Celebrations, camping and more

     The end of Steel Days included a fun parade and a spectacular fireworks show and concert.  I only have parade photos to share.  Kayli has firework photos but she's at work so I can't get them.

The police motorcycle group always starts this parade.

And no parade can begin without the Nations Flag!

Grandpa enjoying a snuggle from Charlie before the parade got started.

McClane enjoying a 'nasty' donut from Fresh Market.

Not the best photo, but Carter enjoyed the parade.

Marcus & Mark. Mark is such a dork sometimes.

Kayli and her "I'm so happy to be here" face.

Me and Charlie enjoying the heat and parade.

Brock as happy as ever.  And take a good look at those two front teeth because they're about to disappear.

   I don't have a photo of Isaac because he was too busy walking the parade route trying to score free T-shirts. He came back with at least two :-)

      Later that same day Brock had a motorcycle accident!

Ouch!

This boy is quick to panic.  We went with a butterfly bandage but he was sure he needed to see a doctor.  He's so dramatic!

     Brock also lost not one but two teeth this week. His two front teeth and it's not even Christmas time, dang it!

One tooth

Two teeth.

     Isaac got to go to Clear Creek camp for the week with several other fifth-graders from all over the school district. He actually had a few friends in the same cabin as him, which was good and bad.

Mitchel, Lance, Isaac and Tyler

Me and Isaac before he leaves me for a week.

Isaac in the far left corner with his camp group for the week.

      Kayli and Mark attempted to give Rosie a much needed bath. She was not happy!

Rosie just wanted to go hide under the deck and it took all our efforts to keep her out until she was at least dry.

    And I got to spend the morning/early afternoon with these cuties in honor of Pioneer Day at Salem Pond.

Me, Charlie and sweet baby Ella. (Melissa's youngest.)

Almost all the Kmetzsch cousins. They're just missing, Carter, Isaac, Roxy, Ben and the one on the way.

    Carter went fishing while we were there.

This fish was actually just floating in the pond, he didn't have much luck catching a live one.

     Isaac made it safely home yesterday afternoon and we've all had a pretty fun week.  With only a few weeks left of summer vacation the goal is to do as much as we can to enjoy it.

Steel Days have begun

      This is the week in summer where we enjoy the festivities of Steel Days in American Fork.  We started with the car cruise last Saturday night.  Here's my favorite car of the night.

'58 Corvette 

    The kids always love it, probably because their aunts always have some kind of treat.  This year it was otter pops.

Carter, Isaac and McClane watching the cars cruising by.

Charlie loved it too.

"Look Mom, I'm wearing your sunglasses."

    Kayli went to Girl's Camp and she designated her cabin the Tinkerbells and that means you need fairy wings. 

Charlie's pretty sure she's not going to camp and she definitely doesn't need fairy wings!

     Isaac went to the orthodontist for a regular tightening and the orthodontist's 13 year old son was there making balloon animals and hats.

Isaac opted for a crazy balloon hat.  (That balloon cost me over $4,000!)

     Then we had some cute boys come to visit, (sorry I don't have a photo YET) so we decided to go swimming at the Provo Rec. Center.  It was AWESOME!  I wasn't able to take more then a couple photos but it was a blast.  Mark did some pretty impressive jumps off the cliff and rock wall and Brock and McClane absolutely loved the waterslides.

My two little fish ;-)

     Then we went to "Picnic in the Park" and I hung out with the three littles.

She is so cute in this hat, I wish she'd keep it on indefinitely.

They were only willing to wait in two lines, the line for the cow train and....

Face painting.

What a couple of cute tigers.

Oh, and they stood in a line or two to play on the bouncy slides.

    And while you wait on the blank you wrestle!

The look...

The attack...

Oh look, a root beer bottle.

     And let's not forget.....this little girl hit her 11 month mark!  My heart is breaking!!!  Why do they grow up so fast?!

She couldn't sit still no matter where I put her.

Lets try the tramp.

The wicker chair worked but she stopped smiling.

    Currently we're at the parade, photos to come next week.  Tonight's the concert and fireworks, which is always fun.  We're definitely having a fun summer :-)

It's official!

    Greg and I have officially been married 19 years as of Monday!  It doesn't seem like it's been that long and at the same time it seems like we've been together forever. We had a fun anniversary and even got to go out to dinner.  We went to Tepanyaki Japanese steakhouse and it was fantastic!  And to end the night we had the delicious four layer chocolate cake from Costco :-) I'll find any excuse to have this cake.

McClane's getting a kick out of this whole thing and also waiting for his slice of cake.

Happy Anniversary to us!

     And finally we have stone steps off the deck, something we have needed to do for a couple of months now. Greg found these stones on some private property here in Alpine and asked the owner if he could buy two of them because they were the perfect size for what we needed. The guy refused to sell them but told Greg he could have two for no charge and every time Greg insisted on paying for them he said, "no you can't buy them but you can have two."  What a nice guy!

Here's photos of them being installed.  (They are massive and using this machine was much easier than trying to manhandle them with several people.)

It helps to know people who have the right equipment.

This is Cal, Greg's co-worker and a super nice guy.  He let us use his truck to keep the stones in and the kid in the mini tractor is someone Greg runs into from time to time and he did this job for real cheap!

I wasn't sure how they were going to get this one in place without hitting the house but the kid had skills.

I absolutely love this rough edge.  These stones are the piece de resistance to the deck!

And here's a rare moment of the kids reading together.

It was also a rare occasion when their shirts match.

       And this girl has begun to give us a run for our money. (Bathroom doors must be shut at all times Kayli!)

Kayli isn't the best babysitter sometimes.  And Charlie is a naughty girl but a typical Kmetzsch ;-)

     So now we're headed into the weekend and this Sunday will be my first time teaching in Relief Society and I'm nervous beyond description and banking it will also be my last time teaching in Relief Society!