Babysitting in Utah

A couple weeks after school got out, I headed to Utah to babysit for my parents while they were in SC/NC.  I was there Thursday-Thursday babysitting, and hung around until Sunday, which just happened to be Father's Day.  Thursday night, Rick, Arlene, Melissa, and her boys came into town, so that was really fun to hang out with them for a few days.  

While I babysat, I tried to keep the kids as busy as possible, so they would be tired at night, and so they weren't bored (I hate hearing the "b-word").

Gregory being Gregory :)

Found the twins snuggling together one night

Hiking the Timp Caves with Gracee & Gregory...they were awesome, and loved the caves!

Eating lunch, and Gregory told me he wanted a picture with William, "because we're brothers!"

Penny, my family's most recent dog (she was pretty afraid of anybody except Gracee).

On Saturday, I took all 4 kids (by myself) and hiked Stewart Falls.  This was a 4 mile hike, which ended up being pretty difficult at times (especially for the twins), but the kids stuck with it, and we all made it out alive, and with only a few tears ;)  Gracee & Gregory, though, were awesome!  They're becoming great hikers!  At the end, we stopped by the BYU Creamery, and got ice cream (such a long wait, but it was fun to be on campus again!).  

One of the many crafts Gracee & I did...a chain for how many days left of summer (Gracee also found rocks outside, and painted them, for another craft, but I have no pictures of them).

 The kids became really good at cleaning up after themselves!  Here are the twins rinsing their dishes off in the sink.  

 Sunday hike to Battle Creek Falls (this was a great one for the kids...about a mile and a half roundtrip, and a pretty easy trail)

Sunday picnic & playing on the tramp

 After the other kids went to bed, Gracee, Annie, and I made homemade donuts.  

Gracee and I made fireflies with a plastic water bottle, an LED light, and a few other crafty materials.  Gracee LOVED it.

Took the kids for snow cones (one of many trips) 

Ate a lot of fruit during the week!

I was being a creeper when Annie had some friends over one night (mostly boys).

 Met up with Paul while I was in town (Annie, Gracee, Gregory, and I met him for lunch at Cafe Rio)

Another jumping picture

Gregory and I had a fun day outside one day.  We went on a hike, rode bikes, and played soccer together.

Eating the dessert they earned for being good (brownies with whipped cream)

 

 After getting really dirty, I hopped in the shower with the twins (instead of giving them a bath), with my bathing suit on, obviously. 

 Made a second firefly...this time with an Easter egg