we had a couple other fun family activities - Pineview and Park City.
We actually only had ONE family trip to Pineview this season. It was in August, right before school started back up. Gray and the boys did go a couple other times, and Gray went a few times with co-workers ... but it wasn't a big waverunner summer. This was partly because of Gray's trip to Europe (which took up a couple prime summer weekends) and the fact that we didn't have Landon around ....
We also had some FAMILY FUN in Park City ...
We went up the last weekend in August. School had started, "summer" was over, but it was the best time to fit it in (giving Callahan enough notice to get work off, and it was a bit of a birthday celebration for Cooper and Keaton). We went up and stayed in a nice condo, with a back door that was right by the pool/hot tub ...
We had some memorable meals (a mouse in the house at one restaurant, overpriced breakfast, and a new family favorite, Windy Ridge! But the real reason for the trip was to hit the activities there in Park City. We got a day pass ($$$) for everyone and hit the Alpine Slide, Alpine Coaster, jumping, climbing, mini golf and a tram to the top of the mountain ... Gray enjoyed his new selfie stick! ;)
It was a great getaway. Gray had taken Keaton and Colton up to Park City a little earlier in the summer (July) to a Psicoblock competition. Crazy climbing over a pool of water (for when they fall!) While it was the middle of summer, it was a little cool up the mountains, especially when the sun went down.
Those were our Park City and Pineview adventures for 2015!
On my JenBsJourney blog do hit some family stuff as well as just fitness topics. One of the Link-Ups I'll participate in is a Friday Five one ... spotlighting five things each Friday. I went ahead and showed what we had been up to this past summer! Here on the family blog, I'll expound a bit more (and include additional photos!)
The main activities for Summer 2014 were bouncing and bowling! I signed the kids up for the KidsBowlFree summer service (two games per day, you do still need to pay for shoes). I actually have my OWN pair of bowling shoes, as this is something we've done for many summers (and my feet don't continue to grow like the kid's feet do ... we do have a men's size 9 that started out at Landon's, then was Callahan's, and now Keaton fit into them this summer). We'd hit the bowling alley fairly often. I was such a mean mom, and said we were there to BOWL, not to buy food or play the arcade games. I went ahead and splurged on a couple of trips though.
I bought a family pass (good for a month) and we went there many times over the summer. I ended up buying a second pass when the first expired because we had been using it so much. In the past, we'd gone with our friends the DiFran family. We moms would chat while the kids played. They have since moved, so on my own I moved to the upper level and would generally walk around reading while the kids played. Often I could get 5000+ steps (although the kids would generally get more with all their running around!)
As the picture collage above shows ... we did to other things in addition to the bouncing and bowling. We went miniature golfing once (Callahan and his friends did the full fledged golfing a couple of times) and went to a local sprinkler park. This was a relatively new one to the west. It was really nice. The water portion was fun, and before that, the kids played on the other fixtures before they got wet.
There was also the summer vacation to Seattle, for waverunning, swimming, sight-seeing and jumping off "the tree" on Orcas Island. At home, the waverunners were put to quite a bit of use as well. I myself am NOT a big wave runner fan. The little boys do enjoy playing on the beach and riding the waves, but also opted to stay home several times if that was an option. Often, it was just Gray and the older boys hitting Pineview for a day. It would always wear everyone right out!
The ride home ...
We finally did make it out all together as a family
... including Maga, Ana and her boys!
We didn't always have to head out to the beach to have water fun ...
We had a celebration at Uncle Clay's house ...
and Landon threw Callahan into the pool.
Callahan was NOT very happy about that!
At home, there was a lot of water fun as well. The usual stuff, water guns, water balloons, filling up the big garbage cans full of water and getting inside (they haven't been used for garbage, they are strictly for water fun). We bought some new sponges for "dodge sponge" although we never really had as many games as we had previous summers (so many kids have moved away).
There was also basketball, soccer, handball, badminton, volleyball, tetherball, frisbee, etc. Callahan and his buddies were using wiffle balls for baseball, and going through a lot of them (a few cracks with the bat and they would break). He asked me to pick up some (to donate to the cause) and I found a bunch at Kmart on clearance for $.49 (usually $5 or so). A great deal, especially as I had Fitstudio points to spend anyway. Not all of them made it to Callahan's friend's though, as the little boys decided to engage in a little baseball as well.
It was SO nice to have a full summer with all the kids (since moving the little boys to Terra Linda and a traditional schedule, otherwise they wouldn't have gotten out of school until July!). What did you do on your summer vacation?
There's a new addition to the family ... actually TWO of them. Susie and Roxy. With the boys getting older, Grayson thought now would be a good time to add some zing to our summer family fun. We got a pass to Pineview Reservoir and have made several trips up this summer. Sometimes just Daddy and the older boys, sometimes the whole family, and we even got some extended family to join us once.
The older three boys took an online safety course, so they can all ride solo (without this license, there are age restrictions). Daddy and Landon take out the little ones and let them drive. There is fun on the shore too ...
The infamous "corner of the photo" shot
We can pull this tube behind one of the waver runners ...
Or just play with it in the water!
A raft and an inner tub ...
We have a yellow theme going!
This picture of Callahan and Amare is SO cute.
The boys were happy to have their cousins come play too.
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