Summer~ Week 3

Ellie and Lily's Birthday

The girls were invited to Ellie and Lily's birthday tea party with their dolls. 

Old School

I got together with my best friends from high school.  We had a nice time catching up and seeing how big our kids are getting

Fourth of July

We celebrated the 4th with our annual ward breakfast and bike rodeo.  Later we went over to the Clayson's for games, swimming and a BBQ.  Later that night the three big kids and I went to Lake Wilderness to watch the firework show.


STP

Mitch was the driver support van for his dad and friend while they rode the STP (Seattle to Portland) bike race.  Happy 70th to Earle!!

Swimming Lessons

Julia and Natalie took swimming lessons.  Cam decided he was old enough that he didn't want to take them and Lucy was too young.  The girls had a fun time and I had a fun time leaving Cameron and Lucy at home.  The girls both passed their classes.  Julia really struggled with diving.  I guess it is hard for a giraffe....  Aunt Megan was gracious enough to let us come over and practice our diving and by the end of the two weeks, Julia got the better.  Here are the before and after videos of her diving:

Ballet and Tap Shoe Dance Class

Today was the day!! Lucy's started her first class of ballet and tap.  She has been talking about nothing else for the last 24 hours.   It was a long morning of waiting and then it was finally time to go.  She had a blast and the class is about the cutest thing ever.

Summer~ Week 2

Julia's Birthday

 Julia turned 10!  She was counting down the days for this birthday because mom agreed to let her ears be pierced!  Last year for her birthday I had just had back surgery so her birthday was pretty low key.  This year I promised her that she could have a friend party.  She decided to have a swimming party at Aunt Megan's pool with some friends and then later that day a trip to the mall.  It turned out to be a hot, perfect day for a swim party. 

Before

During 

(I couldn't edit this video so it is sort of long, fast forward to 1:00)

 After!

Cam's first  Deacon's activity

Pretty awesome first activity!

The Beach

What a summer for heat!  I mean really...

We spent a good deal of time at the beach or some kind of water.  I read the other day that it was 80+ degrees for 50 days , 85+ degrees for 25 days, and 90+ degrees for 12 days this summer.  Talk about warm.  We were very glad for our air conditioner and fans to make our home comfortable and cool.

Summer~ Week 1

In looking back at my pictures of this summer and my serious lack of blogging, I decided to pick the highlights of each week of the summer and capture my memories of a very fun, very event filled,  and very HOT summer! 

Cameron's Birthday
We started summer off with a pretty important birthday.  Cam turned TWELVE.  It was an extra special day because on top of it being his birthday it was also Father's Day and Sunday. Cameron was ordained a Deacon at church that same day with lots of family around him to celebrate his big day.  Pretty awesome to become a deacon on your actual birthday!  After church we came home and had a big birthday party/Father's Day celebration.  

 

 

 Cameron and Bishop Moulton

Cam and his best friend, his dad

Lemonade Stand 

The kids came up with the idea to sell lemonade and cookies during our neighborhood's annual garage sale.  They thought it was a brilliant plan to take advantage of all the people walking around the neighborhood with cash in their pockets.  They were pretty successful in sales with three different types of cookies and lemonade to choose from. 

Gliders
The kids participated in the Issaquah Track Club, Gliders.  We spend the end of June through the middle of July running.  Here are just a few shots from the end of June at one of their meets.  I will have to put up more pictures and info about their running successes in a later week.

Cameron the running machine

The school district we are in does not have cross country until 9th grade so Mitch is planning on taking Cameron to his invitationals on the weekends this fall. This last weekend Mitch took Cameron to his cross country invitational in Olympia.  There was a middle school race for kids his age.  Cameron got 4th place of about 150 middle school aged kids (6-8 grade).  The race was about 1.5 miles and his time was 10:16.  He continues to amaze us with his ability to run and enjoy it!

Also because there isn't any cross country until 9th grade Cameron is trying his hand in TACKLE FOOTBALL this fall.  He is hoping to be a running back on offense and a corner on defense (Think Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman). I haven't seen him play yet but his games start next week and I can't wait.  Pictures to come soon!!!

Lasterday

It has been a hard two weeks for Lucy.  Her best friends have gone to school and have left her home to play by herself.  One of the things Lucy wants to do with mom is make cookies...every day.  I might end up weighing 1,000 lbs by the end of this school year because like Lucy, I too love to make cookies.  Lucy is a great talker but one of the things she talks about on a daily basis that is causing a bit of a language barrier is lasterday.  Not yesterday, tomorrow, or last week, but lasterday.  She is doing everything and has done everything lasterday.  We have had some intense frustrations on what she wants to happen because I am unclear when lasterday occurred or is going to occur. I am in absolute denial that this girl is turning 4 years old next month. I mean, I can pretend she is still a baby at three but at age four there isn't much baby left.

On a side note:  School is going well but with eight days of school under our belts seventh grade homework has me completely overwhelmed in the sheer volume and tasks.  On day 7 of school I almost had a mental breakdown.  Hope we are just ironing out the kinks of the new year if for nothing else but my mental health!  

Got to love the textbooks........

Last night I was helping Cameron put a book cover on his math book.  The book is sort of trashed to begin with so Mitch and I were laughing about putting a book cover on a book that looks pretty beat up already.   When I flipped open the front cover of the book and saw what Cameron wrote I was dying.  What a funny guy.

Back to School 2015

7th Grade- Cedar River Middle School ~ Team Kodiak

 5th Grade- Glacier Park Elementary~ Mrs. McCutchan

 2nd Grade- Glacier Park Elementary~ Mrs. Fricke

Lucy was very sad that the girls left her today.  She wasn't too happy that she couldn't get on the bus.  She can't wait to go to school with the big kids.

Birthday Eve

Holy Cow!  Summer is almost over!!  We have been going, going, going.  I finally sat down tonight and downloaded all my pictures off my camera and I can't believe all the things that we have managed to cram into 10 weeks of Summer Vacation. Tonight is Mitch's Birthday Eve and since he is so busy tomorrow that we won't see him until way past bedtime we celebrated tonight.

 

The kids decided on a "silly face party" and we made lots of silly decorations.  What a fun way to "ring" in 39!

 Cam's

 Julia's

 Nat's

Lucy's