Museum visits and ward campout

I won a multi-museum pass for July from the library and took the three younger kids to a few places. 

We also did a lot of swimming with the passes we got for finishing the county library summer reading program but I didn't take any pictures, I was being the "mermaid mom" for Millie and watching James and Andrew chase each other through the water.

And we had a ward campout in July. These things helped a lot to stay busy over the summer!

This was a visit to the Leonardo Museum on July 29. These were supposed to be noise canceling tools so you could listen to your thoughts or something (it was not our favorite display).

The flight simulator is their favorite, though there was a long line that day.

We went to eat as a family one day and I noticed Ben holding Millie's hand.

The Chick-Fil-A hot air balloon landed on our street on Saturday, July 15. This was so bizarre and really also quite amazing.

On Monday, July 10, our family went to the Minerva Teichert exhibit at the Church History Museum. These paintings are so beautiful and I love her faith. I took a picture of the plaque so I would remember her words when she was near death from the flu: "I promised the Lord if I'd finish my work and he'd give me some more I'd gladly do it. With this covenant in my heart I began to live."

Afterward we got a treat. Max was with friends out of town.

On Wednesday, July 12, I used the free passes to go to the Natural History Museum in Salt Lake City. We look at everything but spend the most time by the dinosaurs.

These two work together well to finish this fossil puzzle any time we go.

There was also a show with a couple animals.

And this fake alligator.

And this lifesize baby elephant.

Friday-Saturday July 7-8, our ward had a campout in the mountains east of Kamas. Max was on a trip with his friends to North Carolina at the time, but the rest of us had good burgers at Hi-Mountain for dinner on the way to the campsite.

I brought rocket copters for an activity for when we first arrived.

Then we had great S'mores.

Andrew shot arrows.

Waiting for their turn to shoot arrows.

Millie borrowed Ben's sweatshirt.

So he borrowed her sleeping bag.

Pioneer Trek

 Andrew, Max and Ben all had pioneer trek experiences this summer. 

Andrew participated in the day trek for 11, 12 and 13 year olds at This is the Place Heritage State Park on Saturday, July 15. Here is his pioneer outfit the day before.

The day of, other parents sent us these photos and I'm so grateful! They told me he did great.

He waved the Utah state flag proudly. (I like this flag and don't see why we need a new one.)

The day was hot and there is an uphill climb, but he said he was fine. 

August 9-12 was the pioneer trek for 14-18 year olds at Martin's Cove in Wyoming. Max and Ben were in different families and each said their Ma and Pa and others in their groups were "the best." 

Once again, I am grateful for other parents sending us these photos. JB and I went on the last three stake pioneer treks, but I'm glad other people got the opportunity to go this time. We went in 2010 when I was five months pregnant with Andrew, in 2014 when I pumped along the way for James, and in 2018 when we had a 2 year old Millie.

In this photo, Max and Ben are singing in the youth choir during a fireside. Look at that Wyoming sky.

Here is Ben with some of his friends on Independence Rock.

Ben is on the back row, second from right.

We greeted them at the Stake Center on Saturday afternoon. I was anxious to see them, the house felt empty without them and I wanted to hear all about it. They had changed on the bus ride back to more comfy clothes and Crocs. 

I think they slept really well that night back in their beds!

Deardeuff reunion in Southern Utah

We kept saying St. George, but really we were in the beautiful red rock town of Santa Clara, Utah, the week of July 17 for a reunion with as many Deardeuff siblings who could come. 

I wrote this on social media after it was over:

Family reunion final tally:

-36 people

-Sister broken elbow before

-Brother emergency appendectomy

-3 adults & 6 kids tummy bug

-Brother car troubles

-countless card & board games

-lots of swimming, some hikes

-5 days of pickle ball

-0 sunburns

-0 arguments (or I missed them)

The weather was hot but we had great air conditioning and two great pools to choose from at the vacation resort community . We split the three families among three houses and cousins poured in and out of each house, and siblings went back and forth to play games or visit.

Swimming

At the center of the homes was this pool with a rock slide. I think this is every cousin there.

This was just so much fun. The pool wasn't too deep, but deep enough that James and Andrew really improved their swimming skills. The younger cousins were all super brave in the slide and doing jumps. I think everyone just had such a good time swimming that we did it twice each day, morning and evening!

Chicken fights going on.

Volleyball.

Then one of our houses had this backyard pool. Each house also had a hot tub but each day was 106-110 degrees so we did not get in those. It seemed like this pool was better in the morning with the shade, and then the big center pool was good in the evening, but we honestly tried each pool at any time of day.

The kids jumped from this ledge into the pool over and over.

Millie asked me to take a picture of her ready to swim and then she did this weird smile. Maybe she was trying to show off her wiggly tooth.

The adventures

Early Tuesday morning (we left around 7 a.m.) we explored a hike called Upper Graveyard Wash in Santa Clara. We were looking for the shorter Tukupetsi trail which Joe said had petroglyphs and we did around 3 miles on this hike instead with little kids. I enjoyed it and the kids were troopers. Except Millie and James needed some encouraging.

Here's Ben with cousin Davey, who did well.

Early on Wednesday morning, we went to Red Hills Desert Garden a couple miles away in St. George. This is a botanical garden full of cacti of all kinds and other sights.

Millie and Birdie stuck together.

When JB spotted a lizard, the kids wanted him to take a picture and I took a picture of him.

The next parking lot over is for Pioneer Park, and we looked around a little here. Ben and Davey and Danny went to the top.

Andrew and James made cairns with Scott near the bottom.

Millie and Birdie made this their "house."

JB and Max and Ben got up around 6 a.m. on Thursday to hike to Scout Cave at Snow Canyon State Park..

The play time

We played games and meals around the big table. I learned Code Names and the Great Dalmuti.

Here are Millie, Kaylee and Yoheved on the middle bunk of a triple bunk bed.

Max, Ben and Andrew played pickle ball with JB.

JB and the big boys played pickle ball just about every morning until it got too hot, usually around 9 or 10.

Two mornings I also tried pickle ball. I think I could get used to it, I had fun! The boys and JB had a lot of battles, they put spin on the ball and all kinds of things.

James loved the arcade game at the club house.

The boys and their cousins also tried to play pool.

On Friday, some of us went to the Jacob Hamblin pioneer house.

And during the week was this girl's birthday! She lost her tooth while eating her slice of cake!

That day was also my brother Stephen's birthday, and his wife made a yummy chocolate cake, and my sister in law Susan brought a yummy lemon cake, so that everyone all got lots of cake.

We had a pasta bar Monday night from Joe and Susan, we made a taco salad bar Tuesday, Stephen and Sarah made a baked potato bar Wednesday, Michael and Bethany made Po Boys chicken sandwiches Thursday, and Peter and Mindy had Japanese curry on Friday. I wish I still had leftovers of all those meals, they were so good. 

Michael and Bethany (who live in Washington) rented a house in between my house and Peter and Mindy's house for this last week, because next they are going to Glacier National Park with her family. So we've been able to see those cousins more since the reunion. I miss my England sister and my Missouri sisters and my Utah sister (of the aforementioned broken elbow) and heck, also the brothers and my parents. I look forward to the next time we are together.