Manifestogram

The summer before my junior year, I got a job at Cyprus Credit Union. For training, I had to drive all the way out to the old headquarters in Magna. (I didn't know streets went that far west.) I was taught everything I needed to know about being a teller by an older girl with very big hair. Though she was only 18 or 19, she was already married. She'd go home for lunch and eat with her husband. So I'd walk across the street and eat my sack lunch by myself, on the lawn outside of the Arctic Circle. Though I ate lunch alone, I spent my break times with my trainer. She made sure we always had the latest shift so we could spend the 15 minutes watching Days of Our Lives on the tiny TV in the break room in the basement. And for that, I will be ever grateful.

Manifestogram

It took us four days, but we finally finished all 500 pieces. #stgeorge

Minions

Tate's review of the Minions movie: "There were bums, and bum cheeks, and underwear, and more underwear." Basically, the best movie ever.

Manifestogram

A good day for the pool.

Manifestogram

A good day for the pool.

Manifestogram

En route to St. Geezy, we took a detour to SUU and checked out the Shakespeare theater.

Keep Marching On

As far as Saturday morning's go, this was a pretty good one. 

Along with our stake, we marched in the Days of '47 Youth Parade. This was our kids' first time in a parade (and my first time since getting mini basketballs chucked at me while I rode my GREENbike). 

Though there was one member of the family who was refusing to participate (hint: the grumpy one), everyone cheered up when they saw that they got to make as much noise as they wanted with the little plastic hand clappers. (The theme of the float was Small Hands Serving the New Frontier.)

The parade route took us from Trolley Square to Washington Square, straight down 500 South. Our three monkeys successfully clapped their clappers the entire way. They even got a little taste of celebrity, thanks to this coverage in the Deseret News. (Check out photos 18 and 19 on the slideshow.) 

The parade ended at a bounce-house-filled kids festival where there was face painting for the girls and a mini Home Depot for the boys. It was a good day for the Sutherlands. 

But no day would be complete without a little drama. The problem with a one-way parade is that when you get to the end, you have to walk all the way back to the beginning. Rather than make everyone hike back to our car, I left Traci and the kids playing in the fountain at Library Square. 

By the time I got back to pick them up,  fairest-of-the-fair-skinned Tate was wearing no shirt and both he and Curtis were completely soaked. Apparently, Curtis fell in the water and Tate took that as invitation to go ahead and jump in, too. Both were then surprised that the result of getting in the water is getting wet, a reality they were quite displeased with. 

Can't win 'em all.

Manifestogram

The boys.

Window Shopping

The kids' school district has a summer program called Play Unplugged (or something like that). They can earn badges for doing activity stuff like hiking or swimming or washing the car. There are even badges for stuff that just gets them away from the video games and out of the house. 

Curtis, to Tate: You can get a badge for window shopping. But you don't have to actually buy the windows, you just have to look at 'em. 

Phew. I thought we'd have to spend our whole summer buying windows. 

Manifestogram

Some boys are happier than others about getting their picture taken at swimming lessons.

Taylorsville Dayzz

Carnivals. There's a way you experience them as a kid and a way you experience them as an adult. And they are they are two very different things.

For our kids, our annual trip to Taylorsville Dayzz means sno-cones, a bunch of spinning rides, and pretty much the best day of the summer.

For Traci and I, it means spending more money than you want to, an oppressively hot June night, and way too many spinning rides. (During the never-ending spinning of the Sizzler, I couldn't help but wonder if I was getting a glimpse into purgatory.)

But there was one thing that the kids and grownups could agree on. At the end of the night, after enduring all the heat and the dizziness, we all enjoyed pretty much the best basket of fresh-cut french fries you could ask for.

Wish I was eating some more right now. Can't wait for next year's carnival!

[video link]

Testimony

Ready for church (or a job as the assistant-to-the-branch-manager)

Paige bore a beautiful testimony today during sacrament meeting. She gave thanks to her primary teachers and to her parents. She testified of the gospel, the Savior, and the resurrection. 

Tate sat quietly in the back of the chapel and quietly listened...with a blue pencil shoved up his nose. 

Church. 

Baby, You're a Firework

I had a little PTSD tonight. My nephews were playing with fireworks and it made me think my first time throwing a firecracker.

I was at my grandpa's sheep ranch--I was probably nine or ten. My uncle handed me a box of matches and a single firecracker. Then he gave me just two simple instructions: 1. Light the firecracker. 2. Throw it.

I got it almost right.

I lit the firecracker just fine. But then, instead of throwing the firecracker, I threw the match.

Boom! The firecracker exploded in my hand.

I still remember my burnt fingers and my ringing ears. And, of course, my bruised little ego.

Happy birthday, America.

A Day at the Ranch

We're able to shove quite a bit of fun into eight hours at our ranch. There was slip-'n-slidin' and fourwheeler drivin' (Paige did much better this time--not like last year, when she almost ran me over) and giant kite flyin'.

What more could a bunch of kids ask for?

Trick Question

Out of the blue, Tate says to me, "Dad, what do you like better, Legoland or my soccer games?"

I wasn't surprised by the randomness of the question--Tate never stops talking, ever, and he always asks about whatever's on his mind at that second--but I couldn't help feeling like he was trying to trick me. 

"Your soccer games, of course."

"Huh," he replied. "I thought you'd say both."

Then he continued, "I like both."

I like them both, too.