July's top 8..so far

I keep saying how busy we are, but I'm not sure what we've been doing....here are some shots of some of the things that we've been up to, to enjoy the Summer sun!
1. Swimming play dates! Cousins Eliette and Preston came over to make pizzas for lunch and take a dip in our pool. The kids loved it!

2. I just LOVE my Auntie Sandy. She sent these stickers weeks ago, but I have been waiting for the perfect outfit to use them on. Yes, we have 2 sheets of them, but I don't want a single sticker to go to waste. I know there will be some good outfits this Fall for school!

This is the latest, with Summer and less clothes, the outfits aren't as great as they were with tights, skirts, pants, sweaters and multiple, multiple layers, but I thought these outfits would suffice. I think Ellie knew I was making fun of her (who would have thought, I would ever do that?) She didn't want her sticker on for long. :) Next time I will slap it on her back like you suggested Auntie Sandy! Thanks!

3. Can you believe my baby boy is going to be in Kindergarten in less than 2 months!? Children's Place had a sale on backpacks so we took advantage of it. Brayden picked out the sports one, I was trying to get him to go for the solid red one, but I let go of that control. :) He also picked out a matching lunch box, it took me two days to realize he doesn't need a lunch box because he will be having lunch at home, he is going to A.M. Kindergarten. Oh well, we've already used it for some picnics....my brain is so confused.

4. Swimming at a friend's house. We walked down the street and spent an afternoon with my friend Stephanie, who has 5 children! The last two are girl twins, who are a year younger than mine. We love to spend time with them. The kids played and played until I made them go home for "rest time."

Sammy, Chloe, Addison and Rachel

5. Long bike rides. A few weeks ago we took a ride to the Idaho state line.... I think it was about 20 miles round trip. All I know was that it was very hot and I was very tired by the end of it. The kids did great!

6. Uncle Pete's B-day! We were lucky enough to have a party for Uncle Pete while he was in town from Florida! What fun, we sure do know how to party with all of these kids. Nothing like banana cake and otter pops!

Kent and Kelly lovin' Grandma's special banana cake!

7. Sandy is retired! Kent's mom is officially retired! In celebration, Kent fixed up a bike for her. This bright blue bike used to be my Great Aunt Jean's. It has been in my Grandparent's garage for years and years, it's from the 60s (?) and it was/is in perfect condition, except for the dust and some rusting. Kent undertook the challenge and worked and shined and buffed and replaced parts and got it all ready for Sandy to cruise around on. Hopefully after some training she can join us on our rides. :) The kids thought it was great!

8. Silverwood! My wonderful neighbors/friends and I took all of our children to Silverwood Theme Park/ Boulder Beach water park. This is the first all day, intense adventure that I have undertaken as a single parent (Kent had to work). Here we are waiting for our friends to arrive (they were 45 minutes late, that was a HUGE bummer). The kids did great though, I think I was more impatient than them, can you imagine, me?!

We hit the water park first and the kids dove into the wave pool. Brayden keeps telling everyone how he "surfed on his tummy with his life jacket in the waves." I'm thinking he was just floating and bobbing. Whatever works though....

Ellie





Dani

Ellie, Brayden, Dani. In case you were wondering....Dani tinkled twice in her swimsuit while we were standing in a line, this does not count any of the times she tinkled in the pools. :) Don't you love parents like me? We just non-chalantly move out of line to some new destination. GROSS I know. What am I going to do with this girl??? I bought brand new Tinker Bell panties just for HER. I told her she could wear them and she didn't have to share (probably the only thing in the world that's just hers). The first thing she does is shares them with Ellie, sweet I know, but what is going to motivate her?? Today she wore them all morning until 1:30 and was dry! We sat on the potty, at least 4 times with no tinkles. At 1:30 she panics, says she needs a diaper, and WILL NOT sit on the potty.....errrr, so much for panties.

Anyway..... send your tips my way! Here are most of the kids waiting in line. (There were eight kids and 4 moms. I had the MOST and the YOUNGEST, I am a party to be with!)

Ellie, Dani, Ryan, Lily, Brayden, Gavin, Kaiden. (Erika was in the bathroom). YAY for Silverwood, we had a blast, but I was so exhausted it took me a couple of days to recover! We didn't get home 'til 8 and we all went straight to bed, sweaty and stinky with no showers. We scrubbed clean the next morning!

We are having a great Summer, in 5 days we head to the 'Couve! What have you been doing with your Summer days?