Lazy Summer Days

We LOVE summer!  I love it for the same reason the kids do...NO SCHOOL!  It is so nice to feel like there is time to get things done and not just be running around taking care of the next thing that has to be done and doing it half way.  This summer we went on a few trips but mostly stuck around at home.  Here are some shots of the happenings of summer.

Demolitions Derby!

Chillin' on deck

Haylie finally braving the diving board and loving it!

Swimming Lessons

A much appreciated fence!

T-ball

On the Emery Telcom parade float on the 4th of July

4th of July drinks

Jumping on the trampoline in pajamas

Growing a garden

Camping!!

So much fun!!  I can hardly wait for another one! I love this cute little family of mine!

Charlotte

In June, Haylie's lifelong dream of being a dog owner was realized.  We picked up an 8 week old puppy from a rescue organization.  She was the smallest in a litter of six.  Her foster family gave her the name of Miki, but we renamed her Charlotte.  She is a basenji/dachshund mix.  We have all taken quite a liking to her even if she is still very much a curious and naughty puppy.  We are hoping she will grow out of it soon.  Charlotte is very friendly and also very smart.  She has even learned how to open our doors using the lever style handles! It is a pretty neat trick, but it makes it hard to keep her out of trouble when she can open closed doors!

Our first meeting with Charlotte and her littermates.  She and one other were the only black pups.

Haylie's first time to hold her.  We saw all the puppies online and Dave and I were partial to the other ones but Haylie wanted this one from the start.  After we saw them she knew that was the one she wanted.

Taking her home!

A shot right after she got home.  She got spayed and taken to her new home all on the same day so she was exhausted

A couple months old.  As she was teething her ears did all kinds of crazy things.

8 months old.  Using a sock monkey as a pillow.  Her ears finally figured out how to stand up.

Carmen's Baptism

Growing up I worked at Baskin Robbins from age 14 to age 20.  The woman that owned and operated the shop was Carmen Harding.  Since all of my siblings worked there for numerous years she became like a second mother ot me.  In fact, some people thought that I was her daughter since I worked at the shop for so long.  Anyway,  after 30 years of our family knowing Carmen, she decided to be baptized into the Church over Memorial Day weekend.  We all love her so much that all of my siblings except for Melanie traveled to be there for her special day.  It turned out to be a fun trip because we got to return to Laramie and see my old stomping grounds as well as some old friends.  While we were there we went to Cheyenne and celebrated Afton's (Ryan's oldest daughter) 5th birthday.  It was kind of a long drive but lots of fun.  I am grateful for the reminder of how important being a good example and living what you believe is.  We never know who is watching or what seeds are being planted.  

Afton's Birthday party.

Carmen asked my dad to baptize her

Best Friends! Carmen and my mom

End of the School Year

I think I look forward to this time of year more than most parents do because I am a teacher.  This year was an especially rough class of students so I was happy to be done with it.  Haylie and Zander were also ready to be done with school for a while.  Zander kept telling me that is always knew all the answers on his math work so there was nothing left for him to learn in kindergarten.  Both kids had a good year.  Haylie had Mr. Lasslo for second grade.  We spent the year hearing all sorts of facts and/or opinions prefaced with the phrase, "Mr. Lasslo said...".  Apparently he was the expert on anything and everything and we knew nothing.  Zander had Mrs. Sjogren for kindergarten.  Haylie had her as well and she is an awesome kindergarten teacher.  Zander learned so much from her over the year.  I was worried about him starting kindergarten but he learn everything we needed to know and even aced the end of year kindergarten test!  Here are some pictures from the last days of school.  Haylie wouldn't go stand by Mr. Lasslo for a picture.  She is still too shy to even think of it.  Zander put on a big show about not wanting to be by his teacher but she grabbed him and pulled him in for a hug that he secretly liked.

Easter 2014

We went to Perry to visit Grandma and Grandpa O for Easter.  The week before we left for Perry,  we carried out our tradition of coloring Easter eggs at our house.  Dave and I colored Easter eggs before we even had children, and I always look forward to doing it.  Looking back over the years of pictures we have of this even I noticed that it looks like Dave and the kids are the ones coloring the eggs and I am not even there since I am usually behind the camera.  So this year we got at least one shot of me and the kids to prive I really was there!

 

We brought the eggs with us to Grandma's house and spent quite a bit of time one afternoon hunting them and finding them in the backyard.  The Easter Bunny left some baskets on Easter morning and, of course, we got all spiffed up for church.  I love this holiday and the reason for it.  I am grateful that I live relatively close to family that we can share these traditions with.  Such a blessed life!

Zander turns 6

Zander turned 6 on April 10, 2014.  We decided to have a little family celebration on the day of his birthday and then we invited some friends over for a party on the Saturday after his birthday.  Last year we had a friend party for him and hardly anyone we invited could come.  This year we decided to invite more kids so that we would be should to at least have a few there.  And, of course, this year all but one of the kids showed up, and one brought his sister with him.  It got a little wild but was fun.  I always like to have a fun theme for the kids parties, which I sure goes largely unappreciated by the guests.  This year we did a Lego theme and it was one of the simplest themes to tackle that I have done.  Zander had a great time at the party which is the important part, and I can't believe how much my little guy is growing up!  Kindergarten has made him grow up so much.  I love him SO much, funny quirks and all!

Nerd Day

For Dr. Seuss' birthday, the kids got to dress up at school with something different for each day of the week.  Here they are as nerds for Nerd Day.  Dave was bummed that I used a polo shirt as a nerdy shirt for Zander.  I just call it like I see it! Haha!!