When K gets sleepy...

This girl will sleep anywhere when she decides to.  Of course, when she doesn't want to sleep....watch out!

Walk to the Temple

Yesterday was kind of a big deal.  I walked with the young men and young women in our ward to the temple.  We didn't actually start at our church building because that would have been too far/too long.  We met at our church building at 6 a.m. for breakfast and a quick devotional.  Then we carpooled across the river to a Home Depot parking lot.  Everyone got out and started walking.  Approximately 9 hours/6 stops/26 miles later here we are!

Roy and the kids met us at the last stop for lunch.  D walked the last mile with me while Roy and the girls drove the last mile to the temple.  He put the girls in the stroller and walked to meet us.  It was pretty awesome.  The temple president addressed the youth in the visitor's center.  He showed a video, Only a Stonecutter, which is an amazing story of John Rowe Moyle.

I was pretty sore by the time we were done.  Everyone was kind of limping around, especially after sitting in the visitor's center for half an hour.
My feet didn't feel too bad this morning until I put my sandals on for church!  I have a quarter sized spot on my big toe where the skin rubbed off.  I think I'll take my shoes off for my lesson today.  Luckily I can walk with almost no limping!

Camera-jacked

Every once in a while I will upload my pictures to the computer and find such treasures as these:

A veritable trove of award-winning photography right here.

I'm trying

In an effort to be the fun mom we went to another swim party today!  I know, right? Two days in a row of fun activities.  And two days in a row of sun?  Inconceivable!  This time we were at a local pond with a little playground a not-so-sandy beach.  Usually the county brings in large loads of fresh sand each summer.  Either we were there before the sand came this year or there isn't money in the budget to make the beach sandy.  The kids had fun anyway.

When I got too hot we headed back home for some shade.  The kids swam in our little pool which was actually quite warm from the sun.  They also jumped on the tramp with the sprinkler under it.  I'm telling you 86* is a heat wave for these little North-Westerners!
 And what day would be complete without a bit of half-naked tramp wrestling?!

D's last day of school

We made it all the way through first grade!  It's been a great year full of projects, surprises, growth and fun.  I'm so glad for all the experiences D has had this year in school.
Today has been a pretty good day for all of us.  The girls got to play with friends virtually all morning long.  Then when D got home we headed to a swimming party at one of his classmate's home.  Not just any classmate but his good friend, Ella-bella.  (His first grade crush.  Cute.)  There were a bunch of kids and moms there.  The kids LOVED it.  They had a great time.  They swam and ate Cheetos, got the face painted and played with friends.  I'm so glad we went.

A at the beginning of the party. She fell asleep on the way there.

A at the end of the party.  Livin' the good life!

D's 1st grade crush.  Such a sweet girl.  She was giving her toys to people at the party just 'cuz she wanted to.

It's a clown cat clown-cat!

"What about me? Take my picture too!"

We've added to our household

Roy and I have been shopping around for living room furniture for some time.  I am no photographer but you'll have to take my word that this room is super comfortable - even if a bit sparse still.

Before (sans train tracks usually)

After (SO COMFORTABLE!)

We've also been wanting to do something in the backyard for the kids.  I am still pushing for a platform/swingset/playhouse over the sandbox.  But in the meantime we went shopping for this:

We didn't tell the kids what we were shopping for.  We told them IT would be super cool and they would love IT.  D kept talk out loud, "I wonder what IT is?  What could IT be?  Does this store have IT?"  It took us 5 stores before we found IT but IT was worth it!  The kids have had a great time so far and we look forward to many more hours of jumping/wrestling/fighinglaughing.

Simple pleasures

Chocolate covered donut with sprinkles.  Oh yea.

Our first foray into the world that is Chuck E. Cheese birthday parties.

Fishing at "Get Outdoors" Day at our local park.  Each kid got a fish which we then ate for dinner.  Awesome!

Turning 30 lbs of cut strawberries into 3.25 gallons of strawberry jam and plenty of strawberry shortcake. Yum!

Crafting!  The small flower vase is a teacher gift for D's 1st grade teacher.  It is dry erase markers in a vase with  Hersey Kisses.  The flower pot in the entry way makes me smile everytime I think about it!  I love it!  My friend gave me the light up flowers in the pot and I painted the pot to be cute and have our house number.  I LOVE IT!