Banks Lake July

Some valuable lessons brought to you by Banks Lake.

1. A big tent...is always a better tent. Mostly. Unless there is a wind and rain storm. Then? Not so much.

2. Life vests keep you safe. Hence the name. They also give you wedgies.

3. Fun in the water is different for everyone.

Example:

Or:

4. Expecting popcorn to last while on vacation is just silly.

5. You are free to jump off of rocks how you see fit.

6. Even on vacation, taking a header into a swing set is not the best idea.

7. Electronics are like magnets to our kids. They are sure to be your BFF's if you have a gadget.

8. If you float, you never float alone.

9. When a kid is skiing you take 90 gazillion pictures.

10. Boat rides are...as Nacho Libre would say..."The best!"

11. Especially if you have one arm around your best pal and your hand on Grandma's leg.

12. Aunt Ramonah makes this face...A Lot.

13. But in Ramonah's defense she makes this face a lot too.

14. Having cousins around is where it is at!

15. When Penny won't speak to you, ice cream bribery works wonders.

16. Having a cute face and telling people that you are saving up to buy "water shoes" really pays off.

17. Drinking water while driving a boat is, in Blake's book, document worthy.

18. You will be photo bombed.

19. Doing things that you did as a kid...were much easier when you were a kid.

20. Vacation is great. But tiring too.

21. The family that bathes together, stays together.

The Majority of December

I have a lot to catch up on. Let's get right into it...shall we?

One of the advent days was going down to Temple Square to look at the lights. 

Last year when we went it was bitter cold! This year we were hopeful that it wouldn't be too cold for us. Our hopes were crushed by a snow storm on the night that we planned to go. 

We bundled the kids up in their snow gear and they seemed to do well. I probably could have used a few more layers, and was cold by the end of the night, but live and learn I guess.

Most people take their family pictures by the lights around Temple Square...we like to take ours at the Trax station. 

Blake said the lighting was fun. I will believe him.

Rest assured, this is Penny's fun face.

The Trax station may have met its match in Temple Square.

The kids loved the lights and the snow gave it a cool ambience. 

But if you asked them, I am sure they would say that they were in it for the hot chocolate.

Penny even had fun. 

See. Fun face.

The halls at our house were decked at the beginning of the month.

Canon for some odd reason was insistent that he put the star at the top of the tree.

The kid's tree downstairs is normally a free for all. 

The OCD in me needs it to be that way. They have their tree, I have mine.

Laney requested that the upstairs tree be "Golden and green." 

Golden and green it was.

 This was the first year in awhile that we have not bought a new Rudolph figurine.

But, Laney randomly came home from school one day with this old paper cut out reindeer and it seemed to fill the void.

In the middle of December we went to Vegas for a quick weekend. 

Blake's sister and brother were both blessing their babies.

Since we were going to see Grandma Dana before Christmas we let the kids pick out presents for her at the dollar store.

Penny gave her some kettle corn.

Canon gave her the thoughtful gift of....paperclips.

They were well received.

Laney picked out nail polish and Gavin gave her a gigantic magnet.

Let me stop here for a minute and explain Penny.

She is a hard sell.

She doesn't like anyone. She is insistent that she "does not love Santa."

And...If a girl doesn't love Santa, there is a good chance that you won't make the cut either.

There was a lot of trying from the Vegas family to try to break her.

It didn't work. 

Although she did crack a little.

We went to an outdoor museum while we were there.

You can tell that Canon and Laney are both Vegas babies.

A light jacket and skirt is right up Laney's alley,

and I have been trying to convince Canon (to no avail) that shorts are not acceptable in the winter..in the snow...in Utah.

But then, we are in Vegas and he wears pants.

Go figure.

If you ever want to take a picture of kids all together...

Good luck.

This is what you get:

Independently? Good.

Vegas was short and sweet and to the point. 

Just like Penny.

And I think she is swell.