Chores!

This summer I came down on the kids and gave them chore charts. They love it! I always feel that summer gets so busy and we never have time to do a little school work, and I feel that it was time to teach Madison and Dawson how to clean a few places in the house. Well, let me tell you it worked! The other day I was cleaning my house for a ladies knit/crochet night and my wonderful daughter saw me on my hands and knees (heavy with child) scrubbing the kitchen floor and she asks "mom can I do that?" Without hesitation I handed her the sponge! She also helped with a few other big jobs. She is getting so big and helpful. She is excited for the baby but she also is still a little disappointed that she isn't getting a sister. She asked me the other day "when do I get a sister? Does Heavenly Father just want me mad?" I had to explain to her that "daddy never had a sister and Uncle Jack never had a brother - when Dawson, Jackson, and this baby get married then you will have your sisters".

Big Buddy!

We found this guy in our garden! He looked a little familiar.
Heimlich!

Purse Pool Party!

O.K. so my new calling in my church is the Enrichment Leader (I am in charge of planning activities and mini - lessons for the women in our ward), I have a great committee! So my first big activity was the Summer Pool Social and we decided to do a "Purse" Theme. We had a purse fashion show "The Purses of our Lives" and we played a purse game. And of course we had yummy salads and root beer floats. It went very well and the turn out was great - about 40 women! I of course forgot my camera for the evening, I really wish I had for the game we played.

Fouth of July Vacation '09

We had a great summer vacation in Utah - full of swimming, mini-golfing, roasting hot dogs and marshmellows in the canyon, firework shows, shopping, golfing, playing with cousins - Jeremy's brother's kids (Jaren, Maya, Karli, and Kate) and my brother's boys (Corban and Gabe), and visiting friends. We were busy every moment of each day, all of us were very worn out.
There were so many stories from the week I don't know where to begin. My brother Jack and his wife Amanda had us over for dinner one evening and the kids had such a great time playing with Corban and I had a great time holding little Gabe - what a good baby! The kids are professional mini golfers - we went twice - Jackson loves the game of golf, we call him the next "Tiger". The night we went up to the Canyon to have dinner, Madison gave us a nice scare. She was a little worn out and hungry and she passed out at the dinner table - she just needed a little food in her and she was better. All seven of the kids loved swimming! And of course Uncle Laren put on an awesome firework show. The kids love to visit Grandma and Grandpa's house.