Boise Bound!

Besides coming to help us get settled in the new house, Grandma Joanie also came to help me drive back to Boise for a little R&R. We'd been going through life since about the beginning of April at the speed of light, and the kids and I needed some serious vacation time. We left for Boise early Monday morning, intending to do the whole 12 hour drive in one day-- and we made it to Boise that night around 8:30 p.m. Did I mention yet that we're all reeeeally sick of driving?? 

Whitney and Grandpa Tom Tom were there with a warm chocolate bundt cake to welcome us out of the car-- I mean, what a way to set the tone for the next two weeks! We had our traditional Girls' Tea Party, and had fun using all of Grandma's fancy china, making cute little tea sandwiches, crudites, and girly desserts. 

With Grandpa and Uncle Taylor at work, poor Zach was the only boy and had to stick it out as our "Butler." He willingly sort of helped each of the ladies to their seats, and poured the tea and passed around food. What a good sport!

Cheese! Leah was happy to be a part of the girl party!

Lucy, Grandma, and cousin Eva (Sophie and Auntie Sarah were there too), 

Wee-Wees with her best friend Auntie Whitney, drinking our "Russian Tea" (hot water with lots of fresh lemon and mint).

The dessert tray! Lemon shortbread cookies, cake balls, and homemade suckers. Yum! 

Of course the rest of the day involved swimming in Grandma's pool! This was Lucy's newest cool trick she learned from Whitney this summer-- going down the slide head first.

Leah discovered this puddle-jumper and was able to float all around the pool without any help and she could keep up with all the other kids this way. She was so cute to watch"swimming" like a big girl!

We got to go for a bike ride on the Green Belt and have a picnic at Veteran's Park one afternoon. Poor Sarah (who was also 8 months preggo) had the thankless task of organizing the bike ride and finding enough "loaner" bikes from neighbors and friends so that everyone got one. 

Here we are! Halfway through our ride down to the Boise Zoo. The kids did AWESOME on that first leg....

By the last leg though, Zach decided he was hot, hungry, and utterly exhausted. Ha ha! We got back to the cars and he collapsed into a heap on the grass. 

That night just the adults (minus Grandpa who had a Bishopric meeting) got to go to dinner at my all-time favorite restaurant, Goodwood BBQ. I love their chicken sandwich and mashed potatoes! It was nice to relax and leave the kids with some babysitters from my mom's Mia Maid class.

 Sarah hosted everyone for dinner up at their house in Hidden Springs one night (in the Boise foothills) and the cousins had a blast riding bikes and playing on the slip n' side.

Ice cream is always a favorite for dessert! 

Taylor took the kiddos on rides on his moped (named "The Ruckus") and they LOVED it! Even Leah was a speed demon as long as Taylor was holding onto her very tightly.

We had tons of fun playing with Taylor, who we didn't get to see much last summer because he was working up at Red Fish Lake. My kids adore him!

We also had lots of wonderful bedtime stories read by Grandma Joanie.

Friday dawned cool and a little overcast, but my kids had heard about the Boise Hydrotube from cousin Eva all week, so we decided to go anyway. They had a blast! Leah loved cousin Sophie and they had a great time swimming in the kiddie pool.

Lucy loved jumping off the diving board.

But the highlight was definitely coming down the Hydrotube! I bought them an unlimited ride pass, and they literally went down it 20 times. They'd come out, climb back up, come out, climb back up, etc. etc.etc.

Even Zach-O loved it! He's so brave!

Jon flew in late Thursday night and met us, so that Friday night we got to go on a little dinner date for some yummy Mexican food while the others had roasted hot dogs in preparation for their "Grandpa Camp-Out."

Since we didn't have time to actually take the kids camping, my Dad decided to do a faux Camp-Out in the backyard. They started with hot dogs, and then went for a nature walk near my parents house.

Jon and I got back just in time for the campfire and s'mores. My parents have a great little fire pit in the backyard, perfect for telling ghost stories and teaching the young folk about "if the log rolls over, we will die." Don't ask...

Those are some happy campers with chocolatey faces!

That night Grandpa slept out in the tent with Lucy, Zach, Eva, and Sophie. What a fun memory! (And besides, that's MY kind of camping!)

Saturday morning we headed back up to Sarah and Devin's neighborhood to take family pictures. Leah was pretty much awful and non-cooperative, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of pictures Sarah was able to get, but at least they all matched and looked cute!

We had an EPIC swimming party that afternoon with the whole family since Sarah and her girls had to leave the next morning for a family reunion up in Canada. We're glad we caught them before they left!

Sunday evening my Aunt Kay and Uncle Ken drove up from St. George, in preparation for the big 5-day hike to the Frank Church Wilderness and Bighorn Crags. Before they left, the girls snuck in a quick pedicure that morning.

Here the brave hikers are! Before setting off for adventures in the wilderness and leaving civilization behind (Jon's Man-Post with pictures to come!)...

That night we honored Lucy's favorite tradition and walked to Delsa's for FHE and got ice cream. That little ice cream shop has been there since I was a kid and we seem to go every summer!

Our last week was filled with MORE picnics,

a splash pad or two,

a lunch date with Taylor,

another picnic,

and some playtime at the park!!

We even got to see construction started on the new Meridian, Idaho temple out near Eagle Island State Park. It'll be beautiful!

Of course there was lots and lots more swimming time!

My cousin Missy's kids came over to swim one afternoon, and Lucy got to see her friend Ellie. This was their little hiding spot from the boys. 

Zach loved playing catch with Taylor, and finally got the hang of running and jumping into the pool while catching the football. Nice!

Of course every pool party ended with popsicles for everyone!

Friday, July 24th, was Pioneer Day. We got pizza for lunch that afternoon at Costco. Leah's face cracks me up.

My mom borrowed these Pioneer Day outfits from her neighbor Sister Carr, and Lucy's was actually made to be a Laura Ingalls costume, which was PERFECT, because Lucy is reading and loving those books right now. She was thrilled.

At the church party that night the primary kids went on a parade around the building. It was sooooo HOT that night!

Then we had hamburgers for dinner provided by the Stake. Happy Pioneer Day!

We got to go shopping, out to eat at some of our favorite places, spend time with great grandparents (Grandma and Grandpa Charlie) as well as grandparents and aunts, uncles, and cousins, and mostly, just relax and have a break from moving and unpacking before school starts. We're so thankful we are able to DRIVE (and not FLY) to Boise to spend time with family and make some wonderful memories! Here's to next summer!