Firsts

Today was a day of firsts:

Rylee's first day of Jr High. (I cannot believe it!) She has been so excited and was so excited this morning that when for some unknown reason her alarm went off at 1 a.m. she got up and got showered and all ready before she looked at the clock. She decided she would just stay up but was too tired so she went back to sleep until her alarm went off when it was suppose to at 6:30.
Isn't she so grown up...


The first day of school for my other kiddos without big sister around to watch over them.
They were all excited for school today as well!

My baby's first day of first grade. Yep, I now have all my kids in school all day, what am I going to do with all my time?!?!? Oh, yeah: work full time, go to school, do my clinicals, etc....Not exactly what I thought I would be doing when all my kids were in school but I know it is where I am suppose to be right now and it will all be worth it in the end. (Today was my last real "free" day before my schedule gets crazy again so I pampered myself with a mani/pedi, it was heavenly)

The first walk around the new track they built at the elementary school. They did the traditional flag ceremony this morning and then the whole school walked around the new track, it was really fun! I love Orchard Elementary!

My Giving Man

The last month or so Mike has been working downtown right across from Pioneer Park where a lot of homeless people live in SLC. He had one guy help him work a couple days and gave him so money to help him out. The guy wanted to work some more, but Mike didn't really have anything for him to do. He took him to dinner a couple times. One day he came home for lunch and left with a bag of clothes. When I asked him what the clothes were for he said my friend downtown. Luckily they are about the same size and when he told Mike he could use some more clothes Mike was glad to help him out. Mike will do anything for anyone and that is one thing that I have always loved and admired in him.

Girls Camp

You know your old when your daughter is going to her first girls camp...
I really cannot believe Ry just got back from her first Girls Camp, where has the time gone?!?! Well, she had a blast! They went to Bear Lake and hiked, biked, rock climbed, rappelled, water skied (wakeboarded, tubed), etc, etc etc. Ry didn't try rock climbing and rappelling which I was bummed about. Those are 2 things I have never done and always wanted to. I was upset she didn't try until she told me she thinks she is afraid of heights and cried when she was up at the top of the cave they were repelling into. She tried wakeboarding and tubing and loved it! She had so much fun taking pictures and hanging out with her new BFF's. I am glad she enjoyed herself and am grateful to the ladies who put so much time and effort forth for the girls.


Ry took a photography class this summer and had fun taking some neat pictures at camp. She said this was one of her favorites:




Isn't my girl so cute!!!



Ry with Mandy and Danielle, it was the first year at camp for all of them and they LOVED it!!!

Finally....

I know Mike doesn't want to admit it, but I think a part of him has been bummed that neither of the boys really had an interest in skateboarding. Skateboarding is such a big part of Mike's life and has been for years. The last few months Noah has finally taken an interest in skateboarding. Actually, it's all he wants to do these days. Mike has been taking him to the skatepark and he is really enjoying it, both of them are! Here is a picture of Noah dropping in on the ramp in our garage.

A Fun Holiday Weekend

July 24th is a holiday in Utah, Pioneer Day! Our annual tradition is to go the parade on the 23rd in Bountiful and then over to my brother and sister in laws for food and fireworks. So that's what we did again this year and it was hot and fun (as usual). The next day Mike decided to take the boys and head to Montana for a few days to visit a friend of his and do some skating and fishing. They ended up in Butte one day and it happened to be Evil Kneival Days, the boys weren't excited at all! ;-) Then they decided to drive home through Yellowstone and loved it! While they were off having fun us girls were here having fun of our own. We hung out with Mike's sister and her family, watching movies, swimming, etc. I had to work 2 of the nights the boys were gone so the girls stayed with Mike's mom one night and at my parents the other night. It ended up being a nice weekend for everyone!

The girls at the parade!

Jenna enjoying the slide! She only went of the diving board once
and I didn't have my camera ready.

Ry doing a flip off the diving board. My nephew-in-laws were having a contest to see who could make a basket throwing the bball while in the air off the diving board into the hoop at the other end of the pool. They each tried a number of times when Ry decided she wanted to try. Yeah, she made it on her second try before either of the guys made it. You go girl!

This is the picture Mike texted me from Yellowstone. I love my guys and missed them while they were gone. I am glad they all had good time, I know it's a weekend the boys will never forget!