It might be summer.... but we're still learning!

I thought I would share a few little things we learned so far this summer.

Anaya learned that if you get the cold straightening iron stuck in your hair and your mom is outside mowing the lawn, maybe you should not cut it out, because then your mom has to learn how to do interesting hair styles that involve lots and lots of pony tail holders.

Anaya also learned that you shouldn't yell, "Look mom.... lots and lots of little bums!" while you are looking at the apricots at the store.McKay learned how to play t-ball, and LOVED it. He told me he wants to play t-ball forever. We'll save the "t-ball is only a 2 year sport" lesson for another day. We also learned that it doesn't matter if you go to the bathroom right before the game starts, if you're standing in the field doing nothing... you WILL have to go.

Kayden learned that the pioneers had it rough. It rained, hailed, and blew our youth almost the whole time they trekked. It was beautiful and clear for the small amount of time they were in the cove, and that's about it. He still loved the whole thing. He even sang a special musical number with a small group.... (or so I heard!)

We visited upper and lower Mesa Falls, and we learned that, wow, the mosquitoes have LOVED the 12 straight days of rain!! I had a hard time getting any pictures of the family because they were always wildly waving their arms trying to get the mosquitoes away! It was still beautiful and a fun trip with the kids. Taisha was by far the fastest hiker of our bunch, and she also complained the least! We learned that McKay's favorite part of the whole trip was carrying the hydration back pack. He still talks about it!

I got to go to one day of girls camp with Malia and 9 other girls. I learned that camping really isn't that bad... especially when you are camping in a nice cabin in Island Park! I got to go on their hike around Harriman Lake and saw Footloose at Pierre's Playhouse in West Yellowstone. This is my kind of camping!

I had a GREAT birthday, and I learned that getting one year older is just fine when you have great family, wonderful friends, and piles of really, really good food!!!

We got our garden planted, and then it rained and hailed for almost the whole month of June, and we are learning that a garden grows better with a little warmth and sun. The weather has been really crazy, and I don't know if our garden is going to survive! The mushrooms in my grass though seem to be doing awesome...phew!

Kayden is almost done with drivers ed, and then he can drive all he wants..... during the day, in the state of Idaho, and with a responsible adult. I think McKay has finally come to terms with Kayden driving. He was a little worried that Kayden wouldn't know where to go, and they would be lost, driving around in circles somewhere in our big city!!!

I'm reading The Land of Elyon books (I'm almost done with the first book.) I'll give you a full review when I get them done. The main character is named "Alexa," so they have to be good right?

A Quick Birthday Riddle

I got my birthday card from the bishopric today (my birthday isn't until next week... they are VERY on the ball). Try to guess who wrote the message inside:

"Thanks for your help in the primary. We appreciate all your hard work. The Lord will bless you for your service and already has with that gorgeous fine specimen you call husband. Count your many blessings and have a wonderful birthday.
Love, the Bishopric."

Rik has been pestering me for a birthday list, so I asked Malia today what I wanted, because Malia has a gift for picking out perfect gifts. I know it sounds weird, but she somehow notices and remembers little things that you mention or do, and she really pays attention to hobbies and activities, and she just seems to know the perfect thing. She also writes the best lists for herself. So when I asked her what I wanted for my birthday, she immediately said, "vegetable peeler." *sigh* Which is true... every time I use ours, I complain about it from the second I pull it out of the drawer, but I can't seem to remember to pick one up when I'm at the store (it's been years of this!) Such a sad reflection on my life... that's all she could come up with for me... and she's the gift idea queen! But, I have that gorgeous fine specimen of a husband... so I guess it's all good! =)

I Love Summer Break!

Malia turned 13 the end of May... so she's officially a teenager now. She decided against a party this year (a lot of her friends were already having end of school parties), so we just had some of her friends and family over for dinner and cake. It was VERY nice of her since I was kind of burned out this year by the time we hit May (or maybe it was March...) She wanted salmon, fruit and Caesar salad for dinner.

She got some new furniture for her room for her birthday. She only had a bed and a chair in her room, and it's a nice big room, so the desk and side table look awesome in there, and she loves it. (She picked a nice pink office chair to go with the desk...very cute!)

A couple Sundays ago we had stake conference, so we were done with church earlier than normal. We decided to pack a picnic and go for a drive to Twin Falls. We stopped and hiked around the Twin Falls park, the Shoshone Falls (and we hiked to one of the 3 hidden lakes), and then ended up at the new Twin Falls temple. It was a really nice day!

The whole weekend was a lot of fun though. School got out on Friday, and that night was the father and son camp out, so the girls and I went out for dinner, to the movie "Up," and then went out for ice cream. Saturday night Rik and I had tickets to see William Joseph up in Rexburg. Great piano concert... and fun date! ☺




Last weekend a group of us went and stayed in Pocatello for the Time Out for Women seminar. Such a fun weekend! Good speakers and music, and lots of laughing!

I thought summer was going to slow down a little, and it has kind of, but we are definitely staying busy. McKay plays t-ball on Tuesdays and Thursdays (I love it when he swings the bat like a light saber!), Kayden started drivers ed (he's driving right now... which is why I'm here, in the house, working on my blog), he's also mowing lawns again this summer, and has some great friends that keep him busy dirt biking and kayaking, and he leaves for Martin's Cove tomorrow morning at 4 am (yikes that's early!) Malia is at volleyball camp this week, and wants to do another couple camps throughout the summer. She's walking with me in the mornings and babysitting occasionally. Taisha said she wants to take gymnastics through the summer, but wants to do NOTHING for the month of June. She's a shopper, so she loves to go run errands with me, and helped me pick out and plant the flowers and new bushes around the yard. It's rained a lot so far this month, but the kids are still playing outside (they just get wet in the rain instead of the sprinklers), and they have some really wonderful friends that keep their imaginations going. Right now they are playing school, and playing store has also been a big hit (fake money, Walmart bags, and all the toys in the room get bought and bagged up!)

I was released as the primary president on Sunday. I have some mixed feelings on this, but overall I'm really relieved. I've already got a new calling, and will get put in on Sunday. I can't say what it is... but it sounds like "lung sermon beacher." I'm SO excited for the new calling.

Kindergarten Graduation

McKay graduated from Kindergarten today! He told me to bring a zillion treats to school today for after graduation.... I brought 2 dozen, which he said was ok. He's so excited for summer and warm and friends. I'm very proud of what he accomplished this year!

Quick video from Anaya's preschool graduation

Also, there are more pictures from the wedding here.

All the Fun Things That are May

Holy smokes April and May have been jam packed! We are down to the last 3 1/2 days of school though, and I think we might make it!

This is Taisha on her way to her 4th grade Idaho program. They had 2 performances, and she had to do a project on Idaho. We did a topography map of Idaho with different dried peas and beans representing mountains, hills, plains, and water. When you're in 4th grade it is a big deal if you are chosen as one of the square dancers for the program... and Taisha was one of them. It was an excellent program. My favorite part though was the guy two rows in front of us who REALLY, REALLY loved the program. I thought he was going to fall off his chair laughing at the Hee Haw - style jokes, and he was a very enthusiastic clapper! He made my whole night... oh and Taisha did too... she made a cute square dancer!

Malia had a bug project due last week, and she was assigned the flame skimmer dragonfly. I LOVED this project (except for when the balloons would pop unexpectedly and that one time I was tying the balloon up, and it about took my nail off!) and I think I have found a new talent! It turns out I am a genius at balloon animals!! (Malia got extra credit for making it's habitat.... warm pond with grass.) (Don't look at my messy counter top... we had multiple projects going on, and my craft cupboard was emptied all over the kitchen! I had a hard time finding a clean surface to put the dragonfly down and take a picture!)


Anaya had her preschool graduation last week as well. They had a little program and picnic. This is right up her ally, and she has been singing the songs over and over for weeks! It was a beautiful day too!



Then yesterday we loaded up the family and headed to Soda Springs (this was the first time the whole family has been in the new van at the same time!) for Jesse and Esther's wedding. Yummy food, great program, and so fun to see the family!

We are all done with the big school projects, and Malia and Kayden have been studying all weekend for the last of their finals. I think the whole family is ready for lazy summer days, and a little less to do, I know I am.

You knew it was coming....

McKay's tooth came out last night... and this was the best picture I could get. He was trying to show off his toothlessness, and so smiling his normal smile was out of the question. It's a good thing the tooth fairy is a little flabby around the middle, because when she got up to go to the gym this morning, she remembered to get that tooth and leave some money!! (That is the ONLY time you will hear that being flabby around the middle is a good thing....)

McKay also had another t-ball practice yesterday. This time I got to stay and watch (last week I had kids at the dentist.) He is so funny to watch. He acts like this is Jedi training, only he's wearing a mitt. When the ball comes to him, he moves out of the way, drops down to the ground, rolls, picks up the ball, and throws it back. The ball could come right at his feet, and he still moves over, drops to the ground and rolls. We might have to work on that... or record it. ☺