Mum & Dad B Aug 2016 Visit - part 2

We took it easy the next day (after all our adventures we needed a down day!). Both Phil and his dad had to work and Mum went to another day of Education Week on campus. Jayne had been talking about showing Grandma B. her pool for months leading up to their visit so that evening the girls had a little swim in the "famous" pool.

We had a nice dinner at home and were entertained by the little girls :) Never a dull moment! Then Phil's parents went to the movies. We did a switch-a-roo afterward (for babysitting purposes) and Phil and I went to a late movie.

The next day we played a bit in the morning...

...and then made our way to Thanksgiving Point's Farm Country. The girls really love riding the horses there so we thought we'd show Grandma B. and Grandad what its all about!

This was actually Elle's first time riding and she couldn't get enough of it. We could tell she felt so big and was so proud of herself up there!

Jayne always chooses the "little horse". She loves him!

Mum B is quite the animal whisperer it turns out. She loves them and they love her. This horse just calmly sat with Mum for a long time.

Happy camper Elle. Her thigh rolls are so yummy!

Feeding the chickens

We had a nice lunch and HUGE dessert, plus a free kids cone at the Tower Cafe. 

After some more shopping for Mum & Dad we hung out and then went back out to Wallaby's for dinner. Jeez...we really are all about the food, aren't we! :)

Hangin' out in the guest room before our next excursion. The girls LOVED to make their way downstairs to play with their grandparents.

Wallaby's!

We spent Thursday out on the boat at Deer Creek with my family. Oh it was so much fun! We got Dad out on the tube and he loved it! It was great being all together and having a blast out in the water and sun.

Dad B, Jayne and Mum

 

Phil, Mum and Dad B

We came back from boating that evening just in time for Phil and his parents to head off to the rodeo in Spanish Fork. They enjoyed having a true "American experience" at the rodeo :)

Friday morning we had breakfast at Kneaders. Their french toast and buttermilk syrup is just something else. Soooo good!

More shopping was on the list that day. Of course, the girls kept us entertained!

Then that evening we went to Phil's work advisor's home for their summer lab party. Phil was given a going away gift as he would be moving on before the next get together. It was a beautiful summer night.

Volleyball

Phil opening his gift

Saturday we headed back out on the boat again for round 2. Another great day on the lake in the books. Seriously, I wish everyone could see my dad, Phil and his dad on the tube together-wish we'd caught that on camera. It was hilarious! By the end of our second day tubing, something odd happened inside the tube and gave it a shape that made it impossible to stay on. We'd go outside the wake and flip right off. Made for some fun times, and we're still not sure what we did to it. :) Just too much fun I guess!

We wanted one last visit to Seven Peaks so after boating we stopped for a quick bite to eat and went straight there. We're a bunch of water rats, I tell you! I love Utah summer when we can swim until 8pm and its still warm and light outside.

Sunday was Mum & Dad's last day with us. They got up bright and early to go watch the Provo City Power smokestacks be knocked down/imploded. (Phil took a quick break from church meetings and he and I watched from the chapel across the street from our house while the girls got some much needed rest) But Mum & Dad got to see it right up close! What a cool thing to see! Here's their video they took:

Then it was church of course - the Bennallack girls all ready to go!

We spent the rest of the day napping (for the girls), an evening walk and just spending our last little bits of time together. It all just goes so quickly when you're having fun!

New dress for Miss Jayne. Dresses are her FAVORITE thing to wear!

Mum & Dad gave us the Pie Face game, much to everyone's delight, except Elle, and Jayne for that matter. Haha. Elle would cry every time she just saw the box. Jayne took a while but eventually warmed up to it after watching us all. We had fun playing it together that night. I was the all time champ! --because that game takes soooo much skill ;)

Then we had the last bedtime and stories with Grandma B. and Grandad, for this visit at least.

Bedtime kisses

The adults played games and visited until midnight and Mum & Dad left early the next morning. It was a jam-packed visit and we loved every minute of it. Until next time Mum & Dad!

Mum & Dad B Aug 2016 Visit - part 1

We were lucky enough to have Phil's parents come visit us and enjoy the beautiful Utah summer! Dad B. hadn't met Elle yet either and it was Phil's PhD graduation ceremonies it was an extra special visit. Lots of laughs, food, fun in the sun and love.

Mum & Dad arrived in Provo on August 7th, a Sunday night, bearing gifts of course! Aussie chocolate, I mean, you can't go wrong!

Then it was off to bed for the girls, but not without a (first of many) bedtime story reading with Grandma B!

The next day we started off with a pancake breakfast before heading to Seven Peaks for a swim. Seven peaks is our go-to. The girls LOVE it there and its less than a 5 min drive away. With passes we can stay as long or as short as we want without worrying if we've gotten our money's worth. Perfect!

Pancakes!

For FHE we grabbed some pizzas from Little Caesars and had pizza in the park (we LOVE summer!) This particular park is a new favorite of Jayne's. It has beautiful big trees everywhere the keep the playground and slides nice and cool. Perfect for these hot summer days.

Right next to the park is a historic pioneer village. Its set up with pioneer shops and includes real pioneer cabins. They had a fun little scavenger hunt to play that kept us big kids occupied.

They have an actual working blacksmith shop which was interesting to sit and watch. The blacksmith made Jayne a little leaf and she was over the moon. Funny how something so small is so exciting for her.

The next day we dropped the girls off at with my mom and headed up to Olympic Park in Park City. It was a beautifully sunny (and hot!) day. I'd had influenza a week prior and was still feeling weak off and on, but everyone was patient enough with me and my rests and put up with me for the day :) We also conveniently forgot to bring sunscreen which we regretted later, but we still had a fun day! We had an unlimited day pass and we spent our day tubing, zip-lining and on the luge. We tubed down the hills that were used for the 2002 Olympic ski-jumping event. They wet the grass with a giant sprinkler and then let you go. The luge is a self-controlled cart on a track, and you don't really have to ever use the brakes, so that was our goal at the end of the day :) 

Here's a video of a few of our tube runs:

We finished the night with food (of course) at Cafe Rio in American Fork. I swear half of their visits are always about the food...which is part of America that we LOVE to share! Then we and headed home while Mum & Dad stayed out and did a little shopping.

Wednesday morning Phil and his parents went to the new Provo City Center Temple to do a session together.

When they came home we walked to Gandolfo's for a family lunch

Jayne...collecting every flower along the way :)

We had some fun playing together in the backyard before naptime. These two girls are so cute together!

After nap time and dinner we headed out for some shopping together. We had some fun with the littles!

And, I told you, we're all about the food, so after shopping we headed out for a night snack at Sodalicious/Hot Potato. Their Nutella shakes are a summer favorite for us!

Thursday and Friday were full of graduation festivities which I did a separate blog about here.

But here are a couple photos of the girls before we put them down for naps/left them with my sisters on Friday before Phil's convocation ceremony. They dress up every.single.day! Jayne has fun putting this dress up skirt on Elle and you can tell that Elle loves it too!

So...continuing to Saturday, we spent our morning at Trafalga. Jayne is the perfect age for enjoying their cute little rides. It was adorable.

Then it was off to (more) food up at Johnny Rockets. We had a coupon and they have malted shakes, which Phil's parents wanted so it was a win-win!

We headed home for a rest with the girls while Phil's parents headed up to SLC for some wedding shopping for Rachael they needed to do. It worked out perfectly with a belated birthday/mothers and fathers day present we arranged for them, a date at The Roof Restaurant. It overlooks the SLC Temple grounds and provides some views which can't be beat.  

Sunday was a nice day to unwind, go to church, rest and then head to the my parents for a Perucca family dinner. We love Sunday dinners there followed by playing outdoor games together. We're so lucky we can easily combine both families and they get along so well. We had fun!

Jayne thought this was HILARIOUS!

Summer Niiiiiiiights!

Monday was a day of normal work for Phil (can't always be on vacation, darn it!) and Phil's dad also had some work meeting up in Riverton. Mum B enjoyed the day on campus at BYU''s Education Week. The girls and I met up with Phil and Mum for lunch at the duck pond, another one of our regular summer go-to's. 

For FHE we started off with snow cones...another summer regular for us

Followed by a visit to BYU's Bean Museum. Its full of taxidermied animals which is perfect for young kids.

Thanks Daddy.... :)

They even have a little slide/tunnel play area that kept the girls occupied for a good while

And when we left, we walked out to see this beautiful Utah sunset. Perfection!

After a long day, it was a quick bedtime story with Grandma B. before hitting the hay.

To be continued!...