Boys have not so recently discovered all the great pixelated games from our day. Here is Ethan sporting Gordon’s CTR crown recycled from Burger King by his resourceful primary teachers. Whoever finally figured out the whole game in a joystick thing should win a nobel prize. Alicia bought us our first for me as a birthday present. It had Ms. Pacman (her favorite), Galaga, Pole Position and something else. Since then we have acquired quite a collection including one with Dig Dug most recently. Ah, to be able to play these things without losing all those quarters. Alicia has made it to the third or fourth bannanna on Ms. Pacman. She gets so focused when she plays. Maybe that is where Ethan gets it from.

Here are some things the boys are doing and working on. I always wanted each child to play an instrument and pick a sport. I’ve found that you can’t make them have a talent. These are things the kids have steered toward and have found they are interested in.

Nicholas (10 years)– Yo Yoing (if yoing is a word). When the grandparents came to visit in March, Rob’s parents took the kids to the toy store to each pick a birthday present. Nick choose a fancy Yo-Yo. We all thought nothing of it, but when grandpa Walker showed Nick a couple of tricks, Nick became obsessed learning tricks and taking his Yo-Yo everywhere. Now he has three Yo-Yos and an arsenal of tricks. He’s brought his Yo-Yo’s to school and sparked a Yo-Yo frenzy among fourth and fifth graders.

Nick tried baseball for three seasons. He’s a great hitter, but hated waiting in the field and chasing balls. He gave it up.

Guitar is the instrument Nicholas has been playing for two years now. His teacher, Jeff Sanders comes to the house once a week for lessons. Nicholas has learned scales, how to read music (notes and cords), and can jam and improvise. Here he is with Jeff, giving us a concert.

Benjamin (8 years)–Learning is his passion if it involves reading about it. Nicholas always says about Ben, “He’s so much of a brain.” Last year he tested at 99% in the standard national test and 97% in the extended learning test. He now gets to go to a special school on Fridays for extra learning. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up.

Ben is working on the piano. He’s been taking lessons for a year and has improved but hates to practice. I just don’t want to see him quit, though. If he does, he’ll regret it. Nobody ever blamed their mother for making them learn the piano and being able to play, but everyone blames their mother for letting them quit. I regret I quit.

Gordon (5 years)–He’s learning to read. He’s read the Bob books and is almost finished with the Pup and Pop series. I bribe him with a trip to the toy store when he finishes a series. He’s working toward a slip n slide.

I can’t get Gordon off the computer. He’d play all day if I let him. He’s discovered all the free games the internet has to offer. Actually, he’s playing right now.

Ethan (2 years)–Computer games also. He learned how to use a mouse before the age of two, and off he went. He likes sesame street games, and watching his brothers play computer as well. He’s great with puzzles and is a pro on the trampoline. We just zip him up in the trampoline net and he can stay stable with all the big kids bouncing around him.

This summer was so busy. As we are on a year round school schedule, summer vacation is only six weeks. I actually love it, but this summer went by too fast. In June we drove down to Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), Mexico, and stayed in a condo on the beach for a week. The pools were great and the beach had tons of shells to find.

The boys always have to bury each other in the sand. The water was warm, but once Ben got stung by a jellyfish, everybody was scared to get in. We did ride on a banana boat in the ocean–that was fun. In town, I got my hair braided, we bought sand dollars and local trinkets, bought fireworks and shot them off, and rented a four wheeler.

Rob took turns driving us around in the dunes. The boys loved it. I was scared and screamed when Rob would ride fast over the bumps or up steep hills. It only took us three hours to drive down, but six hours to drive back. On the way back we stopped at the Organ Pipe cactus national park and Kitts Peak observatory. I think I’ve seen enough cactus to last a few lifetimes. Kitts Peak was very windy but had great views and lots of information about space.

That’s not all–In July we went to Utah to visit Rob’s family and have a reunion.

On the way up we stayed in Las Vegas (on the strip). We went there, we did that, and will never go back again. I guess the boys got a lesson in life and some of the stuff to stay away from. We stayed in the Excalibur hotel. It’s like a castle, and has a children’s casino (arcade) in the dungeon. We spent a couple hours there and a lot of money. We walked the entire stip with the kids. It took five hours! We saw a pirate show, the fountains at the Billagio, the erupting volcano, the white tigers, lots of lights, and the pictures of ladies strewn on the street that the boys hid their eyes from. It really is sin city and the boys could sense it too.

On the opposite spectrum was temple square in Salt Lake City. It has changed so much since I’ve been there eight years ago. We brought up the difference in spirit between there and Las Vegas to the boys. They didn’t need us to point it out.

The reunion was crazy and exhausting, but full of fun family memories. It was great to see all of Rob’s brothers and sister, their spouses, and lots and lots of kids. Our boys didn’t know they had so many cousins.
We had lots of bar-b-ques with talent shows and games…
Went to a water park…
Saw a parade…
Shot fireworks…
And had a great fourth of July week with the Muhlesteins…

But that was not all of the vacation. On the way home we stopped at Zion’s national park. We were just going to keep driving, but we had to pay 20 dollars to get through the park, so we decided we better get our money’s worth and see it.

And the grand finale….The Grand Canyon!
I’ve seen pictures, but it doesn’t compare to the real thing. We saw the IMAX movie too and let the kids pick souvenirs. And that was all for our summer vacation. But wait! Rob and I are going to North Carolina in August. The best thing about the next vacation…No Kids! My parents are flying to Tucson to watch them. We need a vacation from our vacation. Let you know how it goes.