Summa Summa Summa Time

We had a blast this summer.  This is the time of year that I really appreciate being a stay at home mom and feel bad that Craig gets stuck working while we have fun all summer.  Although him working means he didn't have the pleasure of hearing all the arguing that took place when we happened to be at home.  We spent as much time outside as possible either at the pool, lake, backyard, or in the mountains.  The kids were highly encouraged to spend some time each day in the backyard doing some basketball and soccer drills.  Some days they were more eager than others, but it definitely helped them increase their skills and confidence.  They also spent time in the backyard having water gun fights and jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath or in the rain.  We went swimming with cousins as often as possible at both grandparents houses.  I even taught a couple of weeks of swim lessons.  The kids did a few camps as well, basketball, volleyball, football and soccer.  We went bowling a few times and to Eagle Island and even made it to Roaring Springs.  We got snow cones as often as possible.  We had a lot of fun up at Starlight Theatre.  We took the kids to see Wizard of Oz and then Craig and I went to Foot Loose.  As always they were great and so much fun to go and see.  Craig and I were able to get to Shakespeare festival with Stan and Diane a few times.  The last time we ended up getting rained out, but not before we got soaked.  We also went to mine and the kids first Boise Hawks game.  The kids definitely preferred to stay busy.  Each day we tried to get in some reading and work books, that was a little bit of a fight but worth it to see McKay improve in his reading.

We tried to get up to the cabin as often as possible.  We went to the lake and went hiking, played yard games in the backyard, ate yummy hamburgers even if the line was an hour long, and enjoyed sitting on the back porch soaking it all in. Our first hike of the season was just a quick one up to Louie Lake.  The kids got to use their new hiking backpacks that they got for Christmas.  While we were up there at the end of July Craig and I scouted out the high adventure hike with another couple in our ward.  The kids headed to the lake and went boating with Nana and Pops while we hiked.  Craig and I drove up past Riggins into the Seven Devils.  We hiked the Goat Pass into Sheep Lake.  In true Craig fashion we started on the wrong trail and ended up making our own way up and over the pass.  It was definitely quite the adventure with some very steep stops that felt like rock climbing but we eventually found the trail and made our way to the lake.  On the way out we took the normal trail that was about 9 miles.  It was quite the hike but we made pretty good time.  Craig felt a lot better about taking the boys there in a few weeks, since he hadn't been there since he was a teenager.

In August we had a Williams Family Reunion at my Uncle Mark's house in Nampa.  It was pretty low key with mainly just eating and swimming but it was great to see cousins and family that we don't get to see often.  Craig had a great time at high adventure.  They managed to get all the boys in and back out without any injuries and everyone still smiling.  He got home Saturday night and we left Sunday after church to head down to Utah.  Sunday evening we went and visited Craig's grandparents in Bountiful.  It is always so great to see them.  Monday morning, August 14th, we then headed to Lagoon.  We try to get there each summer if we can.  Craig and I have such great memories from there when we were kids and hope to give our kids some of those memories of their own.  We got there right when it opened and went as long as we could.  McKay was tall enough to do almost everything and we had a blast hustling from one ride to the next.  We did all our favorite rides at least 2 or 3 times and left the park around 5:00 to start our drive back home.  We stopped in Burley for some dinner on our way home and we were all tired when we finally pulled up at the house.  In true McKay fashion he passed out as soon as we got in the car.  I may have gotten a little nauseous, but it was totally worth it.  I love doing things that create memories.

 It was such a fun summer.   I hope the kids look back on their childhood summers with really fond memories.  I am grateful that they want to be outside and be active.  They barely spent any time watching T.V. or on any sort of screens.  We stayed up late and it will be an effort to try to get their bedtimes back to normal for school.  We had a wonderful summer and it is a little bitter sweet that it had to come to an end, but I am excited to get back into a normal routine.