Back to School

Yes, I realize it is still July, but for year-round schoolers, that's the way it rolls. Kyle is in fifth grade this year, Jake second, and Kristin first. I have 3 out of 4 kids at school all day. It's crazy. What are me and Haley gonna do? I am excited for some time with just her. She's pretty easy going that it will be fun! I am mainly just excited to not have to be home at 11:30 for the kindergartner. I have had 2 years in a row with a kindergartner, and I am happy for a break. Haley starts preschool in September, and she is WAY excited to go!

Kyle's Birthday Bash

We had a very last minute impromptu party for Kyle this year. We took some of his friends swimming at the Kearns Oquirrh Mountain Swimming Pool. This place has olympic sized pools, diving boards, and platforms along with a kiddie pool with a huge bucket that fills up and spills every few minutes. The kids had a blast! Here are some of the photos I got!
The above is my new favorite photo...
Jake and Dax were weenies. They wouldn't go off the big diving boards, so they just hung out together, so it all worked well!
Disclaimer...lady in the background...shaking my head...we WERE in West Valley...when we got home Kyle told me how he had seen LOTS of tattoos and LOTS of piercings...nice...anyways, Kristin LOVED diving. She did it over and over until lifeguards changed, and then all of a sudden, she wasn't old enough...go figure...

Check out Conner. These were 9 foot high diving boards. They did this over and over and over again. Connor gets the award for the best tricks...FOR SURE!

Kyle's favorite birthday toy...the whoopie cushion...if he's lucky, I won't have thrown it away by the time he gets home from school today!

Kyle is 10!!!!!!!!!!

I can barely believe it! He is 10 years old today. To commemorate this big event...I am going to share a photo with you that was taken by Erin in February...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLE!!!!!!!!!

Independence Day

I think one of my favorite holidays is the Fourth of July. Yep...I can say that it is - in fact - my favorite...we do the same thing every year, and it is just awesome...First is the Copperton Races...Where you win...MONEY!!!!!!!! Everyone races...even adults. This year they did a father/daughter 3 legged race, and a mother/son 3 legged race. It was awesome.



My dad won first in his division...I think it was over 50. My dad and I also won first for the 3 legged race.


This year Kinlee was the only special needs kid to race. She did awesome! She got lots of money, too!


Ahhhh....we are so cute...
Allison's mommy had to work, so Aunt Kara walked around with her...this one's for you, Marisol.
Troy is holding up the sack - THE POTATO SACK - I know this photo looks bad...
The 2 monsters....
Nora's dad fell down doing the sack race...she thought it was pretty funny!

Seriously, July already?

I truly try to keep this blog up, but I have had a rough few months, personally...I admit...but things are looking up. So much has gone on the past few months, I just don't know where to start.

June...We went on a family camping trip with a few other families. We went to the Sand Dunes...and I - proclaimed camper hater - enjoyed it. I told Troy if I had a trailer I could do it MUCH more frequently. The kids had an absolute blast. The literally played in the sand CONSTANTLY for 3 days. No fighting...just playing...it was a great situation for everyone. Let's see if I can find a few photos...Here you go...



Kristin finished her first softball season. She would NOT play the infield. She actually got 2 hits, but naturally, it was when Troy and I were in Chicago. My grandma turned 80, so we got to go to Myton for her party. Here is the birthday girl and some other photos...


Jake finished up his soccer season. He LOVES to play goalie. Jon, Donnarae and Annie came to visit. We only got in 1 tennis match, dangit...but I got to take some photos of them...



Troy and I went to Youth Conference. It was amazing. We have amazing, incredible youth. We did things that we would have probably never done...hike Ensign Peak, camp at This is the Place State Park, play some game(mix between football and soccer), talk from Jon Bytheway, stroll through the Salt Lake City Cemetary with a guide and LOTS of background of the people who are buried there, photo scavenger hunt around temple square, the Church History Museum, which I LOVED and want to take my kids back to, Amazing Race and chocolate covered crickets...and TONS more...it was GREAT having Troy there to experience everything with me - thanks to family who watched my kids.


Are you starting to forgive me for not blogging???? There's still MORE! We raced in our 3rd Annual Amazing Race. We were the white team this year. It was so fun. We got to go down the Bobsled at the Olympic Park...these were summer sleds, but it is the same track they used in the olympics. Most of us never want to do this again, and I think the general consensus was that the very back is not very fun, but it is awesome to say I have done it. We came in 2nd - or 3rd - this year, 2 teams tied for first and we came in right after them - so whatever that makes us. It was fun...we played frisbee golf at a special frisbee golf park...we were given a photo at the mall, and had to find and dress in that outfit(which is why in the photo, Troy looks like a gay man.



Kyle earned his Bear in scouts. He will be 10 in just a few weeks. Sniff...sniff... Kristin graduated from Kindergarten. For her program, she had to dress up as what she wanted to be when she grew up. She chose Cheerleader...nice eh? Kyle finished up a county report. He got Juab County, UT. I could type for hours on the hell that this report was and how I think cursive is stupid - they should teach typing, the correct way to do rough drafts, etc...etc...but it's done. THANK HEAVENS! On top of all of this, I did 2 engagement shoots, 2 bridal sessions, and a wedding. I leave for girls camp next week...I am hoping July is not as exhausting but just as fun as June was.