Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Summer Days Slippin' Away

 Every year we do a "back to school" photoshoot.  The kids hate it.  I love it.
This year on the day I had planned to it, the sun was shining, the bird were chirping, and the night was calling.  So, I packed a blanket, a picnic, and a camera, and off we went.
It was a good call.
This year Brooklyn  is in a 2nd/3rd Grade Combo class.  It's been a little bit of a rough start, but she is hanging in there and I'm proud of her.
Aubrey is in 1st Grade and just happy to be on the big kid playground.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

50 Days of Summer

On Wednesday, much to our dismay, our summer came to a screeching halt.
I can't deny that I may have ugly cried on my way home from dropping them off. 
 I blame it on genetics.  
(And the fact that we had the best summer of our lives.) 
True to form, on the first day of summer we busted out our 
"50 Fun Things to Do This Summer" List and one at a time we crossed those suckers off, and we did every. single. one. 
We basically punched this summer in it's face.
Next year, summer,
you better bring it.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Monday, August 4, 2014

Our WHALE of a tale

Tips for going whale watching from a semi-professional whale watcher:
#1: Do not show up a measly 10 minutes early for your whale watching trip or you will have to explain to your children why the boat is floating away without you while they wail (...or "whale"!) in front of a large crowd of happy whale-watchers-to-be.
#2: Do wait around for 3.5 hours hoping and praying that you'll get on the next boat from the stand-by line.  Elbow old men out of the way if you must.
 
#3: Once aboard, stick with Brooklyn.  That girl was spouting (pun intended) off dolphin facts right and left.  She literally became the boat's tour guide and rattled off so many names and species that the people around us started asking her questions about them.  And she actually knew the answers.
#4: Take a million pictures, because 99% of them will be of nothing but ocean water, but one will be of a dolphin flirting with your child.  (Look at that eye contact and that little smirk!)
#5: Try not to have a panic attack when you view your first real-life whale (they are MASSIVE!!!!) and realize that that thing could flip your entire boat over and eat you in one swallow and still be hungry for dessert.
#6: Have the most amazing time of your life.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Giddy On Up!

Howdy Partners!!
This week we mosied-on down yonder to the local corral for some ridin', wrangling, and roping.  
(Translation: I have the greatest friends.  Their parents own horses.  They let us ride them.)
The first little lassie to saddle on up was Miss Brooklyn.  She took the reigns and mounted the horse like she was born to ride, y'all.
Her very first rodeo.
The second she got off, she wanted back on.
 The next lass to cowboy up was Miss Aubrey.  She is pure spunk and gumption, that one.  She gussied on up and had that horse eating out of the palm of her hand.  Literally.
Of course, the little Buckaroo was not to be left in the dust. 
 (Acutally, that wasn't even possible because he was already covered in all the dust.)  
Much to my surprise, he sauntered right on over, hopped right on board and went about 4 steps before declaring that he was "All Done." 

 Yee Haw, indeed.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Oh, Utah.


Thursday, July 10, 2014

Oh, Idaho.


Thursday, June 19, 2014

Father-Son vs. Mother-Daughter

Here's what happened at the Mother-Daughter Luau:
-We arrived in festive grass skirts and leis for a night of swimming, gourmet food, a Hawaiian photo-booth, fire-side chatting, hoola-hooping, and hoola dancing.
 
It was a magical night.
 

Here's what happened at the Father-Son Camp-Out:
-Luke forgot to bring Cameon's jacket so Cameron bummed around in his footie pajamas all night.
-Cameron refused to try a single bite of his foil dinner so he had s'mores and "a few handfuls of the bishop's Doritos" for his meal.
- Cameron was having a "Fix-It-Felix" Phase and demanded to wear his Felix get-up (even while sleeping.)
It was a magical night.