Swimming Lessons

All of our kids took swimming lessons this year. The first session was taught by a gal in our ward that came to our house to teach all of them during our track break. They did well and Clark and Katelyn are looking forward to joining the swim team next year. When school started again, the younger two took lessons in the afternoon and were taught by their teacher from last year. They improved so much and Carlee actually loves swimming around without holding on to someone.

Knee-dive

Backstroke

Floating like Tinkerbell

Drawing Hearts--Breastroke

Carlee and Miss Janette

Underwater swimming

Breastroke

Elementary Backstroke

Practicing his breathing


Jake and Miss Janette

A Perfect Summer Day

We had the perfect day out on Lake Mead as a family. After packing some lunches and snacks for the day, we hit Jamba Juice for breakfast and had to make a stop at the base for some "work stuff". We didn't get out onto the water until just before noon and were worried that it would be busy with the holiday weekend but we were wrong. There were a few people putting their boats in at the same time but once we got out onto the water, we only saw 2-3 boats the entire afternoon. The water was perfect for swimming and skiing. It was a great way to finish up the weekend and reunite our family after a week apart.

TUBING

We kept getting mixed signals--
Clark wanted more speed, Jake wanted less, and
Kate was just holding on for dear life.


Giving them a ride for their money (Jake bailed before this)

Carlee's first time on the tube and she loved it

Just taking it easy

Now it's time to get more crazy

Dad and the boys

Dad and the girls


SKIING

I tried my hardest to slalom but couldn't make it completely up.
I need a personal trainer that doesn't have to drive the boat!
Hopefully I'll get it this summer so I can move on to wakeboarding.

Always up and at 'em

KNEEBOARDING

The kids love to kneeboard and Clark loves to perfect his tricks

Starting his 360 turn . . .

Halfway there . . .

He made it!

Crossing the wake

Kate's first time on the kneeboard this year.
Last year she was too nervous to try and
this year she couldn't get enough!

Way to go, sweetheart!

Jake tried for the first time this year too
and loved every second of it.
He announced that he would try a 360 next time.

I love that he smiles at everything he does!
Great job, Snake!

Even the parents get a little kneeboard action too.

And Carlee's face says it all!

July 4, 2010

We hit the road on the afternoon of July 4th to head home. Steph was also heading home so we caravaned and talked to each other on our phones the whole way. The people in my car sang lots of Carrie Underwood songs and listened to books on tape without stopping until we reached St. George. After making a two-hour pit stop there and eating a quick dinner of whatever Steph had in her freezer and fridge, the kids and I continued on to Vegas. We hit the city around 9:00 p.m. and fireworks were starting all over the valley. It was so fun to watch them explode above the city as we drove on the freeway. As we drove off our exit, we saw the finale of the casino's fireworks and our car vibrated as they exploded over our heads. We turned into our neighborhood as the last one went off and Dad came running out to see us. (I guess he doesn't like the life of a bachelor after all). When we unloaded the car, our next-door neighbors and good friends invited us over to light some fireworks in their backyard. Then we lit some sparklers at home and listened to the banging and popping outside over the next couple of hours before turning in. It was a sweet week with a lot of fun and some good memories.

Happy Independence Day, America!

A Sweet Week

The kids were on track break and Joe was on call for the week and had to study for his oral board exams so I decided to leave him a bachelor in his own empty house and take off for Utah. We arrived on Monday evening, June 28th, and enjoyed pizza, water games in the backyard, a campfire, and eating S'mores.

Tuesday, June 29th, we headed up to Salt Lake for a tour of the Sweet's Candy Factory. It was a lot of fun and the kids loved it. We got to see how they made salt-water taffy, jelly beans, an old fave of mine--orange and raspberry sticks, and my newest love--chocolate-covered cinnamon bears. We all donned blue hairnets while touring the facility and enjoyed samples of all kinds of candy while watching demonstrations of how each item is made and packaged. When the tour was done, we hit the gift shop for Buy 1, Get 1 Free taffy boxes, Buy 1, Get 1 Free boxes of chocolate almonds, and pounds of chocolate cinnamon bears to bring home at a great price. It was definitely a Sweet day!

My four little candy-makers

The next few days were spent shopping at my favorite Utah stores, running errands, relaxing, talking until the wee hours of the morning, watching movies and seeing Toy Story 3, holding a brand new little nephew, and letting kids run wild outside catching bugs, riding bikes, playing games, and just being kids with dirty faces, feet, and hands.

On Friday evening, July 2nd, we had a yummy picnic of Subway sandwiches, chips, watermelon, and cookies and then hiked up Battle Creek Canyon to a fun waterfall. The kids loved posing for pictures on every rock and near every tree so it took quite a while for all of us to get to the top but it was great. A cool breeze was blowing and the kids did a lot of screaming since that breeze kicked up some spray while they were checking out the waterfall. It was a great way to cool off after a hike up the mountain!

The hiking cousins: Jax, Ty, Sierra, Kate, Madi, Carlee, Brooke, Clark, Jake

Hiding in the cave


Carlee enjoying cuddles from Grandma

Down the mountain with Grandpa

Saturday, July 3rd, was the day I was most excited for. We had scored some military discounts to Stadium of Fire at Lavell Edwards Stadium at BYU and the special guest was Carrie Underwood, who is one of my favorites. I was so excited to see the show and she is such a classy gal. It has been years since I've been to the Stadium of Fire and I couldn't wait to experience it with my own children. Plus, we had been practicing all of Carrie's songs on the drive up!

The program was really special to me this year because they had all of the individual military services march onto the field one at a time to their respective theme song while the audience members who currently serve or have served in that branch stood up for recognition. There were tears in my eyes as the Air Force was announced and I was proud of my husband and all of our dear military friends that have been to the war and are currently serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. My sister shared the same emotions as her husband left one week earlier to serve for the National Guard in Iraq for 12 months. I can't explain the emotions of patriotism, pride and gratitude that I have now as an American citizen since my husband got that opportunity to serve our country during a war just barely over a year ago. And I am so proud of our great friends that we have met and know through the military that have had that same opportunity and take it without shame or negligence. Thank you, dear friends and family, that serve our country both at home and abroad.

One of my favorite moments was listening to Carrie Underwood sing the national anthem and during her ending note, four F-16 fighter jets flew over the stadium. It was awesome and even better was the pilot's face suddenly showing up on the screen proclaiming his pride and gratitude for our country and his fellow service members while he continued flying the jet! It was amazing.


Lou Diamond Phillips was our Master of Ceremonies and did a fabulous job at the patriotic readings and introductions of all of the performers: the Five Browns, children in a family that all play the piano and performed a Star Wars medley, Jenny Oaks Baker, an amazing violinist, the Osmonds-Second Generation, a family of singers, and of course, Carrie Underwood. There was also a great tribute to the Boy Scouts of America and about 200 Eagle Scouts were honored during a special ceremony. Eagle Scouts in the audience were also honored and recognized for their hard work and dedication to the scouting program.

Lou Diamond Phillips

The Five Browns

Jenny Oaks Baker and the Eagle Scouts ceremony

Carrie Underwood

After Carrie Underwood's performance, the stadium lit up with fireworks and my kids were in awe at the sight. They were all wide awake and had been singing and dancing to all of the music and I loved watching their faces light up under the glow of the fireworks. It was a wonderful night and I'm so glad that we made the drive to see the show. The kids were even wonderful walking all the way back to the car. They didn't complain or ask to be carried once, even though they were completely exhausted and fell asleep about 5 minutes into the car ride. What sweet children!