Saturday, September 7, 2019

August

The rest of our August after vacation was nice. 

The kids enjoyed playing outside in the cooler weather.  July was really hot for us, but August was much nicer.  The kids really enjoyed using sidewalk chalk on the driveway this summer.  They also liked to use it as make up and to color on their bodies.


NY State Fair 2019

Our trip to the State Fair was very different this year.  We had bought wristbands for the big kids months ago at a discount, but we weren't anticipating that the little ones would want to go on rides, too.  Well, Lincoln was very disappointed that he couldn't go on any rides so we bought him some tickets so he could go on a few rides.  Annika didn't want to go on any until after the saw the pictures of Lincoln riding and then she decided to give a few rides a try.  Chances are high that we will either visit the Fair twice a year in the future...once for attractions and once for rides OR we'll just end up doing rides.  Joseph and I aren't ride people so it will be rather boring for us, but parents deal with boredom to bring happiness to their kids.  The weather was really nice.  Eden LOVED seeing all of the animals.  She was disappointed she couldn't see more of them and the big kids were disappointed they couldn't do more rides.  Everyone was tired after 6 hours though.

We did visit the Expo Center and we saw a few things there:

Bobsled Team Coffey


Using a crank to produce energy.  There were hand cranks and 
bicycles that we could ride to produce energy.

We stayed near the ride section of the Fair so the big kids could check in with us regularly while we went to a few shows.  I took the little girls to a wolf show.







We ended our day at the Circus.  Kimball was bored, but the other kids really enjoyed the Circus.  


We DO love NY! 

Kimball turned 12 this year!!! He is every bit a tween in actions and dress.  The teen years will be so much fun with him.  When he's good he's really, really, good and when he's difficult, he's difficult!  We love him though and we all have difficult days, right? 

He wanted cheese danish for his breakfast.

We did presents in the morning because Joseph worked in the afternoon/evening.  



For the second year in a row Kimball requested key lime pie.  It was rather tasty.  We had a late birthday treat so Joseph could join us. 


Trampoline fun with friends.  The kids would love a trampoline, but it's a major cause of orthopedic related injuries in children so our kids can only indulge when we are at a friend's house.


Kimball really wanted to play football so even though it goes against my wishes I signed him up.  I just think it's a very dangerous sport, and it's a little boring because the games drag on so long.  I told Kimball if he gets injured one time he gets pulled from the team.  He is enjoying it so far.  The middle school will have two teams and Kimball is a fullback.  I'm not completely sure what he does.  He told me sometimes he'll run with the ball, but mostly block. I think.  

Here Lincoln tried on Kimball's equipment and then Kimball in his practice jersey.



And that's the rest of August.  We enjoyed ice cream, playing outside and a few movies.  It's time for school to start because the kids finally started acting bored the last week of August.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

St. Louis Trip

We took our annual trip to St. Louis in August this year.  We were lucky and the temperature wasn't too hot.  I always dread the drive, but it always goes better than I think.  Having a DVD player in the van is wonderful!



The first adventure once we arrived was a trip to the race track.  Joseph took the boys to see some car races.  None of us girls cared to go along.  Joseph said it felt like a small town event!



We took pictures,




Played with Grammy's toys, 


and had a lot of fun cousin time!!





 


 We went to a brand new water park.  Everyone had fun but Eden and me. I just really hate getting wet!  Eden was really too small to enjoy a lot of the activities.  The best part of the day for me was hanging out with Chandra and her kids.  Things are always better with Chandra along!



We took the little ones to Mastadon State Park.  The big kids didn't want to come.  Lincoln especially had a great time.



Looking for mastadon bones!


The local bowling alley had unlimited bowling for $5 so it was a win!  We only bowled 3 games before the little ones gave out.  Kimball and Joseph went another day and I think they bowled 11 and 8 games respectively.


Kimball, Joseph, and I went with Heather and my mom to the temple.  It's always a wonderful time at the temple and it was Kimball's first time in the St. Louis temple.


Our last day we went to Grant's Farm.  I love Grant's Farm.  I have good memories of Grant's Farm from school field trips.  We hadn't visited for 6 years so we were overdue for a visit.  I like how it's just big enough to see everything in a morning without getting exhausted like going to the St. Louis Zoo.

Tram ride through the deer park.  This was a highlight for everyone. We saw so many deer, elk, bison, etc.  They were really close to the tram, too.  Some of the elk and deer had HUGE antlers.  The antlers still had fuzz on them and the guide said that some antlers grow an inch a day!!



Riding the carousel. 




Through out the morning the kids got brave and fed some of the animals.





Kimball made some new friends.  Six years ago when we tried to make friends with the goats this happened:
That skirt survived though and Annika and Eden have both worn it! 


Our last night in St. Louis we had a small birthday bash for Kimball and 
two of our Minster cousins that have August birthdays. 


On the way home to New York we decided to stop in Kirtland, Ohio.  The last time we tried this 6 years ago it didn't go over so well with the kids.  I'm happy to report that even though we have 5 kids now instead of 2 the experience was so much better!


Sawmill




Newel K. Whitney Home



Living quarters for Joseph and Emma above the Newel K. Whitney store




I love the look of the buildings.

Newel K. Whitney Store



 Grove at the Issac Morley Farm.




Ashery




We spent the night in the Beachwood, Ohio and our hotel was near a fantastic shopping area.  Kimball was in Heaven. He loves places like this.  We walked to dinner and enjoyed walking around the shopping area.


There were games to play.


One of Kimball's favorite stores.





We had a great time in St. Louis and Ohio.  We hope to go back over Spring Break next year if I think I can do the drive by myself with all of the kids.