Fife Family Mini-Reunion

Dear Readers,
My blog is also my journal because frankly I am not good at writing in a journal but I do love posting pics of my family and what we do. So this record will have to suffice. I apologize that I often wax long on the goings on ( is that even a real phrase) of my family but hey, it's MY blog.

I'm also feeling a bit lonely tonight because my handsome husband and awesome older kids are up camping in Tendoi at the Hayes family reunion but I had to stay home with little Leah who has an ear infection. I just got Leah down to sleep so I'm stealing a few minutes to post about our Fife Family Mini-Reunion. We have to call it a mini-reunion because Mallory and Jared, 2 of my siblings, couldn't make it because they were still working their summer jobs at a resort just outside of Zions National Park.

August 15th and 16th we gathered at Nana and Papa Fife's home in Lewisville for a weekend of fun, family and food. We started out by making tie dyed t-shirts for all of the grandchildren, seven of them now. Even little Leah got a onsie. Kris also joined in the fun and made himself a tee. We donned each of the non-baby kids in aprons and rubber gloves and let them go wild, with a little supervision. Then Kalene helped us make marshmallow shooters. How cool is that. Kris shot a marshmallow at Talmage and he started to cry. So then he shot one at close range at me to see if it really hurt. Sure enough, it stung a bit. So we had to make the rule that they could only shoot them out into the grass or at the cows. (They were happy to do this as one of the heifers was in heat and bellering up a storm.)


Then for dinner we roasted hot dogs and brats over the Chimea (sp?). Ooooh tasty. Then we set up the tents for sleeping. The five older kids - Gabby, Abi, Sterling, Talmage, and Kirsten - all slept in one tent. Papa Fife slept in his own tent next door. After the tents were set up we used the Howell's projector to show a movie on the side of the house. I made sticky carmel popcorn and provided Red vines for the show. We watched "The Spiderwick Chronicles" and they loved it. By then the kids were so tuckered out they went right to sleep in their sleeping bags in the tent. All other grownups slept inside in nice, warm beds.

Nana and Papa made breakfast the next morning. There is Papa working the grill. After everyone got dressed in their new matching tie dye shirts we played everyone's favorite game, BINGO!!! The kids love it because Nana buys awesome prizes for them to win. She bought out Big Lots and the Dollar Store this year.

Then we filled at least 200 water balloons and headed for Rigby Lake. We enjoyed making sand castles and playing in the water. Water ballon volleyball was a favorite but then it got out of hand and turned into an all out water ballon fight for a few minutes. When all grandchildren we crying we went back to volleyball.


After one last dinner we had my birthday cake, raspberry cheesecake - Thanks mom. Then we loaded up our exhausted children and headed home. We took a lot of fun memories and a little lake sand with us.

First Day of School

Abi and Tal started school today. Abi is in the 2nd grade and Tal goes to Kindergarten in the morning. Both were so excited. I had just a twinge of sadness as I dropped them off, but no tears. I'm actually really excited to not have to take 3 kids to the store anymore :) They both had a great day and have told me bits and pieces about their new classes. We have a family tradition of going out for ice cream on the first day of school so we should hear lots more tonight.

Fun for Four Dollars

My husband Kris is an avid golfer, well at least he would be if we had more money in the entertainment category of our budget. I enjoy golfing, as long as we don't keep score, but haven't had the chance to go since before Abi was born. But a few Saturdays ago we took our kids out to Sage Lakes to let them hit a bucket of balls out on the driving range.


Kris was a great teacher, helping Abi and Tal line up their shot and work on their pendelum swing. I love this pic because Tal is always trying to be just like his Dad.
Then Abi and Tal got to try their hand at the putting green. (Loser has to buy ice cream. JK) That used to be the rule with Kris and I but this time dad bought the soda to go with our hamburgers for dinner.

Leah at 2 months

Our little Leah is growing in leaps and bounds. She is 9 lbs 12 oz now and 23 1/2 inches long. One of her favorite times is bathtime. She loves to kick and splash in the tub. She also has the cutest smiles and will grin at you when you talk to her. ( No the date is not correct on my thought calendar. I've been a little preoccupied.)
Here are my girls first thing in the morning. Abi is such a great helper and loves little Leah. Abi was holding Leah so that I could make breakfast.
I was trying to catch one of her cute smiles but no luck. She's still a little sweetie though and we love her to pieces.

Roaring Youth Jam

Roaring Youth Jam is a youth arts festival held every year on the Greenbelt in Idaho Falls. Local businesses or groups sponsor a tent that hosts a craft or activity. My sister, Kalene, and I loaded up our stollers and took the munchkins downtown for some wild and crafty fun. We hit the greenbelt about 10:15 so that we could beat the summer heat. Our kids had a blast. Here Tal checks out his lion from face painting. At noon we took a break to spread our blanket, eat our PB and J's, and watch the Printz Dance Project. It was an interactive class so Abi, Gabby, Tal, Sterling and Kirsten joined in and put on the moves.

Glitter and glue was the theme of the day. Here the kids decorate paper bag hats. After each craft we mommies got to delicately hold each sticky treasure until it dried enought to put it into each child's designated bag.
One of their favorite booths was the graffiti wall. They weren't old enough to use the spray paint ( 10 years) and we missed the fake ID booth that the smart mouth guy running the booth mentioned so they had to make do with regular paint. Abi has pink of course.
Tal is making a sea creature to fasten to a net mural.

Abi can really work it with a hula hoop. Even this huge hoop didn't slow her down much. We all enjoyed Roaring Youth Jam and will look forward to more glue and paint next year.