Cross Country Day 8 (Thursday): Vernal

A number of months ago, Zoë decided she wanted to sew something for her new nephew and niece. She found a pattern for a mama pig with a zippered belly that would hold some piglets. We got the fabric, and then it sat, until three days before we were to leave on our trip! We cut everything out Sunday night, and Zoë worked on sewing the piglets on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday night, I just didn't have any time to work on them, so I said we would finish at least one on Thursday morning. We did, after much frustration and struggling with jammed sewing machines, emptying bobbins, and no zipper foot putting in a zipper (ARGH!), finish the piggies. Aleta, sensing my frustration and shortened temper, scooped up the kiddos and took them to the library and to a free lunch.

The finished piggie! Except I ran out of stuffing, so it wasn't really finished. But most of it was sewed.
I ended up needing to fix the piggies later- the kids (ALL AGES) loved the pigs so much that I found out quickly where the weak spots were, and what needed to be reinforced.

At the library they had some activities for the kids. 

Yep, even exercising is part of the Library activities

Looking at... art?

They had Free School Lunch and then came home.

Finished piggies and kids playing on devices (Keeth, Nica, Keven, Miranda, Alysa, Zoë).
Megan was in the other room playing on a device

We packed up our swim gear and headed fifteen minutes up the road to Red Fleet Reservoir.

Red Fleet is AWESOME! It made me wish I had my kayaks (or Yvonne's paddle boards). Beautiful, sunny and warm, water was cool, and the kids swam and played and played and they all had a blast.

Nica loved the sand (not sludge, not mud) at the bottom of the water.

Keeth was so cold!
I was glad that I got this awesome smile; he has the best grin!

Keven, Zoë and Keeth climbing down the rocks to the water.

Zoë, Keven, Keeth, and Alysa at the edge of the diving platform

My favorite picture of the day! I love Keeth's smile, the sunshine the blue sky, the background, and that my face shows how happy I was that I got to spend time doing something so fun with my nephews, niece and sister.

Aunt Aleta helping Nica learn to back-float.

Aunt Aleta helping Nica swim.

Alysa peeking through the hole in the diving platform.

Zoë peeking through the hole.

Keven's turn!

My wild Miranda, with her Mermaid love of water! She is so much fun.

Miranda landing in the water after another jump of the diving platform.

Nica loved the sand so much. She collected rocks from the water and built a city. Then, as she hummed and sang, she rolled out the sand and decorated the area.

Megan loved exploring, and she loved the beauty around the water. This picture barely does it justice!

A selfie (for Travis)

We came home and got cleaned up a little before we ate dinner (which Aleta had the foresight to prepare before we left for the day). We then headed over to a park in Vernal for a band to play patriotic music and watch an outdoor move (Hook). They had bouncy houses, baloon twisting, food for sale. We played UNO on the blanket we brought, and the kids played with Gertrude (the pig).

Gert(the pig) got squished in a great big hug between Aunt Aleta and Veronica.

The cousins all tried to use Gertrude as a pillow: Miranda, Keven, Nica, and Keeth.

After about 40 minutes, the kids decided they were thoroughly bored, the speakers were set up right in front of us and were blaring. We discussed it, and decided that it would be more fun to rent a video from RedBox and watch it at home instead of waiting for it to get dark. So, off we went.

Keven would scoop up light-weight tiny Nica and sling her over his shoulder. They both loved it!

Miranda's hat that she got from the balloon twister.

Nica's poodle that she got at the park.

After cleaning up and getting jammies on, the kids waited for the movies to be set up.

 Aleta, Miranda, Veronica and I watched "Into the Woods". Nica fell asleep after the first act (at the Happy Ending). I think all of us wished we had, too. The second act of the movie was depressing! The older kids watched "Jupiter Rising". Alysa got tired and left, but Keven, Keeth, Zoë and Megan watched it to the end. They said it was pretty good, as we all tumbled into bed.