The Williams Family: Great Wolf Lodge/Fort Worth trip, Zumba Camp, and summer bucket list

Great Wolf Lodge

This has been our favorite trip there! We all had a great time and it gets better and better with the kids getting bigger and being able to more things. I was a little nervous because Emmett is a BIG momma's boy and wants to be held a lot, but he is also a big boy which means he is getting heavy. The first 30 minutes he just clung to me and didn't want to be in the water and then an hour later he is off swimming on his own having a blast and loving the independence. He would go on the slides with me and while I was doing the big kid slides with the older girls, Derek is having Emmett go down the slide all by himself and he LOVED it! He probably went over 20 times down the slide on his own!

I loved watching the girls get into their little world and love the water. Desi was always pretending and swimming everywhere. She loved being independent and going wherever she wanted. I had to keep a close eye on her, but she loved the slides!

Claire, Brinley, and Ashlyn loved the big kids slides. They loved to go again and again. It was so much fun to laugh, giggle, and be scared together. Ashlyn loved the Tornado! It is a scary tube slide that Derek and I get scared to go down. It is completely dark and if you end up going backwards, it is more scary.

My favorite was the lily pads. So this is for kids, but Derek and I were the only adults that would try it. I had an adult mom behind me and she said that she was going to do it, but after I went she got out of line. Either I made it look hard or I looked like an idiot... ha ha. Then while I would be in line, kids would cut in front of me and i would have to tell them that I am in line. Their faces were priceless. The best part for me doing the lily pads was that it was hard. Last year I could only do it once, but this year I did it about 7 times and wow my upper body was sore for a few days. I am getting stronger.

Dippin Dots!

As a kid this was my fave ice cream (probably because it was a rare occasion) and I love watching my kids experience things that I did as a kid. They loved it!

The view from our room!

Movie Time

He loved this spot

Red Robin before our GWL Adventure

Orange Leaf

summer bucket list check off

Derek brought home this annoying wiggle and singing toy. I had to find it on top of the fridge because it was driving me crazy.

Emmett loves standing on these chairs.

We have a bird's nest in our garage again with some baby eggs

Thanks for the Father's Day shirt Tammy!

Trying an icee...I think he likes it!

Summer bucket list

Making volcanos!

Derek and I went on our date night and we MET the gator that lives in the zoo park pond!!!!

We were so close to it!!!!

Can you see how close we were to it?

For Christmas Derek's staff got us a giftcard to a steakhouse in Nac and it was so delicious. They had the BEST calamari!!! Yes calamari! I thought Derek was crazy when he wanted to order it, but it was the best thing we had that night. YUMMY!!!

I just found out yesterday that I was called as the Young Women's President in our ward. I wish this is how I felt about it ha ha. I was completely shocked, overwhelmed, and excited all mingled together!

This is our lit' swimmer! He loves wearing the floaties and swimming in the pool.

This is Emmetts/Mine reoccuring routine. Emmett makes a mess, I have to clean it up.

It is exhausting!

More GWL pics

We stayed another day in Fort Worth and went to the Fort Worth Zoo. It was a lot of fun and very hot. I was very grateful for all the shade that they provided. We were happy to be there, but also made us miss "our" zoo (aka Omaha Zoo). Omaha is the best zoo in the williams book.

Petting Zoo

This was such a fun experience to feed the birds.

We went to IHOP for breakfast (we only go to Ihop once a year-on Halloween for the free scary pancakes, but Derek has been wanting to go so we did.

Playing the baking show while decorating the pancakes.

Our lives are THE BAKING SHOW. Thanks Uncle Kelly

More bird feeding

Summer bucket list: climb a rock wall for the kids and they had one at the zoo.

They worked so hard.

I think the petting zoo was the kids favorite part. They were all so in love with the animals and enjoyed every second. It was fun to see the kids be in their zone with love and kindness toward these sweet animals.

A cool thing that claire learned doing her book report a few weeks ago is that goats have rectangle pupils and she was so excited when she saw it!

The girls and I have been wanting to learn how to face paint and we finally bought a kit. We had a fun sunday painting faces. The best part was I just let the girls go to town with mine and then I was so shocked when I looked in the mirror I didn't even recognize myself. They did a great job.

The girls did awesome and had a great time.

We went to the jump house in the mall and the kids had a blast. Then they found the games and spent a lot of time playing on them. No money needed.

At first i was telling the girls to go and play on the jump houses, but then I realized that they are having fun using their imaginations and no money.... let them spend the time as they please. I'm still learning that lesson.

He is definitely a boy- found a ball

He loves the vibration.

She is getting to mature for the bounce houses so she was my buddy.

This was a highlight for Emmett

So our pediatrician is in Nac (40 minutes from our house) and they will only see 2 kids at a time. So we had to schedule 2 kids at 10, spend the afternoon at chick-fil-a, and then go back at 2 for the other 2 kids check-up. It turned out to be ok. But the afternoon appt, the power was out. We have never been to the dr without power before.

Playing Dr. as we wait

The Dr. gave us an order to get an x-ray for Ashlyn to be tested for scoliosis. So after our appointment and the long drive home, I dropped the kids to Derek and Ashlyn and I went to get an xray. We were there a few hours and we don't want to go to the dr for awhile.

We found out she has a 5% curve and we have to get an x-ray each year to check on it.

We saw Toy Story 4 and loved it!

The girls made bird feeders and we have seeded everywhere. The birds are going to love our house!

Baking continues at our house. These girls made this chocolate raspberry cake all on their own.

The loved it!

Turned out beautiful!

I am exercising in the dining room and I find the girls dancing in the living room. Too cute!

We got up on Saturday and we decided to go on a hike in Nac. We love all the trails we are finding. Well it was an adventure because it was downpouring and everyone was still happy and having fun!

Derek took the kids to the zoo park and they saw the gator for the first time!

He loves climbing on this stool and the chairs. I just hope he doesn't climb the table or out of the crib.

Derek daydreams of all the fun activities that they will do together. Basketball, golf, sports, etc.

Derek got a morning chants/dance from 5 kiddos, "Happy Father's Day to the best Dad!" follwed by his favorite breakfast and a relaxing morning for him (I get everyone ready for church and clean up duty.) Then we get to church (which Derek and I spoke) and we found out that Father's day is next week. So in the Williams' household we celebrated Father's Day early.

The girls made a Texas Sheet Cake on their own, we made grilled pizzas, and swam in the pool (Derek's fave). The girls put a frog on Derek's head. We are so lucky to have the best daddy ever! We love you!

For Sable's birthday we took her to lunch at Chick-fil-a and then she stayed with us and ran some errands. She got to see the real size of our craziness. We love Sable and we will be so sad when she leaves for her mission. She has been the best babysitter and we all love her!

Ashlyn made this gift for Derek for Father's day at activity days

Thanks mom for the birthday gift of getting a pedicure! It was so relaxing!

Before we got our face painting kit, I have a friend in the ward that did face painting throughout high school and college. We went to her house and she taught Ashlyn how to face paint a little. It was so fun!

Ashlyn did great!

I got this gratitude journal on amazon for $6 and it has been so fun to write 3 things that I am grateful for each day. It has really helped me realize that joy comes in the little things throughout the day!