Diary of a weekend away.

Dear Diary...... just kidding. 

This weekend was awesome!  We went on a family trip to our favorite little hot spring in southern Idaho.  Maple Grove is a beautiful place for some time away from reality. 

We had a three car caravan drive up Friday night.  Our family went, my mother went, and David's parents came along as well. 

We managed to set up a tent, the trailer and get dinner on and swim for a while.  We managed to have everyone in bed by midnight though.

Saturday was beyond busy.  David and I got up before everyone and snuck in some time in the hot tubs before we woke the kids.  Perfect way to start the day.

We had a quick breakfast and headed out to Logan to a Celtic Festival. 

We had fun at the festival.  It was hard to sing because of the wind!  Wow!  The wind was painfully strong and I think we ended up with windburns and sunburns.  If you look at some of these photos, you may get a sense of how bad it was.

Good thing I wore the long skirt......

The kids snuck in some fun between shows.  We walked around the festival and they had some fun activities for the kids.  Two of my boys fought a knight, and three of my kiddos got to ride a pony.

watch out Ryan!!!!

This video is extremely quick because Jon defeated his opponent so quickly!

It took Ryan a lot longer.  The man he was fighting with was such a great sport!

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Ally, Jon, and Ryan going in circles.....

Here are some more pics from the Festival:

After the Festival we went here for a late lunch/early dinner:

Anyone who knows us well, knows exactly what David ordered.

That's right,

Tiny Spicy Chicken......

Totally worth the drive up to Logan!

We spent the rest of Saturday playing in the pool.

You can see how sunny it was.  Check out that sunburn!

Here is one more video of Ryan teaching himself to swim.  He uses the noodles, plugs his nose, dunk his head, and then kicks his feet.  It ends up looking like a turtle running under water.  He wore himself out doing this.

We packed up Sunday morning after a very hearty pancake and bacon breakfast.

We broke down the tent and found this:

Can you see what they are looking at?

Here is a close up:

Yes, that is a snake!!!!!  It was under the tent.

It probably slithered under there to get warm.

and yes, it is dead.

It was a tiny little thing.  Those are Ally and Ryan's hands next to it.

Ryan said the snake had a happy face.

Well, maybe we would have a happy face if we pass all warm and cozy?  LOL!

Ally liked it's blue eyes.

It was a fast but fun weekend.  Can't wait to do it again.

So today I will be grateful for family, fun, and weekend getaways! 

 And grateful that I can sleep in my own bed tonight!

One Week

We are down to one week left until school starts for my kiddos again! 
Can you hear the Hallelujah Chorus?  I can....
I love the lazier pace of summer, no homework for the kids, hanging out, staying up late, etc....
But this summer has been so very busy and I am looking forward to the forced routine of school.
Maybe I will even have time to blog a little more often.
I am excited about my kids teachers so I am pretty sure they are in for a great year.
Cole starts early morning seminary this year and D.J. starts middle school.

WHAT??????  How in the heck did I get old enough to have two kids in middle school?

You know what they say about time flying..........



Where is the pause button?  I am not ready yet.



So today I will be grateful for end of summer, cooler days, and the structure we gain from another school year.

so what else has happened?

I mentioned before that this summer has flown by.  It feels crazy fast.
So for my own sanity memory I am going to try to remmeber a few things.
Citrine performances.....almost every weekend.....
campouts - Evanston, Green River, Jordanelle, and one more coming up
Cole also went to Trek, girls's camp and she is Oakcrestright now.  I also went to girl's camp for two days. Jon went to cub scout camp, and D.J. went to scout camp at Bear Lake for a week.  Jon and Ryan did a basketball camp for a few days as well.
We went to a funeral in Green River.  David's great aunt Hazel passed away.  She was a truly amazing woman.
I had to take THE test.  The Praxis II.  The test I have to pass in order to be a teacher.  Still waiting for the results.
No sleep, doc appoints, orthodont appoints, church callings, kids home all the time....  no wonder it has gone so fast.  I hope I remember to enjoy the ride.


so today I will cheat a little and be grateful that summer is almost over.......I am not a fan o the heat...

Kissell Reunion Campout

What do you get when you combine an August weekend + 2 pop-up trailers + 8 adults + 9 kids + great food + a couple of fishing poles and a boat?

A Kissell Family Reunion Campout!

This weekend we had a campout at Jordanelle.  David's parent's, Darin and Shell, Mindy and Steven, and all their kids went too!  We had a lot of fun.  We stayed in out pop-up trailer.  I had to leave Friday night to go back to work and did not get back up to Jordanelle until Saturday afternoon.  But we had great food, fun games, sparkly crafts, and cute kids.

Here are some pics taken by me, Michelle, and Mindy.   And they are in no particular order.

Jon, Ally, Cooper, and Bridger making their hot chocolate mugs.

D.J and Ally getting crafty and covered in glitter.

All the kids made hats,  and hot chocolate mugs, and cute little bags, Thanks Michelle! 

Bridger and Mason, best buddies most of the time.

Cole and her finished hat.

Ally's hat turned out pretty cute, but not as cute as she is!

Farmer Tan!   Steven saved the day for Jon.  Ask Steven about it.

Jon, Lia, and Mason helped to set up the tent. 

Eating breakfast outside Darin and Michelle's "camping house."  Mason called our trailers camping houses.

Cooper really wanted to go fishing.

Ryan, Lia, and Ally in our camping house.

Mason inside his tent.

Grammie and Cole walking with Lia

Cooper and Jon shared a tent.  Those are two of the sleepiest smiles I have ever seen.

Yup, it's first thing in the morning and it is nature....what else should a boy do?

Mason counting to 10 while the other kids hid.  Hide and Seek is always a fun game to play.

Jon, still smiling on the last day.

Ryan...................pouting.

Bridger made a new friend on the beach.  They played fetch for a long time.

Jon "Fish" Kissell - fisherman!

Ally fishing.  She caught one.  Cole caught one too.  Way to go girls!  None of the boys caught any.

Trying to set up a tent with strong winds is always an adventure.

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Mindy, Lia, and Mason decorating their bags.

Mason and Grandpa doing what they both love to do.

Can't wait to do it again!

So today I will be grateful for family and for the fun we have when we are together.