End of June

 We've had a fun summer week this week.
Last Saturday (6/24) was rainy and our friends came back from youth conference about 11 am to pick up their kids.  We had a quiet afternoon at home.
Sunday (6/25) was busy.  Dan had meetings most of the day and it was my day to teach my class lesson.  Our Bishop had the whole primary come into the chapel for a few minutes to talk about the sacrament and the purpose of sacrament meeting, so my lesson time was short after that.  It was about D&C 76, the 3 degrees of glory, and Joseph's testimony of Christ.  It went great! I learned some humbling lessons on Sunday.  As we filed in to the chapel, I saw a group of kids trying to sit together that I knew would have a hard time being together and listening, so I quickly asked them to split up to avoid that.  One of the boys (he's 8) ended up leaving the chapel and I later found out that he is having a hard time with even coming to church and he was really upset that he'd been asked to not sit by his friends.  I apologized to him and texted back and forth with his mom a little bit after church and we are ok, but it was a good reminder to be more Christlike--to show love and seek to know the individual before I discipline someone. 
Monday (6/26) started with a bike ride, grocery pickup, and chores.  Then Candy went to a friend's house and my primary class came over for a party.  We played charades, had lunch (they wanted pigs-in-blankets, lemondade, and donuts), played Carcassone, and played some games on the xbox kinect.  It was really fun.  We played with neighbors before dinner and had a nice FHE lesson by Brooke on how we got the Book of Mormon.

Sleepy baby in the car after grocery pickup

My primary class...

Tuesday (6/27) we went to the library for story time and to pick out books and hung out with cousins there.  Megan and Brooke had friends over in the afternoon and we had piano lessons (our last ones for the summer).  After dinner we let the kids stay up late and said goodbye to our neighbors who are moving to Albuquerque. 

There was a rainbow after the rain in the morning!

Our kids and our 2 neighbors--we play with them a lot so we are sad to lose them.

Wednesday (6/28) we went bike riding and did chores and cleaned bathrooms before heading to the pool for playgroup.  Lots of friends were there so that was fun.  Jack is really getting good at swimming all over, taking breaths and jumping and such.  

Thursday (6/29).  6 years since Mom passed away.  And 15 years since Shad and Amy got married.  It's hard to believe how time flies.  We rode bikes in the morning with cousins and then Ali took the big kids to the 50 cent movie and I stayed home with the babies.  They were cute toddling around together. 

My bike buddies

Snuggles on the couch

Candy and Emily were laughing so hard last night--Candy said "look!  Emily is a lion!"

Friday (6/30).  We skipped our bike ride today and headed out about 8:30 am to go to the beach.  We went with cousins to Sylvan Beach (the one that's only like 35 minutes away).  It was breezy and sunny and not too hot and the water felt great.  The kids had a blast.  We got home and stopped off at the pool to let the kids get the sand off a little before coming home for naps.  Dan and I will get a date night tonight so I'm looking forward to that. 

Emily fell asleep on the way to the beach and was OUT!  But woke up quickly to play.

Me and my crew!

 Summertime is a lot of work keeping the kids busy and happy but also a lot of fun.  I can't believe tomorrow is July!

Still June

We are now officially and completely done with swim team for the season (the awards night was last night!).  This week was still busy and crazy but I think next week is looking quiet and I'm feeling good about that!

Wed Jun 14:  We swam at the pool for playgroup for an hour or so, I ran Megan home for an A days party and did a swim lesson for my neighbor's little girl--no tears, success!  We had a potluck dinner at a park in the neighborhood to wish all the swimmers good luck before our big divisionals meet.  It was fun and not as hot as we thought it would be.

Thu Jun 15:  Happy 37th birthday Shad!  I took the kids (my big 4 plus 5 more) to the 50 cent movie.  That was an adventure.  We all made it.  The kids had friends over in the afternoon and I swam laps that night--I did a mile, and didn't die, yes!

Fri Jun 16: It was our last fun Friday practice and we had a "parent practice" where the parents swam with their kids and did relays parents vs. kids.  Really fun.  I watched my nephews and niece after that and then Ali watched my kids while I showed my neighbor how to keep practicing with her daughter at our last swim lesson.  We hosted babysit night and stayed up way too late.

Sat Jun 17:  Divisionals meet!  6 teams, a million kids, tons of fun.  We got 2nd place!  All the girls got at least one personal best and Dad and Sally came to cheer them on.  After the meet, we headed down to Dad and Sally's to check out the super fun neighborhood pool (it has a high dive--awesome!) and have burgers and play games.  

Megan's cheer section for her 50 free (1st event of the meet)

Sun Jun 18: Happy 17th birthday Julianne!  Father's Day!  Dan didn't have any meetings so that was nice.  We made him breakfast in bed and the kids sang to him at church and he got cookies and it was a nice day spent together.

Dan's such a good Dad--he played sorry with the big kids after church.

Mon Jun 19:  Happy 14th birthday Hailey!  No morning swim practice!  I picked up groceries and took the girls to basketball camp at the high school.  Then we went swimming at a friend's house.  I headed to the church at quiet time while Ali watched my kids so I could help check the youth for lice (blech!) before they left on buses for Nauvoo for a week of youth conference.  Thankfully I didn't see any!  I came home and picked up my kids plus our Bishop's middle son (they are in Nauvoo with the youth) so we get to have 6 kids this week.  They will only trust me with their son because he has a severe peanut allergy and bad asthma--so we banished our peanut butter and have his epi pen and inhaler handy.  We had family night, Megan taught about service.  

Tue Jun 20:  The basketball camp got switched to the afternoon so we had a quiet morning, did chores, and had lunch before dropping them off.  We swam after camp before dinner which was fun.

Wed Jun 21: We had playgroup at the pool before basketball.  It was great except for when the kid I'm watching dunked another kid and bit him--sheesh, who is watching that kid :).  Thankfully both kids were ok. 

Emily LOOOVES the pool.  Giggles like a crazy person as she toddles around and screeches at me when to tell me when she wants to do a swim or try backfloat.

Thu Jun 22:  The kids did chores again, and even cleaned bathrooms, yay child labor!  The girls went to basketball and after that I got a sitter to come over so I could take the big girls ice skating with our neighbors who are moving.  Unfortunately, the ice rink was closed!  So we found a bouncy house place instead and played there for a while.  For dinner that night we went to the swim team awards night.  It was at a park with a hot dog dinner, bouncy houses, and lots of playing.  Megan got a nice towel embroidered with her name and the team logo because she's been on the team for 5 years.  At the end of the night the team president asked me to consider being head coach next year--I laughed and said I'd have to think about that a while!  I got to finish the night with Blue Bell at a goodbye party for a friend. 

I told the kids if they cleaned up we could do a science experiment--so cornstarch and water for the win! 

Emily enjoyed her cupcake at the awards night!

Our family last night

Fri Jun 23:  That's today!  I took the big kids plus my extra kid to the swim team movie day.  We had a theater to ourselves and watched the new Cars movie and Jack was IN HEAVEN.  It was a cute show.  Carrie came over to pick up Brooke for a sleepover and after naps I took the remaining kids swimming before dinner.  WE got home in time for the Bishop's other two kids to get here.  They will get home int he morning, so one more night til we have just our kids again.  M has been good but I'm excited nonetheless.

M and Jack before the movie

The girls

A display at the theater

Aunt Carrie reading stories--she was popular today.

June!

June has been busy and fun and treating us well.  I'll give you a brief rundown :)
Sat May 27--We had an away swim meet and we won!  Barely--by 19 points.  It was a fun win.

Team cheer

Coaches relay.  It was a medley and I swam breaststroke.

Candy's "dive"

Megan's breaststroke finish

Poor sweaty Jack

Brookie's dive

Emily fell asleep at the end of the meet. 

Jack and Candy after the meet.  Candy was cold--so she layered!  Crazy kid, it was hot that day!

Sun May 28--Nice day at church, had Dan's sister over for dinner.

Candy coloring after church.

Sweet snuggly baby.

Mon May 29--No School/No Work, Memorial Day!  We got up and drove to Shad's lakehouse.  We tubed and kneeboarded and had a great time.  We got to peek at Tyler's new car!  Carrie and Dad, Sally, and Charlie came too.  We missed Jamie who had driven home Sunday afternoon.

Tue May 30--school, piano, etc.
Wed May 31--Playgroup at Discovery Green, always a good time.
Thu Jun 1--Classroom awards for Megan and Brooke.  Birthday lunch for a friend.  Emily was sick so I missed swim team that day.

Fri Jun 2--Last day of school!  Dan worked from home so he could come with us to the kindergarten program.  The kids got out early from school, we had swim team, and Megan and Brooke had their piano recital.  They did great.  Dad and Carrie were able to come watch them.  Carrie stayed after for dinner and games.
Kinder program

Last day of school picture!

Sat Jun 3--Home swim meet.  We won!  (do you detect a pattern :) ) We had babysit swap that night and Dan and I got to go do sealings at the temple.  Jack got sick while we were gone (poor guy/poor babysit swap family).

Sun Jun 4-Dan stayed home with jack and Emily.  Which meant I got to hear all the testimonies that day!  Wow, will church be easier when my youngest kid is almost 6!  We had a family council that night and talked about summer schedules, chores, and family trips.  It was a fun discussion. 
Mon Jun 5--Morning swim practice!  It was rainy, so we cancelled a few practices.  I picked up groceries, kids did chores, Megan had an ENT appointment at Texas Children's (with the same doc we saw in December).  We decided to schedule her for ear surgery on Aug. 17.  For family night, we talked about being kind and took turns saying nice things about each family member.  At bedtime, 4 of the 5 kids were running a fever!
Tue Jun 6--I stayed home all day with the sick kids.  We had fun doing chores, playing, watching tv, etc.  Megan was well enough to go to piano.

Wed Jun 7--playgroup at the big pool.  The kids love the pool so much.  Jack and Emily are a lot of fun and it's busy keeping them safe.

Thu Jun 8--We went to the pool in the morning after swim team.  I spent the day washing sheets and getting ready for visitors.

The kids with our neighbors, making a water slide.

Fri Jun 9--Pool again after swim team.  The Tracy's came to visit!  They flew in from portland and got to our house about 7 pm.  We let the kids stay up late (til 10!) and we stayed up til 12:30 (super late for Dan and I)

Sat Jun 10--We played hooky from the away meet and went to the pool with the Tracys.  Fun morning.  They treated us to some Bahama Bucks shaved ice in the afternoon while Dan was at the priesthood session of stake conference.  Then the Tracy's watched our kids (bless them) so we could go to the adult session.  Elder Dube (first stake president in Zimbabwe) was visiting and he was great.  My favorite thing he talked about was to never give away a CLOSED Book or Mormon.  His boss gave him a Book of Mormon and it took him 2 years to open it up and read.  He said if he had known what was in it he would have read it sooner.  So he shared his favorite Book of Mormon story and why he relates to it and said, there!  See how different it is when I open up the book to you!

Jack was so tired he was falling asleep sitting up, so I convinced him to lay down on the chair and he slept for an hour!

Our kids, Tracy kids, other kids from the ward.

Jun 11--We all went to stake conference.  Elder Dube talked about the monkey traps where they put nuts in the bottom of a box with a small hole--the monkey reaches in, grabs the nuts, but can't get their fist out while holding the nuts and they are easy to trap at that point.  He challenged us to let go of whatever "nut" we may be holding onto--he held his cell phone in his fist and asked the youth if that was a "nut" for them.  He encouraged us to use our phones mindfully: get in, do what you need, and get out.  After church we had a few families come to say hi to the Tracys and had our Bishop's family over for dinner (he and Ashley are cousins).  So that was a lot of fun.  Then we enjoyed playing some more games and chatting while they packed up, ready to drive out to a family reunion in Branson in the morning.

Emily enjoyed dessert--tres leches cake.  With whipped cream :)

 Mon Jun 12--The Tracys got off around 5 am.  We did swim team and then came home for chores and played with neighbors.  I taught a swim lesson to my neighbors little girl and then went to the dentist.  I taught family night last night and talked about being honest and trustworthy.
Tue Jun 13--That's today :).  We did swim team, went back to the pool to swim, Dan's sister watched my big kids while I took Emily to her 15 month checkup.  97% for weight! She's so cute and happy.  Then home to watch the neighbor kids for a bit and now it's quiet time.

Sweet Emily this morning.  She loves dolls right now and often drags them around the house kissing them.

Summer is going so fast.  This is our last week of swim team and our big divisional meet is on Saturday.  My team is undefeated entering divisionals, so that would be really fun to win there too!