These are the Days!: Sizzled

Finally catching up on a few things now that school has begun--my favorite time of year. I've noticed that my blogging posts seem to contain full sports seasons--that's how I keep track of when I need to post. Well, Luke has started flag football, so here comes the baseball & sizzlin summer post. Sizzlin baseball, actually. Some of those end of season tourney games were pretty brutal in the 100 degree July. And I think my brain is too sizzled to try to put these pictures back into the right order, haha.

Macy had a great girls camp up at Heber. Her favorite part was the challenge course. Their theme was "A Heart Like His".

End of summer family pic at Aunt Dawnell & Uncle Gary's house on the way to Portland.

The boy loft at Aunt Dawnell's.

We attended our first Spanish Fork fireworks show. It was super fun. I sang along to all the loud music.

Luke played his first year of regular little league (not coach pitch). He was one of the main pitchers, to our delight, even though he was in the younger grade. Mark really struggled with keeping his mouth shut and wished he would have coached Luke as well as the older boys. Next year, baby! Luke was super fun to watch with his speedy, fearless pitches. He terrorized a lot of kids, I think, because it seems like he either beaned them or struck them out.

The other funny thing about Luke playing baseball was that his big brother Cooper was one of the Umps, for just a few of his games. I tried really hard not to cheer for the ump so no one would know they were related. Cooper did a great job. Mark said that his calls were very clear and his strike zone was nice and big for these little guys so that the games didn't last all night.

Luke on the uke at the end of school concert.

First day of school! Rosie will start preschool in another week. I've had kids at home continually for the last 21 years, minus one month before Rosie was born. So, next week is a big milestone for me. The projects await!!

These two handsomes are TROUBLE. But I think my grocery bill will go down now.

We took a very long drive and finally went back to Oregon to visit my sister Darcy's family. (No, I was not referring to the sea lions above, haha.)

It was beautiful and just so idyllic to see the cousins enjoying "Kid Paradise" together, aka, Darcy's riverfront property.

Wait for it...Luke on the Olalla Lake rope swing. No one taught him to stay vertical.

Grizzly Adams and Perry Adams. (Mark doesn't like to shave on vacay.)

Rosie was a big chicken about Darcy's big doggies, but she liked the bunny.

Crabbing off the Newport dock. I thought these grooves from the ropes were cool.

I can tell we are related. This is me pretending to be a tough fisherwoman like my tomboy sis.

I mean, for real. How gorgeous is this? The water was super clear and deep, and check out the waterfall. (They have two waterfalls.) The boys had a great time catching lots and lots of little frogs, and crawdads.

I finally finished a quilt for Darcy, made from some of my Dad's old shirts. She cried. I cried.

The lures are made from some threads off my grandma LaVonne's old wooden spool collection.

Cold river twilight swim, hot tub recovery.

Macy did just fine being the only girl besides Rosie.

Rosie has been so funny all summer constantly telling me how great Boston is. Like, "Look mom, what a good boy! Boston put his shoes away!" or "Boston ALWAYS quickly obeys" or "Boston NEVER slips on ice." To the point of sappiness. I can't tell if she is trying to correct me for the times I've scolded him, or if she's trying to convince me why it's okay for her to be ticked off at her other brothers 90% of the time. Every girl needs a brother, and she's got three.

Oh come on, Rosie, how can you resist the hair?

Macy, Jackie, Kelly, Dawnell

Here is my Dad with Leslie, modeling one of the shirts that made the fish quilt.

Macy was gifted some sweet zipline tickets for Provo Canyon Adventures. Super gorgeous venue. I hung out on my picnic blanket and watched the fun. What lucky girls!

Rosie made a cat-leash for Leslie and Cole.

I had a great time watching Arachnophobia with Macy and her friend Libby for their first time (they were very screamy) while I finished up Dad's quilt. He would have very much approved, hahaha. This is the iconic shot of John Goodman , who later says, "Hellooooooo...", which I've heard my Dad quote a time or two.

Picnic at the Splash Park.

Macy might have been a little frustrated with her hair.

I wanted to take Rosie on the Ferris Wheel. She did great.

Luke really wanted me to take this awesome picture of a crystal at the Dinosaur Museum in Vernal.

The poor fellow below lost a load of waterbottles in the middle of the street, right when we had a van full of teenagers ready to rescue them all. This will be a funny memory of stopping traffic.

We went on a great weekend trip to Red Fleet Reservoir in Vernal, aka Little Lake Powell. It was gorgeous, warm, and tons of fun. Cliff jumping off a dinosaur tracked cliff is pretty hard to beat. Mark jumped from way higher up than I would have approved of, had I been on that side of the lake at the time. Definitely want to come back next year--I'm already missing it.

Rosie bought a car, all by herself.

Macy enjoyed her dance class at school. I thought the high kicks were fun to watch.

Rosie loves this picture of Grandma and Grandpa Heagy we got for Christmas, before Grandpa passed away in February. She keeps it in her drawer. Here she is singing Happy Birthday to Grandma.

Boston got his wisdom teeth out. The laughing gas combined with the anesthesia really did a number on him. He was super silly and sweet. As he was coming to, he told Mark he wanted to call his friends. Mark said, "Ok, who should we call first." His answer was "Mom, uh, and Mom again." (Plus I was standing right there. Also he said, "Mom, you look nice today." Just wanted to write that down.) He also fessed up that "sometimes I go to Walmart and buy the candy that Mom doesn't like." His favorite kind of soups that he could think of were, 1. Tabasco Soup (?) 2. Tomato Soup. We did allow him to call a few friends, and after he told one of the girls he loved her, we decided to have him call his brother-in-law instead. I think we will be enjoying all the footage for years.

Rosie really wanted to come to the rodeo again this year. Not sure what this face is about, but hopefully her teeth won't grow in like this.

I came home from running errands one day to find this halved watermelon laying next to a mysterious machete on my counter. What the heck! Boston fessed up. He said he bought it at Walmart (!) and took it to his backpacking trip. Sorry leaders! Mom fail.

Fiesta Days was so hot out, but it was really fun to be at the concert and fireworks show. We live in a fun place.

Rosie and Luke had a great time at swimming lessons. Both of them improved a lot.

I had each of the bigger kids take a week's worth of cooking dinner. They had to plan the meals, etc. We didn't quite get through everyone because of jobs, activities, etc., but almost. This was Macy's creation--she and Mark did a French night with some fancy cheesy bacony au gratin, also a quiche, copying some of the food they had in Paris.

The annual neighborhood BBQ party.

Fourth of July at the Reservoir. Rosie loved getting to play in the sand. Fun even with the crowds.

Date night with the Elmonts. Both of us were mothers-of-the-bride this year. This is a "We Did It!"

Rosie wanted to bake a little strawberry pie when I did my strawberry rhubarb, in the little pan that Grandma got for her. She didn't want to eat it, though.

I enjoy the sunsets at the ballparks.

Hike at Cascade Springs with the Childers's. This was an eventful night because our van got a bad flat way high up on the Alpine Loop. We were able to safely pull into a parking lot, Cole helped find the spare on the van and to change it out--but the spare was also flat. Luckily a good samaritan gave Mark a ride down the mountain to get it repaired, and back up to fetch us before it got too dark. (But not before we were sheltering under the back hatch of the van, which was up on a jack, during a hailstorm, haha.)

Macy and her friend Libby decided to host a summer kids' camp. They did a great job! This was my favorite day--water day in our backyard. The girls were so cute letting all the kids get in a waterfight with them. I got to help with the giant bubbles. Love this picture of our friend Corbin.

Mark saw this picture on the first day of school, and he said it looked like Rosie is saying, "I'm still freeeeee!"

Rosie talks about Hawaii constantly, and loves the ocean, so she was happy to try out the waters in Oregon.

She had all kinds of improvement plans for this little driftwood fort.

We were very blessed this day because our van gave us a check engine light right as we got to town, and Mark was able to find someone available to fix the problem immediately instead of two weeks later-yikes!

Future's so bright....I gotta wear shades.

The Rosie pose at the dinosaur museum.

At the Vernal Temple.

Rosie is very insistent that she gets a lullaby every night along with her story and her scriptures.

This is part of a brief bedtime discussion about David and Goliath. It did not end well for Goliath.

Speaking of height, our boys are neck and neck right now. We've been measuring them every week with a level. Boston still gets the bubble

The boys got to go to FSY camp (For the Strength of Youth) at BYU. Here they are with Elder Brad Wilcox.

Luke definitely is a dog-owner-wannabe. Not happening. Poop. Barking. Hair. Nope. Dune and Maus were very sweet, though.

I could maybe do a pet crab...

Rosie decorated her door with Grandmas one day. She misses them.

Uncle Jared hiked the Y with these three hooligans.

The swing was a little late on this one. Coop is the ump here, Luke the batter.

Macy had a great track season and is excited to do Junior High track this year. It was fun to compare her stats to last year.

Cooper had kind of a funny birthday. He was invited, with some other athletes, to be one of the "Manly Mustangs" for a dance number at the Junior High's dance review. He had to go early mornings to practice and everything. He was nominated to be the tossee since he is such a lightweight, so this is what we went and watched the evening of his birthday--it was like a personalized celebration. They did great! He also went golfing later that week. It was a very, very golfy summer. He was going to try out for the golf team but backed out last minute. Should've, dude! Maybe next year.

He blew me a kiss in the air. Atleast, I think it was for me...

Rosie was in an argument with Luke recently and concluded with, "Well, my cousin is a scientist." Yup! That's our Benson!

Rosie was so happy to play with her cousin Brielle.

Me and my sister Brookie.

We went out for a girls' lunch and Brielle was just ecstatic about the whole thing. So funny!

Boston with the bois. And the girls.

Memorial Day camping trip with the Day cousins. I was very strategic and got a campsite close enough so I could drive home and sleep in my own bed, haha, while Mark and the kids stayed in the tent. As the yummiest family member, I thought it was my duty not to attract bears.

These three teens worked hard and checked their grades often and pulled off 4.0s.

Cancer free day, four years and going strong! Counting my blessings.

Cole got a great job on the Fiore wood burning pizza truck. I think he's enjoyed going to all the surrounding towns for weddings and events--a great way to get to know the area. It was fun to go visit him when he came to our town. The second time he came here, the line was so long we had to eat something else. Good stuff!