Hardcastle Family Reunion

Last Saturday Brad's family had an extended Hardcastle Family Reunion at Big Bear Park in Sandy.  We didn't know too many people there, but it was nice to get to meet some of his Grandpa's family.  Two of Brad's cousins were there with their 9 kids(!) and Owen had a fun time playing with them.  He kept calling them "his friends".  He especially loved crashing their softball game.  He didn't understand the rules, but loved hitting the ball & running the bases.  

It was a fun afternoon with family! 

Brad just teasing Porter on the grass

Love that cute little face

 Here are a few pictures from the softball game:

I don't know if you can tell, but Owen isn't even running in the baseline here.  He is just running.  Aunt Eileen was very patient with him :)

Look at those red cheeks!

I think his picture is hilarious.  Clearly, Aaron is mid-pitch so everyone should be watching the pitch and waiting for the hit...yet Owen is running without a care in the world.  So funny!

Candice, Jenni, & Brad's kids.  Does that make them 2nd cousins?  I'm not totally sure, but they are a good looking group!

July 4th Camping

We went camping up at our favorite campground-- the Spruces-- over the 4th of July weekend with Brad's family.  I love it because it is close enough to home that if we forgot something, or someone gets sick, etc. we can be back in less than an hour.  It is also close to a lot of trails and has great fishing.  Win-win for us all!

We were the first ones to arrive and I was nervous how setting up camp would go with our little guys, but they both fell asleep as we pulled in and slept for an hour while we unloaded, set up the tent, and everyone else showed up.  It made things so much easier.

The first night was a little rough-- we had a thunder and lightening storm roll through for about 2 hours in the middle of the night.  Being in a tent in a lightning storm is not ideal (according to Google) but it was raining SO hard that everything would have been soaked if we tried to walk up the pathway to the trailer (where Brad's parents were dry, warm, and comfy...)  Luckily it finally stopped, and we all fell back asleep around 4 am.  That put a damper on Brad's 6 am hike with his brother, but we decided to do a family hike instead so it all worked out in the end.  

Grammy & Owen ready to hike to Twin Lake

We stopped for a picture by Silver Lake before we head up the mountain

Oh Owen, he was being so silly on the hike.  Probably because it was the first time he's ever been given the freedom to walk unassisted for a long period of time (no stroller, hand holding, etc.)

View of Silver Lake from above.  It was a beautiful day!

Uncle Spencer & Owen taking a little break

Love the red cheeks.  Owen did great on the hike-- he needed a little "pick me up" towards the end (literally, Brad had to pick him up and carry him down the mountain, with Porter in the backpack) but 3 miles is a lot for a little guy!

Twin Lakes-- we made it!

The rest of the weekend was spent fishing (for the guys), playing games (for the gals), eating yummy food (s'mores & woofums), dodging dinnertime thunderstorms, and LOTS of walks/scooter rides/baseball games/rock throwing for Owen.   

Owen & Papa trying to catch Owen's first fish

 Owen was interested for about 5 minutes, then he wanted to throw rocks.  Oh well.  They will keep trying!

This not-so-little visitor gave us a heart attack!  He ended up coming by a few more times, and I was nervous every time.  Too close for comfort!

Owen & his "Bruce" face.  (Shark from Finding Nemo).   

Brad & Owen playing some baseball 

Porter, Anneda, & Spencer hanging out in the trailer.

 

Owen still doesn't understand the dangers of campfire, so this is how we had to sit with him most of the time.   He loved campfire time because he knew that meant it was marshmallow time.  I think he ate 6 one night. 

Anneda, Chris, & Angie

My boys!

After we got home, Owen kept asking when we could go back to the "mountains".  I told him after Mommy & Daddy get a trailer!  It is a lot harder to tent camp with two little ones.  But we survived and I would do it again... I think.  :)

Herriman Days, Bees Game & Blackridge!

Last Friday we headed over to Butterfield Park to enjoy Herriman Days.  Owen loved looking at all of the cars at the car show, and then the fire trucks/tractors/trash trucks/etc. at "Touch a Truck".  We ended the night by keeping the boys up waaaay past bed time (11:30!) and staying for the outdoor movie that they showed.  I was nervous because the movie didn't even start until 9:30 and bedtime is 7:00 (Porter) and 8:00 (Owen) but they both did great!  Owen loved the movie, which we knew he would.  It was "Despicable Me", one of his favorites.  He calls it the "Funny Movie".   He also loved the popcorn and drink and snacks... living the dream!  Porter loved the huge screen and kept his eyes on the movie almost the whole time.  He got a little fussy the last 20 minutes or so, but that's not bad considering how late it was!

Owen loved fire trucks, but apparently only from a distance.  He wasn't too sure about sitting in this kid-sized one.  He was afraid the siren was going to go off.  (This kid has the most sensitive ears of anyone I know.  Fireworks, sirens, radio...even the max A/C is too loud for him sometimes!)

Someone is happy to be up past bedtime!

 

Porter sporting his jammies for the evening. 

Apparently sucking on a zipper is more exciting that taking a picture with Mom.

 

 

 

On Tuesday, Brad's parents watched the boys and we enjoyed a Bees baseball game with Chris & Angie.  It was fun to spend time with them without the little guys in tow.  We got to have adult conversation!  And I got to have peanut butter M&M's!  (Owen is allergic to peanuts & almonds... so I can only break out the goods when he's not around.) The game was fun, the Bees won, and I snuck in a weekday date with my man!  I'd call that a good night. 

 

Brad, Chris & Angie

Cute couple!

 

 

 

Saturday was the Grand Re-opening of Blackridge Reservoir, which is just a couple miles from our house.  We loaded up and boys and decided to brave potential crowds and enjoy the "beach" (as Owen calls it) for a few hours.  Surprisingly, it wasn't very crowded!  We enjoyed free hotdogs, drinks, music, games, giveaway prizes, and some beautiful weather.  The boys had fun playing in the water (Owen) & eating the sand (Porter).  I forget how hard this age is for babies at the beach.  All they want to do is eat sand!  Blackridge looks amazing!  The city has been working on it during the off-season and they paved the parking lot, added a concession stand, bathrooms, a playground for kids, and put in pavilions, picnic tables & grass.  It was fun and I know we'll be headed there many more times this summer.

Such a good dad. 

Porter loving the water! 

We took about 10 pictures of this shot and this was the best it got with a baby & a toddler.  Oh well!

Porter's runny nose & allergies starting acting up towards the end.  He's looking sort of miserable in this picture, but he was actually really happy the whole time.

Owen wasn't a fan of his life jacket, but with a little distracting he finally relented.  He is too quick to go without it!

Not the best picture of P-man, but proof that I was there too. 

 

I love family days like this!  Here's to hoping we can squeeze in a lot more before Brad goes back to school in July. (Aah!)

Silver Lake

Summer has finally arrive here in Utah, and I'm not ready for it!  After a week of 90 degree weather, I wanted a break.  Luckily for me, Brad is always up for a trip up the canyon-- so that is what we did last night!  We packed up the boys, grabbed some dinner, and headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake.  It's a great place for kids, because there is a boardwalk that goes around most of the lake, and a dirt trail around the rest.  It's flat enough for a stroller and a 2 year old.

We did this last year at about the same time, but this year the water was a lot higher and the trees weren't quite as green.  We even ran into a few patches of snow as we walked around the lake!  The weather was about 20 degrees cooler up there and it was perfect.

 Owen was excited to explore the mountains & the water.  He kept telling us that he was going to see Nemo & Dory in the lake... but surprisingly they were a no-show. :)

 Porter was ready to go!

Mommy-fail: Owen's new shoes were a little too big and kept rubbing the back of his foot, starting to give him a blister.

Daddy-fix: Brad gave Owen his socks.

Problem solved!

Owen sporting his new look.

We stopped for some pictures at the half-way point.

 

As we drove home, Brad and I agreed that there isn't much better than a summer night in the mountains.  We are excited to head back to the canyon in a few weeks for some camping with Brad's family!

Hogle Zoo

A few weeks ago we made our first visit to the zoo this season.  I am happy to report it went much better than last summer!  I think we may visit again before the summer's over!  I went with 2 friends from my neighborhood and we had 5 boys age 3 and under between the 3 of us.  Crazy!  The boys had fun, the weather was perfect, and we called it a day before noon (the beauty of friends with season passes).  Great morning all around!

Owen (2 1/2), Lincoln (2), Kaden (3)

A rare moment of sitting! 

Hey Wes, you're missing something!

 How cute is Lincoln in these pictures! 

 Wes & Porter enjoyed a relaxing morning!

Owen & Kaden

Saying goodbye to the elephants, our last stop of the morning, before heading home.