You Can Kiss Summer GOODBYE. . .

OK so maybe summer isn't over yet. . .

but summer vacation is!

Which means no more hanging out at the pool all day every day with these fun kids!

Who says you can't be best friends with a girl?

I think he is. . .

but don't tell him I said that.

You don't just share your popsicle with anyone -

you have to be friends to do that!

And are these two ever friends!!!

What would I do without Elise to make Kara happy?

At the beginning of summer the kids had diving competitions. . .

And by the end of the summer they knew how to dive!

Really good actually!

But boy were there some fun dives in between!

The competitive spirit was in my boys all summer and there were many races across the length of the pool!

Kris was so proud of himself that he could dive off the diving board and swim under water across the whole pool holding his breath!

And what better way to warm up than with the hot cement?

(don't mind the daughter in the background - she only fell in once this year - in which her mother sacrificed her cell phone to save her)

The kids made up this crazy game where we would throw this ball to them as they jumped off the diving board and they would get points according to how far away we threw it and if they could catch it!

Hours of FUN!

Kale even did a flip of the diving board and caught it before going in the water!

Check out YOU TUBE for that video!

So I'm one of those moms who likes to get in the pool and have a good time. . .

(how many more kids can my appendiges hold?)

BUT. . .

When my kids think they can push me in the pool. . .

That's when I take defensive ACTION!

This picture sums up our summer!

Until next year swimming pool!

My tan is already fading!

BACK TO SCHOOL

The night before school started we had our

BACK TO SCHOOL "B" PARTY!

We call it our "B" Party because we have a BIG BARBEQUE

and then dad gives the boys a BLESSING to start the new school year!

(this year was so cute because when the boys were through with their blessings Karalyn said "my turn" and Kyle gave her a really nice blessing and she sat through the entire thing with her arms folded)

Then it was OFF for the First Day of School!

A FIFTH GRADER!

That's impossible. It's his last year of Elementary School. This can't be possible.

He wasn't as nervous as in years past and I got a quick fist bump to say goodbye.

A FIRST GRADER!

This really can't be possible. But it was. He was gone all day.

And he wasted no time getting started with his 1st day of 1st grade!

After school the boys enjoyed chocolate chip cookies and milk after walking home in the 105 degree heat!

I got the "naughty" report from Kris.

(who had their stick pulled etc)

I got the "you didn't buy me folder dividers" speech from Kale.

So this year we are starting a few new traditions in our home.

FIRST

A new way to read scriptures in the morning.

We've always had scripture study in the morning. You know the drill. Drag the kids out of bed. Watch them bring their blankets and pillows downstairs and then watch them fall back asleep on the couch as dad reads from the scriptures.

Well at least that's how it went last year in our house.

So this year I wanted to do something different.

I found this book.

And in it are daily passages of scripture. This book happens to focus on the Doctrine and Covenants. So each day has a scripture and a quote from a prophet relating to that scripture and questions we can answer as a family regarding the same scripture.

Which means discussion. Which means the children cannot be asleep to answer questions.

I was excited to start this new program and after reading the scripture for the first day I am so convinced I was inspired to start this.

AUGUST 24

THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will bo on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

D&C 84:88

There is not anything desirable that you will not be able to do with the aid and the help of the Lord, and every gift and power will be with you to accomplish his work if you will do your full part.

Ezra Taft Benson

What a perfect discussion for the first day of school!

SECOND

A new way to keep the boys room cleaned.

Every morning they are required to make their bed and make sure everything is picked up off the floor.

So here's the deal.

Every morning after they leave for school I will walk upstairs and if there are any clothes on the floor, dresser drawers not shut, bins not put back under their beds or if their bed is not made they have to go to bed 5 minutes earlier for each thing that is not done.

Today I took pictures.

Good Job Kale.

Poor Kris.

He gets to go to bed 25 minutes early tonight!

That might just be enough motivation to jump start him for the year.

We'll see!

So it begins.

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

Summer is winding down

Time for one last campout. . .

Even if it is only in the backyard. . .

Sunday night the boys asked if we were going to go camping any more this summer.

I said no.

They got sad and somehow convinced me to set the tent up in the backyard.

Good Night Boys.

And this is what I found in the morning when I went to go wake them up.

I guess when you have the option to sleep in your own bed you take it!

Gotta Love Summer!

Nothing Says SUMMER Like . . .

LEMONADE!

I had promised the kids at the beginning of the summer we would set up a lemonade stand. Well it's now the end of the summer and I kept my promise.

The boys were very dedicated!

And more successful than I expected!

They were out there for way longer than I thought they would last, waving their lemons at all the cars that would drive by.

We sold out of all our treats and were down to the last pitcher of lemonade (the 5th) when we finally put everything away!

It was a great way to end our summer!

(and we managed to learn a few money lessons in the process as well)

Dog Sitting

I've done a lot of babysitting in my life,

and a few weeks ago I had my first experience with dog sitting!

And my kids LOVED IT!

(sorry for the blurry picture, but the moment was too cute not to post anyway)

Even I might have warmed up towards the end of the week.

Here's the thing with me and dogs.

I like dogs.

I have nothing against dogs.

But I'm not used to dogs.

We never had a dog.

I really was never around dogs.

Now I know how those women feel who haven't been around babies and they are so nervous to have a baby of their own.

Never understood that until now.

We had a fun week.

Ava made herself right at home with us.

(even sleeping in my room)

My kids think it's time we get our own dog.

I think our neighbors can go on vacation any time they want and we'll take their dog while they are gone!

13 YEARS

This is my favorite picture from our wedding.

It's not professionally taken.

I think my mom took it.

This was before the days where just anyone could own a fancy camera.

Most of my professional wedding photos are very staged.

And that's OK.

I cherish them.

But this one is my favorite.

This one shows a true moment of happiness.

Those moments where nothing else matters and life isn't in the way and you can just be happy.

That's why this picture is my favorite.

(no offense to the photographer we paid hundreds of dollars to)

I have had many of those moments throughout these past 13 years and this picture reminds me to cherish those moments.

In looking at my homemade wedding album from all those years ago to find this picture, I also came across this picture.

And this picture reminded me how quickly things can change.

No one in this picture except for Kyle and I are still with us on this earth.

How grateful I am that they were with us that day.

And then I thought of everything that Kyle and I have been through these last 13 years, and what both these pictures really remind me of is that there is no one else I would rather go through this life and the next with than my husband.

I love him.

I've shared a lot of "firsts" with him.

And last night he shared another "first" with me!

He took me to my "FIRST" IMAX Movie!

Pretty romantic for our 13th Anniversary huh?

It was my idea!

Rumor has it he's taking me somewhere really cool for our birthdays. . .

Happy Anniversary Kyle!

Our State Fair

I took the kids to the State Fair a few weeks ago. . .

We had free passes so I couldn't not go.

We started our day with this gigantic robot!

They even showed Kale how to make him move!

I thought it was really funny, but my kids were fascinated by the room full of old bikes. It was really fun to see their reactions to the "old style" bikes!

And they had a whole Disney Display!

(to promote Toy Story 3 of course)

but when this girl saw Mickey Mouse. . . priceless!

We found our County Display. . .

We won first place!

So then I had this grand idea to get ice cream cones and watch a juggling show.

The ice cream was good, but we never found the juggling show.

It must be all the animals at the State Fair that brings out the animal side in my boys.

(Or maybe it was just that good of a cinnamon roll)

Speaking of animals.

I think I have this same picture from last year.

This kid cannot handle the smell of the cows.

This look says it all. . .

The turtles he liked however.

RIDES. . .

So on the way to the fair we had the talk about rides.

How we don't ride them.

How we don't spend money on them.

So don't even ask to ride them.

Well, when we walked in the front gate they are handing out free ride passes.

There was a catch. . .

They could only be rides that used to be at

Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch . . .

A little creepy, but free rides are free rides.

And we ended the day with the Motorcross Show!

And I'm glad we stuck around for it.

The BOYS LOVED IT!

(even Kara let out an occasional. . . Wow!)

By this point in the day it was time for dinner. . .

Couldn't do it this year.

We've been making an effort to eat better at our house and I have no idea if that had anything to do with it or not, but I couldn't even handle the smell this year. . .

So I did my kids a favor and we stopped at Wendy's on the way home for dinner!