Summer of 2012 in review

I am not even going to try and catch up on the events of the past 10 months since I last blogged.  Times just gets away, and before you know it, months have passed by!  So, in hopes for more blogging in the future, here is a quick update of our summer. 

My first mission companion in Scotland was from England. Every once in a while, she will send a package, surprising us weith some British chocolate. She knows Boost bars are my favorite, and sent 3 of those. Notice none of my children are eating those. :) She also sent Crunchies, Twists and Wispa bars. So, so yummy.





We were able to go the Brigham City Temple Open House.  We just took Scotlyn because it was a "preview" before the open house started three days later.  Mike was invited as a "city official".  I will go next week with the rest of my kids.  They are very excited to get out of school.  Mike and I enjoyed spending some "one on one" with Scotlyn, who will be 10 in October.  She loved going to the temple, and can't wait to see it again! 

 I bought a tie-dye kit and t-shirts and the beginning of summer, but we never did get around to doing them until the night before school started.  It was so much fun and super easy to do.  Next year, we are going to do red, white and blue tie-dye for the 4th of July! 

We had 2 first days of school this year.  Mason started first, and then the girls started 3 weeks late.  Yes, it was my choice to put them on different tracks.  I really, really wanted Mason to have Mrs. Z for his Kindergarten teacher, and there were teachers on a different track that I wanted the girls to have, so being crazy, I split them up.  So far, it has really not been so bad.  After Mason started, I got anxious for the girls to start, not because I didn't want them home, but because, it just felt weird to have Mason in school, and not the girls.  But I have to say, having the girls home and have some time with them was so great.  I loved it. In a few weeks, they will all have their breaks, one right after the other, and then they will all be in school for 6 weeks until Christmas break.  If you knew this Kindergarten teacher, you would agree it's worth any inconvience for my son to be in her class.  Not only is she so great with teaching the kids what they should know, she is way fun, and makes learning into a game.  For one year, I can deal with the different track schedules just to have Mason have her. 

 

 

 My sister was here visiting the whole month of July. It was so much fun to have her here for so long. We took a picture of all of us at my mom's birthday party.

 Here is my mom with her birthday cake.  My sister-in-law, Lyndsey made the cake, she is amazing.  It looked just like a basket of flowers!

 This double rainbow was to vibrant and beautiful.  The picture does not even do it justice.  It was amazing, and left as quick as it came.  We were lucky to get a picture of it! 

We went to the Bountiful Handcart day's parade, to see the "Helaman Stripling Warriors".  It was a crazy night, but was worth it for my kids to see it.  Mason is really into the story of the striping warriors.  Several times, he has gotton a "staff" and pretended he was a warrior.  The next day, my sister and I ran the half marathon. It was so much fun, even though I did not see Bonnie the entire race.  She finished in just over 2 hours, and I finished at 2:30. 

 

 

 

 Here is Mason with his "rocket" glasses Mrs. Z gave him when he went in for his Kindergarten assessment. 

 Scotlyn went to day camp again this year, and of course loved it. Mike was able to take off work and go up with her.  It was the first time in three years I did not go. I'm glad he was able to go with her and have that experience.  Next year, we will have 2 girls going! 



While my sister was her, we went to Pineview Dam. I had not been up there since high school.  It was so much fun.  We spent the entire day there.  Ivy ended up with a major sunburn, because I thought my mom had put sunscreen on her (Ivy told me she had), but she did not.  She was in a lot of pain the next several days. 

No child's summer is complete without a lemonade stand right?   Scotlyn also made some ribbon bookmarks and sold them. 

 

Fourth of July. Mike sister, Tricia, her husband Keith, and their 2 children, Penny & Calvin came up and spent the day with us. Here they are enjoying their picnic after the parade.   I was so much fun!
It's been a great summer. I feel like it's lasted so much longer this year, and I think it's because we had such a warm spring.  This is my favorite time of year.  I just love everything about summer, gardens, swimming,  hiking, picnicing, everything.  I love that my kids are older and can go hiking with us more. Mason also learned how to ride his bike this year, and so we have been on some fun family bike rides.  Life is good.