AZ July Tradition

Our yearly 4th of July tradition continues in Prescott, Arizona! I am writing about this event many months after it happened so I can't remember too many details :). But of course the girls had a wonderful time visiting their cousins and Grandma and Grandpa Close. It's also a great time that the whole family has off of work and can really spend some great time together.

This year the kids participated in the kiddy parade and had a blast. We had just driven through the night so Nora and I stayed back at the house and rested :). Tara did a great job decorating a wagon and getting the boys all geared up for the fun!

Of course there was the annual Prescott parade and boot race. However, this year we did NOT get poured on and washed out! It was absolutely perfect weather. 

One of the favorite things the kids do at Grandma and Grandpa Close's house is ride 4 wheelers in the back yard. Reese also got brave enough this time to do them by herself!

Cade and I got a day and night away and it was very needed and wonderful! We met up with the Vizzard's and Egan's and cousin Tamara (and cute kiddos) and got to catch up. We stayed at a resort in Phoenix and played at the water park and ate good food. We just drove by the LDS Gilbert Temple for fun (but didn't attend this time). It was a wonderful time just the hubby and I!

We always love taking the girls to Prescott for the 4th. A tradition that may be continued for many years to come. 

Random Summer Fun!

This is a compilation of random pictures from the summer! Fun activities we've done with the girls, or random things the girls have made/done. In no particular order.

Went to the tulip festival FINALLY. I've been wanting to go but hadn't made it out until we bought a yearly membership to Thanksgiving Point (which has been awesome and totally worth it).

Went to a Pentatonix concert at UVU with some great friends Trevor and Tori Tooke. Trevor and Cade work at Fishbowl together and we've become great friends with them.

My Dad was the main architect on the Payson, Utah temple and we we got a special tour of it with him and one of the main contractors. We got to scale the heights and go up on the roof. It is such a gorgeous temple!

A new Cinderella movie came out and of course we had to take our little princesses. They loved getting to dress up to go somewhere :)

Anything is fun if you put on a swim suit!

We also have a yearly membership for the aquarium because of Cade's work and the girls love going there.

What pictures look like with all three. Picture perfect I'd say.

I absolutely LOVE where we live- Our neighbors, our home, our yard. Behind our yard is the neighbors' big open field where we love to picnic, visit the goats, and throw the frisbee for Penny. I hope we never have to move. We may not be here forever but I will enjoy it while I can!

Boxes. Boxes. Boxes. That's all this girl needs to get her imagination going! She has turned boxes into pirate ships, space ships, schools, donut shops, and many other things. Emma truly has a great imagination.

We went to the zoo with my good friend Brooke Barneck Bushman from high school. The best part for Emma was definitely the dinosaurs! I don't know if Reese had a favorite part.

No explanation on this one...

Managed to survive swimming by myself with all three. if they are all geared up I don't have to have panic attacks the whole time.

 Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days. Nora's first time riding the train…she was in HEAVEN. Smiles the whole time. Emma and Reese finally got to go to the Princess Party at the Rec Center. Don't know why they love it so much but they do :).

 Just Dad and his girls on Father's Day :).

Swimming has been one of our favorite things to do as a family this summer. All three girls are little fishies and would stay in there for hours if we would allow them to.

 More of Emma's creation ideas...

Camping out in the back! We had fun roasting marshmallows and Cade and the two older girls slept in the tent. Nora and i slept great inside the house :). Cade didn't sleep hardly at all. The girls had a blast though.

Grandma Bleak's 60th Birthday Surprise!

My mom turned 60 years old! We held a surprise party for her at my house and boy was she surprised! She was hoping we would do something for her birthday but didn't think anything was happening. We all collaborated over email the month before and were able to do it when Kristen and Andrew were in town. I told my mom we were having Family Home Evening all together and she bought into it :). Stephanie and Nathan did the decorations and they were beautiful (everything Steph does is beautiful)! We had an amazing dinner with all things healthy- tri tip steak, yummy green salads, veggie kabobs, fruit salad, bread and a veggie tray. My mom is trying hard to eat healthy so we wanted to make sure it was a meal she could enjoy. Then Andrew and Kristen put together a video of the grandkids saying all the things they love about Grandma and that was so cute! I think that was Grandma's favorite part. After that we opened up gifts and let the kiddos watch movie while we played a trivia game that was all about her. It was a wonderful night and we love her so much!