Summer bucket list 2012

Utah Kennecott copper mines.
It's 25 minutes west of my house.   you follow one road clear out and then turn left a few hundred feet and BOOM, you're at the entrance.
Nope.  never been.
There are a lot of things we've never done/seen/been to.  Thus my bucket list.

It's vastness is astounding.   I don't think you can get a real feel for it in pictures.
The tire in the picture below with the kids is on one of the trucks that look like ants on the road in the first picture.   Kind of puts it into perspective aye.

I heard a lot of, "WOW...look out MY window.  COOL!  Holy Cow !"  as we were driving up to the visitors area. (4 miles in)  I was SO excited that it would be a different experience for our family from all of the other families that had gone before and didn't find it so fun.
As we pulled into the visitors area it all changed.   "This is it.   I thought we got to ride in one of the trucks.   Can't we climb up the mountain.  I thought we got to climb the mountain.  This is dumb.  Lets go.  This is boring.   I hate this place.   I don't want to come here.   I'm mad"
(sigh)

They looked out into the hole.   Stood next to the tire for a picture.  (after begging and rounding them up for 5 minutes) and then we hit the visitors center.
They actually liked it.   Finished the entire 1,200 sq feet in 5 minutes and it was time to go.

I paid 5.00.   I had a great time.   Totally worth it.

Oh. and for the first time ever....I had to pull over on the side of the road to break up a fight between Sydney and Cameron.   OH HOLY HOT HELL OF SUMMER !
Whatever.
We got out of the house and learned something today.
At least the kids weren't in my house to do this :

Yes....that is in fact dirt and sand in my fridge water dispenser.    What I didn't take a picture of was the mud puddle below this and the trail of sand and water leading to my back door.  
It's movie/pizza night  2 hours.   only 2 more hours.

Summer 2012 Bucket List

I have seen the summer to do lists and wanted to do one for our family.

Checked off :
                                      -Have a bike wash-

 In the end.....wait.   no.  there is no end to playing in the water.   The bike wash ended and the sprinklers came on under the tramp.   Fun day in the sun, day 11 of summer.
not pictured.  the bucket of soap, wash rags and towels.   Yes.  they really did wash them. :)

A note about the PVC pipe building bike wash.
J bought misters and installed them.   The kids didn't feel like there was enough sprayage....so she ended up just drilling holes into the PVC pipe.   I think we should have made aNOTHER bike wash and left the mister one to cool off on hot summer day.   aaaaah.  but..once again...not all about me. 
She's going to add to, or change this one.   I'll keep you posted.   Her mind is always working :)

Boston

As I travel around this country of ours....and countries of others....I find myself less and less inclined to get excited about the places I see.  
A bit like, been there done that, if you've seen one you've seen em all...maybe it's that I'm spoiled.
So to share with you a little treasure we visited this weekend makes me giddy.
Janice, my mom and me went to Boston.   Or should I call it little Italy.  a bit of Florence with flecks of NY and sprinkles of Seattle spread out on the pages of a history book.
It's gorgeous.  
We flew first class, had a 5 star hotel on the wharf.   I imagine part of my beautiful and great experience could be a bit jaded by both of these facts.  :)
Nah, when I share a few pictures with you....you'll know that it's true.

You walk.   Or you can rent a bike

China Town

The chains were impressive.

and the history in Boston.   WOW !  Who knew there was so much history.

Old ironside

notice the name of this Cannon..."Victory or Death"

3 miles marked by a red line throughout the city

Paul Revere

This amazing Civil war plaque  

1 if by land, 2 if by sea

Paul Revere's house.   Impressive...but the guy had 16 children and they shared 1 of 2 bedrooms in this house

The FOOD !

Doesn't this look delicious and colorful.   And it was...but this is NOT the food of Boston.   Italian  restaurants line the streets of Boston.   Each order could feed a small family.   All of it scrumptious.
Thus the 10 lbs we each gained :)

Mike's Pastry's was absolutely AMAZING.   The Cannoli's were as big as your head and cost only a few dollars.  People lined up down the street for these things...and inside felt more like a sardine can than a bakery.   TOTALLY worth it.    

needless to say we visited this place several times while we were there.  hey.  when in Rome.

2 blocks of farmers market.   VERY impressive.  and cheap.

Fun stuff to see

not the real Cheers.   We didn't make it there.  THIS trip :)

sadly they lost...but we were there at the height of it all

Look what I can do.....

My kids are in bed and sleeping by 7:30 pm.   Jealous.
Well don't be.  They are also up at 6 am and ready to play.    I have a heck of a time keeping them in the house before 7 and after that it's a fight.
On this particular 7 am day....Nathan was out shooting hoops in just his pajama bottoms.
Normally that's not video worthy...but his little tooshy was sticking out and so I got the camera. :)
In catching crack kills, I was able to video the kid making baskets.
So here's my 3 yr old Nate the plumber shooting baskets. ha ha




Now let me tell you the secret to teaching a child(ren) who never rides a bike with training wheels how to ride a 2 wheeler in 2-5 minutes.
First. I took the training wheels off of their first bikes....the teeny ones that had been handed down to the little boys. They had much more control not tipping over and a shorter trip to the ground if they did fall which gave them LOTS more confidence to even try.
Next trick. Parents always hold the back of the bike and run behind the child. Instead, try only holding onto the shoulders of the child. It gives them a better feeling of balance.
I was scared that I wouldn't have the saving ability that you have holding on the back of the bike. but I did and not once did anyone fall.
These 2 simple tricks had my boys riding bikes without training wheels in 2-5 minutes. It was crazy because neither had any interest in riding bikes up until then. Now I can't get them off.

They are however still too scared to ride their bigger bikes so they look a little clown like on these small bikes with their knees going up and down over the steering wheel :) but who cares, they will eventually get on the big ones. I'm so proud of them....but not as proud as they are of themselves.