The Jacksons Arrive; Great Grandpa's Birthday; Happy 4th of July (It's a party every day!) and Elijah's Baby Blessing. (How much can we pack into a week?)

July 09, 2025

July 1

Elijah is liking his food--Very Much

Sitting with Cub for Adrienne for a few hours to relieve the main babysitter. Adrienne, AJ and Gunnar were in Florida for Gunnar's golf tournament. He played fabulously, outscoring all the players from the western part of the US. (This picture was before Cub rode his scooter down the stairs and got a small bruise on his eye and lip).

July 2

Elise and her four kids arrived in the early morning hours (because of missing their flight in Atlanta) in preparation for a two week vacation; right before Andy moves to Kansas to be deployed.

The first action item: visit Grandpa Verl for his 96th birthday. His birthday is July 4, but for obvious reasons we went earlier in the week to visit. We had a good chunk of the family go with us.

Great Grandpa Verl, Catharine and Zack

The adults: Matt, Crista, Jieun, Dan, Sara, Nick, Roy, Catharine and Elise (and Zack)
with Grandpa Verl front and center.

The children: Yuli, Camden, Bridget, Dojin, Beverly, Avie, Yuna, Effie, Greta, Ruby, Mav (GGP), Doyeon, Harvey, Todd, Ori, Max, Zack and Hyeji

The kids had fun eating brownies and playing on the back sidewalk. Sara entertained them by lining them up for pictures. We were trying to be a little quiet in deference to some of the elderly in the care center.

Yuna, Max, Ori, Doyeon, Hyeji

Effie, Avie, Greta, Bevy, Dojin, Ruby, Mav and Bridget

Yuli, Camden and Harvey

We went for lunch afterwards at Brick Oven Pizza. It's a nostalgic place to take the kids to eat. Luckily it was a Wednesday and we didn't have any problem getting seating for all of us. The kids immediately sat at hte first table, so the adults sat at the 2nd one. As you can imagine, it was slightly noisy. It was good we had our own little section of the restaurant.

Matt, Zack and Todd

Elise and Harvey

We had a short break between activities before heading up to Adrienne's for a barbeque and a car show. Gunnar cooked up some hamburgers and most everyone brought something to share. It rained for a minute--just enough to cool it down for a great walk to the car show and back.

At Adrienne's and AJ's

Hyeji, Zack and Ollie

Greta and Elijah: he's so little that Greta and Bevy think they should play with him like a doll.

Cub

Ori

Greta and Foster

Zack and Dallin

Zack and Yuna

Most of the kids were more interested in rolling around in the grass than in the car show.

Mav, Effie and Harvey

Zack can really get around; a little too well, as he took a fall down the stairs. We solved the problem so it won't happen again.

July 3 Splash Pad

All the families met at the splash pad and had a blast. Only Roy, Caitlyn and Dallin and I missed it.

Foster and Yuli

Doyeon, Cub and Finn

Dojin

Elijah and Ollie

Bridget

Yuna

Harvey and Camden

After a fun day, Dan and Jieun had us all over for baked potatoes. Since me and dad were late (see picture below), I didn't take any pictures.

Grandpa and I have to take the opportunity to celebrate birthdays when we can, and since Max and Bridget both live a little bit farther away, having them around for the weekend made it convenient to take them on their birthday dates. We went to Chick-fil-et, Teton Toys and Cabella's for a fun evening.

July 4

We all met for the Centerville parade at 9:00 am. Hyeji was on the float for the Viewmont Vikings Cheerleading Squad. We all wanted to go to cheer her on in the parade. The kids all came prepared with grocery sacks to collect candy and they were all very successful in the endeavor. Mika came to the parade, too. She wasn't afraid of the crowd, but she's not use to all the kids giving her attention. She liked Max, though.

Following the parade, Matt blew up his bounce house, complete with water features.

Even on the Fourth of July, Ollie and Finn had games

July 5

Jieun and Dan spent a lot of the day on the 5th at Centerville Park saving us places to watch fireworks. Jieun took her art and painted while the kids played. Jennie must have been there at least some of the time, too, because Foster's in the picture with Yuli.