Ashton, Idaho - 2014

I thought I'd posted this a while ago - but just found this in my drafts.

We had so much fun with Jared's family this year! We got spend time at the farm twice this past summer - once for the 4th of July weekend, and once for the 24th of July weekend.

Here's the story in photos:

The lighting was so pretty across the fields when we first arrived! So fun to hop out of the car and see this gorgeous view and have cousins right there waiting for us.

The 4th of July was fabulous, as always. The kids decided to decorate their bikes and ride them in the parade this year rather than decorating a truck or a float to ride in.

There was all the usual stuff - horses, four-wheelers, tractors, a few floats - and plenty of candy being thrown out.

I was totally impressed with this couple's festive attire:

 Here are our bikers:

Isaac rode his unicycle the whole way. Seriously impressive.

Some kids wanted to be in the parade and some wanted to watch and get candy. The compromised by being in the parade on the way down the street, then watching the parade on its return journey (parades in Ashton always go both ways - you get to see everything twice!).

They got plenty of candy.

Then it was time for a picnic in the park and the watermellon eating contest. The younger kids went first. Here's Ollie and Si with cousin Logan, strategizing.

 Silas somehow got an extra thick piece.

But he went after it with gusto!

Oliver stored most of his watermelon in his cheeks.

Then it was Liza and Isaac's age group's turn:

 

 Ashton totally won for his age group:

Then the Loosli brothers took the challenge:

Jared won!

Here are the awesome prizes they awarded him:

We had tons of fun out at the Loosli cabin the weekend of the 4th and the 24th:

Eliza skiied all over the place with this stance - she's got some seriously strong legs to be able to do that!

Isaac got really good on the wakeboard:

Oliver got really good on the kneeboard.

Ashton learned to slalom and dock start - he can actually stand there on the dock and start skiing from this position. Amazing.

This is his "yeah, I'm tough, I've got this, and I don't really want you to take a photo" face.

 

Ready to go:


Lots of tubing went on (and there were only a few broken ribs - Jared's poor brother . . .)

There are always a few Uno games going on at the cabin.

It was so fun to see our kids enjoying good conversations and laughs with their older cousins.

Here are all the cousins who were able to make it this year. Such great people - love all these great examples for my kids.