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Pictures, of course.  And also pictures of words.  

She looks so innocent… 

Today, folding laundry would have been good.  But couch forts and writing/illustrating our own books were "best". 

In the footsteps of my amazing friend Tasha, we've been having "Mom Wednesdays" this summer – a chance for just me and the kids to do something memorable together, where I can give them my undivided attention.  Here are some of our [photographed] adventures:

Tour of what I call the Kennecott Copper Mine, and what Zach will ONLY call the Bingham Canyon Mine – "Because Kennecott has mines all over, Mom!"  He didn't miss a thing in the video or the museum… much to the chagrin of the two youngest who had much shorter attention spans.  

Picnic (courtesy of Mc'D's) and hike around Silver Lake – SO beautiful, so cool compared to the 100* valley, darling baby ducks, off-trail exploration, and yes, that is my baby eating the forest floor.  

$2 Tuesday at Thanksgiving Point's Museum of Ancient Life 
(note:  Zach thinks it should be called the museum of PREHISTORIC life, because "ancient" could also refer to ancient Greece… 🙂

LONG line to get in, but in the shade, and it moved pretty quickly.  The museum was interesting – who knew there once was a millipede taller than Nate.   Most of us liked the star tunnel the best – Zach loved the mammoth – but we all won (?) because we got to see all of the museum twice after having to exit the one-way exhibit when we were halfway done to take a bathroom break, and then re-enter at the beginning.  Oh yeah, and we parked about as far away from the museum as we could and still be at Thanksgiving point…  ah, the memories.

I have loved these special days with the kiddos.  So many fun things to do… Zach reminded me that we'll have early Fridays at school so we could change to Mom Friday Afternoons after school starts.  Great idea.  :) 

We spent a fun evening at the Bees game with some wonderful Rochester friends.  And I think everyone – including Meg, thanks to the giant snow-cone, and even Carter, despite spilling most of his 48 oz. soda and just missing the train, despite Jen's best efforts – had a great time.  Zach got his wish of the game going into extra innings, Emma made it back from a bathroom break just in time to sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", and the home team even won.  Good times at the ballpark!

summer is going by too fast!!!  I need to spend more afternoons doing this…

Today on the slip n slide:  Kids pretend they are Olympic track stars; Meg gets braver around spraying water; I get so hot I change into my swimsuit after putting Meg to bed and race Carter (reminding me that although it definitely cools you off, it sure hurts more when you're a grown up!)

For our birthdays this year, my in-laws gave all the sisters-in-law tickets to see Wicked when it came to Utah this summer!   We missed Jessica, who had a beautiful little girl two days before the show, but lucky Emma was invited to come in her place.  

We went to lunch and then to the Capitol Theatre, arriving home after a SIX hour adventure.  I can't remember the last time I left my kids for 6 hours to do anything!  We loved the show – I even caught Emma singing along at one point – and it made me think of all of you out there who have changed me for good!  

Whenever she talks about it, Emma always calls it "the Wicked" – and it makes me smile every time she says it.  :)  It was such a fun day for both of us, thank you Adams!

Zach – if you didn't know – LOVES legos.  And since there are never enough people around to admire the awesome things he builds, he started a lego blog where he and his friends can put the cool things they make for each other to see.  As much as I love the things he builds, I love the things he writes most of all.  I just sat down to the computer and found this half-finished post:  

and it made me smile.  You can tell he's read a few Lego set descriptions… 🙂

Ever since our trip to Kennecott, our sandbox has been the site of an open pit copper mine, complete with blasting, excavation and hauling, crusher, and conveyer system.  And they have been very good sports about re-creating it after untrained toddler hands have "helped".  

As soon as she sees a pair she is saying "goggles!  goggles!" until you put them on – and she loves to wear them.  Swimming is definitely optional.  And, as with every accessory – the more, the better.