Celebrate Youth 2011

Another fun time was had at the Celebrate Youth Day. This is the event the day before school starts in the park. This year we took our neighbor, Jocelyn. We stayed through until the end of the prizes - which sadly none of them won. This year, we did it a little different too. We hurried and jumped on that train before the line was 2 hours long. Then we got the cotton candy and popcorn before those lines were just as bad!

Jocelyn, Kylie, McKenna

After we hit those things and got the bag to carry everything in, we made our way around all of the different little "carnival" type booths. Braden of course loved the bubbles!

This year, they had a new addition which was these big inflatable things and then you run around and chase and crash into each other. They enjoyed those!


McKenna




Tyler



Kylie

Then off to bowling. All of the kids liked it, but I just loved Braden's expression. Maybe he'll become a professional bowler!

Another new thing they had this year was wacky hair! Students from the paul mitchell school were doing different colors, spiked and just doing hair. Kylie and Jocelyn loved this and they waited in the line for it. We decided to take a picture of the back, which is a braid and then a ponytail on the side. It was actually really cute!

While Kylie and Jocelyn were waiting in line for hair, McKenna and I waited in line for face painting. She was insistent about having dragons painted on.

After all the little booths, we had to hurry and get our creamie. Braden made a HUGE mess. It was an extremely hot day though and that little creamie melted like crazy!

All in all, a great day and a great way to end the summer!

Braden's Backpack

Braden became really attatched to my mom's purse, especially during soccer games because she would have snacks in it. It would drive Allen and I crazy becuase he shouldn't be using a purse. I have looked for a little back pack and I couldn't find any. My mom actually found one at wal-mart and this is his new favorite thing. It is filled with diapers, wipes, snacks, a cup of water. He carries it everywhere. With school starting, he feels all grown up and even followed the girls to the bus one morning! Anyway, we are so thankful for this new little thing!

Cousin Weekend

From August 11th until August 14th, we were blessed to have a lot of days with some of our cousins! First, my brother came to visit. I wish I had taken a lot more pictures, but we were just having so much fun! On Friday the 12th, we decided to go to The Craze Fun Zone. Played miniature golf, and a lot of laser tag. The two little ones were happy to pretend to drive in the arcade.

Garrett and Braden



Ethan, Tyler, Justin, Braden



"The Girls"
Kylie, McKenna, Lindsey




Getting ready to play laser tag

After the Craze Fun Zone, they all came over to help us move dirt for awhile. Which was extremely kind of them. Thanks to all the help, half the dirt pile was actually moved!

Of course after moving dirt, they had worked up a big appetite and there is no other place to go except to Big Jud's! Tyler was extremely excited because he has always wanted to show his cousins this place.

Later that night, we went back to my parents house for awhile and played games. It was a fun day and the little ones were EXHAUSTED but they slept really well!

On Saturday, we took the older three and drove to Twin Falls where one of Allen's nieces was getting married that day. We left the kids in the waiting room at the temple, and they did really well. Briana was beautiful and the spirit was really strong. Great opportunity for my children to witness and be apart of.

Before the dinner we had some time to kill so we drove to Shoshone Falls. It has a bigger drop than Niagra Falls and it is pretty spectacular especially towards the beginning of Spring with all of the run off. Anyway, it was hot, but at least we got a picture of the kids!

On to the dinner. We were pretty hungry by this point so we enjoyed the food. The dinner was at a hotel where the reception was also being held. The kids loved it and the girls snatched the camera and started taking pictures of everything. I really liked her cake, so I'm glad they got a picture of that. The girls also wanted their picture with their cousin, so as embarassed as they were, glad we got one!

Poor little Braden though. He was pretty traumatized. He loves going to Grandma's house, but as we were all getting dressed in church clothes, he was upset we weren't taking him to church too. He was kind of mopey and by the time we got back and picked him up, he didn't leave my side for the next few days.

Anyway, we are glad we live by Grandma so we benefit when cousins come to visit. Thanks for the great weekend guys!

Summer Projects

One Saturday in August, right after girls camp, we had an unexpected project. Our neighbors across the street were cutting out their lawn to make a driveway, and gave our other neighbor their sod. Allen had made the mistake earlier in the week that what they were going to do with it sounded like a great idea. So, with all of this sod, they decided that Allen wanted some too. We didn't know this was the Saturday they decided to do it, and so we dug up the front yard (mainly all rocks), to make the lawn go right to the street. Then, our neighbor who was also benefiting from this grass, rented a mini backhoe and dug a huge hole in the ground for their trampoline. All of the dirt ended up on our side of the property. He didn't know what he was going to do with it, so we took as much as we could and put it in various spots around the yard that really needed it.

The little ones, especially Braden, loved the hole in the ground. I'm talking two showers a day loved it. I would shower him, he would sneak back outside, and have to do it again. At least he had fun.

Then, Tyler had been after us for awhile to make ice cream. So the day came that we planned to make it, and it rained all day. It didn't matter though. Ice cream is always good. Right?

A couple of weeks before school started, our neighbor rented the climbing wall from BYU-Idaho. We all met over at the school and let the kids climb for awhile. None of mine made it to the top, but I still rewarded them for trying. 

Also, during the day of the rock climbing, an old friend stopped by to say hi. Michelle Ferguson Newbold was an RA for me when we lived in the dorms. She is now a nurse down in Utah. It was super fun to see her. I also got to see her sister, who was a head Resident also during the time Michelle was a R.A. Fun memories. I loved seeing her so happy and got to meet her new husband. It's just neat to be able to be apart of some of these students lives and see how life "goes" for them. Great couple of weeks in August!

Girl's Camp

Girl's Camp 2011 was at the beginning of August. I went up Wednesday and came back on Friday. I had a good time, but ask me if I was tired and that would be an understatement.  It EXHAUSTED me. I just couldn't sleep. However, it was still fun and I'm glad I had the chance to go.

The first night I was there, we had skits. The girls all did a great job and they were fun to watch. Later that night, after the girls were in bed, the leaders went up to the lodge where we played Just Dance 2 with a bunch of other leaders from the stake. That was so fun! I love that wii game and would love to get it sometime.

Thursday was service and craft day and while they were gone, I actually got to take a much needed shower. We visited for awhile (as leaders). Unfortunately, two of the leaders had to go home that night, but we were lucky and had another one come up.

Thursday was also testimony meeting and it was so nice to be there for that. The spirit was really powerful and I am glad I got to attend that. Towards the end it started raining, so we moved into a shelter, at which time it was raining heavily. The shelter we were in didn't have a bottom and a little mouse ran in during testimony meeting. One girl had a bloody nose that wouldn't stop. Testimony meeting ended pretty quick at that time.

We got all the girls settled and made sure everything was dry and ok. It ended up raining all night long, plus the thunder and the lightning that made it bright as day. I layed in the tent almost all night just listening and watching. Around 3 a..m. the first year tent had collapsed. With a few meltdowns, we got them all moved into the priesthood tent which wasn't being used and it all worked out. Glad it is over, but glad I went.



Some of the girls after skits




Some of the leaders

When I got back, after I showered, we had some errands we had to run, and we stopped by the carousel to let the kids ride it. I was impressed that Braden was on a little horse. I had taken him a few days before I left, but I couldn't get him to get on it - not even just by sitting on a bench. As you can see, he is pretty proud of his accomplishment.

Soccer

During the summer, we decided to let McKenna and Kylie try soccer. As far as I can remember, there was only one really hot day and quite a few that we needed jackets for. That was a blessing with all that running around!

They LOVED it. Both of them did really well. Kylie was so close a couple of times getting a goal, McKenna made a goal. They learned all sorts of things about soccer and had such an amazing coach. She was so great and patient and held practices and her older children helped teach the game. Overall, it was a really great experience!



The thing Braden loved most!



McKenna getting ready for the next play



McKenna getting her game face on. You can see the ball flying towards her on the left side of the picture



Kylie taking a water break

Kylie running towards the ball



Another great action shot of Kylie

McKenna running for a water break



McKenna kicking the ball - at the start of a game



Kylie - great turn around time.