Summer!!

Summer is almost over here...although it's going to feel like summer for at least 2 more months!  This summer, Daddy didn't teach summer school and was home for more fun, more fishing, and more swimming!  We have totally enjoyed having a very relaxed schedule, since the school year seems to be packed to the brim.  Here are a few of the summer happenings!

 Parks & Rec track meets at the U of A!  Lots of grass, lots of kids, and lots of ribbons to bring home!

 Little runner legs:)

 It's so nice to have a 10 year old around to make delicious 4th of July treats like this!

 Trips to the zoo with our little foster brother(who can't be pictured, but he was there:)).

 This experience with a foster baby has been Sophy's first experience as a BIG sister!  She was wonderful!

 To warm up for Lake Tahoe, we went on several fishing trips with Daddy to Silverbell Lake(lake is an overstatement...definitely more in the pond category!)

 The fish may be small, but we always caught 60+!!!  Or we caught 20, several different times a piece!

 Scott LOVES to fish.  He sometimes dreams about fishing.  Myles has definitely caught the fishing bug, and the size of the fish doesn't really seem to matter.  Like father, like son!

 The younger girls get bored after a while and start daring each other to put worms on their noses.  So everyone finds something fun to do:).

 Never a dull moment with Hayley around!!

Fishing trick...if you hold the fish way out in front of your face for the picture, the fish looks bigger than it really is:).

 A fun time with cousins at the end of June!!  What sweet, pretty girls!

 Somehow, Kyra ended up reading to the whole gang!

 Little 4 year old beauties!  It's so fun to have cousins!

 Boys gotta stick together in this family!!

 Birthday dinner!  GG with all her great grandchildren!

Kyra loved holding Miss Piper!

A fly by of summer fun!



Oh to be back in Kindergarten!

 When ever we have a Kindergartener, we order painted lady caterpillars (aka calapitters), and watch God's amazing process of metamorphosis!!  This year was Hayley's turn!  These are the caterpillars after they formed their chrysalis'  and attached to the wall.

 After the butterflies emerged, we kept them for a couple days, then released them.

 They landed all over Hayley!  One butterfly emerged with crooked wings and never could fly.  Hayley placed it in our flowers and then pulled a chair over and sat down to watch over it.  About 30 min. later I heard sobbing, and went to figure out what was going on.  She was sad because she knew the butterfly would not survive and would probably be eaten by a bird.  "What a bad way to die!,"  she sobbed.  I couldn't argue with that, so we brought that one back to the butterfly house to live out it's days in peace!

Family pics 2014

Saying Goodbye

 

There's an empty crib at our house, as we said goodbye to our first foster child yesterday.  He was with us for 3 months, and although we knew he would not be a permanent member of our family, the house seems different and quiet without him here.  More than anything, we learned a little more about unconditional love, a little more about how Christ loved us when we didn't deserve it.  Here are some sweet and funny things we want to remember.

He loved the carousel at Peter Piper so much that he slid under the locked gate when we turned around for 2 seconds, and we had to coax him out with food.

He loved "My-My"(Myles) and the "fly-fly"(remote control helicopter)- we gave him an extra remote so he thought he was flying the helicopter, but really Myles was:).

Daddy taught him "hola", which he used on store clerks who wouldn't respond to "HI":)

His favorite book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear ("brown bear, brown bear see see see")

He loved feeding the crab and the "glub-glub"

Says "AMEN!" in the middle of the prayer
Loves his back-back rides(piggy back rides)
"Helps" kids unload the dish washer by putting everything in the silverware drawer( in the wrong places, including cups, plates, etc.)

 

Praying that someday you will know Jesus!



10 Year Old Favorites

 

~10 year old favorites~

Favorite subject:  Science

Loves to read mysteries and horse books

Plays soccer, gymnastics, runs

Likes Friends Legos, her American Girl dolls, and dot-to-dots up to 1000

birthday dinner at Five Guys Burgers

Loves to swim, laugh with friends, and read stories to Sophy

Loves horses and horseback riding

Bakes brownies and desserts on her own



Gym Recital

 Another Trinity gym recital in May!  Kyra, Myles, and Hayley each tumbled and flipped in their class' show.  It's so fun to watch them bravely try new things and see their smiles when they finally master a trick!  Kyra has beautiful back walk overs, cartwheels, and can do a front hand spring on the trampoline!  Myles has powerful round offs and dive rolls, learned to backbend and kick over, and can front hand spring and front flip on the tramp. He also has the best splits in his class!  Little 6 year old Hayley also learned to back bend and kick over!  Her cartwheels are beautiful and she remembered her whole routine!

 These guys were so fun to watch! 

Double Digits

In May we entered into DOUBLE DIGITS!  Our Kyra turned 10!  She is a smart, helpful, creative girl who is a wonderful big sister and a blessing to us parents.

 

 On her actual birthday we went out for donuts, stopped by Bookmans and ToysRus for birthday balloons and books, and built new Lego sets.  Later went to dinner with Daddy.

 We had a birthday party with family and cousins...pizza, scavenger hunt, and cherry limeade cupcakes!

We are so proud of Kyra and the way she has grown and changed, been bold to try new things, and deepened in her faith.  Happy 10th birthday Kyra!