No plans

 After the first week of school, Gator and I needed a day without any plans.  We just needed to hang out.  I've seen this Upick flower field close by and I wanted to know what it was so we started there.  It was actually a very large garden with vegetables and flowers.  It was beautiful.  I don't know who keeps it, but someone that loves gardening because it was so well tended to.  We walked around, but we didn't get anything today.  Next we went up to North Ogden and walked around a little chalk art festival.  I'm always amazed at peoples talent at these things.  The drawings were right next to a drive in so we got milkshakes and french fries then we had to go grocery shopping.  Now days it is not fun at all to go get groceries.  I am lucky it is just me and Gator, I don't know how large families eat now days.  Gator had to get some yarn so she ran into JoAnns, and we stopped at Starbucks and got our favorite drinks.  I am still mad at Gator for getting me to like a drink from Starbucks.  I hate that place, and gosh it is pricey, but sometimes I just need a Paradise Drink.  

Sophomore

 When Gator started kindergarten, I went back to work, so we've been at this first day of school thing together for a long time.  She has always been close to or at Rocky with me, but this year she went to Fremont, that is a long ways away.  She is excited for high school, and she looked beautiful this morning.  Stay you Gator, because you are just simply amazing!  

Those clouds have been producing quite the storms throughout Utah.  While at work tonight, I had Davis, Gator, and Dallin sending me pictures of rainbows.  I wasn't going to miss a rainbow, so I ran outside and was amazed.  Definitely a sign from my mom that it is going to be a good school year.  

Happy 23rd Owen

 Davis and Kin spent the night last night so we could get an early start this morning.  We had breakfast plans with Owen and Kylee for Owens birthday.  If he has to live in a different state, I'm grateful it is under a 2 hour drive, because sometimes I just have to get in my car to go see them.  Breakfast was delicious and the company was even better.  Everyone was tired and Owen is having a very rough time with football right now and some big life decisions, but I am happy that we still got to celebrate his birthday for a couple of hours.  It is so hard watching my kids go through life right now.  It is not easy, and I don't remember having to go through such challenges.  Growing up wasn't easy by any means, but being the mom is next to impossible when kids are going through a hard time.  Kylee wanted to show me some paintings on the side of a building before we left, so we took some pictures down there.  Happy Birthday Owen, I love you.  

Haunted Mansion

 We took Brady and Zoie to a movie before school starts next week and our group is split in half.  We're all so sad about it, but we'll still hang out a lot.  Zoie loves all things spooky and she loved the movie, Brady not so much.  We got a pizza and went to a park for dinner after the movie though.  Rain seems to follow us when we plan to go to a park, but that is okay, we saw a rainbow after this storm.  

Meant to be

We were getting ice cream in Bear Lake and Kin was sharing with Joey.  She made this face and it immediately reminded me of a picture I had of Davis from years ago.  I guess they really are meant to be together.  

Bear Lake 2023

Our annual camping trip to Bear Lake means summer is over, but we still look forward to this trip every year.  This is our 4th year camping with family, and we went 2 years previous to that just us, so we've seen quite a bit of Bear Lake and it is beautiful and loads of fun every time.  I took way too many pictures like usual,  we swam a lot, ate a lot, and laughed a lot.  There was a meteor shower our first night and we sat out and watched shooting stars.  Everything, but the quality of sleep was great and memorable.  The quality of sleep I would just assume forget, but I can go a couple of nights with no sleep.  

Joey was eyeing Wayne's ice cream.  

We broke tradition and Andrea found a new ice cream shop.  This car wash ice cream at a gas station was so yummy and much less crowded.  

Davis and Kin came up and hung out for the day Sunday.  It was so fun having them there.  And we found out Davis is awesome at skipping rocks.  

Swim Party

 Gator and I were invited to the Roy Aquatic Center tonight.  They had a night reserved for kids with Downs Syndrome.  They ran off to swim, and I talked with Brady's parents, and Zoie's mom.  

Notice in that picture Gator isn't wearing her glasses.  Earlier today we went to the eye doctor and she is giving contacts a try.  

Lagoon Day

 Gator has had a season pass to Lagoon again this year, but I can only handle so much Lagoon so I told her I'd go with her on my work Lagoon Day.  Also at the beginning of the summer, Brady's mom asked if Gator would take him one day to Lagoon, so I suggested August 10th because I would get a really good discount voucher.  We found out that AJ has a pass, so him and his family came for a bit, and we invited Zoie too, and we had a party today at Lagoon.  It was so much fun.  Hard to believe we had this planned for months, and now it is done, and we go back to school in 1 1/2 weeks though.  AJ's mom told us about a wristband they have for special needs people.  It was awesome, they got to skip all the lines.  I wish I would have known about this all the times we took Frank to Lagoon, or the times Gator has had Zoie.  Waiting in line can be hard on them, which makes it hard on whoever is with them.  Good on Lagoon for offering this wristband for awesome kids like Brady, Zoie, and AJ!!  Another fun summer day has come and gone, we're heading to Bear Lake this weekend for our annual trip, that one means summer is over, but we are looking forward to the fun times!