Harry Potter & Butter Beer

 

We are big Harry Potter fans around here. We read all the books last year (well, I read them to the kids) and they got the DVD set for Christmas.  Scott decided that he would finally watch all the movies, so we've been having a HP marathon.  We're currently on #5 "The Order of the Phoenix."  Even Sienna walks around using sticks as magic wands and trying to curse people. (She's been unsuccessful thus far, thank goodness!) 

Another of our "Summer Fun List" items was to watch Harry Potter & have Butter Beer.  Wikipedia says:

Butterbeer is a popular wizarding beverage described as tasting "a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch."^[1] 

Interestingly enough, I don't think they've mentioned Butter Beer yet in the movies, (Scott hasn't read the books) and he didn't have a clue what I was talking about.

When I found a recipe for Butter Beer I realized that it's typically served warm. Well, the temp outside was a lovely 99 degrees, so we altered the recipe a bit to be more milkshake like. 

They were yummy. We mixed vanilla ice cream and cream soda, blended to be a creamy shake, added some butterscotch syrup to the mix, and topped with whip cream and more butterscotch syrup drizzled on top.   Everyone loved them!  Give it a try:)
 

Photo Shoot

One of the things on our "Summer Fun List" is to have a photo shoot with Silly Props. It was fun, although I'll warn you it got the kids so hyped up, I had to end the event with putting them all in their rooms to chill out.

Here were our favorites!  I think I might frame these and hang them somewhere!

Here were some of the others:

School's out...

and the kids are already SO BORED!

We sat down and came up with a list of things to do. Some are little (make Popsicles) some are big (go to Sea World). This list is quite long, ((and I'm going to regret it pretty quick I'm afraid!!!))

Grand Canyon

Back in the beginning of May, Chase's school took a field trip to the Grand Canyon. This is something that the 4th grade teachers have been doing for 17 years now, and these kids have been looking forward to this since kindergarten. Chase's teacher is retiring this year, (she's the one that kindof got the whole thing running) so I hope they continue. Tanner's already talking about when it's his turn.  I got the opportunity to go with him, which was cool. I don't get to spend a lot of one on one time with my kids these days.

Chase and his Best Friend Andrew

Wild West Show, complete with a Horse Thief, A Card Game, and A Murder

 We rode a Charter Bus up there. All the kids were raving about how it had a bathroom and a TV!! It was pure luxury to these kids:)  We rode that up to Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon Railway. That's where we saw the Wild West Show and then boarded the train. It was about a 2 1/2 train ride to the South rim of the Grand Canyon. When we got there we had 3 hours to do what ever we wanted. I thought we'd team up with some of Chase's friends, but he really wanted to go hiking so we set off on our own. We took quite a hike, going down was not so bad, but coming out was killer. I couldn't believe the view. And I found myself wondering why I had not been here before?  I've lived in AZ for 12 years now. It is truly one of the 7 wonders of the world.  

On the train ride back, we got "robbed!"  The teachers had passed out $1 bills to all the kids to give to the robbers. It was all in good fun, and the robbers on our train car made out with a good $100. I think I'm in the wrong profession!

It was a ton of fun, but a very long day. We left the school at about 5:30 am and got back at about 9:30 pm. I'd do it again in a heart beat though.

We're getting a temple!

The new Phoenix Temple is being built only 15 minutes away from us (and just around the corner from Scott's parents!)  We've enjoyed watching the progress as we go to visit Grandma & Grandpa each week.
Here are some pics of the progress:

These pics were taken in March

 These were end of April

And now they've put the Angel Moroni on, and so we took the Young Women in our ward over to check it out. The way the sun was shining, I could only get the temple to the side of the them, but the Angel is very much up there! There has been alot of people against the temple, because it's set in the middle of a neighborhood. Out of respect for the neighbors they didn't announce when the angel was being set, but word of mouth travels fast in these parts, and they said 500 people still showed up!

Sienna is so excited for the temple, she starts screaming every time we see it. All the kids can't wait to go in, this will be their first time going to an Open House. They are estimating Spring of 2014 for it to be completed. We can't wait:)