Keeping kids entertained until school starts (Happy birthday to Elise, today!)

Last Sunday night we had Nick, Dan, Adrienne and their families to dinner.  We had Nick extend an invitation to Paul Oblad, so he came and brought his family, too.  It was fun to see them.  The kids had a blast playing in the yard and throughout the house (as usual), and it was so busy that I didn't get around to writing a letter.
It's been a busy summer with Caitlyn's surgery, Jennie's wisdom teeth, wedding planning etc.  We usually get up to Flaming Gorge a little more often.  However, we are still managing to get in some fun activities.  Adrienne invited everyone over to Green's pool for a swimming day.  I joined them directly after I taught my water aerobics class.  I guess I was watered out because I was happy to just watch.  Of course, the kids all had a blast.  Adrienne's kids are pro-swimmers because they have access to this pool every summer.  Ila is not afraid of the water at all, to the point that you have to watch her because she will just jump in.  

Jieun and Bridget

Ori

Ruby, Hyeji

Caitlyn, Greta, Yuna and Crista

Cait and Greta

Yuna

Gunnar

Dojin

Ila and Adrienne

Gunnar and Hyeji

Hyeji

Avie, Sara and Effie

Doyeon

Finn, Adrienne and Ila

Ruby

I remember my mom telling me "I like my kids to be in school."  That was just one statement that went in one ear and out the other until years later when I absolutely felt the same.  In Atlanta the kids had a shorter summer holiday, but more breaks during the school year.  I remember one Christmas when the kids were out for two complete weeks.  When it was time to go back to school, the kids were "blessed" with a snow storm and the school was closed for another week.  I was ready to throw in the towel :)  Now I watch my children with their children trying to keep them busy and active for 3 months.   It's exhausting to watch!  

Dan has been working on graduate school for the last 20 months and he is finally done.  His group did an App on finding mushrooms, their properties, which ones might be edible, etc.  They were chosen to present in a smaller setting in a few weeks, and if he wins he has a chance to win a little money.  There's a lot of competition, though.  Last week, he was able to escape with his family and come to the Rec Center and ice skate.  Of course, I was there, too.  Even Dojin was doing pretty well out on the ice.  

Hyeji

Hyeji, Yuna, Doyeon

Grandma with Doyeon and Yuna

Dojin

Doyeon

Dan, Dojin and Yuna

Elise had a little help keeping her family busy--the Jackson's took her and the boys to Disney World.  Andy was too involved in his new residency to go with them. 

Beverly

Maverick

Bevy, Elise, Max and Mav

Other things that have been done to keep kids active:

Roy, Caitlyn and I took Hyeji to the play "Spelling Bee"  (weird play).  At the end Hyeji said, "I didn't get any of it but it was fun."   

Caitlyn and Hyeji inadvertently dressed as twins. 

Effie enjoying The Friend Magazine

Yuna, in a moment of boredom, cut her own hair, then Jennie, who used to do the same thing at that age, fixed it.

24th of July Celebration

Jennie had her wisdom teeth out this week.  I have to say, she was pretty nice to me on drugs.  She even called me during my skating lesson to tell me she loved me.  She was the most swollen 3 or 4 days following the surgery,  but was a lot better on Saturday.  She did get dry socket, which caused her a little bit of additional pain. Jordan came over to take care of her Monday night so that Roy. Caitlyn and I could go up to Logan for Matt's annual fireworks show.  He is able to buy fireworks at a really good discount from his boss, and is great to share the fun with everyone around. 

Crista's good friends invited them to a barbecue that same evening, and were kind enough to extend the invitation to us.  The family had a Traeger grill, so Roy had a lot to talk to them about.  They made delicious pork sandwiches (the pork wasn't fatty at all), baked beans, salads, and fruit.  I thought their beans rivaled Roy's, but they said all they did was drain the beans thoroughly, and add 1 C of their favorite BBQ sauce (to large can of baked beans), and add some of the pork. 

Ruby took this picture of me!

Ruby at the Barbecue

Greta

 Between the barbecue and the fireworks, we walked over to a park near their home and joined a lot of other people that Matt had invited to the fireworks.  Matt served snow cones and someone brought homemade ice cream.  There were a lot of other desserts, but these were the most tempting because it was a hot day. Dan brought his kids up from Centerville.  It's a lot of works to bring the kids all that way, but I think it was worth it.  They had a blast!

Matt, Crista, and Bridget with the snow cone fixings.

Greta.  I think she was getting tired.  She'd had a LONG nap
so Crista woke her up.  Looks like she could have slept
longer.

Hyeji and Dojin

Yuna was doing her exercises on these bars.  She
was quite a way from the ground and she was doing tricks
like hanging from the bar with one leg... She's  so flexible.

Ruby.  I'm not sure, but I think she's getting ready to talk.
  She loves to talk!!!

Dan, Caitlyn, Crista and Greta

Dojin and Doyeon

Bridget

Roy

Fireworks were the reason we went to Logan and they  did not disappoint.  As you can see from some of the pictures, the kids had more fun with each other and the light sticks than they did with the fireworks.  

Dojin

Ruby

Greta kissing Bridget

Selfie--Ruby and Hyeji

Greta

Roy and Catharine

Yuna, Greta, Crista and Hyeji

Hyeji with her puppy, Yuna

Doyeon

Getting ready for fireworks

We took a couple of pictures of Caitlyn on Sunday to show her progress.  She's looking a lot better but still doesn't have her full smiling capabilities.  She hasn't started chewing yet--we're hoping they'll let her progress to soft chew after her appointment on Monday.  She also has to wear the braces for a few more months.

Adrienne invited us to dinner Sunday night.  The boys are full of it and it can be a bit chaotic at their house, but as you can see, they have lots of love for each other.

Ila, Finn, Ollie

To end the week, we visited Effie and Nick for their birthdays, one day early.  Effie is showing off her birthday gifts.