Our Summer In Review!
I thought it was time I started to blog again, since the year is just about over. Here are some photos of what we did over the summer. The highlight was taking a trip to Las Vegas for a week. Mike had to go for some training, and we were lucky enough to go with him. We stayed at a resort, just off of the strip. It had a wonderful pool that we spent lots of time at while Mike was in training during the day. The second day, the kids got really sunburned ( I forgot to re-sunscreen them after a couple of hours). It have a whole new meaning to the words "blistering hot". Ivy had blisters all over both of her shoulders. Mason had them too, just not was bad, and Scotlyn's was really mild compared to the other two. After that, we waited until the sun went down to head to the pool, which was great, because Mike could go with us. This is a picture of where we stayed. 
We visited the Las Vegas Temple.
The hotel had a breakfast buffet every morning, complete with eggs & sausage. Mason still talks about how he wants to move to Las Vegas and eat sausage and eggs every morning.
This was the balcony of the resort where we stayed. We really did not do a whole lot while Mike was in training during the day. I did not want to go on the strip alone with my kids, so we spent a lot of time in the hotel room. We colored, played card games, and watched too much Cartoon Network & Nickelodeon TV to last me for at least 10 years. We do not have cable TV at home, so to my kids, that was a real treat. I was a little disappointed that the hotel did not have the Disney Channel & Nick Jr., but it was no big deal. We did have a kitchenette, where we ate hot pockets and lunchables for lunch during the week. I did not have to do housework and that made me happy. My whole focus was on the kids and what fun things we could do. That was a true mom vacation. We would take walks in the afternoon (it was only 105 degrees!) and write down where people were from. Scotlyn had a map of the US and would cross out the states that we saw on the cars. That was a lot of fun. We did venture out off of the strip a couple of time and found the dollar store and Walgreen's to buy some postcards. Thank goodness for a GPS to help us find where we were going!
Here is a picture of our kids eating breakfast on the last day. When we were finished, we told Ivy that she needed to hurry up and finish, and she told us that she did not want to because she knew we were going home soon, and wanted it to last as long as it possibly could!
I know it is not in this picture, but my kids were pretty excited to see the small Statue of Liberty and the small Pyramid that Gru talks about in the movie "Despicable Me".
The first night we were there, we took the kids on a two mile walk. Mike and I stayed at the Luxor on our honeymoon, so we went there & took some pictures. Ivy was really tired on the way home, so Mike carried her on his shoulders. It was really interesting to me because as we walked through the casino and the Luxor, Scotlyn could not wait to get out of there. She kept saying she did not feel good being in that building. Mason and Ivy told us that they wanted to play the games. Mike and I both realized that because she has been baptized, and now has the gift of the Holy Ghost, it has made a big difference. It was neat to compare and contrast the feeling she had there, and feeling she had when we went to the temple. When we keep the commandments, the Holy Ghost leads and guides our lives, just like the GPS helped us find what we needed to while we were there.
This is at Brigham Young's Winter Home in St. George. Someday I want a winter home in St. George.
St. George Temple
This is at Cove Fort.
The trip was wonderful and we have so many fun memories. Mason said the other day that he wanted to go back to Las Vegas because it is not cold there, it is hot. He follows after me. When the weather starts to cool down here, like it has over the past few weeks, I can feel myself longing for the hotter weather. I really do love summertime!
We visited the Las Vegas Temple. 
The hotel had a breakfast buffet every morning, complete with eggs & sausage. Mason still talks about how he wants to move to Las Vegas and eat sausage and eggs every morning.
This was the balcony of the resort where we stayed. We really did not do a whole lot while Mike was in training during the day. I did not want to go on the strip alone with my kids, so we spent a lot of time in the hotel room. We colored, played card games, and watched too much Cartoon Network & Nickelodeon TV to last me for at least 10 years. We do not have cable TV at home, so to my kids, that was a real treat. I was a little disappointed that the hotel did not have the Disney Channel & Nick Jr., but it was no big deal. We did have a kitchenette, where we ate hot pockets and lunchables for lunch during the week. I did not have to do housework and that made me happy. My whole focus was on the kids and what fun things we could do. That was a true mom vacation. We would take walks in the afternoon (it was only 105 degrees!) and write down where people were from. Scotlyn had a map of the US and would cross out the states that we saw on the cars. That was a lot of fun. We did venture out off of the strip a couple of time and found the dollar store and Walgreen's to buy some postcards. Thank goodness for a GPS to help us find where we were going!
Here is a picture of our kids eating breakfast on the last day. When we were finished, we told Ivy that she needed to hurry up and finish, and she told us that she did not want to because she knew we were going home soon, and wanted it to last as long as it possibly could!
I know it is not in this picture, but my kids were pretty excited to see the small Statue of Liberty and the small Pyramid that Gru talks about in the movie "Despicable Me".
The first night we were there, we took the kids on a two mile walk. Mike and I stayed at the Luxor on our honeymoon, so we went there & took some pictures. Ivy was really tired on the way home, so Mike carried her on his shoulders. It was really interesting to me because as we walked through the casino and the Luxor, Scotlyn could not wait to get out of there. She kept saying she did not feel good being in that building. Mason and Ivy told us that they wanted to play the games. Mike and I both realized that because she has been baptized, and now has the gift of the Holy Ghost, it has made a big difference. It was neat to compare and contrast the feeling she had there, and feeling she had when we went to the temple. When we keep the commandments, the Holy Ghost leads and guides our lives, just like the GPS helped us find what we needed to while we were there. 
This is at Brigham Young's Winter Home in St. George. Someday I want a winter home in St. George.
St. George Temple
This is at Cove Fort.
The trip was wonderful and we have so many fun memories. Mason said the other day that he wanted to go back to Las Vegas because it is not cold there, it is hot. He follows after me. When the weather starts to cool down here, like it has over the past few weeks, I can feel myself longing for the hotter weather. I really do love summertime!
The end of July was my 20th high school reunion. It was so much fun to meet up with old friends. It was a great weekend!
Scotlyn & Ivy started school the end of July. Here is a photo of each of them with their teachers.
We canned & canned & canned this summer! I filled up all but 15 of my canning jars, and I have a lot of jars! We started off with apricot jam. Then we borrowed a dehydrator and made apricot leather. We also canned green beans, salsa, tomatoes, peaches, pears, applesauce & grape juice. We also dried apples. I am really liking drying things. The apples and leather were yummy, and did not last more than 2 weeks at our house! We picked 5 bushels of concord grapes from our vines & 4 bushels of apples. We also bought a bushel of peaches and tomatoes and a 40 lb. box of pears. My neighbor down the street gave us the apricots. I love seeing all of the things that we bottled. As Mike's grandpa would always say as he heard the bottles sealing "it is money in the bank".
Mason started preschool this fall. We are doing a neighborhood preschool. There are 4 boys and 1 girl. They are such good kids. We each take a turn teaching once a month. I really like it and think we have them on a great schedule! Mason loves it also. He thinks it is the greatest thing ever to go to school like his big sisters do!
I thought this was pretty cool. Ivy went to a birthday party where they had hired someone to paint the kids faces. She was amazing, and Ivy's unicorn turned out awesome!
We went to a old car with my parents. Mason loves anything with wheels on it, so this was right up his alley.
Scotlyn & Ivy started school the end of July. Here is a photo of each of them with their teachers.
We canned & canned & canned this summer! I filled up all but 15 of my canning jars, and I have a lot of jars! We started off with apricot jam. Then we borrowed a dehydrator and made apricot leather. We also canned green beans, salsa, tomatoes, peaches, pears, applesauce & grape juice. We also dried apples. I am really liking drying things. The apples and leather were yummy, and did not last more than 2 weeks at our house! We picked 5 bushels of concord grapes from our vines & 4 bushels of apples. We also bought a bushel of peaches and tomatoes and a 40 lb. box of pears. My neighbor down the street gave us the apricots. I love seeing all of the things that we bottled. As Mike's grandpa would always say as he heard the bottles sealing "it is money in the bank".
Mason started preschool this fall. We are doing a neighborhood preschool. There are 4 boys and 1 girl. They are such good kids. We each take a turn teaching once a month. I really like it and think we have them on a great schedule! Mason loves it also. He thinks it is the greatest thing ever to go to school like his big sisters do!
I thought this was pretty cool. Ivy went to a birthday party where they had hired someone to paint the kids faces. She was amazing, and Ivy's unicorn turned out awesome! 
We went to a old car with my parents. Mason loves anything with wheels on it, so this was right up his alley.
So, there are the highlights of our summer. I'm sure there is more that I forgot, and I may add more later, but for right now, I feel like I am caught up. At least I can start fresh from right here!
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