It's a SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

This weekend we made a quick trip to Coeur d'Alene to watch our niece Kayla participate in the Idaho Jr. Miss Pageant. She did fantastically well, winning in the talent competition and getting in the top ten of all the 30+ girls. It was definitly interesting, not to mention hilarious to watch all these teenage girls and their mothers get SO INVOLVED in the drama that is Jr. Miss. A few of the girls were genuinely impressive, a few fell apart from the pressure, but most were just regular girls, trying their hardest to be the most beautiful, graceful, talented, etc., and making funny mistakes along the way. Since I know too many people who participated in the program (the WA state champ is in our ward) I do have to admit that they do good work and it can be a positive experience for the girls. On the other hand, it is funny to hear so many of the adults connected to the program insist almost desperatly that it is NOT a beauty pageant but a scholarship program.
Here's some pictures from our weekend. This first is of the garbage goat at Spokane Riverside Park. You push a button and then can 'feed' your trash to the goat. The kids got a real kick out of it.


As we were driving around trying to find parking at the park, Grace mentioned that she needed to use the potty. A minute later Sam asked "Isn't there grass at the park?" I said there was. "Well, we can just use the grass to go potty then", says Sam. Rob patiently explained that we only go potty in the grass when we're camping. Apparently, John and Julie don't have the same rule in their family, as this picture of Porter shows. You'll notice Sam watching admiringly; it was indeed an impressive stream.

These next two pictures are at the hotel we stayed at. Rob's mom Elaine goes swimming any chance she can get, and so always tries to stay at a place with a pool.

Cut off Sam's head on this one, but got a nice shot of him losing his pants.

Grace, trying on Grandma's socks.