Beginning of Summer Randomness

In my attempt to keep going on this blog for my posterity and for the sake of knowing every picture I have ever taken is not just sitting somewhere on a hard drive or cell phone, I have become discouraged because getting my pics from my phone onto this blog is getting harder and harder and so I give up over and over every time I try to add new ones.  But today I decided it doesn't matter if they are all here, just a few important ones that I can remember when I look back at my books.  Memories are very important to me, even if I am the only one who cares enough to read them.  Life is short sometimes and we don't realize it until it is taken out from under us.  For that reason I will carry on, and it will not be perfect or contain all I want it to...but alas it is still here.

May brought with it the beginning of summer break for the kids, and our crazy crazy summer.  Each of the boys had a separate week of Camps as well as Stake Girls Camp that I was in charge of.  When you add Youth Conference to that mix, we ended up being apart 5 out of 6 weeks this summer and very little time to spend with just us.  It was a great growing experience for all of us, but just flew by so fast!

 Cam made this turtle for me at school for Mother's day.  My days of receiving these awesome handmade gifts is coming to a close and I sure look back on all of them with so much gratitude for wonderful educators that make time for this in their busy days.

 We went to the Knoll's with the Weston's and had a wonderful time.  Our children love each other like siblings and we love to spend time exploring the world with them.

 Dakota needed a haircut and his awesome, needing a haircut himself, brother came to his rescue. 

 Carrera and I share a birthday so we get to celebrate together every year.  I sure love that girl.

 Dakota had an appointment in Salt Lake so we spent the day down there.  He was playing in the fountains here.

We also snuck away and went to Jericho (the sand dunes) with Jake, Dallas, Lori and families.  Brax had a tragic tipping of the Rhino that thankfully only ended in a few scratches.  Just more time to explore the earth and spend time together as a family.

 Just a beautiful picture of the flowers outside of our rental house.  We have now owned it for 5 years and it has been such a great experience and such a blessing to work together on.  We have learned so much from fixing things up and working together on projects I feel very blessed to have bought my Grandma's house and for other people to make it their home.

 Dakota had a great season of baseball.  He loves to pitch and just play the game.  He is such an easy child and brings us so much joy.

 Water balloon with cousins day.

 Youth conference at Temple Square

 Shane got the privilege of going on all 3 boys camps this year as well as spending the entire week with me at girls camp.  He was a lifesaver for me at camp doing everything I asked him to.  He also had a ton of fun with each boy.  Cam went to antelope island Horseback riding, Dakota went to Lake Alice, WY and Braxton hiked the Grand Canyon.  All were very diverse experiences where each boy grew and stretched himself.

 This is our new family Sunday activity.  It is a board game called Cashflow where we learn all about money.  Shane got it for the boys last Christmas.