"helping" dad fix the cars

We love helping daddy at work!

Thursday Fun

Today I took Preston and the 3 girls I watch up Payson Canyon to the trail called the Grotto. It is an easy 1/4 mile hike to a beautiful waterfall. We hung out there and had lunch. Most of them loved to play in the ice cold water. Such a great time!

Bike Rides - Monday

So Monday I took Preston and the 3 girls I watch on a couple of bike rides. We went in the morning to main street and got ice cream at the local drug store.
Then home for nap time. Then we hopped back on our bikes with our neighbor friend and her son and husband and rode to a park to play.The oldest girl, Ashley...her tire popped so she got a free ride back and I had to haul her bike on the bike trailer I was pulling!

After the 3 girls went home we headed over to a friends house to swim for a bit. Preston had so much fun and I loved cooling off after a sweaty bike ride.

Shaving Cream

I was feeling like a bad mom/babysitter on Tuesday cause it was a beautiful day and I was depressed and wanted to sleep all day. So my friend gave me some motivation and a great idea that I HAD to try with the kids. We took shaving cream and food coloring and let them go nuts outside on newspaper. Here are the photos from that:

River Fun

I took the kids today to Kelly's Grove up Hobble Creek Canyon. It was a perfect place to splash around in the river where it's not flowing so dang fast. I made all of the kids wear life jackets. Preston wore his arm floaties. Especially after all of the river accidents so far this summer. Even though it wasn't strong enough to take anyone down river or more than a foot deep in most places. Gotta play it safe! :)
We had a great time. Took us all a while to be brave enough to get into the ice cold water. But we all had fun. Preston even got in to about waist high. Ashley and Lexi were nuts and jumped into the deeper part, which was around 5' deep. After we were numb we couldn't stay out.
It was a really great day in the water! Can't wait to go back.

Hiking Stewart Falls

So yesterday my friend Katy and I decided it was a good idea to take 11 kids hiking up Stewart Falls. 4 of which were 2 and under. I know, totally crazy and not so smart we found out.
It is a 2 mile hike each way. On the way there it wasn't so bad. Most of the kids did great including my star son :) Preston! Although it did take us 5 hrs from start to finish. A bit long for so many kids and only 2 adults!!
Here are a few photos of our hike in.





Not such a bad time! Next are a few photos at the falls.
Going under that ice cold waterfall was exactly what I needed. It not only cooled me off but gave me the bit of energy I needed. It was SO refreshing and worth the hike!And this is a picture of my VERY dirty boy before we dunked him in the ice cold river! How does one get SO dirty??? There aren't any pictures of the hike back for 2 reasons. 1- I was dealing with 2 two year olds that were tired and whining which made me whinny myself :) 2- I carried Preston on my back most of the way down the mountain. Some nice guy stopped and offered to carry Scout down. I had to say yes. I was desperate and the poor girl couldn't stay awake any longer. I wish I would have gotten a photo of her sleeping on this strangers shoulders.
I was out of water for me. I had saved a little gatorade for Scout and Preston to make it down. These nice guys stopped us on their way to the falls and asked if we needed anything....water? Once again feeling deperate and vulnerable I could not say no. He handed me a water bottle that was dripping of condensation it was so cold. I just stood there crying unable to open it I was so happy! Oh boy was that a pick me up I need so badly that really helped me have the energy I needed to carry a 35lb 2 yr old down the mountain. Heavenly Father really knows how to take care of me!! He couldn't carry me down the mountain, but found a way to make it a little easier for me and the kids I was caring for!
Over all it was such a great experience.
Someday I would love to take Pete there without any kids :)