Plummer Park Fountain Fun

We had some time to kill today, so we all ventured up to Plummer Pool and Plummer Park. The pool and park are just a few blocks from our house. The kids had a great time playing on this fountain... that is up until they got kicked off by the lifeguard ;). Grandma and I sure enjoyed watching the adventures of boys in play :)

Kyle playing in the water fountain
Luke balancing on the mound
Nicholas running to create a whirlpool
Kyle sitting on fountain
Luke sitting on the fountain. They all seemed to enjoy doing this the most :)

Grandma is loving being a daily part of our lives.

She is never happier than when she is able to be in the midst of her family. Nicholas having a good time!
The kids playing on the fountain
Dylan sits on the fountain
Luke cheering over becoming King of the Mountain

Dylan
Kyle
Luke
Nicholas ~ King of the Mountain
Nicholas cracked us up when he found this weed and came up to us saying

"Look Mom, I found a weed. He is going to be my friend. I'm going to keep him forever."

Sadly, it didn't take Nicholas long to forget about his new found friend, but we enjoyed

it while it lasted.

Doctors, doctors and more doctors

August 17th, 2008

If there is a couple of words to describe this past week for us...it would be doctors appointments.

Monday was taking Grandma to Flower Hospital to have lab work drawn.

Tuesday was a doctor's appointment with Grandma's cardiologist.

Wednesday was an Opthamologist appointment for Luke and Dylan to have their eyes checked.

Luke had a bilateral strabismus (lazy eye) surgically repaired when he was a tyke and Dylan was born with a congenital nystagmus that needs monitored.

We had good news...Neither one of the boys need glasses to this point and the surgery we have been postponing for Dylan's eyes may never need to happen.

Friday was a doctor's appointment with Grandma's primary doctor to get things rolling for her newly acquired diabetes.

Grandma is really enjoying staying with us and she may become a permanent addition to our household. She likes the company of having family around, and a nurse who makes house calls.

Therefore, doctor's appointments will be a likely fixture in our weekly scheduling.

I had to take all of the boys with me when I took Dylan and Luke to the opthamologist.

Both Luke and Nicholas thought these eyeball stickers were cool!

Interestingly enough, Luke chose a blue eyeball...he has blue eyes.

Nicholas chose a brown eyeball...he has brown eyes.

Luke wearing his sunglasses outside...since his eyes are still dilated from the doctor's

Nicholas looking through binoculars

Triclops Luke

Sunday Dinner

We often times will get together with our family on Sundays for our traditional Sunday dinner. This Sunday was especially special because the kids were able to have supper with both of their only living Great Grandparents...Great Grandpa Newbold (my mom's father) and Great Grandma Knicely (Jon's mom's mother)

The Simons Boys with Great Grandpa Newbold in his bedroom
The Simons Boys with Great Grandma Knicely at Mar's house

We've been able to get a lot of extra time with Great Grandma Knicely this week. She spent a night in the hospital last week, and we wanted to keep her with us for a while to keep an extra eye on her. She very happily agreed to come and stay. She especially loves being around the boys and the boys love being around her.

Kyle receives the Aaronic Priesthood

Sunday, August 3rd, 2008

In our religion, when a boy turns 12 years old, he can receive the Aaronic Priesthood. This priesthood is a preparatory priesthood before they receive a higher priesthood called the Melchezidek Priesthood. There are different offices of the Aaronic Priesthood...the first one being the office of Deacon. The responsibilities of a Deacon include...

1. Gather fast offerings.

2. Pass the sacrament.

3. Serve as the bishop’s messenger.

4. Care for the grounds and physical facilities of the church.

5. Assist in service projects or welfare assignments as assigned by the bishop.

6. Watch over the Church and act as standing ministers (see D&C 84:111).

7. Be involved in missionary and reactivation efforts (see D&C 20:58–59).

8. Assist teachers in all their duties as needed (see D&C 20:53, 57).

9. Give talks in Church meetings.

Kyle has anxiously been awaiting the opportunity to gain this privilege and responsibility. Therefore, today was a very important day to him.

Morgan Ethington, Harvey Miller, Jonathan Simons, Jeffrey Lake, Michael Richter, and Brian Kijowski all participated in Kyle's ordination

Kyle standing with Daddy, Uncle Jeff and Uncle Mike

Kyle in the Aaronic Priesthood room where Kyle was ordained with proud Mom and Dad

Dad ordained Kyle to the Aaronic Priesthood

Dylan~Deacon Quorom President

Excited for Kyle to join his Quorom

Kenny Chesney Poets and Pirates Concert 2008

Saturday, August 2nd 2008 at Ford Field

Jonathan and Dylan in their concert gear

This was Dylan and Maria's very 1st big concert. It was a great 1st time experience. We were glad to share it with one another.

Maria wearing Dylan's hat.

BTW~I seem to have someone's missing chin (note the extra one on my face). If you discover who it belongs to... I'd be glad to return it to its rightful owner :)))

Dylan having a great time!

"She thinks my tractor's sexy!"

Lee Ann Rimes with her Detroit Lions jersey on

Luke Bryan 2nd act

Gary Alan

Gary Alan sings

Jonathan and Maria having a great time!

Keith Urban sang "Stupid Boy", "Told You So", then "My Better Half"...it was like he was journalling the last few years for us.

Keith Urban playing the guitar

Keith Urban is Dylan's favorite performer. He put on a great show and we all enjoyed his show thoroughly :)

The stage was higher than Keith had anticipated. No worries...the audience helped him down

Dylan cheering for Keith Urban

Kenny Chesney's intro screen

Kenny Chesney serenades

Kenny Chesney in true Detroit Lions spirit

Kenny Chesney ~ Storyteller through his songs

Let the good times roll!

The one picture I wish we had gotten was Dylan sitting in his chair writing "his book" while the first few acts played. He said "the music inspired him." He ended up writing 5 extra pages while we were there. Everyone around him was fascinated watching him write throughout the acts.

That's my Dylan!

Rolling Hills Water Park

45 minutes away in Waschtenaw County, Michigan... there is a fun water park called Rolling Hills Water Park that we enjoy frequenting. It's one of the cheapest water parks we know of... only costing $8 a person to get in ($9 to park). They have water slides, a wade pool, a waterfall, a wave pool, water works, and a lazy river.

On our way in to the park... we ran in to Jeff and Denise with the Browne's (Denise's family). The Browne's were celebrating a couple of family birthdays and thought a day at the Water Park would be fun. We all had loads of fun having family there to play with, too.

Simons boys ready to play
Samantha smiles for Aunt Maria

Kyle playing on water works

Kyle comes down the water slide


Kyle ready to go on water slide again

Luke going on the Lazy River

Nicholas enjoying a snack

Parker soaking wet

Nicholas playing in water works

Dylan and Kayla in Wave Pool

Carly and Jeff on Lazy River

Jeff zooming down the water slide

Jonathan loves the Water Slide

Jonathan and Nicholas in Wave Pool

It is easy to spend the whole day there...and often times we come home quite sunburned, even with several sunscreen applications. Dylan came close to getting a concussion when his head got smacked up against the brick wall playing in the wave pool. Fortunately, he only came away with a headache. It has been a few years since we have been able to go to the water park...but as always there was much fun to be had.