Summer in Paradise....

Well, it depends on your definition of paradise, but if you think warm days with cool nights (NEVER happens around here!), a house full of aunts, uncles, grandparents, great grandma, and of course every Orton cousin there is to date (Marcel + Susan Ortons, I mean), a dog, a swing-set, a 7-seater teeter-totter, a tire-swing-esque rocketship,  a log-cabin play house (built by Grandma and Grandpa's bare hands!), a pink corvette and a batmobile (bought used and repaired by Grandpa just like any other car around our place), a plastic pool lent to us by the neighbor, family reunions, family mani/pedi's on Grandma's tile floor, family dance parties, family night at the Pirate-themed restaurant/arcade, cousin sleepovers (in the basement every night),family swim-parties, family birthday parties, and over 3900 miles of driving...........  is paradise, then that is just what our summer was:  PARADISE!  (or it would have been if only Mikalyn had been around :) )

Our trip went like this: NW Arkansas to Denver to Salem, Ut, stayed there for a couple of weeks, then Salem to Boise, Boise to La Grande, OR.  Back to Salem, up to Park City/Salt Lake to see old friends, Back to Salem, down to St. George, then Albuquerque and finally back to NW Arkansas.   Wow.  The kids got a little tired of being in the car all that time, but it was worth it and they knew it!

Below are only a very FEW (in comparison to the 460 + that I downloaded) pictures of our summer in paradise:

the very beginning!

Our wonderful friends Rex and Edda let us stay at their place in CO on our way-- how fun to get to see the little people their babies have become!

Inside the cabin Gramma and Grampa built

Grampa Orton loves cars.  Even pink ones.

In this picture you can get a glimpse of just how much fun was packed into Grama and Grampa's yard.  Isn't it amazing?

I love this picture of my Dad's barn (ok, it's a shed).  He built this with his own hands, painted it, decorated, and filled it with his personality (which is synonymous with his work ethic.)  By the way, as a Sr. in high school I helped frame this, and when Spencer and I were engaged we helped paint it.

They bought these cars used and got them working again.  This was endless excitement for the kids, and even some of the grownups.

Tyler, Mammaw with Layla, and John.  We got to go bowling with Spencer's fam while they were in town for a whirlwind weekend.  It was such a party!

Gramps got a kick out of the comparison of Campbell's head to the bowling ball whenever she lifted it to put it on the ramp.  He kept trying to get a picture of it.  It's okay, though, since she gets her head from him :)

Precioso!

Cam and Cadence show off their mani/pedis by Aunts Merica, Mignon, and Melanie

Merica orchestrated a lemonade stand and the kids were all over it.  They would dance and sing and yell from the second they saw a car off in the distance until it was completely out of view.  I think they made like $14 or thereabouts!

Reese with the sign, Zavian overseeing sales.

 

Are you dying?  I looove this picture!  Lauren, Cadence, Reese, Avery.  Cookin' up some fun, albeit at the cost of a peaceful afternoon, no doubt.  (a lot of big personalities in a little cabin!)



The kids were playing all together as one big family for once, so we decided we couldn't interrupt that for lunch.  Instead we wrote up a menu, seated them, took their orders, and let them continue making believe.  I think they liked it :)

First ever professional cut.  Spencer will argue that point, but he is, after all, not actually a professional!  anyway, when all is said and done, her bangs were more crooked than usual, so I guess she'll be frequenting Salon Spencerrre from now on.

Cadence, Campbell, Avery, Reese, Zavian in the pool, and Jackson and Ethan (Sister Glenn's grandsons).  This was probably as much for for them as the big aquatic center we went to later.

Grama is so young at heart (and not that old in body, really).  All 3 of my kids are still asking for her.

2 adorably larger-than-life personalities that really grew to love eachother.

On our way to Oregon for the Orton Family Reunion! Worn out from all the fun.

Melanie made it possible for my kids to survive and me to not go crazy.  She was always playing with some or all of the kids.  Thanks mel!

Sometimes if nobody is looking, Cam just starts taking stuff off.  She was a good 20 yards from anybody, just standing on a wooded path.  Alone, and finding she needed less clothing. 

My Uncle Wayne always brings his ponies for the kids to ride. Cadence felt an immediate bond with this one. 

She might not seem like a priss to you, but she is always accessorizing!

You already know I love it when they all wear these tutu swimsuits.

Hanging out together at the Reunion in Oregon.

We got to spend the 4th of July in Park City with the Bentons-- so lucky!  Adam's parents had just come home (like literally, the day before we got there) from serving as mission presidents in Argentina.  The whole family was there and we always feel right at home with them.   We love this family.  This picture is the group watching fireworks in the rain on the golf course in their backyard.

Another addition to my parents backyard.  Campbell is the only one so far to barf from spinning in it.  Let's see how that record changes in the years to come, eh?

We love this boy.  To know him is to love him. Zavian, Sigh.  He is the only grandSON and loved having all "the girls"  around.  He would just walk around and say "Girl, come ride in the car with me!"  Or "I want the girls to come play in the water now!"  "The Girls"  miss, you, Z! 

It was such a treat to see Spencer's Grandma Clark along with the Ludlows (Guy and Ruby pictured) and Spencer's mom while we were in St. George!  We had a fantastic birthday celebration for Cadence and Campbell.

Somehow surprisingly, I ALLOWED Spencer to hike Angel's Landing in Zion's with Brian, Sarah, and Sarah's friend.  I don't know why everybody thought I'd be mad about this.  Am I that much of a jerk :)   We are excited for when our kids are old enough to appreciate and hold their own for this type of activity.

Looking down at the Colorado River at the very beginning of the Grand Canyon.  Note how tightly Cadence is clenching her sisters' wrists.  She is very responsible and I'm afraid, has the same ability to imagine the absolute worst possible scenarios in every situation.

A fun little community swimming hole in New Mexico where we stayed on our way home.  Spencer is the most fun dad and always finds little adventures for our kids.  Gosh I'm grateful for him, since I'm sort of lame :)

Zavian and Reese let the sun warm them up.  Aren't they completely loveable?

wow!  What a great time we had.  Thank you thank you to all the wonderful people who made room and time for us, and for all the help we received in preparation for, during, and after this big adventure.  What fun.   It was so fun to see the people we got to see, although there were many more we would have loved to have seen and didn't get to.