Our Summer Review

This is a big post from some of our happenings this summer. It's more for me to remember than anything so sorry it's so long...I also need to add pictures from my other camera. I'm mad because something is messed up with this camera so the resolution is horrible. O'well!

I decided it had been a long time since I had taken the girls to Hogle Zoo (it was right before Emma was born), so Chelsea & I braved our way with our SEVEN girls, yes SEVEN! Even though we were WAY outnumbered we managed to have a good time!








In July we went to Steamboat Springs, Colorado & had a great time! We went swimming, down the Alpine Slides, rode the gondola, went on a little hike, went to a white trash miniature golf course & maze, & just really had a fun time being together & with some of our friends from Farm Bureau. While we were at a hot springs water park, Sophie split her head open. It was a nightmare because I took her to the doctor. He first glued it shut, but as soon as I left the office I looked back & she had ripped the glue off & it started bleeding again all over. I took her back & he put steristrips on it. Well, the next morning she ripped those off. The doctor called that day (we had come home) & asked how she was doing & said looking back he should have stitched it. O'well. I just hope it doesn't scar too bad, but our little Sophie is one tough girl!

















I can't believe that Madelyn is 6!!! A couple days after her birthday we had a Hawaiian party complete with a waterslide (thanks to my wonderful friend!). The girls seemed to have fun, but it was a HOT day!!!












Brandon & I invested in a couple bikes & a trailer. Our girls enjoy going on bike rides (Sophie isn't quite sure), but there favorite place to ride is up to Heidi & Mike's in Millville.





Madelyn turned 6 on July 11th so she decided we should go to McDonalds. It is kind of funny how much kids love that germ infested place, but I guess a couple times a year is okay...




The Logan fireworks are on the 3rd of July. We always go to Brandon's parent's house & have a barbecue before going to watch the fireworks next to the stadium. It has become a great tradition & something our girls look forward to!





Me & the girls went to Park City for a couple nights at my parent's time share at The Canyons over Emma's 4th birthday. We had a great (and crazy) time there! My sister's & mom were there & I love spending time with them! Even though it is caos with our kids, I love being with them!




These pictures are from when we went on a little picnic to Willow Park. We love going to Willow Park!



Madelyn got stung by a wasp(?). Ouch!!!



The day after Brandon & I got back from our trip we had a family reunion at Hyrum Dam. The girls have so much fun with all of their cousins and luckily a lot of them are girls!!!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

I can't believe that summer is over & school has started. Sydnee is in 2nd grade & Madelyn is in 1st grade. (Now I don't have any excuses to have a clean house & dinner on the table. Crap!) Actually I have mixed feelings about it. The girls LOVE school & I am so ready to get them on a better schedule of going to bed earlier, etc., but now our fun is coming to an end. We really had a great summer & did a lot of fun things. AND I am going from being together with them all of the time, to them being gone almost the whole day. It's a good & bad thing! I really miss them, yet it is nice to get to spend more quality time with Emma & Sophie. Anyway, enough about my conflicting opinions...

The girls started school last Thursday & were so excited! On Friday Madelyn went outside to the bus stop (which is our driveway) an hour early. I had to go talk her into coming inside for a bit longer. I am just so glad that they love school & have some great friends there!

Bahamas Cruise

Last month, Brandon & I went with 2 of his employees & their spouses on a cruise to the Bahamas. It was beautiful & we had a great time! It stopped in Nassau, Bahamas first where we went on a snorkling tour. It stopped in 3 places & the last we were supposed to see Reef Sharks. Well it was mating season for the sharks so they weren't really there. I was so mad! O'well. Then we stopped at Cocoa Cay, Bahamas. It is Royal Caribbeans private island & was so beautiful! Then the last stop was Key West, Florida. It was SUPER hot there so we rented scooters & drove around the whole day.

It is getting a lot harder leaving our kids & we are lucky to have such great family (& friends) who helped us out! More than anything it is great spending alone time with BJ remembering what a great relationship we have without the kids!

Our little VARMIT!

Sophie is our little varmit & gets into EVERYTHING! BJ gave her that nickname a while ago, but today I just looked up the meaning & it said this...an awnry/ornery, pesky/pesty, grouchy, cantankerous, belligerent, tetchy, argumentative, crabby, unreasonable, or bad tempered HUMAN BEING OR CREATURE. Opps! I think she might get a little complex from her little nickname, because she really isn't an ornery creature.

But what she IS is a messy girl! Luckily this mess was mud, but the week before I wasn't so lucky! She has the ability to get into anything she sees & figures out how to get into QUICKLY! She can climb the ladder to the bunkbeds, climbs into the bath & gets into the toilet(don't worry we keep the door closed). Really she just gets into EVERYTHING!!! Good thing she is cute!




Madelyn thought she needed to join in & had me take this picture!

CRAZY!!!

The end of May we had Lauren & Hallie stay a couple nights at our house while Chelsea & Ryan were in Hawaii. Our girls LOVE them & we had a lot of fun...

but this is how I felt, CRAZY!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

I am SO far behind on posting & can hopefully catch up soon. On the Memorial Day weekend we went camping to Porcupine Dam & had a really nice time. It is beautiful there & the temperature was perfect! The kids had fun exploring & pretending with Grandma Charla. Sydnee was sick on & off while we were there. It was really strange because she would have a fever & not feel well, then the next day she would feel fine. When we got home I took her in & found out she had a UTI. I felt bad because I should have taken her in sooner! As soon as she started her antibiotics she was just fine!

OUCH!!!

Emma tripped on a carpet rug at the bottom of my friend's stairs & hit her eye on the bottom stair...OUCH!!!! This is actually when it was looking a lot better. Poor girl!

Girl's Trip

A couple weeks ago a few of my friends and I went on a little 3-night cruise. It was supposed to stop in Ensenada, but it was right during the Swine Flu breakout was so it stopped in Catalina (which was better anyway because we weren't even going to get off in Ensenada anyway). BJ owed me BIG TIME from all of his guy's trips that he has been on lately, so it was a perfect guilt-free trip. There was great food, great conversation, & RELAXATION! Just what I needed!!!

A Little Dance Group

My neighbor did this little dance group that the girls were in. Here are a couple pictures from their recital. My battery died in my camera so I didn't get good pictures of Sydnee & Madelyn. They did a great job! I was so impressed with all of them, but especially Emma! She is so shy so I thought she would just stand there, but he did awesome!







And I'm sure everyone is wondering why my girls aren't in Infinity. Infinity is one of the best dance programs (and I'm not just saying that because Mandy owns the studio. You just have to watch their dancers to know it.) but I decided to take the year off because I would have had to drive to Brigham 2-3 times a week & this year I wasn't up to it because we were already super busy! Hopefully next year!