July

Super hero dress up day at Kidz Kamp! I was laughing so hard. These kids and their creativity. Collin even convinced Rusty to call him Super Pigeon.

Even Olive gets to go this year which is AWESOME!!!

So proud of Tanner passing off his ISR lessons!

That's right dude. Live. it. up.

He just kills me!

We love Kim!

Our traditional family day at Sunsplash, but this time we brought everyone! It went pretty well, surprisingly. We were split up most of the time between the big kids and little kids, but everyone had a good time. The Iceberg shakes are my reward at the end!

Still sippin' my celery juice every morning, folks!

It is not often we take the family out to dinner, but a patient gave Travis a large, Red Robin, gift card so we treated everyone. I died laughing when Collin, in complete seriousness and some confusion, asked why Elder Eyring's picture was on the wall. Side note: we used almost the entire gift card on one family dinner and there is another reason we do not do this often!

Birf-day birf-day lunch with the sisters and mom! Love me a benedict at Henhouse. Mmmm- MMM! Got lots of fun presents too. 

There is an app circulating that will age your pictures and it's quite terrifying. I don't even know why I'm posting this to remember forever except that it surprised me how much I looked like Grandmother. At least to me. 

Took the kids to KTR in Mesa and Tanner was a PILLLLL. He got very bored with the kiddie area and wanted to run around where he wasn't allowed. I finally left and took him next door to Water n Ice to get ice cream, then strapped him in his car seat to watch TV. Sounds ridiculous, but just goes to show how desperate you can get with a screaming toddler. His smiles are very deceiving! 

He's in the habit of not letting us leave him when it's time for bed. We have to lay down next to his crib and hold his hand until he falls asleep. It was endearing the first couple times, now I just miss circulation in my arm.

Sleepovers!! 

We used to get out all the camping pads and sheets, but now they just beg to sleep on the floor. Whatever! It's your back! 

Tonsillectomy time. The week before school starts. He got it done at the Phoenix Children's satellite center by Banner Gateway. His doctor was a cowboy named Davy Crockett. But seriously, his name was David Crockett, haha. He was very very nice and I felt comfortable having him take care of Collin. 

The BEFORE:

He looked so cute in the hospital jammies!

I guess 10 years old isn't too old for a Cozy Coup.

Travis was able to get off work in time to meet us down there in the waiting area. He was the last patient they had around 2pm. He fasted all morning and was in good spirits. When they took us back to the recovery area after it was over, he seemed to be doing ok. He didn't wake up angry or emotional or anything. I drove him home in my car while Travis went to the pharmacy to get his prescriptions. Right as I was pulling into our house though, he lost it. I mean, full blown, crying, legit panic attack. I quickly parked and ran around to his side of the car to hold him and talk him down. I was able to help him get control of himself after not too long. From there it was a very, very VERY long week. He did not handle recovery well. He flat out refused to eat. I had stocked the house with jello, pudding, popsicles, juice, ice cream, you name it. He wouldn't touch it. Everything hurt, he said. We were sympathetic at first, but the constant crying, whining, neediness, wore us down. He was on constant medication, so we were waking him up in the night, every three hours to take more pills. It was like having a newborn again. It was a BIG fight when we finally got him to swallow some Malt-o-meal or take a few spoonfuls of soup. But, what do you know, he felt a little better after getting some food in him! School started the next Thursday, but he only went to the first hour of the first day and the first couple of hours of the second day. Pain and Collin do not mix.

Always with the swagger :)

Sunday dinner birthday celebration with Claim Jumper's Motherload cake!!

Catching him lounging like this just cracks me up!

Doing back to school father's blessings, Tanner was so very solemn getting his. I took a "pretend" picture when it was over, but wish I could capture how reverent and still he was during it. Like he sensed how special this was.

I bought another cutting board to add to Megan's gift... love adding it to my kitchen!

Meet the teacher night!

Collin

5th grade

Mrs. Sherwood

Ahhhh! I have a child in the grade I used to teach!

Olive

1st Grade

Mrs. Pinti

Weston

3rd Grade

Mr. Hanson

Our first child to get a male teacher!

Last play date of summer. Living their best lives in the kiddie pool. ;)

Had to include this beauty!

Candy Mountain Cabin

Sunday morning, we all packed up and headed our separate ways. I took the three oldest kids and drove to Utah to spend a couple of days at the Marchant's cabin in Sevier. Travis headed home with Tanner since Shelley was kind enough to watch him for the three days I'd be gone while Travis was at work. He's at such a hard age and there is a river right outside the cabin that I knew would be dangerous. I'd have to follow him around and keep a constant eye on him. So grateful for Shelley!!!

It was a 6 hour drive that I was not looking forward to. And admittedly, I'm a bit of a race car driver on highways during long road trips. Which got me into a pickle when I was pulled over just a couple hours from Sevier. Dag-nab-it!! And on my BIRTHDAY. But I wasn't going to say so. Luckily, he had barely approached the window when Olive desperately shouted out, "BUT IT'S HER BIRTHDAY!!!" Embarrassing.

He probably thought I put her up to it. I remember the first time I was ever pulled over was in Buffalo and I was a nervous wreck, all jittery and shaking. Those days are long gone. Now, I just get annoyed. I tried to be polite, but it was definitely forced. I deserved the ticket. Just give it to me, cut the chit chat and let me get on with it! He actually asked me, "So why were you speeding?" 

I paused, thinking of a sarcastic remark.

Was he looking for something other than, "To flippin' get there faster?"

No, I wasn't in labor. No medical emergencies. Didn't have to poop.

I sighed and placidly said, "No reason." 

I'll give the guy some credit. He was being very nice. Not a jerky cop at all. But while he's making small talk I'm subconsciously aware of all the slow pokes driving by that I took so much effort in passing! Just desserts, I guess.

He went back to his car and knitted a scarf or something for how long it took to return. But he handed me my papers and said, "So it really IS your birthday." And he let me off with a warning. Bless you, you kind, long winded police man. 

Rachel and Crescent were already there when we pulled up and Megan was just an hour or so later. It was such a happy reunion! Getting a tour of the mansion *ahem* cabin was incredible. They just built it and it's truly amazing. Three levels, something like 14 bedrooms and even more bathrooms. And all decorated beautifully. Crescent outdid herself! I couldn't believe my eyes.

We collaborated on meals for the duration and that night was taco salad. Afterward, us moms were visiting on the porch when Rachel burst through the doors and grabbed me saying to come quick, Weston was hurt and bleeding badly. She looked so panicked and with Weston being my accident prone child, my adrenaline went through the roof. Every horrible scenario raced through my mind as I hopped up to run to him. I believed her 100%. Just as I run into the house, all the kids popped up from behind the kitchen island and shouted Happy Birthday and started singing to me. I couldn't even process it. I wanted to collapse on the floor from relief and start bawling. Seeing the kids' happy faces I had to check my emotions and put on a smile, but oh my gosh, I was shaking so badly and could barely walk over to the cake. It was like I had been shoved from a traumatic situation into the happiest of ones and my body couldn't handle it. So, so sweet of Rach to bring a yummy Nothing Bundt cake for me though and orchestrate the surprise. After the tremors stopped, I felt very loved, haha. Megan brought an elaborate gift even more elaborately wrapped. A beautiful, round cutting board her dad had made, with a knife set and pretty charcuterie book to go with it. And Rach got me a cute necklace that I love! I have the sweetest friends.

The kids spent lots of time in the river, then one day we did a mini hike up to an abandoned mining shaft and another day we drove 20 min. up the road to play at a lake. The kids all played really well together. Us girls stayed up late every night indulging in the good chocolate and dishing on our lives. I believe that's called therapy. And it's my favorite kind.We were sad, Tiffany couldn't make it.

We laughed at their very similar pajamas!

All different license plates!

The little town had a party for Pioneer Day that we went to. Some dancing and fireworks to round out the evening!

It seemed to be over as soon as it started!

We cleaned up and left Wednesday morning, knowing we'd need 9 hours of daylight before we got home. Oy. Driving... yeah, not my favorite. Thank the heavens we didn't have Tanner! Olive kept complaining that her stomach hurt so I'd review with her the symptoms of car sickness and remind her to look out the windshield. This happened many times over the course of several hours. Then she started really complaining and I gave her a barf bag. Then she barfed. And zero of it got in the bag. Like, really. None of it. That was right before Flagstaff. So we pulled over and used a container of baby wipes trying to clean her up. I'm grateful for audio books, Brene Brown and people who know to stay in the right lane unless you're passing. 

And this view...