Hogle Zoo

Another activity while in Utah was visiting the Hogle Zoo. Hogle Zoo had animatronic dinosaurs set up all around the zoo for Zoorasic Park. Kaylee especially liked the one that sprayed water at you. For this outing Stephanie, Jacob, and Eliza came with as well. This was definitely another fun outing.

lft: Naomi and Jacob rt:Kaylee and Emmalee on wooden horses
Naomi, Kaylee, and Emmalee on a tiger

Oh no, look out for that dinosaur

Naomi and Eliza

Arielle, Em, Kaylee, Naomi, David and Joel by the musical elephant

lft to rt: Kaylee, Naomi, Emmalee and Jacob

Kaylee getting sprayed by a dinosaur

Living Planet Aquarium

One of the excursions Arielle planned for us was the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy. We all really enjoyed it especially me! I know that is a no brainer after all I am an Aquatics teacher. :o) But hey if you live in Utah close to Sandy it is well worth it. Here are some pics from that day:

This display allows you to feel the electrical currents of an electric eel. I only lasted a couple seconds. Kaylee kept her fingers on for a couple of minutes.
Naomi, Kaylee, and Emmalee sitting in a canoe in the Amazon exhibit

Emmalee trying to pet a sting ray

Emmalee, Kaylee, and Naomi looking at some jellies

The girls and a frog (maybe if they kiss it, it will turn into a prince)

Visiting with Family in Utah

The second leg of our family vacation (and the majority) was spending time with my Utah siblings (Dan, Mike, Arielle) and their families. Arielle and Joel were wonderful in allowing us to stay in their Orem condo while they were finishing out their South Jordan apartment contract. Arielle acted as our event/activity coordinator and planned out an itinerary for things for us to do when we visited. Check out the individual blog posts on those fun activities. Here is some random family pictures including pictures taken at our big family dinner:

Kaylee, Emmalee, and Naomi with Beamer (poor kittyboy)
Naomi reading to Jacob

Sleepover (Em is sharing the sleeping bag with Naomi, and Melanie is kneeling by Kaylee)

Yum breakfast for dinner (Clockwise starting in bottom lft: Em, Naomi, Kaylee, Jacob)

The Swiss Alps of America

After summer school was finished for me, we decided to take a family road trip. On the 30th of July, we headed out and we pulled back in to Houston on the 16th of August. Our first leg of the trip was to Colorado. My dad's sisters live in Montrose, and I love to visit anytime that I can. (PS: I was born there.) This was David's first time going to Montrose and seeing Colorado. David absolutely loved Colorado and would not mind moving there. One of my favorite places to visit when I go to Montrose is a little resort town about 1 hour south called Ouray. Ouray is nicknamed the Swiss Alps of America. If you look closely at the pictures, you can see why. It is absolutely gorgeous. It was rainy the day we went. So we spent our time browsing the shops. Next time we visit, I want to bring the girls to the natural hot springs that is opened all year round. When I was in college, I actually went swimming in it during Thanksgiving break when it was snowing!!

The girls (if you look closely on the right right above the car there is a waterfall in the mountains)
David and the girls
David and the girls in front of the sign

Sea Center with Grandma and Pop-pop

The last week in July my parents came for a short visit. On our one exclusive day with just them, we brought them down to the Sea Center in Lake Jackson. (FYI: for those Texans this is a free marine aquarium/fish hatchery/nature exhibit open to the public) Being an Aquatic Science teacher, I love to visit the Sea Center. I love the different aquaria displays that show the different aquatic habitats of Texas. If you get a chance, it is also fun to take a tour of the fishery that supplies a lot of the red fish for fishing here in Texas. They also have a small touch tank to touch various native aquatic animals. Naomi was quite scared of the crabs and was pretty leary of putting her fingers in the water. Don't worry they actually remove one of the claws on the crabs so they don't pinch. Kaylee's favorite part was the stock ponds. She liked buying the fish pellets and feeding them to the fish. She was quite inventive when we ran out of quarters for food. She started picking up stray pellets off the deck and feeding them to the fish.

Pop-pop trying to convince Naomi to touch an anemone
Grandma showing Naomi that the animals in the tank aren't harmful

Kaylee taking pictures (man that camera was an excellent investment)

David and the girls by the statue

The girls feeding the fish in the stock pond

Bringing Big Sis to the Circus

In July, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to town. We love to go to the circus. When we found out Kaley had never gone to a circus, the girls and I decided to drag her along with us and have a girl day. We all had a blast. We loved going to the pre-show before hand. We got a lot of autographs from the performers, and the girls got to try on circus costumes. Kaylee loved the bouncing acts the best. At the end of the circus, Kaylee said she wants to be in the circus when she grows up.

Kaley and the girls in circus costumes
Kaylee all decked out!
Naomi looking glamorous!

Clowning Around!!What a bunch of clowns!!

4th of July 2011

Fourth of July this year was pretty low key. In the morning, we dragged Kaley with us to our ward pancake breakfast. After the breakfast, we went and cleaned my classroom for awhile (yuck!!) Later that evening, the Bounds invited us to their house for a BBQ (thanks Bounds). Afterwards, we headed to the local mall to watch fireworks.

The girls in their matching 4th of July outfits Kaylee watching fireworks with Dallin

Naomi ahhing over some fireworks

You Scream, We Scream...

We all scream for ICE CREAM!!!

The end of June we brought the girls and their big sis (Kaley) to the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory in Brenham, Texas. The tour of the factory was fun. However, our favorite part by far was the free ice cream at the end of the tour. My new favorite flavor is Krazy Kookie Dough. It is a cake batter ice cream with multi-colored sugar dough cookie chunks. Yummmy!!! For those of you who have never had Blue Bell Ice Cream, ya'll are missing out.

Naomi, Kaley, and Kaylee by a display of Blue Bell ice cream flavors
All the girls by the old fashioned Ice Cream truck (ps the girls did not like wearing those hats!!)