Misc August

It took one lesson before Alex decided to join Carter with Gymnastics Lessons.

He is doing a great job!!!

It only took two lessons before Carter climbed to the top of the rope.

I didn't get it all on video because I really didn't think he would climb that high!

He did.... And then he did it again.

I found it extremely nerve racking!!!!!

My kids are always wanting to play in the rain.

It just happened to storm while playing at the park,

so we just went with it.

Poor Hallie and Nadya!!!!  They  are always begging to go out 

during a down pour and they missed the fun!

I can't remember where they were, but they weren't with us.

Unfortunately, we received a little too much rain and part of our basement flooded!!!!!

ARGH!!!!!!!!

Hallie's room took the brunt of it and we had to completely empty it out!

We ripped the carpet out and plan to tile it.

Hallie is excited about that and is temporarily occupying the toy room.

The tile is picked out and we've decided on the pattern.

After getting a few bids, we've decided to attempt it ourselves.

Doug went fishing with Tracey and Shel and took Carter along.

Carter caught the biggest fish of all!

Way to go Carter!!!!!!!

Doug's company work party was at Lagoon this year!

My parents and Kris, John and Laurence came along.

We camped at the Lagoon Campground and got very little sleep!

I don't have a single picture of Nadya.

She spent most of her day  riding rides with Aunt Misty and Uncle Aaron.

We spent August trying to soak up as much sun as possible.

We have really enjoyed our water park passes!!!!

Doug redid the layout of the shower in the bathroom downstairs.

I was so excited with how it turned out.

It really opened up the small space and the hallway appears much larger than before!

I can't believe a tiny, one foot wall makes such a difference!

Alex tagged along with Doug to get supplies at Lowe's and came home looking like this...

Sometimes it's all about being at the right place at the right time!

He made his very own little locker.

Carter was so jealous!!!!

This was just too cute to pass by-

All three of them watching T.V.

In Denial

(August 17, 2011)

My good friend, Jen and I spent the last few weeks before school started 

 soaking up as much Summer as possible.  

Why does Summer always fly by?
I am still attempting to pack it all in as I am in complete denial that
colder weather is right around the corner.

In attempt to do it all, Jen and I took our kids

up Millcreek for lunch.

We grilled hot dogs, 

(after FINALLY getting the fire going)

and cooked S'mores

Our boys played in the stream all afternoon long while we sipped our coffee.

We spent nearly the entire day up there 

and never once heard, "Can we go now?"

It was so peaceful!!

My boys love watching survivor shows with their dad.

They attempted to make a raft with logs and long grass like the survivor guys do.

It sort of fell apart, but they were happy to have floated for a few seconds.

Proof

Swim Lessons do Work!!!!

The boys are brave enough to jump off the diving board without life jackets!

They have better form, but revert to to their doggie paddling ways in deep, deep water!

I guess they feel more confident with it!

Bravo Alex and Carter!!!!!



The final few days of school.....

School officially ended June 3rd for the kids,

but it's just finally starting to feel like Summer.

It's been relatively cool to say the least.

A few weeks prior to the end of school Alex came home with a note instructing him to

create a car out of cardboard and bring it on the last day of school for

a drive in movie experience.

Alex got in the van that day with his note in hand and immediately asked to call Uncle Aaron.

He didn't want me or Dad to help him.

He had crazy plans already going on in his head and he knew

he needed Uncle Aaron's help.

Alex's car was very cool and he had the only car with wheels that actually worked!

He even had a real go cart seat!

He was so excited!

Thank you Aunt Misty and Uncle Aaron for all your help!

I snapped a few quick pictures with my phone the morning of the drive in movie.

A few of the cars were just your basic box cars but a few of them went all out!

Alex loved the star wars plane that his friend made.

He is already making plans for next year.

(Misty and Aaron; this is your one year warning and next year we'll need two!)

Alex, Hallie and Nadya celebrated the of the school year with a fun field day.

It was a cool, windy day, but that didn't stop anyone.

(Pictured left if Alex throwing the ball and dunking his friend, Harrison in the dunk booth!  It was funny because everyone was telling Harrison he was going down and Harrison said, "No, he won't dunk me. 

 He's my friend!"  Ball connects and down he goes!  Well done Alex!!!!!!!

All the 6th graders got to take a turn in the dunk booth. 

Lucky for Hallie, I captured it play by play on my camera.

Poor thing...  It was windy and cold.....

To end off the day the firetruck came and hosed the kids down.

Alex didn't last long.  It was just too cold.

Nadya took her umbrella and I couldn't find Hallie in the mess of kids.

Hallie left her last day of Elementary school with huge crocodile tears.

She was so sad to be leaving such a great school.

It was heart breaking, but I know she will love Jr High!

Carter celebrated his last day at his school with a fun day at Cowabunga Bay.

(Again, it was a bit cold, but their lazy river is well heated so the kids could always warm up.)

Carter was a little too brave for me and ended up going down all the slides!

Nadya came too, but Alex and Hallie did not want to

leave early on their last day of school in order to attend.

I had very mixed emotions about Carter's last day of school.  

He is leaving an amazing place and he is doing so well there.

I hate making decisions like these as a parent!

 It was his last day officially on June 2nd and he'd  been there since he was 18 months.

I have no doubt the amazing influence that school has had on him.

They have helped shape him into the sweet, god loving boy that he is.

We consider ourselves very lucky to have had Carter and Alex attend such a great school.

 A school that has blessed not only our boys, but our entire  family over and over.

It is sad to move on, but I am just not sure we want to continue to pay private tuition

when we have such a great public school option.

Both boys will be in the Magnet program (accelerated class)  at one of Utah's best public schools.

And of course, nothing is set in stone.

We would be welcomed with open arms back to our private school if need be.

And I can't end this entry with out bragging.

Sorry, it's my blog and I'll brag if I want to!

My kids all had AMAZING report cards.... Alex finished the year with all E's and H's.

 (Something he did all three terms!)

Nadya had all A's except one measly math grade! (Way to go!)

And, she scored a 27 on her  DWA (Direct Writing Assessment)

That blows my mind!  30 is the top score and 22 was the state average.

A girl who four years ago couldn't speak or write English just scored a 27!

They assess the kids using the 6 traits of writing and they can earn up to five points for each trait.

She got three 5s and three 4s.

Way to go Miss Mae!

You are an amazing girl!

Hallie had all A's and B's!

Yeah Hallie!!!!! All your hard work paid off!

 And Carter's report card is being mailed along with his SAT scores,

so we will have to wait on those.

But, I fully expect it to be like his last three report cards which were fantastic!

Bring on the Warmer Weather.........

We are Ready for Summer!!!!!!

Gotcha!!!!!!!!!

August 14th marked Nadya's 3rd Gotcha Day!

I still can't believe how quickly these three years have gone.

We wouldn't trade her for anything.

She was truly meant for our family.

The three year gotcha date also meant

our final post placement report.

Yay!

Of course we celebrated!!!!!!

We started the morning off with Gotcha Day presents!

Mostly clothes (since she got a lot of clothes on her original gotcha day),

a bracelet making kit and an umbrella. 

It was a great day!  Aunt Georgia was in town visiting and it 

also happened to be Doug's company work party at Snowbird Ski Resort.

There was bull riding- Or Bull Bucking!

The Alpine Slide

Trampoline Jumping!!!!!

Nadya did a double back after a little encouragement, Alex did a flip, and

Carter jumped high while talking to the attendant! 

 

Rock Climbing!!!!!!!

 

Cheeto eating Squirrels that were not the slightest bit timid!

Tram Rides With Amazing Views!

 

Dark Tunnels

Chair Lifts

The High Rope

(I was so proud of Alex for attempting this.  A year ago, he would have never tried this.  Even if he did get scared, he stayed up and tried the different paths the entire time.  He didn't get too far, but he gets an "A" for effort! )

Nadya was a pro, but Carter was too little.  

(Story of his life!!!!)

We ended the evening at Red Robins, Nadya's choice.

 

Happy 3rd Gotcha Day Nadya Mae!!!!