right after, we found our own wildlife-- some sort of a stink bug/beetle. We named him "Stinky", but he wasn't there when we came back around. The boys looked for him every time we passed that spot and were sad when he wasn't there. Boys and their bugs!!! Later after lunch, we went to the pool and the lazy river. BOTH the boys had fun going down the slide... Logan just went head first by himself and the lifeguard didn't stop him... so he went down again feet first! Then he went round and around and around many times!!! He loved that he was allowed to go all by himself and as many times as he wanted to! We all floated on the lazy river several times as well. It was a very HOT day... even in the shade! That's where I hung out for most of the afternoon. Logan didn't sleep well last night because he didn't have his "gummies" so they went to the store to buy more before his nap this afternoon...smart! Later on, after a nice rest in our rooms, we went to dinner. They had such cute pioneer/cowboy type games for the kiddos--Luke especially loved the panning for gold and showed me all his rocks and treasures he got! Boys and their rocks!! Another fun day at Regionals!