Family Picture

Since some of Ashlins friends stopped by as we pulled in from church sunday... I had them take our family picture BEFORE all the kids took off their church clothes.

Don't laugh at Bruce's short sleeve white shirt. I bought him 2 new white shirts at Costco, assuming they were long sleeve. Bruce said a couple guys teased him at church. ha ha.

I realize short sleeve white shirts are kind of dorky, poor Bruce. But seriously, whose kidding who, we really weren't that cool even PRE-short sleeve white shirts for Bruce. ha ha

Bird Poop

Logan came home from school monday after we went to the lake with this picture he drew of him kayaking:

This picture tells a funny story from the lake, he did a great job capturing right what the below moment looked like.

When Logan, Sophie and I went together in the kayak we rowed over to this area on the lake where there is a big bare tree that grew out of the middle of the lake (just like in Logans picture above). There were like 5 of these big cool black birds, like Herons or Cranes. Since Sophie is OBSESSED with birds right now I started rowing over to the tree showing Sophie the big cool birds. I thought I would row right under the tree so we could look up at the beautiful birds really close. As I got within about 15 feet of the tree the birds all starting pooping, like crazy projectile poop, tons of it. It was so funny. It was seriously like some kind of defense mechanism because we were getting too close. My dad was nearby and saw it. Him and I couldn't believe what we were seeing, it was like they were trying to shoot us with their poop. It was crazy. We decided not to row under the tree! ha ha. I had never seen that many birds all start pooping in fear at the same time.

Sophie saw the whole thing. For the next few days Sophie could not stop saying "birds" and "poop" in "boat" in the "ocean". (we weren't really on the ocean) Our family has laughed and laughed listening to Sophie re-tell the crazy story. She can't stop talking about it. We went to the Cleggs for dinner and Sophie was obsessed with a bird book they had and every page kept retelling everyone about the birds that pooped at the ocean. ha ha. It was a pretty eventful story in Sophie's life.

Prescott

My dad is so great! He owns 5 kayaks.

Last weekend we planned a Kayaking trip up to Prescott with my parents and sisters/hubbies and kids. I had been planning this little day trip for weeks and was anticipating this beautiful green scenery. When we got there and it was kind of a glorified desert, I was disappointed at first. But then once we got out on the water, I was surprised how beautiful it was.

We brought stuff for a picnic lunch AND all the stuff for a campfire and cookout after dark.

The best part of the trip for me was kayaking with my little 2 year old Sophie. She totally cried when I first made her get in with me, but then she loved it. To see her little head in front of me pointing at the birds, touching the water and singing "Row Row Row Your Boat" with me was just this blessed moment in time.

She's waving below. She loved seeing grandpa kayak with his dog too.

Even cute Lily was a paddler.

Can you see how poor little Sophie has a sunburn? Aren't I a bad mom... we all got a little burned, I totally forgot Sunblock.

The boys were in heaven exploring, catching crawdads, swimming, and kayaking with their cousins. One time out on the lake I paddled by Logan and Calvin kayaking on their own. They had pulled over on the lake and Logan was trying to climb out because he said he had to pee. Him and Calvin were yelling at each other trying to coordinate the kayak staying ashore for Logan to climb out. I just laughed and kayaked on by them without helping. It was cute to happen upon these little boys having their own little adventure/drama and let them figure it out themselves. Logan eventually gave up and just jumped in the water to pee. ha ha.

My 3 big girls...

Cooper and Lily above collecting little tiny snail shells that were everywhere. It was so funny to look out on the lake and see 5 year old Cooper kayaking all by himself.

After dark we packed up the kayaks and went to the campsites to have a "mock campout". We didn't sleep over, just had a fire, a hot dog cookout AND a "Campfire Program". Oh yes, I made assignments and we had a skit, jokes, songs and treats.

Do you see how much Sophie loved our campfire cook out? She cried intensely through most of it, which was stressful. Oh well, you take the bad with the good. And overall, it was a good day.

Ghostbusters

This morning the kids and I went to help clean the church building.

(Bruce is on a Scout campout with Dallin hiking Humphrey's Peak)

Emma was in charge of cleaning all the bathroom sinks/counters. When she walked in the boys bathroom with me she made this grossed out face... so I said:

ME: Just think, if you weren't helping clean the church building, you would have never seen the inside of the boys bathroom!

EMMA: Ummm, actually, that has never been a dream of mine.

ha ha, I laughed

But one blessing that came from cleaning the church building, is Logan scored the backpack vacuum to vacuum the chapel with,

Ghostbuster style.

Taking the kids to help clean the church building always makes me happy, it makes me think of the Johnny Appleseed song, "Oh the Lords been good to me, and so I thank the Lord"

And it always makes the kids think of this afterwards:

Love Letters

8 yr old Logan draws the cutest pictures at school...

Last month was "Curriculum Night"

My favorite part of Curriculum Night is writing a note for my kids to leave at their desk. Logan saved my note for weeks.

Then a few weeks later he came home with this note for me.

So sweet.

His sweet little spontaneous note meant so much to me (especially since I always wish I was so much better than I am). I'm so glad he still loves me even though sometimes I yell at him.

♥♥♥

Remember the Alamo part 1

I never posted pictures of our Texas trip this summer!!

Bruce's dad planned a "reunion" with his kids in his home state of Texas and rented 2 lake houses next door to each other.... our kids were WAY excited that we scored the house "on stilts"... (you can see the other house in the background above, so cool)

What could be better then cousins, water and hammocks below!

The view from the lake house

and everyone playing in the water

Catching baby turtles...

The lake part we were on was narrow and part of each day the dam was opened... so in the morning it was still as glass, and in the afternoon the water was like a running river!

Bruce's dad is married to a Navajo woman, Anita.

She is hilarious, and this picture is like my fave of the trip!