Alli’s wedding—another fun week!

At one point I didn’t think I was gonna have very much to block this week, but I think I have plenty so… Buckle up! 

Once the slip’n slide was out we had to get some use out of it! 

And really our kids are troopers! Right now Addi is clinging to my arm while I type— but I think mostly she’s just tired of being left. Saturday we left the kids while we went to a funeral for Bobbette Vorkink, then that evening we left them again while we went down to the adult session of stake conference. We tried to make it as fun as possible,  I left popcorn and treats and had a movie for them, but that’s still a long time for our younger kids to have us gone…and Colt and Tanner don’t care for it much either. Oh well—we’re just doing the best we can. 

We thought it was great only having to drive an hour to stake conference, but our kids completely hated driving an hour to sit for two to drive an hour back. 😏 too bad—tough it out! Conference was in the activity center of the community college in Moberly so that was interesting and made it hard to hear. But oh well! 

Monday was pack up and go day! But first Isaac had to put the new starter in the boat and give it a go! Him and Colt had a great time. Cannon wasn’t willing to get up and drive down there for the fourth day in a row…. Wait, I guess he didn’t have to go Saturday but anyway it was an hour to stake conference. It’s 40 minutes to the lake. He was just tired of it. Colt went with Isaac and they had a great time and the boat worked perfectly and he did great on the knee board. My request was that they were home by noon. When Isaac called at 11:30 to tell me how well things had gone all of a sudden he said “oh crap there goes our perfect trip” and they had blown a tire on the trailer. Darn. Almost perfect! I  was glad he and Colt got some one  on one time and seemed to have fun! 

I was busy that day packing up, but Isaac was really busy too, and then he decided to rent out the belly dump trailer so that made him extra busy and while the plan had been to go to Baseball completely loaded up, ready to just come home, shower and jump in the car …we went to baseball without being loaded.

… and didn’t leave town until 11:00… And that drive was so long and miserable!!! It’s just so much better when we do part of it and then have the night and then there’s only a few hours left in the morning but when the kids wake up in the morning and there’s 12 hours left, it was horrible! Oh and Isaac went hard all day so I drove from midnight until 4:30–but it was good, I didn’t feel like I was fighting it at all! I’ll take that blessing and be grateful! And he drove most of the rest of the way. 

We got into Salt Lake about 5 or 6:00 in the evening. We wanted to nap…but we went swimming instead! 

The hotel we picked was right by the front runner station so the kids were pretty excited about the idea of riding the train.

But first we hit snagged sis a $10 bike off ksl-cuz we hadn’t brought hers! And we went shopping for Isaac a white shirt since he forgot his. We came up empty and he borrowed one from Levi but I thought Addi holding the mannequin’s hand was kinda funny.  

And then we were off to the train! 

We got off—jumped on trax and headed to temple square! 

We hit the church history museum- it was fun (and very different than last time we were there…but it’s probably been 10 years! 





After that we grabbed some lunch…mayo’s her face and hair 😏

Then raced to the tabernacle and conference center and back to the train! 




Met briefly at Levi and Stacy’s then headed to the Airbnb and then back up to the temple! It was awesome to be there when Jacob went through for his own endowment. 

Thursday morning the kids wanted to ride bikes but it’s kind of a busy street so we walked over to the cemetery. 

(I thought this was cool.) They were riding around and literally the second headstone I looked at was of a little boy who was in our ward in Kirksville. He passed away last year so his family had moved on (their 2nd son was born in KV really close to Seth) but it just made the world feel kinda small. I told my mom the story and it turns out my Uncle Grant is buried there too—I haven’t found his headstone yet though. 

Anyway- yesterday we took the kids and Ethan to the water park. It was pretty fun! 

Especially that racing slide—I loved it! 

Then a little cousin time…

And today the wedding! 

It was unbelievable -picture perfect-ok maybe not my pictures but really—incredible! 

https://youtu.be/samcpGohGlE?si=Urd3-vveSeoWz5L_

The mulberries are ripe! 

But google led me to this ridiculous and amazing trick that actually rubbing not ripe mulberries on the stain will take the stain out 🤪 who thinks of this stuff?? But it totally worked!! I wish I had before and after pics-it was amazing! So we salvaged some clothes…haven’t been as lucky with getting grease out that they find while helping dad…but I guess if I’m honest I haven’t googled it—I just usually try Dawn dish soap. If google pulls through for me I’ll be sure to document it here too! 
We had a baptism to go to but Isaac wanted to ride his horse first so then Addi got to ride all dressed up! 

They’re cute. 

Sunday we had a young men’s camp planning meeting for Cannon that the parents were invited to…umm they should have said Dads —there was no reason for me to be there. It was painful—at least Bishop Williams brought treats! Finally I went to check on the other kids in gym

Dry erase markers ruin clothes too…in case you were wondering…
We made carmels (Colts favorite) but we messed up the recipe -I knew it was written wrong but didn’t check just went with what was written-so we had some pretty yummy carmel apple dip! 

And I’m not sure about the brothers playing beauty shop…

Monday we had to divide and conquer on baseball—Cannon’s coach likes him to be a lot earlier than Tans plus his game was in Lancaster so we had a lot more time than Cannon and Isaac and these guys really wanted to roller blade at the church…so we made it happen before Tanners game. 

Cann came home with the Champion belt from weights—for best efforts, he was pumped! And he still has 100% attendance, I laughed and said “until next week”

This little sucker cost Cannon $5 bucks—he was confident it was a safe bet, but he was wrong! Seth might have a little miser in him… (Colt—not me—documented) 

Then Tuesday, no baseball, no nuthin—seemed like a great day to go to the lake! 

It was so nice of the Vorkink’s to give us their boat…but there’s a reason their kids didn’t want it…

We took it out with a new battery-cuz we borrowed one last time and Isaac was able to ski right? Isaac started the boat before we left with this little contraption he has where you hook it up to the hose. Anyway it started right up—I was gathering swim towels and such and heard him revving it and stuff, but we got to the lake (40 min drive) and…

Nuthin! 

We found another friendly fisherman that tried to help us—we came home without ever getting the boat to start. ???

What the heck right? I was frustrated because he’d tried to check it—I heard it running!! Oh well! 

I’m not sure what this pic is—just random—occasionally you can steal

Cannons hat and not get busted…

But Tuesday night-it was literally midnight and by the light of our cell phones we were loading the 80000 pound excavator! The lights on it aren’t working the spot light had died. It’s broad daylight by like 5:30 in the morning this time of year I wasn’t sure why we couldn’t just wait until morning but Isaac didn’t want me to have to get up… ok whatever…

But he got it loaded and took it to a job and worked all day!  I had taken Cannon to baseball and was coming back to get Tanner and the troops for both games when I got the rescue mission call. 

Ugh

Luckily I didn’t have to go clear to where he was working, just dropped Tanner off at his game told him if I wasn’t there at the end to walk to Cannons field then I took the hydraulic oil and requested tools to meet him at a  repair shop where a guy was building him a hose. He was so close-within inches and luckily the job was done it was part of the load up process…anyway I made it back to the games and I thought he might beat me home…

Ha

Yeah right! 

It ended up being a pretty late night—but he made it, (here to the house before dark which I guess is a big deal on those oversized loads) but not in the house until probably after 10:00 and since I thought he was close I kinda “waited” or saved the bedtime routine to do together -cuz I wanted help after having the troops all day by myself. My bad-I should’ve put them to bed!! 

Pics from baseball (Cann got ripped off of pics this week-but he was pitching when I got there and he looked good.) 

Besides simultaneous baseball games I had to take them  to youth activities at the church, I just had Cann miss the tail end of his game and I’m glad cuz they were doing a spiritual activity but it still seemed like he had fun. He made sure to tell me he “cooked”  at it. 👍🏻 Colt and Tanner had a good time too, I guess they were acting out scripture stories or something. 

Addi Seth and I tried to stay entertained and just hung around to save ourselves yet another trip! 

We ended up in the gym where (accident prone) Seth and his buddies were playing with the rolling whiteboard and ended up tipping it over on him. He’s got quite a bruise from the tray that hold the markers falling into his back. Bummer. 
But we survived Wednesday-barely 

Then had the missionaries for dinner Thursday,  there was lots of tinkering with the boat —Isaac was on the phone with his uncle, that thing started up great-every time—we’re good to go! Today We head out—I mean look at those smiles!!

(We started with a prayer) and it worked!!

So fun! 

The water where he can’t touch makes Tanner nervous (is he my kid or what?) and he didn’t like the boat idling so Isaac had this bright idea to drive over a little closer to the dock and turn it off. Then we could all swim around a bit. He was just trying to help Tan be more comfortable -super dad- but I said I wasn’t sure that was a very good idea with all the trouble we’ve had. 

But he’s confident

And he’s positive

And my opinion wasn’t so —it was ignored…

And Tanner still didn’t get in. 

And here we are paddling the dumb thing! 

And we got closer to the dock—but not close enough!!!

We probably paddled for 30-45 min. Against the dumb wind. 

I’m sure I’ll feel it tomorrow

I made Cann take the pic! 

So it was fun…until it wasn’t! 

Isaac messed around with it at the dock for at least another 1/2 hour 45 min. Before he finally gave up and we came home. 

We got home and Seth and Tan headed straight for the slip’n slide! 

I think they had fun! 

It’s good sumner days! But seriously that boat 🤯🤯🤯

Not a good record. 

Before it was ours we went out with the Vorkink’s—ended up paddling the dumb thing (and got a tow that time) 

Then the borrowed battery but it worked 

Then Tuesday trip was a total bust 

And today…Colt and Cann did get a little taste of how fun it could be but…maybe Isaac needs to hurry up and build a bigger shop-so he could buy a better boat! (It’s a no until we have somewhere to park it) but I don’t know how many of these adventures I have left in me…

Anyway…

Tomorrow he wants to replace the starter…and then he wants to try again Monday morning…(cuz he can’t tomorrow cuz of stake conf mtgs) but we need to pack for Utah!!! Time will tell but I wouldn’t bet against him (going that is …I would bet against that boat!) 

Anyway—That’s my story! 

I can’t make this stuff up!! 

https://youtu.be/W3Xt4i3RjQI?si=XQcnedhPLMC_xbsf