Scout Camp!

Today was Chase's first experience with Scout Camp. He was excited, I was nervous. I sent him with his group but then Crew and I joined him to check out camp and to get a few pictures of him. We ended up staying for the whole afternoon session (yes, I think I was the only non-leader parent there but Chase was happy to see us!) The camp was set up really cute and really well organized. They even had a trading post where the scouts could buy all sorts of cool stuff and treats. My sweet Chase bought a boy Charlie a pocket knife with some of the money I sent him with. He has fought with Charlie in the past and we had a talk this morning about being nice to him. So I guess he does listen to me! He really does have a sweet heart, even though he is crazy!

Boston, Luke, and Chase

BB Guns

Knot Tying

Archery

Map Reading

Best Friends

Lunch

Seven Peaks

Yesterday was our annual trip to Seven Peaks. I don't like to go that often because it's crowded, it smells, I feel like the water is dirty, etc. BUT, the kids absolutely LOVE it, so it's worth it. This year was SO much fun because we went with some friends so the kids could go on rides with their buddies and just check in with us. It was really cute to see them feel independent and cool. Caden went on several of the big rides even though he was still 5 inches too short and Chase and his friends went on some of the scary rides this year. So we had a wonderful day of great weather, great friends, and great food! Can I just say that I LOVE having friends who are up for anything and will always have fun with me?! Shan, you are a trooper at 6 months pregnant!

All the little kids

Crew and Sela

Shannon, Olivia, (and Ivy!)

Caden, my goofball!

Me and Crew (a little blurry but you can see he loves it)

Bos, Bri, Myla, and Chase

Chase, Myla, and Bri on Boomerang

Caden and Dub
They were inseperable! They went on all the rides by themselves. They were so cute and just loving it!

Caden and Dub coming out of the Vortex and Caden proving why there is a height restriction on the big rides. He kept falling through the tube!

The Girls (Shannon, Roxy, Jane, Me)

The Scary Yellow Slide

Chase

BUNCO Night!

I always have a blast at Bunco Night with the girls. This month was my turn to host and I did it in our yard. It was fun to enjoy a beautiful summer night of food, treats, games, and prizes with the girls. Most of all, it is just great to have a couple hours of uninterrupted adult conversation. Thanks Ladies!

Dinner

Treats

The Girls

Football Camp

Chase and his friend, Brogan, have been at football camp all week (well, for 3 hours a day). He has just been loving it! He says that football is his favorite sport, even though this is the first time he has played. On the first day of camp he asked me "Mom, if the coaches want me to play for them will you let me go to college next year and play?" I simply replied, "sure!" So off he went ready to impress the coaches with all his mad skills!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!

We love our daddy because....
he's so much fun!
he gives great cuddles.
he LOVES his family!
he always likes us to be together.
he's a great provider.
he sometimes gets upset but RARELY gets angry.
he takes us to Hawaii all the time!

The Carnival Money Pit!

We had a crazy busy day today! The day started with a practice swim meet for the kids. Even though it was just in the Riverside pool with just Riverside, poor Caden looked like he was ready to puke! Poor little guy probably has so much pressure on him cause his big brother rips at swimming (MVP both years he has been on swim team). So he was just terrified. But he did great! 2nd in freestyle and 3rd in backstroke. It was interesting for me to see my parenting style with both kids. With Caden, I was just so happy that he actually finished the lap, no matter what his time was and with Chase, I totally got on him because he looked over at his friends in backstroke part way through the lap which cost him a few seconds. He still did great - 1st in freestyle and 2nd in backstroke! I saw how much quicker I was to praise Caden even though Chase deserved it more. I really need to work on that! I think the expectations for that first child are just so high!

Caden (scared to death!), Boston, Chase, Brogan

After the swim meet we got ready to go to the Carnival! It was a money pit! The games are SO expensive. I think Brett and Chase spent close to a combined $20 on the stupid goldfish game. Finally the guy told them they could just buy one for $5. So then all the kids wanted one. I wonder how long ours will survive - they still haven't eaten! The tickets were $1 a piece and the kids just burned through them! Crew LOVED the little Carny rides! Go figure - he cries at half of the rides at Disneyland but can't get enough of a cheap, about ready to fall apart Carny ride! The big boys went on all the big, crazy spinning rides. Brett went on the Gravitron with them (he was sick for several hours afterward) but the kids probably went on it 5 times each! Then I took them on 2 super fast spinning rides which just about did me in. I had to really concentrate not to puke! What happens to us as we get older? I loved all those rides as a kid just as my kids love them now. We also got treats, tatoos, and watched Myla do a couple of dance routines.

The kids at the goldfish game.

You HAVE to get a tatoo at the carnival!

Crew and Caden

Crew, Hayes and Livy

Then we went out to Ruby River for dinner and then came home and played on our zip line, rode around the neighborhood on Bretts new Razor scooter, had a HUGE bonfire and now my children are finally exhausted! I LOVE the summer. Everyday is jam packed but SO much FUN!

Lake Powell

We have survived another year of Lake Powell! I definitely have a love/hate relationship with Lake Powell. I love boating, quality time with friends and family, campfires, surfing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, watching my kids learn all these sports, gorgeous scenery, being outside, great weather, etc..... But I hate packing, setting up camp, traveling, never feeling totally clean, never getting a great night's sleep, blowing up and managing WAY too may toys, worrying about my kids (Crew drowning, someone getting bit by a rattlesnake - seriously - how would you get to the hospital fast enough?, Crew or Hayes really hurting eachother in one of their scuffles, Chase and Boston hurting eachother as they rip by one another on their jet skis, etc, etc, etc) Most of the hate list will disappear in time as my kids continue to get older. But for now, I still consider Lake Powell and experience and not a vacation. At least we got to enjoy the company of our family and best friends and I definitely have boating fever now!

All the hard work is worth it for these three smiles......

Chase and Bos really ripped at all the water sports this year. Surfing, wake boarding, water skiing, knee boarding....they do it all and do it all well!

Even little Caden tried some tricks of his own!

Chase wake boarding. He had some huge jumps which resulted in some huge crashes. He is so his daddy's child - not afraid of anything!

My little "nightmare" - as everyone on the houseboat nicknamed him. He is such a busy little guy and actually quite a bully (we are working on the latter). He will be excited when he can do more at Lake Powell.

Geoff and Chase LOVE jetskiing!