A Sister's visit, a haircut, the zoo, and Father's Day

Goodness time is going by fast, it just doesn't stop and pause and let you catch up! I just seem to get further behind the more I try to be caught up. Maybe some day....
After memorial day we all just did our normal start of the summer things: gardening, mowing lawns, planting flowers, re-doing my flower bed, the normal cleaning the house, and of course working for Jim and me. The kids were both back to living their own lives in their own little cities.
Then in June my sister Juli and her little boy, Chase came for a visit for a week!! Yay! Sarah came back home to visit with her too. We had a weenie roast the first day she was home with Mom and Dad, Kim and Angela, Brian and Jen and their family, and Charlotte and Jesse (Ang's parents) and Rowena and Ted Cook, and Jon and Marge Mecham. It was a little blustery, but calmed down later and was quite nice. We sat around and visited and laughed and had a great time. There is just something about a hot dog roasted over an open fire that screams summer!! and macaroni salad......and peanut butter rice krispie treats......mmmmmm.
The first thing Chase said to me was "Thanks for my '9' and '6' dolls" he is soooo cute! I would make him more if I had the energy.
I worked the rest of the week, but Juli liked Sarah's new hair cut and wanted to get hers done the same way. So I thought, "Hey! why not take Friday off and Sarah and I could take Juli to get her hair done by Sarah's friend, Mitch!" and show her the new City Creek Mall in Salt lake city." Mom and Dad agreed to watch Chase since he plays with Jennifer's kids anyway. So off we went! woo hoo!!! We got to Provo just in time for Juli's haircut.... it took 2 hours!!!! but Mitch is very precise and you don't leave unhappy. I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it!!!
Then we to Salt Lake, we had decided to call Pam, and see if she'd like to do dinner together. She picked Cafe Rio, so that's where we went. We got Spicy Pork burritos and had fun visiting with Pam and Lindsay. Then it was time to go to the mall. We ended up wandering around 'Forever 21" most of the time. We bought Sunglasses!

(since I had left my favorite pair in a loaner car while I was having mine detailed!) Then Pam had to leave for work, so Lindsay drove her. But Juli, Sarah  and I  had time to admire the outside of Tiffany's....

                                                            Sarah's dream store....

She looks like a little model and like she belongs there doesn't she?..... I hope she finds a man that can make all of her dreams come true.
While we were wandering and admiring the mall... Mom called and wondered if we were almost home. She about died when she found out we hadn't even left yet!!!! ooopss! she was tired and worn out from watching Kella and Chase all day. So we sadly left, feeling guilty for not leaving earlier and sad because we couldn't window shop longer and go to Temple Square.
On our drive home, we decided to take Kella and Chase to the Tautphaus Park Zoo and Mickey D's the next day to give Mom and Dad a nice break. With that in our hearts we went home, and played a nice game of scrabble with mom and dad when we got there.... and I made play dough with Chase! He's the cutest, funniest kid.... he comes up with some funny things... He was also amazed that we could actually make play dough! and it's actually better than the stuff you buy! Mom, Dad, Sarah, Juli and I had all played 1 game of scrabble, then I left the 2nd one to make play dough, with mom and dad playing for me. I started winning then... hahahaha and I said "of course! when I do play I lose, and and when you play for me I win" and Chase said "Now that's just sad..." LOL !! He was pretty good at sculpting action figures out of the play dough.
Saturday came, and we thought we'd go to the zoo at 1-ish after lunch.
We were excited!! We hadn't been to the zoo and park for a looonnnggg time! Juli, Chase, Kella, and I met Sarah there, and we were off to the zoo first!
We saw a peacock first, and decided to get a cute pic before we all got hot and tired! Not sure what was wrong with Kella.... maybe she didnt' like her gum?!

 Next came the monkey house.... after getting over the shock of the smell of it, and Sarah finally getting her gagging under control...hahaha, we looked at the monkeys and wondered why they had a huge snake in the monkey house! But Sarah was excited... it was like the snake Harry Potter talked to in the first "Harry Potter" movie... she secretly wished she could speak parcel-tongue too!

We liked these monkeys.. we liked their hair-dos... and the fact that they seem to like to climb down their climbing bars and get a look at us... just like we were looking at them!

 Then we came to this monkey... it looked like a wise monkey and that he had combed his hair so nice so he would be ready for pictures... and when we got outside we found him sitting like this, just waiting for a human to take his picture... he was all poised so politely.... I was amazed! How cute is he?!!

Then we went on our way, and found the otters.... we decided if we were an animal in the zoo, we would be an otter, they get to have the most fun in their swimming pool, and it's the coolest place of all too...

 After the otters, we saw birds, and the petting zoo... but the kids seemed bored with them, so we found the lions... but on our way there was this statue of a lion, and the kids and Sarah couldn't pass up a photo opportunity.....Chase is quite a ham.....

 and I think Sarah is a little 'hamish' herself!

The Lions were sleeping.... so I didnt' take a pic. and the Tiger was too, but Sarah loves the tigers so I had to take a pic...

It was funny, there was a really loud bird on the other side of the canal by this tiger cage.. every time it made a loud noise, the tiger would raise his sleepy head and look around like 'what was that?" and then like "knock it off already, I'm sleeping" the kids got a kick out of it!!......but there was another tiger ....closer and a little more friendly....and awake....

 And Sarah couldn't pass up another photo opp.... I told you she was a ham....

After the lions and tigers and bears...........(oh my) we found the camels..... one had these huge humps on it's back that would wiggle every time it walked so Sarah and I couldn't resist making a small video...

I hope it works.... Sarah was hilarious and we both got the giggles....... She was singing that song about "my humps, my humps, check it out! " hahaha...by this time the kids were grumpy but we waited to watch them feed the penguins, I was too tired so I sat back and let the kids watch... we went over to the amusement park to get a drink of water and snow cones!! Sarah and I were a little wilted..

Then we let the kids ride a few rides....

                                                   Aren't they two cute kids???

  Kella liked the Merry-go -round best... Chase liked whatever ride he happened to be on at the moment....

He makes his own fun! Then Chase wanted to go back to the gift shop at the zoo and get a souviner so Sarah, Kella and I waited in the grass for them to get back...

Sarah and Kella are best buddies.... they got bored and decided to see what Tarzan felt like swinging from tree vines......

You can just hear them saying... aw awawaw..... like Tarzan... can't you??

Then we left and went to McDonalds.... boy were we all hungry and thirsty!! After eating we left Sarah with the kids at McD's (they didn't want to leave the play area) and Juli and I ran an errand to Lowe's to buy Jim and Dad's Father's Day gifts. Yay! They still had what we were looking for! so back we went to get the kids and head for home.

Chase was funny... we had gone up in Andrew's Mazda... then we met him and switched vehicles while we were in Mc'D's and and on the way home Chase said "Mom, I think I grew while we were at the zoo... I can see out all the windows now!" hahahaha.. he didn't even notice he was in a different car! Love that boy!

We played another scrabble game in the evening and then all went to bed... what a busy day!

Sunday came and it was Father's Day! I love my Dad and my Husband... I couldn't ask for a better dad for my kids. And my Dad has always been a great example of a loving Father.. He's always doing things for everyone else...

Sunday morning we all went to church then came home and I grilled steaks and made twice cooked Potatoes with bacon in them YUM! Then we let Jim open his present...

isn't Jim cute!!! We had to drag Andrew out of bed ....but he's cute too 

                                                And Sarah is way cute......

and then there's me.......

I made a cookie brownie bar that we took down to share with mom and dad to go with ice cream.

 Gary and Carol and Kim and Ang were there too. We had a good time visiting and eating ice cream and cookies bars and honoring the Father's in our family.

I love family... that's what makes the world a better place is having your family close by. 

I am grateful for a wise Heavenly Father who gave us earthly families and father's who love us, provide for us and just make life a whole lot better. :)