We have our own soda shack her in Heber. I took a photo of the menu because how can I decide that fast what I want! As I waited in line a van pulled up next to me with $5 and a note, "Random act of Kindness." I will look for an opportunity to pay it forward.
Ooh, look what happens when you put a cheap-o water bottle in the dishwasher!
For the second year in a row Shafer and Lindsey brought their boys to Midway to stay in their Stake President's cabin. We met up at Dairy Keen the first night and then watched Day's market demonstrate their big fireworks in the parking lot. We ooh'd and ahh'd and wise cracked like you wouldn't believe.
Graham and Callie went back to the cabin for the night with the Taylor's. We met up the next day again. They came to the house and Mr.-fix-it Shafer was looking at a hinge that has come undone on the kitchen door. I said, "Well actually it keeps the door from needing a doorstop. BUT.....I do have another project for you..." He was so great to switch out the ceiling fan in Callie's room. She was devastated to see the gold swirly fan go. She even almost convinced me it was beautiful.
For dinner that night we ate at Ridley's, taking up all the dining spots. We noted that the greeting cards are in a very odd location. We had a heck of a time trying to get the kids to keep their greasy fingers off of them.
Ava was happy to watch all of the kids at the cabin so us adults to enjoy the outdoor production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. Truthfully, when I saw that was the play the local theatre company was doing I thought to myself, "Again?" It seems like that play is done a lot in general. Andrew Lloyd Webber must have thought the same thing because come to find out he has actually pulled the rights. The only reason our theatre company was able to do it is because Doug Osmond, who is the nephew of Donny, who is BFF's with Andrew, was playing Joseph and got the okay from Webber himself!
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| The Amazing Technicolored Sky |
It was such a lovely evening. Despite the beautiful weather we knew to bring jackets because as soon as the sun goes down that canyon wind is very cool. During intermission we all bought snacks. When we opened our Reece's cups they were melted. Shafer and I both shrugged like it was no big deal. However, Matt and Lindsey marched those melted cups right back to the counter. Matt said, "You Taylor's that are too chicken can stay here." More shrugs from me and Shae. Ha.
The girl who played Potiphar's wife was very into her roll. She seemed conflicted though because she also seemed like she wanted to be part of the audience. We chuckled as she tried to be sneaky but was very distracting going back and forth from the back of the crowd to the back of the stage.
We were there to be entertained, and we were!
The next day we headed to Scera Pool in Orem. It was a nice hot day and perfect to be in the water. It was also great because the kids were old enough this time that they could go off with Ava or each other and Matt and I actually got to swim on our own. It was a lot of fun! We went on the slides and the diving board and the lap pool. We assured Shafer and Lindsey who had to chase little Ollie the entire time, "This will be you someday too!"
The reason we chose Scera was so we could see Gail Halvorson, The Candy Bomber, do his last fly-over. As the time approached, we made our way towards the field. We could only make it as far the pavilion though before the crowds were too thick to go any further. I couldn't believe that out of what seemed like thousands of people we ended up standing right next to the other Bocanegra's!
Other than that cool run-in, we realized we should have stayed at the pool where our view would have been unobstructed. Nonetheless, it was very patriotic to see how many of this generation were interested in and cared to be there to support a WWII pilot. I was verklempt.
Ava: Blue and white stripe, Gray: Orange shorts.
We played hard enough that the the littles were asleep by time we got to Granny and Grandpa's afterwards.
We showered up to join Mark and family for his Culdesac-of-fire. We brought our big Day's firework to add to the finale. They put on quite a show! As we were sitting there the thought crossed my mind that we should invite Katrina. After all, Kei was there, Carly and Rachel were there. I texted her and she said she and Giuseppe were just getting off the freeway. They hurried over and saw most of the show.
FOURTH OF JULY 2015
I am not all that used to Katrina being very interested in what we have planned as far as family things go. That has been one of the neat things to see develop in her as she has lived away from home. She actually texted be in the weeks leading up to the 4th to find out what the plans were. I told her we would be picnicking at South Fork. She came, she hiked, she participated in it all...in her skirt of course.
Kudos' to Jon for scoping out a great spot and to he and Matt arriving first thing to secure it. By the time we all arrived with our coolers of food we had quite the spread!
Let Freedom Ring!
Mallerie got in her fourth of July Timp hike as well!
Brighton Beehive Camp
That next week Ava attended yet another Beehive Camp. This time with besties Ana and Rachel, just like last year. I wasn't sure I mailed her card in time for her to receive it while she was at camp. I took a photo just in case.
Hoogle's Zoorasic Park
I brought back the other kids to the zoo so Graham could see the dinosaurs that Callie and I had seen at her field trip. It was raining and so a lot of the dinosaurs weren't working. We will have to go back. This won't be a problem since I bought a season pass. ???? Yeah, I don't know why but I did!
Family Home Evening at Deer Creek
One of the perks that come with Matt being the High Councilman over the singles ward is that we get to attend some of their functions. We know they are only using him for his chips, and wen don't care!
Ava brought Rachel. It was no problem having her but it made Gray a bit of a fifth wheel, which DID create a problem...
I texted this picture to Kat. She texted back, "Having fun Merideth?" I wrote back, "It's not a crime to be young and beautiful you know..." (Have you seen Parent Trap? Do you get it? Well, we do and that is all that matters.)
Sunsets on the water can't be beat.
It was all around a delightful evening....until...
When we got home Mallerie said, "The sink won't drain." Sure enough the kitchen sink was full of water. At the same time the washing machine was going and there was a mysterious waterfall sound coming from the storage room. Arhg! We got the water turned off and our wits about us. It took us a bit to figure out that the drain on the washing machine was not working and so the water was draining anywhere else it possible could. All the beach towels were handy in the car so we got those out to start the clean up process. Matt got to work fiddling with the filter, "Good thing I am already in my swimsuit!" he said.
Summer marches on
Mallerie ran and worked, ran and worked. But just because she had a busy schedule she wasn't necessarily busy at work. She re-read the entire Harry Potter series this summer, mostly while she was sitting at The Spot.
I read Wonder out loud to Graham this summer. A good lesson on kindness. The book has some potty humor at the beginning and I will never forget us sitting in the shade at the park and him loosing it completely. Cutest thing. Another book I enjoyed was Edenbrooke.
Callie and Graham managed to entertain themselves most of the time. It's those middle children that can prove a bit of a challenge. By the middle of summer the once interesting chore charts lost their value (right after the 4th of July to be exact) and it really was up to individual to make it a great summer is what I said.
One night before I got in bed I walked through the house to see what everyone was doing. I peeked downstairs and asked Ava and Grayson, "What are you two doing?" "Watching Cutthroat Kitchen."
Then when I went up the hall I realized Graham and Callie were still in the tub! They had play food scattered all over. "What are you guys doing?" They said, "Playing Cutthroat Kitchen."
Some of my plants never came up in the garden. I went to Day's and took advantage of the clearance plants. I saw "Catnip" for sale. I thought, "This could be interesting..." and put some in the cart. After it was planted, we were all sitting out back. Poe came out the cat door and walked RIGHT TO IT. She went crazy for it as you can see!
Matt's 25-Year High School Reunion, Palm Springs CA July 17th-19th
Using frequent flyer miles and points for the rental car and room, Matt and I jetted to Palm Springs for the weekend like we were millionaires ;)
It was a small plane and a short flight. The hallways were outdoors at the Palm Springs airport. There were these weird bugs chirping in the trees so loudly you could barely make out the classical music.
I opened my shade part way through the flight to check where we were at. Matt said, "We are over Vegas." It was neat to see tiny Hoover Dam and Lake Mead below us. I also made some really dingy air-headed comments but since it's my blog I'm leaving them out!
It was great to be in Palm Springs so fast! We had a lunch date at the Hard Rock Hotel and arrived 20 minutes after landing at the airport.
We met Brad and Russ and Russ' wife Suzanne for lunch. Matt has seen Brad over the years (we've had him to our home a couple of times) but he hasn't seen Russ since high school. Brad lives in Seattle and Russ in Ohio. We had a good time visiting. It takes a bit to break the ice with new people, especially when I couldn't have less in common than if I was a dolphin, but I was determined.
I had a very light lunch, which I was glad for because we were meeting up with ANOTHER pal for dinner! Art was Matt's scout leader/mentor. He took us to a fa-dancy steak house that night, Mortensen's. The swordfish was so delicious.
I had a great seat where I could see the chefs plate the food. I felt like I was watching Cutthroat Kitchen. I enjoyed every minute of my time there right till the end when I was served a raspberry soufflé. This is living!
As we drove to the restaurant that evening the sky was brown. Well, half the sky was brown, the other half was crystal blue. A dust storm was blowing in, which is typical in the dessert. When we came out of the restaurant there was dust everywhere. It sounded like we were on a sound stage and we had to use the windshield wipers to brush the dust off the windshield. The bugs in the trees were going crazy!
On Saturday morning I joined the water aerobics class at the resort. Matt came to swim but soon joined in as well with about five others. Why not.
Our session was cut short by some sprinkling rain and lightening in the distance, "Outta the pool, everbody outta the pool!" our instructor instructed. She has been trained! We got some breakfast from the market place and had the terrace to ourselves so we watched the rain fall into the pool. It was a bit of heaven right there.
Unfortunately the rain caused the tram excursion to be canceled so we had to find something else to do that day. Matt told me we would be spending the day at the home of the older couple where Brad was staying. I asked, "ALL day?" Matt said, "Well, what else would we do?" I said, "um....anything...we are in Palm Springs!" Matt agreed that we wouldn't stay all day.
We met up at the house and waited for Russ and Suzanne to arrive. We had never met this other couple but they were very chatty, and a bit opinionated too. Aren't we all.
During the conversation, the wife referred to what her friends daughter wanted to be when she grew up. She didn't say what it was, rather she just shook her head and covered her face like she couldn't believe what her this girl wanted to be! I grew curious, "What? What did she say she wanted to be?" The lady answered me back exasperated, "A HOMEMAKER!"
This was the most absurd thing to this woman. She could not believe a young girl in today's world would aspire for something so ridiculous (this lady did not know who she was talking to did she?)
I was thankful for my recent Youth Conference experience where I had committed to defend the family. I said back with a lot of respect but also with a fair amount of boldness, "I think that is awesome! I wish more young girls knew that is a noble option that will bring them the most happiness. I hope this girl receives the support she needs." This lady back peddled a little bit, but more importantly it opened the door for a discussion where she could see a different side.
I think Matt could see that our time at the house didn't have an end in sight and that it was actually a challenging place to visit with his buddies. He announced that, "Abby wants to go to the mall." At which point Brad, Russ, and Suzanne also decided to join us. And join us they did. I had a group of four other people with me as I tried on sandals in Macy's.
Las Casuelas Terreza
We parted ways for a bit to go back to our room to change for dinner that night. The rain was coming down good as we ran through the ally ways leading to Las Casuelas Terraza (let's just call it LCT for ease from here on out). LCT is a fun, high energy restaurant. Our table was in the back corner and took a lot of winding around the huge restaurant to get there. Dinner was a party!
Nina with Matt. She was the organizer of the whole thing. I said, "You will probably be glad to have this behind you." She described organizing the reunion as the most stressful thing she's ever done. Bless her. She has lived in Boston ever since high school so she has adopted the Boston accent. Matt was catching up with her, "So do you still work for Coor's?" She looked confused, "I said I work for the COURTS not COORS!"
Matt's high school girlfriend, Chrissy still lives in Twenty Nine Palms. She joined the church right after high school and her husband is currently taking the discussions. I wish we had more time to chat. She was a fun gal. She even showed up in her Twenty Nine Palms Wildcats shirt.
Matt was still on the group text and well into the night he got updates of where everyone was headed. One bar after another. Go home!
We just missed Laurie, Hank, Sam, and Anela at the Salt Lake Airport the next day. They flew in from Hawaii the same day we were returning from Palm Springs. I left Matt at the airport because he was catching a flight to Portland four hours later!
Alpine Slide and More July 21st!
The next Tuesday I was at the stake center cleaning out the closet with the presidency when Grandma Donna called to say the Wassons were all headed to the Alpine slide that day. I said, "Count us in!" Our decision to go was not at all persuaded by the fact that she was treating;)
The Gondola ride up was so pretty and you get a good view of the roller coaster, the zip line, and the flying eagle. There were also mountain bikers zigzagging down the mountain. All of it looked like a lot of fun.
I remember going to the Alpine Slide in Denver as a kid when we were visiting Elaine. We went over and over while she and my mom visited at the bottom of the hill. They must have had some kind of special going on because this was a one shot deal.
Kei brought chicken salad sandwiches, etc. I wished we hadn't left in such haste or I could have contributed...They had to get going to take Justin to work so they gave us their flying Eagle passes.
The next morning I was awoken to Matt showing me a text that Kei had had the baby during the night!
I wish I would have known about that Alpine slide trick when I was overdue with Callie and Grayson...
We got to attend the temple with as many who could join us: Donna, Matt, Abby, Katrina, Mark, Jamie, Carly, Laurie, and Hank. It was a very spiritual experience.
Afterwards we got to go see brand new little Matteo! So tiny, so fresh, so perfect. So much HAIR!
Bartholomew Reservoir July 24, 2015
Carly organized a little shindig for the 24th of July at a new pond in Springville. I met Matt there. As I parked in the first row of the parking lot, Matt approached the car shaking his head, "Do you know how long I drove around trying to find a parking spot? I ended up parking clear in the heck over there." Don't hate the playah.
Some of us headed to Seven Peaks afterwards. I really wanted to stay longer but after only one slide I had to get Mallerie up the canyon so she could work the Pioneer Train. I would have let her just take the van home but that would have put us very squished in Matt's car on the way home. I was truly so disappointed to leave.
July 25th, 2015
We got to have Cade and Ashley's kiddo's for a bit the next day. Cade got pulled over just as he was almost to our house to drop them off. His car was expired and subsequently impounded. As the car was loaded onto the tow truck little Cal pointed, "Da Da." For some reason the whole experience had me laughing like Terry Whitmore as I watched;)
When Gio got there he and Cal had a fun time playing "back-a-boll."
The cutest!
Everyone was gathering to celebrate Laurie being in town as well as Katrina's 19th birthday (I will give Kat her own post on that). Also, July 25th would have been my Grandma Taylor's 101st birthday. We met at Draper City Park the next day to commemorate and reminisce.
The idea occurred to me to have everyone write down 101 Reasons We Love Grandma Taylor!
FAIR DAYS 2015
Getting the kids fair projects is always a sweaty tense time. We had a bucket of things for each one of the kids to enter in the craft room. I had spent time online that day looking up the item number and division for each item, which was a tedious process. Then halfway through entering the items I heard the lady say that only six items per kid were going to be judged that year. Oh man. At that point I had no choice but to enter all of them anyway. They were only awarded premiums on six items though. Grrrrr. Since entering the projects was taking so much time I sent Grayson over to save us a spot for the talent find. He set up all our camp chairs AND picnic blanket. 
I knew Katrina would wish she was there when Savannah and Chloe, from the family she nannied for for five years got on stage. Savannah won first place. I texted pictures and video to show her.
We attended the Fair Days Parade this year because Malmal was in it representing the Wasps of course!
Matt and I took Callie and Graham to the Carnival and I let them each choose a game to play. After the balloon dart game the guy handed Callie her prize. She stood there uncertain so he asked, "Do you want a different one?" she nodded. He handed her a different one. Still she just stood there, so he asked, "Which one would you like?" She wasn't afraid to point to the bigger prize. How could he resist? He handed her a pink monkey and we all left smiling.
Goodbye to the Wasson's
We met at Sizzler, which is Matt's favorite restaurant (and we tease him about that) for a farewell dinner with Laurie and family. Afterwards we went to the park for ultimate frisbee. It was my first time playing and it is a lot of fun. The sun set and it was time to say goodbye. I hurried and said, "We've GOT to snap a picture!"
Callie and Graham always enjoy playing with Gio.
A SURPRISE GETAWAY TO VERNAL JULY 29TH-31ST 2015
I don't like to necessarily be surprised but I I like surprising other people. So when I heard that Grayson was going to be gone for a few nights with the scouts on a backpacking trip I decided to surprise the babies with a little get-a-way of our own. I decided on Vernal because Graham is into all things dinosaur right now. Matt said, "Do you realize the rooms there are around $180 a night?" No. I did not realize that. He said, "You can't afford that. I will make it a work trip and join you." Bless him!
The morning we were to leave, I went to the temple with my presidency at 6 am. Katrina was in Iniatories so I got to see her. I also recognized it as a tender mercy.
While I was gone Ava packed the babies suitcases. When I got home I worked a little and then realized I needed a nap if I was going to be driving in the late afternoon.
When it was time to go I told Graham and Callie to get in the car for an outing. They were very confused but seemed excited as we drove for two hours and answered their yes and no questions.
I was glad to have a distraction ahead of me. I don't know if my nerves were rattled about Grayson backpacking through the Unitas or the stake dance coming up for which I held a lot of responsibility...or both! But I had a knot in my stomach that whole day.
I was glad to have a distraction ahead of me. I don't know if my nerves were rattled about Grayson backpacking through the Unitas or the stake dance coming up for which I held a lot of responsibility...or both! But I had a knot in my stomach that whole day.
It wasn't till I was checking in at the hotel that they looked in the back and saw their suitcases. "WE ARE STAYING OVER AT A HOTEL!!!!!!!" Ava was there for their reaction and I wasn't, which was my own fault.
We hit the pool, relaxed, and waited for Matt to arrive.
Ava had been to Seven Peaks a few days before and hit her foot HARD coming down one of the waterslides. She could hardly walk on it her toe was so swollen. We had it all wrapped up, which kept her out of the pool. For dinner we were only walking across the parking lot for Chinese but she had to walk between Matt and I so we could hold her up.
The Quarry
The next couple of days consisted of all things dinosaur.
We drove to the quarry the next day where we rode the shuttle to the wall of fossils where we could feel real dino bones.
Callie is into having her facial expressions match what she is standing in front of.
Ava is into having her eyes closed for photos.
I thought the surrounding mountains all looked like dinosaurs backs.
Dinosaur Museum
Later that day while Ava was at the hotel resting her foot, I took the babies to the dinosaur museum. It's fun but not huge. I was suprised to hear Graham say, "This is as fun as our Florida trip!"
When we were done going through the entire museum, Graham said, "Now let's do it again!" We did.
I wish my hanging basket was as beautiful as the baskets lining Main Street in Vernal.
Matt took us to dinner at 7-11. In Vernal, 7-11 Restaurant is a nice, sit-down place!
We ate so much I needed to walk it off. We went to the Super Walmart for that.
Matt had to leave bright and early the next morning but we took our time and swam. I joined the babies this time and we had a good time having the pool to ourselves. We also hit Beals, Ross, and the shoe store. Vernal has grown so much since I used to take the little girls a decade ago. I have fond memories of our trips there through the years.
Vernal treated us well once again.
