Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Fourth of July 2015

Fourth of July 2015



We spent the 4th of July up at my Mom's house helping her recoup from her arm surgery and helping her get things done around her house. In between yard work, gardening, setting up a sprinkler system, unloading my mom's Sisters Creed trailer, and rearranging rooms and furniture we did managed to squeeze in some fun too. Plus, Tyler got my mom all hooked up with a bunch of fun movies and TV shows that she had been wanting to watch. We made her a lot of delicious food and she binge watched all kinds of things. It helped to keep her down and immobile which is nearly an impossible task.

Sandpoint, Idaho is absolutely gorgeous. Lake Pend Oreille is huge...way bigger than our lake...but just as beautiful.


The Garfield Bay area is near where my mom lives and it is one of our favorite spots.


We found some great camping sites right on the water for some fall camping. I am not a camper but I can handle it if it is on the water. How gorgeous is this?


America the Beautiful, indeed.

The morning of the fourth we got up early so that we could head into town for the parade. Sandpoint puts on a super cute parade. Our kids were actually supposed to be on a float in the parade this year for the Funky Junk Antiques show but with my Mom's injury and a couple of other things it fell through, They were pretty bummed. My little girls were going to be in vintage swimsuits and swim caps. They were pretty stoked to be able to throw candy to the crowds.


Ailey made these super cute and patriotic breakfast kabobs,


It was really weird not to have Reilly with us on the 4th of July. She was busy working a double shift and making some good $$ but still...it's weird.


Then we were off to the parade...



It was fun but it was over 100 degrees!! We were roasting!!


You've got to love a small town parade that still throws out candy to kids!!


Our personal favorite entry. We love the bagpipes!! Kameron starts bagpipe lessons in the fall. My Grandpa McKinnon would be thrilled!!


One of my favorite... The bookmobile!! It reminds me of the dell. The bookmobile would come up to the dell once a week. It was the best!!


We hung out with my friend Jennifer, who lives in Sandpoint, and her husband Nathan. She is the one who puts on the Funky Junk Antiques show there every year. We love the Woods!!

We went and grabbed the pies we had ordered from the Pie Hut (yum) and headed back to my Mom's to check on her and to have an early treat! Chocolate Cream and Coconut Cream Pie!!

Then we decided to head up to Schweitzer, the local ski resort, that is literally 15 minutes from my Mom's door. It is so gorgeous and it was much cooler!!



The first thing that the kids wanted to do was ride the lift to the top of the mountain and look around. Ailey has been kicking butt all summer and conquering all kinds of fears so even she was game to ride the lift. So up we went. It was spectacular!!




Schweitzer is such a gorgeous ski resort and looks out over the lake. Stunningly beautiful.



Up at the top we took in the view and ate some ice cream. Bryn loved bouncing on those chairs!!


Then we went for a hike... the CEO of Schweitzer's daughter was getting married up at the top that day so they had a whole wedding area set up. It was gorgeous...but so stinking hot!


Whenever I tell my kids to look at me so that I can take their pictures I always get this!!



On our way back down the lift we saw the bride and groom arrive and all the wedding party and guests in their wedding frippery...and the flowers and other decorations that were strapped to the lift. It was pretty neat.




While we were walking around the resort we saw our friends the Walkers which was fun. They rode the lift up, brought a picnic, and had lunch on the trail. Next time we will hike down. Tyler really wants to mountain bike down.

The next activity that we wanted to do was the zipline. Ailey and Bryn were too small but they were great sports and took pictures and video. It was AWESOME!! It is seriously so much fun. We loved it!!




It was an absolute blast!! I saw that Sundance has a zipline now. That would be fun to do when we drop Reilly off in Provo next month. Tyler went first and then Kameron and I went together. I will say it again...SO.MUCH.FUN!!




Next up were me and Kamers...




Then after our fun afternoon at the resort we headed back to my mom's house for our 4th of July feast!! We stopped at a grocery store on our way back and ran into my friend, Cary, who was in town for the holiday too. I can't believe all the people that we saw while in we were in town!! 

We hung out at my mom's and let the kids ride their bikes and play until it was time to go to the fireworks and then we headed back to Garfield Bay. Garfield Bay puts on the BEST fireworks display that I have seen in a long long time. Pretty much since Provo. But even better since you are looking out over the water. We had a great time!!



By the end of the night we were exhausted and bedraggled but a good time was had by all!!

We spent the rest of the weekend with my mom and then headed home Sunday night. I was glad that our family was able to spend the holiday with my mom, help her out, cook for her, get a bunch of stuff done for her, and keep her somewhat entertained too. She is finally starting to feel a bit better with her hard cast on now.

Next up:
McClellan Family Reunion 2015

Thursday, July 16, 2015

June Part 2

June Part 2

School is finally out!! Our last day of school was June 18th...they extended the school year, shortened the summer, and extended the school day for next year. My kids were not amused. While we were traveling we were texting these pictures back and forth on the last day of school.




He's actually really happy! Ha ha. Good-bye Middle School...Hello High School!!


See ya 5th Grade!


Laters Kindergarten!!



Kindergarten friends



Ailey with the wonderful Mrs. Antonio. Teacher extraordinaire!!

My sister Kelley took the kids out for our traditional last day of school ice cream...


I am glad that they all finished the school year on a high note!! It was a good year for everyone.

Kameron left for the Joseph's Legacy Youth Conference just a few days after we got home from California. He had an amazing time!! He absolutely loved it. It sounded like such a great experience for all involved. He told us how powerful the reenactments were especially Haun's Mill, and when Joseph was tarred and feathered, and the martyrdom.

Heading out in his pioneer garb...


Pick up day...



Completely grimy!!

This youth conference was kind of like the pioneer trek in that they wore pioneer clothes but more like Moroni's Quest where they would go around and participate in different reenactments, have guest speakers, do activities that were appropriate to the era, and typically try to give them the experience of what life would have been like at the time the church was being established and what it would have been like to be one of the early Saints. They were divided into families like at the trek with a Ma and Pa and siblings. Kameron loved his family!! He didn't know anyone that was assigned to his family but ended up really bonding with his family and making some new friends. I think he especially enjoyed getting to know his "sisters". ;)

Picture stolen from Kameron's Instagram account. Super sly!

When we picked him up at the Stake Picnic he was so hot and dirty that we needed to get him into some water stat!! It has been so unseasonably hot here. It's been in the high 90s and 100s for almost 6 weeks. That's crazy for Spokane. We couldn't go to our lake that day but we found a super secret swimming hole and we all jumped in before heading home. It felt wonderful and Kameron got to leave all that grime in the lake and not in my house. Win. Win.


Much cleaner!!





As much as I love the ocean and the beach... I am a lake girl through and through.


I will take pine trees over palm trees any day. Isn't that the beauty of travel? It allows us to imagine living all kinds of different lives in all kinds of different places and then gives us the greatest gift of all...an appreciation for home and the lives that we have chosen.  I love that!

Kameron started swim team...


 He flat out refuses to let me take any pictures of him. Lucky for me his big sister dropped him off one day and took this montage. Thanks Reilly! He wasn't that excited to be signed up for swim team. I forced him. I am a HUGE believer in swim team!! It did wonders for Reilly. All the Johnson kids will do swim team. Anyway, it only took about a week before he admitted to me that I was right. He loves it now and is killing it!! 

Ailey turned eleven!!Woohoo!! More about that in another post.


We watched the heavens to see the super star on June 30, 2015 when Venus and Jupiter were in their closest conjunction in nearly 2,000 years. It was pretty cool to see them so close together. One on top of the other.



Pretty cool!!

Also the night we flew home to Spokane from CA the Northern Lights were visible in our area. Unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of the plane to see them. Darn it! I really want to see them. My grandma said that when she was a little girl they used to be visible from the lake. That would be quite a show!! They were supposed to be visible the next night also so we got the kids up and drove out in the country until about 2 am. It was quite the Johnson adventure even though we saw nothing. We found out that some electromagnetic storm had occurred and that they were no longer visible from here. We were seriously bummed.


Ailey was finally allowed to have an Instagram account so that was pretty big excitement around here.


We put the tent up on one end of our big deck and it has stayed. The little girls have slept out in it with Tyler. Reilly and Kameron each take turns sleeping out in it.We've made it all comfy with pillows and quilts. The little girls like to read books out in it in the afternoons. It's been great! I love summer.


My mom broke her arm and ended up needing a surgical procedure done. It has put her out of commission for the past 2 weeks which she hates. Now her arm is in a hard cast and hopefully she will be on the mend. It's terrible to have a broken bone in the summer. Especially being the water loving family that we are.

Okay... I think I can close out June now. Wow. What a month!! So much packed into just 30 days.