Out of Shape

So I am doing a 10K race called The Dirty Dash (all in mud with obstacles) in 1 month from tomorrow and I have been putting of training. Well, not really putting off, just having a hard time making time. The problem is that I am 1 of a team of 5 and I fear I may be the weakest link on our team. I don't want to let my friends or myself down. So tonight I finally went for a "run". I went 3.5 miles and it took me about 35 minutes, not too shabby for my first run in a couple months. Last time I tried to run my knees were screaming at me, but tonight they seemed more relaxed. It was hard and I walked more than I ran but it felt good too! I don't want to let my team down and we have a very important team to beat, our husbands are a team as well. I am looking forward to it!!!

The First Day

Well, we all survived the first day of school for the 2010-2011 school year.

First off was Rylee (8th grader). Today was the only day she didn't have to be there early for cheer practice. Starting tomorrow she has to be there everyday at 6:15. I am so grateful we have a carpool. Anyway, in case you haven't heard, Ry is OBSESSED!!! (and that's the understatement of the year) with Justin Bieber. I thought she would wear one of her new shirts but no she had to wear her Justin shirt from the concert this summer. She is definitely her own person and does not let what others might think or say stop her from doing what she wants. It's one of my favorite characteristics of Rylee. This year she is learning to play the saxophone and is SO excited. The only bummer is that it is quite a bit bigger than the clarinet.


Awhile later it was time for the other 3 kids to head to school. The last few years they have had a big flag ceremony out in front of the school and I was under the impression they were doing it again this year. I was wrong! We walked to school and everyone was just going to find their classrooms. It was fine, just anticlimactic, I guess I better get use to changes since they have a new principal this year.

Cole (6th grade) was excited for school and to wear his new guitar shirt. You can't really see it well in the picture. They actually wore jackets because it was so chilly this morning, the first time that I can recall. He is also excited to be on the school service council this year. He applied at the end of last school year and was thrilled when he got the letter in the mail announcing he had made it! It will be a great way for him to come out of his shell a bit.


Noah (6th grade) was excited for school to start as well. I guess they were glad to be with friends all day everyday again. He wore his new skateboarding shirt. It's been so fun to watch the boys each develop their own talents and interests. Noah loves riding the ramp in the garage and going to the skatepark on Saturday mornings with Mike.


Jenna (2nd grade) was SO excited to go to second grade! She has a great teacher (Rylee had her in 1st grade). She didn't really know if she had any friends in her class and was glad to see soem familiar faces when she got to her classroom. Notice her flip flops don't match. She has been wearing them like that most of the summer, I think to be like her big sister, who never wears matching socks. Isn't she so cute!?!?! I cannot believe my baby is in 2nd grade, where has the time gone?!?! I feel a but guilty that I have not volunteered in her classes like I was able to with the other kids. I am hoping the second half of the school year I will be able to do quite a bit more.

A New (School) Year

The summer has come to an end too quickly once again. Overall it was a good summer: we had a great visit with Kaienta and the rest of my family; I got an A- in both my classes; we were able to hit the pool quite a few times; the kids hung out with friends; and that's about it, nothing too exciting. I am looking forward to a new schedule which will help (hopefully) bring some routine back into our lives. The kids start school tomorrow and I start my last semester on Wednesday. The next 5 months are going to be crazy busy but I am looking forward to finishing school, taking my boards, and finding a job all while trying to balance my kiddos with their crazy schedules, time with Mike, and my current job. It's a bit overwhelming but I can do it! I have lots of great people who help me each day and would not make it without them. You know who you are: THANKS!!!!!!!

A Water Fight with Old Friends

On Saturday we had a picnic with the Andersens (Lane is Brandon's best friend). Our kids and Kaienta and Sophie and Sawyer don't all see each other often enough but it seems whenever we get together the kids all have a blast and pick up where they left off. It was hot! at the picnic and the kids were all kind of bored with us adults who were enjoying catching up. I don't recall whose bright idea it was but they started getting each other wet with water bottles and it escalated until all the kids were SOAKED!!! They loved it and they were no longer bored or hot!




Here is Kaienta enjoying of the rice krispie treats she made, yummy!

Tie Die

My dad LOVES tie die and has too many tie die shirts to count. One night while Kaienta was here my mom had all the granddaughters over to sleepover. While they were there they made necklaces and tie die shirts. They even made a tie die onesie for Audrey. Here is a picture of all the granddaughters (except Eliza who was babysitting) with grandpa and their tie die shirts.

Parade 2

More pictures from the parade:


Audrey enjoying herself


Wyatt, Jenna, and Mara waiting for more candy to be thrown their way


Noah, Grandma, Kaienta, Grandpa, and Cole trying to stay cool in the shade


Kaienta

Parade

I am slowly getting posts done about our other adventures while Kaienta was here.

Our next fun thing was the annual parade in Bountiful on July 23rd. This year Rylee was in the parade for cheer. It was hot (which is usually the case) and the parade was too long! Rylee was entry # 113 out of 130. So we watched and waited for her to appear. It was fun to watch her tumble in the street and hear people yell for her. I tried to get a picture of her tumbling but some dumb lady kept getting in my way (she was standing in the middle of the street with her 2 toddler age grandkids, crazy!). Anyway, we had fun eating pizza, blowing bubbles, catching candy, and trying to stay cool until Rylee came by.


Before the parade!


Yeah, they finally came past us!


Cole passing the time by blowing bubbles


Noah trying to stay cool


Grandma and Grandpa enjoying the parade

More Cherry Hill

The last summer we spent time with Kaienta was 2005 and Brandon passed away a couple months later. We look back at that summer with mixed emotions. We have many fond memories of time spent with Brandon and Kaienta that we will never get back. We are so glad we were able to have that time with them, but wish we had more summers with them both. It was so fun being at Cherry Hill with Kaienta since we spent a few days there with her and B in 2005. I knew I had a couple pictures of Kaienta and my boys from that summer and we tried to recreate them this summer. Not perfect, but fun!


Here they are then looking at the treasure map


Here they are now searching for the treasure


Here they were then enjoying the pirate ship


And here they are now:


They have all changed and grown so much in 5 years. One thing unchanged was there friendships, they were totally comfortable and at ease with each other from the moment they all saw each other again. They laughed and played and talked just like they did 5 years ago. It was AWESOME!!!!!!

Cherry Hill

We wpent the next day at Cherry Hill and it was a blast!!!!! We ate, we swam, we rode the water slides, we ate, we played in the lazy river, we ate, we reminisced, and enjoyed our fun day at Cherry Hill!

The boys (Noah, Cole, Taylor, and McKay) waiting for their turn on the waterslides


Jenna relaxing in the lazy river


Kaienta and Rylee were going on the waterslide together and the lady going behind them caught up too them and almost ran them over. I love the looks on the girls faces, priceless!


Eliza giving Jenna a ride to the waterslides


Some of the boys on the cardiac canyon ride, they loved it!

Silver Lake 2

We all had fun fishing, hiking, and just being together. It poured for a little bit which felt great! It was a fun afternoon.


Cole, Kaienta, and Noah


Rylee and Audrey


The pouring rain


Noah having a snack


Kaienta fishing, you can tell it's after the rainstorm, look how wet her hair was, that is how hard it rained. It didn't stop any of us from enjoying a wonderful time.

Silver Lake

One day we went to Silver Lake at Brighton, it is one of our favorite family hiking spots. It was a beautiful day and nice to head up to the cooler air.


We hiked (mom and Mara):


We fished (some for the first time, Mike teaching Wyatt to fish):


We birdwatched (Jenna loves looking with the binoculars):


We climbed (Noah kept climbing higher and higher, can you see him in the trees?):


Love this picture! Aren't they so cute in their matching hats?!?!

Keeping Cool

The kids had a great time playing on a slip and slide, with a sprinkler, and in the little kiddy pool at my parents. It was so hot and while the adults were hanging out inside they were keeping cool outside. It was fun to watch them all laughing together and having a great time!

Here is Kaienta trying out the slip and slide

And Wyatt:

Here is Cole using the spinkler as a "pitching machine"

Jenna & Mara