Sammy's Book Club

Sammy wanted to host a little Summer Book Club at our house for some of her friends! She picked to read "A Little Princess"! It was really the cutest thing ever...the girls, decorated princess book marks, had treats, talked about the book (their questions were the cutest..."what character did you like the best?" or "what was your favorite part of the book?") and then we watched the movie!

Ice Cream and "swimming"

Monday was H-O-T!!! We needed a cool down...so we blew up our little pool, set up the slip-n-slide (not pictured), invited some friends over, and made some home-made ice cream (cookies and cream...yummy!)

We were still really hot...but it does make summer a little more enjoyable!!

Peter Piper Pizza

My kids LOVE Peter Piper Pizza...and they especially love the little Summer Fun thing they have going on Tuesdays...we have been so busy that we haven't been able to go...but finally made it last Tuesday! Each of the kids only had 4 tokens and Ben chose to use all of them on "Deal or No Deal"...I warned him that he wouldn't get any more tokens...and he said "thats ok...I am going to win" and as you can tell from the pictures...he did! He was so excited!

Saguaro Lake

Our friends the Richey's invited us to go out on their boat last week...when I ask Benson if he wanted to go he said "yes" before I even told him a day or time! So we decided to split a babysitter for the babies and just take the older kids so Sarah and I could actually have fun too!

Sammy and Hannah Grace and Nate...oh these two...so funny! They were either acting like brother and sister or a married couple...so funny/scary!

I tried to get pictures of everyone wake boarding but I guess I was too busy talking (rare, I know) so I didn't get everyone...I guess we will have to go again :)

Grace did not want to wake board...but gave it a try and got up for a minute!

Ben also gave wake boarding another try (more willingly this time...did I mention the last time Benson made him was cruel and unusual punishment)...

He is getting the hang of it for sure...and I think even starting to like it :) Benson kept telling him "this is fun, Ben!"


Nate wasn't so sure he wanted to wake board either...but then I told him that if he tried I would buy him a root beer float from Sonic and he couldn't get in the water fast enough...

He tried really hard...but really only ate the water! But he was smiling so big...he loved it!

Sammy is becoming an expert and really did great! She loves it! She is for sure a lake girl!! She even wake-boarded twice!

Sam wake boarding...he was a pro :)

Benson even decided to wake-board a little

We had so much fun!!!

Snow Cones

Did I mention that my kids got me a snow cone maker for my Birthday? Well, I have yet to have an actual snowcone...but it is my favorite gift! I put it outside most afternoons and tell them to go play...they are entartained and I can get a couple things done around the house...win/win!

Basketball Camp

The boys did a super fun basketball camp a few weeks ago! Ben was super aggressive and loved playing (who knew?) and Nate...well, he loved it too...except I am not sure if he really paid any attention to what they were teaching him...but he had a lot of fun and that is all the matters! Nate and his buddy Blake

Ben, Brendan, Nate, and Blake!

Our Family Birthday/ Anniversary!

We have a little tradition in our family...several years ago, Benson was explaining our Anniversary to Sammy (when she was about 3) and told her it was "like our families Birthday since it was the day our family was created"! Well, Sammy was SO excited about the Birthday party that we decided to do a little mini-party to celebrate our family's Birthday! It was so much fun that the tradition has stuck for us! This year our Anniversary was on a Sunday (May 29th) so the night before Benson took me out on a date...to the temple, shopping, and to eat at City Hall in Scottsdale (soooo delicious)! And then on our actual Anniversary...we had the party with the kids!

The kids loved singing Happy Birthday to our family, blowing out the candles, and of course, eating the cake! Then we played lots of games together (Hide and go Seek, Ring around the Rosy, Duck, Duck, Goose..etc)! It was a really fun night!!

The kids drew us this little picture outside..."Happy ANNERSREY Mom and Dad Nate, Lucy, Ben and Sammy"

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY TO OUR FAMILY!!!!

Last Bus Ride :(

Nate rode the bus to school! It was Lucy's very favorite part of her day...when the bus came! We would wait outside and play "I Spy" EVERY day while we waited for the bus...and Nate always had to "spy" the bus when it came and then Lucy would SCREAM "BUS!!!" and run to the bus! Literally, this happened everyday! When I see this picture now I am a little sad...I had so much fun this last year with my 2 little buddies and I am sad that Nate won't be picked up after lunch to go to to preschool!
Anyway, then Lucy would run on the bus and Ms. Sharon would let her mess with all the buttons she wanted and honk the horn...the bus ladies love Lucy (lets just say...they bought her a Birthday present!!)

Ms. Jean and Ms. Sharon with Nate and Lucy.... Ms. Jean has been coming to our house for the last 4 years (first with Ben then with Nate) and she used to be with Ms. Judy my very favorite bus driver...but Ms. Judy is really sick and Ms. Sharon took over...luckily, she didn't mind Lucy's bus routine :)

Nate's last time riding the preschool bus

Lucy thinks she gets to ride on it too!

I really was fighting back tears when the bus drove away! I don't know why this was so hard for me! I love my little buddy Nate and I want him to stay in Preschool FOREVER!!!

Nate graduates Preschool!

Well, I thought that these pictures were gone forever...but turns out they were still on my camera...so I know this is a month late...but better late than never is kinda my motto lately :)

Nate LOVED preschool! He made such good friends with a little group of boys and had the best teachers ever! He learned so much this year and I am so, so sad that he is going to Kindergarten next year!!! They sang a bunch of songs for us!

Nate with Ms. Kami

Nate with Ms. Kathy

Benson and me with Nate

Nate and some of his crazy buddies! Rumor has it that a lot of these boys will be in the same Kindergarten class!

Lake Powell 2011

Wow....What a trip! I feel like I need a bunch of subtitles to this post..."The trip that almost didn't happen", "The trip where Benson and Sammy nearly lost their life", "The trip where Nate found LOVE" In the end we had a FABULOUS time and we are so glad we were able to go! And we were glad that Lucy was able to stay home with Grandma :) Nate loved driving the houseboat with Dad

Sandee, Sammy, and Allee playing some games while we find our camp spot...this was ALMOST Sammy's last picture. Moments after this was taken...she jumped in the water....the wind was INSANE and she got blown away..Benson went in after her...and long story short...it was nearly fatal for both of them. I'm still not ready to talk about it. But they made it with only a few minor injuries....and emotional damage to me.

Fun in the sun wore Nate out...he took a little nap on the couch! Very rare.

The first day was so, so, so windy so we weren't able to do much...so all the kids were stuck on the houseboat eating and watching movies.
The next day (which happened to be BENSON'S BIRTHDAY...happened to be AWESOME...yay!)

Nate and Lilee...oh, how Nate loves Lilee...lets just say he ask her to marry him and she said yes...but they let me know it wouldn't be until they are old...like 13! Ha!

Ben and Lilee

Lance and Benson

Benson and Ben

my boys loved hanging with the "big boys"...luckily they were nice boys and didn't mind.

We did LOTS of tubing

These 3 girls always play so well together!

Benson took all the kids wake-surfing! They loved it!

Nate took every opportunity to dance on the boat! Lots of dance parties!

Nate and Lilee rocking out!

Sammy's turn...

Benson and Lance decided to buy a little sailboat for the trip....they had so much fun trying it out! The kids loved it too.

Me wakeboarding :)

Nate LOVED the slide off the back of the boat!

Sammy got up on the wakeboard. Rumor has it (after a lot of convincing) Ben did too...but I wasn't there for that so no pictures!

Benson surfing

Some Birthday s'mores....

"Mom, will you take a picture of me and Lilee"

Benson and Lance sailing

The kids were getting brave on the raft and decided to stand up!

Ben and Finn getting ready to go swim to the rocks to cliff jump (or just play on the rocks!)

Benson tipped the sailboat...it was pretty funny!

Nathaneal jumped in to help him...after we all laughed really hard!

Lance took the 3 girls on a sailboat ride and they were TERRIFIED to tip! It was so windy and they just buried their heads to whole time! So funny!

I can't believe another year is over! Every year before Lake Powell I claim that this is my last year! It is always super stressful to plan! But every time when I get home and look at all the pictures and remember how much fun we had I can't wait to go back!