Skifton Summer Bucket List

Welcome to the Skifton Family Summer Bucket List!

There has been sweat, dirt, blood, and tears,

but we've loved every minute!

Here's the cast of characters...

Each completing great tasks and achievements.

Bucket List Item #1: Swimming Lessons

One goal we had this summer was to do official swim lessons. 

All the kids really progressed and learned a lot of new things.

Parker mastered the front stroke,

Colette mastered floating,

and Mitchell mastered clenching onto a floatie for dear life.

Britta even was so excited about it, that when Mom looked away for a moment, 

she walked straight into the pool and was saved by her big brother screaming.

no fear.

Bucket List Item #2: Swimming in the Snake River

We took our little swimmers to Gem Lake, 

which is a small part of the Snake River set aside for swimming.

Again, with no fear, Britta immediately shot off like a rocket 

and before I could catch her, 

she was up to her neck in the freezing cold mountain river water.

It took me 45 minutes to get brave enough to fully submerge myself into the water!

Adventure, thy name is Britta.

Just imagine Richard and I running full speed with our hearts pumping, 

leaping into the air in a perfect front flip, 

and plunging feet first as the cold, refreshing water takes our breath away.

Now, can I tell you what actually happened?

I clenched Richard's hand like a vice, 

while I flailed into the freezing water

screaming like a little girl.

But regardless of how scared or cool we looked jumping into the river,

I've never felt so alive!

And on the opposite side of adventure, we have Mitchell, the wall flower.

Parker ran into an old friend from first grade while we were there so he had a lot of fun.

And sometimes Colette is so lovely, I can't believe she is half me.

Bucket List Item #3: Temple Service Project

The Idaho Falls Temple 

(which I get to drive by on a daily basis)

is under massive renovation.

So they have asked a lot of the local members to pitch in and help with little tasks.

They had us sand down the fence to be repainted.

It was really fun and rewarding to have a hand in making the temple grounds look more beautiful than they already do.

And Mitchell just liked pretending he was in jail.

Bucket List Item #4: Climbing Trees 

I have a tree climbing problem.

When I see a perfect set of limbs, I just can't help myself.

Now that my kids are older, 

they now follow me up the trunks of our beautiful and massive trees here in the Northwest.

Colette especially is turning into quite the expert climber.

See if you can spot her all the way up this pine IN HER SWIMSUIT

while we were at the splash park. 

We don't limit ourselves to trees either.

This cool pyramid is at a park behind my sister's house.

Colette probably went up and down 5 times.

I was winded after just once.

Bucket List Item #5: Bicycle around the Green Belt

Idaho Falls downtown has a beautiful route paved for miles around the river.

It runs past the temple, so many cool shops, farmer's markets, geese and even runs under the highway.

It's affectionately referred to as the Green Belt

I've wanted for so long to go all the way around.

We've been on a lot of LONG bike rides this summer.

Mitchell rode his bike over 4.5 miles one Saturday!

But we FINALLY went ALL THE WAY AROUND so we can cross this off our bucket list.

We won't get far on those bikes!

Or with Britta's help.

We love bike riding because you can go so far and see so much

and you don't have to do it alone.

You can still be together as a family while you exercise.

This panoramic that Richard took can't even do justice to how beautiful it is to ride with your family around the Snake River.

And to reward ourselves, we bought a bucket of mini huckleberry donuts from the farmer's market.

Normally I don't eat things that are also adorable, but WOW these were good.

Bucket List Item #6: Spend as much time with family as possible.

We have had so many great visits from cousins this summer. 

The infamous Max, Mavery and Moriah came from Utah.

Although, we like to tease that we picked them up at the zoo.

And then it's always exciting to see these three get together.

Ethan, Mitchell and Nolan are exactly what four-year-olds should be.

Movie time!

Lunchtime!

Zoo time!

[Let's take a moment here to explore the differences between boys and girls.]

Here we have Colette with her bestie, Hannah!

They are hugging! Smiling! And showing you their favorite animal!

Perfect best friend picture!!

And then there's boys.

They really love each other. No really, they do.

And pictures, they love pictures... A LOT!

And toddlers just make their own set of rules when it comes to pictures.

We are also very lucky to live next to some amazing family members that we get to hang out with whenever we want!

Rexburg Rapids with Taunya and Ashley's crew.

I think I prefer swimming in lazy rivers as opposed to actual rivers.

And then there are the cousins who are moving away.

Nothing like a Chukkar's baseball game, sugar, and family we love.

Brody and Ansley will be very missed around here when they leave.

Bucket List Item #7: Try new things.

The kids wanted to try some new things this year, 

so we dabbled in Kung-Fu

And after two lessons, they decided they don't need someone to teach them how to beat each other up.

Britta explored roller skating...

...for about 30 seconds.

And she went on her first ferris wheel ride!

Not a bit of anxiety on her face!

(Not so adventurous with heights, eh?)

Now for some honorable mentions for our summer bucket list:

 No summer is complete without face painting...

stitches...

and new scars...

Sword fighting teddy bears...

Matching t-shirts... 

whatever this is...

suckers dipped in cotton candy...

 dressing up like bandits...

and many trips to Sonic's Happy Hour!

But the summer isn't over yet,

and there are more surprises yet to come.

The BIGGEST item on our bucket list is yet to be checked off,

but we'll just have to leave you in suspense for that one...