~Back To School~

I was so not ready for the kids to go back to school this year.  This summer has gone by way to fast!  I could have used 2 to 3 more weeks of summer, but ready or not school is back in.  Hunter was actually excited about school starting this year, but only because he couldn't wait to wear his new red shoes.

Hunter is now in 4th grade, I can't believe it.

Mckell is now in the 2nd grade.  Her teacher was my next door neighbor growing up.  We are so excited that she will be in Mrs. Powell's class this year.

Our neighborhood does a back to school breakfast.  My kids really look forward to it.  However, this year Mckell didn't make it up.  Her tummy was hurting her (she's not used to getting up this early, lol)so Hunter went up without her.

Just a few of the neighbor kids.

Lexi is so ready to start school too.

I have to admit that I worried about the kids all day long.  I worried if they liked who they sat by, if they played with anyone at recess, what they were eating for lunch, and if they were having fun.  I guess that is just part of being a mother.  I was glad to find that they had a great day.

The Peach Orchard

This last Saturday we took Hunter and Mckell to the Stake Peach orchard to do service.  Mckell was so excited to go and pick peaches.  Hunter on the other hand wasn't as thrilled :)  But I'm glad they could go and learn to serve others.

I hate to admit it, but this was my first time to the orchard too.  It was fun spending time with my family serving the lord.  Oh Geez! I sound like my mom :)

~Summer is not summer without Lagoon~

Since school was about to start, we knew we needed to head to Lagoon to make the end of summer official.  We did Lagoon a Beach during the heat of the day, which made the heat bareable.  Hunter was brave and went on all the big slides.  I know I've said this before, but I'm really glad that Dave will be goofy and play with our kids.  He makes going to places like this fun :)

Hunter going down the big slide.

Dave being a show-off, lol.

After a few hours of playing in the water, we met up with our cousins to do the rides.

Hunter was such a good brother and won a frog for Lexi in a shooting game.  She was so excited!
Mckell was very brave this year.  She went on the Colossus, the White Rollercoaster, and was going to try Wicked but as they were sitting down in their seats the ride broke down.  I think secretly she was relieved that she didn't have to go on it :)  I'm proud of her for facing her fears though.  We had a really fun night.

~End of Summer Pool Party~

I think the kids have started a neighborhood tradition.  For the last 3 years we have had an end of summer pool party the week before school was about to start back up.  My kids really look forward to this, and I hear that the neighborhood kids do too.  It is fun to get together, kids of all ages to play together in the pool.  I enjoy chatting with the moms :)

For the last 2 weeks, our family has been watching the olympics every night.  I know we weren't the only family doing this because the kids started their own Olympic events.  For one, they'd do tricks off of the diving board while others scored them on the trick.  Then they moved onto the volleyball game, and even played their version of water polo :)  I'm glad they were having fun.

We are so lucky that Darinda and Jerry will let us keep having a party at their place.  My kids love showing all their friends what a fun yard their grandparents have.

~We Love Boating~

We had a lot of fun boating with the Wangsgard side of the family.  It has been a few years since my dad has gotten his boat out.  Infact, Lexi doesn't even remember ever going boating (she was 1 the last time we went).  The kids had a blast.  They could have stayed out all night if they could have.  Even Garrett liked boating.

The kids were getting brave on the tube.  They tried getting up on their knees, riding with no hands, and even riding backwards.  They had a lot of fun!

You'd have never guessed it was Lexi's first time out.  She was a brave little bugger.  She kept yelling for us to drive the boat faster.

Hunter had a blast doing tricks on the tube with Dave.  They really got some air several times.

The next morning Lexi woke up and said, "Mom that was so fun riding on Grandpas boat.  Let's do it again".  So I guess we can't wait another 2 years before getting the boat out again :)

~Our Little Mother~

Mckell is our little mother.  She is such a good helper with Garrett.  She loves to hold him, rock him, talk to him, and just about anything to do with him.  The minute he starts squawking, she is there to hold him.  I catch her all the time walking around the house with him.  It makes me nervous, but she actually does a good job.  She wants to hold him all the time in Sacrament meeting, and she even told me the other day at the pool that she'd take Garrett to swim.  :) No I didn't take her up on that one.

Garrett just loves Mckell.  He face lights up when he sees her.

A funny story:  One time my mom was watching the kids.  My mom was bouncing Garrett on her lap and Mckell got after her and told her that she wasn't supposed to shake Garrett like that. Then a little while later, Mckell got after my mom again telling her she was holding Garrett wrong, LOL.  My mom then had to explain to Mckell that she knew how to hold a baby :) Mckell cracks me up.

~Family Night at North Shore~

We planned family night at North Shore with the Wangsgard side of the family since my brother Rich and his family would be heading back to Kentucky in a few days.  We had a lot of fun.  The kids loved watching Dave do ariels off of the diving board, and watching Richard and Christain do tricks.  Hunter and Mckell even started doing tricks.  Hunter did flips off of the small diving board, but didn't dare try it on the high dive.  I love that Dave will still goof off and play with the kids.  I know that these are the memories they will always cherish about their dad.

Dave doing his ariel.

Someone call the fashion police. REEEER-REEER-REEER! Hahaha.