Pioneer Day

One of the benefits of living in Utah is the Pioneer Day celebration! Since the Japanese don't celebrate the wild and crazy pioneer holiday Dave had to work. He was truly missed during our LONG day.

The city where my parents live has a Pioneer celebration so we joined some of my family for a parade, family fun entertainment and fireworks.

My cute nieces were strutting their stuff in the parade.

My older and wiser sister armed her 5 boys with water bottles. I thought they were dangerous until I saw the look on Samantha's face in this picture as she is aiming at her innocent younger cousin.

My kids LOVE their cousins and they are all so cute with them. Look at the 20+ cousins loving my kids!
My Dad is suffering from a back injury and was not able to join us at the parade. A few months ago he received this Best Of State medal for Utah's Best Appointed Official. So being the true comedians we are in my family my niece wore it in the parade in his honor.
Then I took over as the Best of State Comedian!

After the parade we had a BBQ, went to the city festivals and ended the day with fireworks.

The kids and I went with some of their cousins to see the floats that will be in the Days of 47 parade on Friday. The parade celebrates Utah becoming a state.

The kids got all the hand outs including these neck pillows.

The Walmart Monsters vs. Aliens float was the kids favorite. Ben was not into the aliens that were handing out candy.

Katelyn is expecting her mission call any day now so we took these pictures of her harvesting the wheat fields. Yes I made her get on the float.

This was my favorite. I love the skateboarding Grandma and the kids on the roller coaster.

Now we can just sit back and watch the parade on the television with the air conditioning on Friday!

Carnival & Cars

Once again we put on our naked lady tattoos, wife beaters, big hair and spandex and headed to the carnival. Next year I am going to take pictures of the carnies (the workers) and the carnival goers,who think this place is Disneyland, so you all know what I am talking about.The Chinese Dragon, too bad it isn't the Japanese dragon, was Ben's first roller coaster ride. It was so cute to have all of our kids together. Samantha and Will laughed the whole time. Ben clapped when I got him off.

We met up our neighbors they divided up girls against boys. I think the boys look like they are having more fun!

Oh the Ferris wheel...the 30 minute Ferris wheel. This ride takes forever and it was HOT! To quote Samantha "sweat sucks".

Gee Whiz is the kids FAVORITE ride. I wish I could capture their laughs. They think they are so brave for putting their hands up on the big kids ride!
Ben took on the cars. Nothing like electrical tape on the car your child is driving to make you feel safe!

What would the City of Fun be without the carousel?

The last event of the evening was the car cruise.

Cars always make the kids smile and Dave dream. (The above our Dave's dream cars.) For some reason they didn't think it was cool to go home in the Tahoe.

Happy 7th Birthday Samantha

It must have happened

in the in-between times

when I was busy with the dishes

or when you were sleeping.

I didn't see all the changes

that took you from baby bump

to sweet newborn girl

to exhausting toddler

to preschooler, with a thousand ideas and questions.

Suddenly, I looked at you closely

and saw that you were a young lady

with tan skin and loose teeth

and the roundness of your baby face

had melted away to reveal beautiful high cheekbones.

Your baby sounds and broken toddler English

became eloquent and articulate

and I could enjoy your cleverness

and quick sense of humor.

Somehow, despite my best efforts

to hold on to your babyhood

you, my love, have reached the age of reason

and today I realize

just how much we have grown up together.

I cherish the memories of those sweet days

When I could still carry you around on my hip

and you called me "Mommy" instead of just plain "Mom"

But each year as you grow a little more

I become more awed,

more enamoured,

more inspired,

by the little girl that Heavenly Father created

and asked me to mother.

I am grateful to witness the miracle

of my first baby, growing up.

Our sweet Samantha Elizabeth turned 7 this week. She was SO excited for her birthday. The birthday had a few complications but she didn't let it bother her.

The night before her birthday we witnessed an auto pedestrian accident on our way to get ice cream with my parents. The kids sat on the side of the street with my parents while Dave and I assisted the victim until help arrived. This brought a lot of questions from Samantha that I tried to be really patient about. However patience is not my thing. The accident also reminded us how quickly life can change and made us appreciate our precious girl and her beautiful life.

The next unfortunate event came when I realized the gifts I had purchased for her online got sent to her Grandparents house in Colorado. This was the morning of her birthday so there was no possible recovery. I had to tell her the truth and she was very understanding.

Samantha wanted to go to place called Jump On It for her birthday. She invited her cousins and BFF Kiley. We went and waited for 30 minutes and Jump On It never opened. (Don't worry Jump On It was on the receiving end of my temper. Which if you have ever witnessed is not pretty.)

Samantha second party choice was Kangaroo Zoo.

The kids all had fun...Ben still is not a fan.

Samantha was cheesy as always with her presents. It was the first year she could read her cards.

She also didn't hold anything back with her comments. Above she is pointing out that we got her the wrong doll and making sure her journal has a lock on it to keep all her secrets from the boys.

Next was Chuck E Cheese. Samantha loves going to Chuck E Cheese and was all excited to go until she remembered it was by where the accident happened so, she tried to talk us into going to McDonald's. As you can see her wiser parents won this argument.

Last but not least ice cream cake that she put the candles in herself.

2009 Harmer Family Day

This year my family spent 24 hours together and I think it was more exhausting then the week we spent together last year at Lake Powell.

We spent the night at Brighton Ski resort. The kids, Dave and some cousins took a hike while Ben and I helped with dinner.

These are Dave's pictures

Here are some animals that are lucky to still be alive after a run in with Dave and the older nephews. This is my nephew Chad acting like an animal.

These are my pictures :). We now know who has the photography talent in the family! The kids on a ski lift and with Dave on top of a rock.

Playing Harmer family trivia..thanks Heidi and Lisa. Dave says thanks for being anti-in-law.

The next day we made our way down the Provo river. It was quite the experience. If Dave wasn't with the kids and I, he would be the only member of our family alive today. He did an amazing job keeping us safe and unfrozen. He on the other had was freezing. It was the first time I have every seen him shivering.

Despite the cold it was a very fun 24 hours!

3rd & 4th of July

We started our Independence Day celebrations on the 3rd of July. We had a delicious BBQ with our neighbors followed by our annual firework show.
The kids love being together and they love fireworks however this year we tried something new...

LEGAL fireworks. We missed all excitement of wild embers flying and Fire Marshall visits but we did not miss the clean-up.

Ben held his first sparkler, it was not exciting to him.

Samantha and Will loved the firework show but Ben, well he was Ben. During the fireworks on the 4th of July I asked Dave if he thought maybe Ben couldn't see the fireworks and that is why he wanted to be crazy.

On the 4th of July Samantha went with with all but 1 Harmer GIRL cousin to Stadium of Fire to see the JONAS BROTHERS. She had so much fun with all the teenage girls. They are all so cute with her. We are lucky to have such great nieces.

Dave, the boys and I went to another neighbors for a BBQ where Will played on the water slide. We rode the motorcycle and watched our city fireworks. It was great!

We are thankful to live in this great country and are thankful for all the service members who sacrifice for our freedom.

Squeakers

Announcing a TEMPORARY new addition to our family. Squeakers was FOUND on July 1, 2009 on on front lawn after a wind/rain storm. Dave went to pick up what he thought was a piece of trash off the lawn but it ended up being Squeakers.

Squeakers had not mastered the art of flying yet so until he has got it down and the crazy weather is out of the forecast we are keeping him inside.

Our great neighbors have done this bird rescue thing a few time and they have an Uncle who is a Vet that they called to get information for us on how to properly care for Squeakers. Thanks Megan!

We lucked out because our dear Squeakers only needs to eat every 1 1/2 to 2 hours....ALL day and NIGHT. I thought we were done with the nightly baby feedings.

Samantha named it Squeakers because its chirp is more of a squeak. She LOVES this silly bird.

Squeakers has increased his flying skills and sometimes escapes and perches throughout the house. However, the flying is not up to hummingbird speed.

The weather has rainstorm in the forecast the next couple of days so we will probably keep Squeakers until there is a clear day where we can make sure it can fend for itself.

What do WE do in the SUMMER Time?

We are ENJOYING summer at our house the only negative is that Dave has to work still.
The kids and I went to see some animals and take a little wagon ride it was great.

This is Will's first time on the motorcycle without training wheels! We were so excited for him.

Ben has NO patience. Every time we get the motorcycle out he grabs a helmet, that doesn't fit him, and cries until Dave takes him for a ride.

We LOVE a good park and the kids loved playing on these bars. I wonder where they get it from?

They look so sweet but don't let it fool you!

Samantha and William rolled down the hill and Ben tried to copy them.

Dave says he can check one more thing off his list of things that make him an official Utard....ICE BLOCKING. The kids cousins Jace and Sara joined us on this adventure that was really fun if I do say so myself. If you haven't ever been and decide to go, just don't ride the ice block down the plastic slide on the play structure!

What would SUMMER be without playing dress up?