SUMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAA!

 1 of a 100 "stands" that these kids tried to sell this summer.  They sold everything and anything.  Kool-aid, punch, water...I'm pretty sure they tried to sell rocks one day before I felt bad for the bighearted neighbors that were actually purchasing and decided to put the X on that idea.  We had to have a big lesson about recycling peoples cups even though they were beginning to run out and still had "tons of punch left" but overall I think they scored a whopping $5.75 all summer.  But they did spend hours on the sidewalk watching cars go by so its going down as a #momwin.

 OH HOW THIS EMBODIES JAQUELLE.  (keeping it real about emotions, but also sweetly being aware of her dad when he was stressed out at work).  Love her!

 Lets be honest.  These pics were staged.  They had to play horseshoes at the horseshoe park for a brag badge, so we took the pics and then left.  Haha.  This would be a fun activity to ACTUALLY do though.  #nextyear

 Also a brag badge.  But a tasty one.  Snow cones at the hub.  #farmersmarketbragbadge

 Seth looks like a creepy child about to attack a delicious birthday cake but the boys were having fun out back on the swing, so we'll let this one slide.

 Whats summa without a trip to the pool?  Had to wait for Cordelle to be able to come with us since I had the baby in tow and couldn't exactly dive in and save my children from drowning if the occasion arose WITH A BABY in my arms, but it was fun family outing with yummy giant pretzels that I couldn't eat bc I started a LAMEO healthy eating challenge the day before.  Mistake.  Ahh well.  I mostly spent the whole time pretty much walking Cody around in the stroller at the edge of the pool trying to get him to sleep.  Which meant I didn't actually have to get wet or pretend like playing mermaids and sharks for 2 hours was actually fun.  Just me and about 5 min of sun soak before I had to make sure kids were not drowning and the baby was not getting heat stroke.  #summapoolfun

 This picture needs NO caption.  Other than, it was a lazy Sunday afternoon and Jaq plays her part far too well.  #mykidsarehilarious  #crossdressers #whoseideawasit?

Ready, set....summer.

So this happened.  I was dropping off Jaquelle at a friends house who is moving soon. (Oddly,  I felt like I should offer to help but talked myself out of it, because really?  People like to pack up their own stuff right?)  Well "someone" or "something" decided to take things into their own hands and guarantee that I spend the entire afternoon at my friends house waiting for a tow truck.  And oh what a day!  Seriously a nightmare....or was it.  Here's the run down.  Called Cordelle, was too busy at work, came by and couldn't change it for me in the time it would need, said to just call AAA.  Which I did.  They came out, couldn't access the tire key because my back door had been broken over easter break so it COULD NOT OPEN.  Thus AAA couldn't help or rather the company AAA sent out couldn't help.  Matter of fact, they got really frustrated, swore and left because AAA decided not to pay them because they didn't fix the problem (because they couldn't.) No ones fault, just unfortunate. THen it took them like 4 more hours to get a tow truck out there.  In the mean time, Collin gets locked in the bathroom or rather refuses to come out because he got nervous that my friend's husband came home ends up over flowing their toilet by shoving endless amounts of toilet paper in it.  Which is so weird, because he has never done something like that before.  His clothes were soaked, there was toilet water everywhere.  After loaning me some clothes for him, Cody then has a major blow out, so I end up borrowing another small shirt for him and of course I don't have anything with me because I was literally planning on being gone for 5 min. (into cedar and back).  Then Cody want's to nurse but wont because I keep getting calls from AAA or I am too stressed out and he is a horrible nurser in public so that was not happening.  I felt like I was totally invading on personal family time when her husband got home....UGH!   It was awful.  She of course was gracious and just kept laughing at the luck I was having.  But I did get to have some brief moments and conversations with her that I am grateful and apparently really needed to happen. We shared a common interest in some things we've been learning and books we've read about the days before the 2nd coming. She shared with me some personal struggles with her move and the up and down faith rollercoaster she was on.  We talked about anxiety and what helped her get through it.  I mean really I was in awe at the nuggets of miracles she had experienced in her life recently and someone needed me to hear it. Haha! Because she definitely didn't get any packing done, and I definitely over stayed my welcome.  Well at least if we end up moving into the mountains when the world falls apart I will have confidence to go and find her house and remember that one crazy day where my sturdy sequoia tire completely blew out in front of her house. 

I decided if the bunk beds are going in the boys bedroom and Jaq gets this frame, then we better make it match better in her room.  So she and I painted it and left little messages on the inside in paint.  Love her!  (Where did this bed even come from?)  I think it was a yard sale find 10 years ago....

This was a fun picture at the Grand America Hotel where Cordelle spent his last conference with the Leavitt Group. We decided to take the kids (Cody included) and put all three of the older ones in a bed with their bunnies they got  as a free gift at the hotel.  It was a beautiful suite with two rooms.  My parents came and stayed an evening so we could go to the Piano Guys in concert.  It was awesome!!  We swam a little while my mom stayed with Cody.  It was a lot of work bringing all the kids.  But it was a fun little vacation.  

I did spend one day with my mom where I tried to help her go through some things and clean out some projects, but it turned out to be a bigger job then we thought and near impossible because I had Cody and she had Abram.  Not much happens with babies around.  

But we did get to go to one of her Deci-belle's concerts.  Which was pretty entertaining!

Then Grandpa Morris offered to drive us around in the Model T, which we never refuse!  The kids love it and Him.  My kids are blessed with fabulous grandparents! 

Over all a pretty low key trip but fun little kickstart to the summer.  It wasn't a kidless trip to San Diego or Arizona but with the baby it was doable.   I'll miss this part of Cordelle's job at the Leavitt Group.  The free resorts, the paid for vacations.   But these perks don't outweigh the draw he is feeling to this new job so... I guess he will just have to take me on a vacation we have to pay for ourselves!  

Cody overload and some pretty great friends

Cody overload!  3 MONTHS

And by this one...I think he was kind of freaked out! HAHA!

School is out and its time for some friend time.  We love this family! A friend for everyone.

And that's May folks

More end of year programs

 Jaquelle 1st grade program.

 Jaq and her mini-me

 Oh how we love Mrs. Hart. Sadly this is her final year of teaching.  But I am so glad that Jaquelle was able to be in her class.  She had a way of making Jaq feel SO important by sending her thank you cards and telling her the times outside of school that she was thinking about her. We both just loved Mrs. Hart!

 Jaquelle and her physical fitness award.

 Seth getting his Physical Fitness award

Track Meet and End of Year Assemblies

 Seth being in 3rd grade this year means that he gets to join the older grades and run in the track meet at Canyon View.  He ran the mile, the 50M and the 200M relay (I think...i never ran track so all this Meter business is foreign to me...anyways it was a relay).  

 The mile was SO close.  He ran strong, but all the boys run together so he was running against 4th and 5th graders too even though they only place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each grade.  Anyways he and a 4th grader were going at it the whole first couple of laps and he was going WAY to fast, which is too bad because the 4th grader didn't even matter. By the time he rounded the 3rd and 4th laps he was all out of energy but still came in 4th. There's no doubt he could've beat at least 1 of the kids in his grade if he hadn't of lost all his energy at the end.  But they live and learn.  Hopefully next year he'll run it again and pace himself a little.

  The next race was the 50M (again, I think).  It was short.  He was fast but this kid named Derek beat him.  He used to play soccer with him and knew how fast he was, so it was a little disappointing for him.  But he was a good sport about it and was happy with 2nd.

The relay was really heart breaking.  His team put him last because he was the fastest.  They had a pretty clear lead and despite Seth running his little heart out, once again Derek came from behind and beat Seth and his team for the win.  They boys were cute and were happy to get 2nd!

 Seth, Braylor, Cameron, and Jake

 And...these are the type of pictures I get when Collin gets bored in an assembly.  But I kept this one because that cute teacher to the left is Seth's 3rd grade teacher Ms. Irwin.  We loved her, but she only stayed on one year cause her boyfriend was moving to colorado. So sad for Jaquelle who won't get her in 3rd grade.

 ...and this one just makes me laugh.... Collin's leg....

 Jaq was so excited to get the Tiger of the Month award.  Seth had gotten it every year and she was worried that she wouldn't get it. But the last month she got the Friendship award and was thrilled.

 Isn't she cute?  And she definitely IS a great friend!

Seth won this basketball  for running the most laps in his grade at the FUN RUN.  He got to pick a prize and is it any surprise he picked a basketball?  love this kid!