Swim and Smores

Today's family fun highlight was probably when everyone roasted smores this evening. 

The kids had been waiting patiently to be able to have smores, and tonight was the perfect moment, cause Corey was back from his short trip to Idaho, and it was good cause it was Joseph's last night of summer break. I'll give a few details of the day and then get back to the smores. So Peter has been our early riser this week. It seems to be brighter earlier in the morning up here on top of the mountains. Back at home we're in the shadow of the mountains for an hour after sunrise, but not up here. So Peter will come in and let me know "Mom! It's morning! It's not time to sleep!" This morning he came in and lay on the bed next to me and let me know "I lost my dad..." Corey went back home Sunday night cause he was going up to Idaho Falls Monday with a neighbor that he is working on the NARX project with. Corey got back to Salt Lake late and went home rather than drive up here so late. He got here at 3:30 this afternoon, but Peter was missing him this morning. But I thought that was a cute that he said he lost Corey. 

Don't worry Peter! He's not lost, and he'll always come back. Katharine was just cute today. She holds her little thumbs when she nurses and it's so cute. 

She also seems to really like the dark headboard here at Summit Watch, and the black frame of the picture above it. She will stare at it quite contently...

Until the kids come and get her or I get in the way of her view...

"Mom, you're in the way... I'm trying to train my eyes to learn how to focus and see, so if you'll excuse yourself I have work to do..." She's pretty sweet.

Katharine and I went to watch kids at the pool. 

I wasn't much help with Katharine in my arms, and Hyrum on the phone (he called for his p-day) so I was grateful when a nice dad in the pool helped Peter put on these goggles. 

Peter got hit when he and his brothers were wrestling and has a little bruise on his cheek. Getting a closer look to see his eyes a little squished. Cute kid

So we went swimming a few times. Dinner was shrimp fried rice and then the moment everyone had been waiting for - SMORE TIME! 

Corey and I both filming the fun - 

Joseph brought up some smore supplies and mentioned to Corey and I that: "I bought all this a month ago for a date, but then it got cancelled..." but Corey said "Don't tell them that!" We gave him our blessing to take advantage of the chance and pretend he was just a very thoughtful big brother and did this just for them! The kids had seen the bag of marshmallows and chocolate and graham crackers and had asked us everyday "When are we doing smores?" "I don't know, those are Joseph's, ask him."

Joseph's smores gave me an idea for future family vacations and reunions that we might try out this year. Melodie had brought some craft supplies for the kids to make boats to float in the city creek, and it made me think that, for Park City with Corey's family at the end of July, each kid should come up with an activity to share with everyone. We might help with a budget, but maybe we'll just encourage them to be creative and see what they come up with without our financial help. That way they'll each hopefully take some ownership in the family activities and make fun things happen on their own initiative and without them sitting around waiting for us to entertain them or make things happen. It was fun doing smores and seeing the kids all help each other. Peter getting help from Joseph to blow out the flame on his marshmallow!

We usually don't do smores at the Mountainside, cause we never come prepared with our own supplies and the smores kits that the mountainside sells are too pricey for me. 

But this was good. 

Let's do it again! So after that, we came in and watched a little bit more Avatar... 

and then, since it was Joseph's last night of summer break, he got to choose the last activity and so we watched the Fugitive, which Corey had suggested. That was fun to watch with them. It's fun to hear all their reactions to everything (esp when we know the movie and what's going to happen and how it ends...) They were freaking out after the bus crashed and then when the train was coming. We learned a visual of why some big mistakes might be called "train wrecks" - it means it's a huge mess. So it's late and were finishing up the movie and it's going to be past midnight when we're done, but that's ok. I'm taking Joseph back home tomorrow so he can get his car and head back to Provo for work and school. He only got two days of summer break, we're glad he chose to spend it with us. :)