July

A much anticipated event- the big boys got to go to day camp at Camp Keisel! They had so much fun! They both loved the trading post, the BB gun and archery stuff, rowing canoes, and so much other outdoor boy fun! They came home hot and exhausted but so happy!

And then our yearly BYU friends camping trip happened! And much like usual, I only took a few pictures! There is just so much going on with this group. 13 kids in this group and they all get along so well. Also, hanging out with these people is just so pleasant and happy! We stayed at Jolley's Ranch in Hobble Creek Canyon, which is just 15 minutes from Virgin's house. We hung out at the campsite all evening and into the night- cooked s'mores and all that. The kids got super dirty and had energy coming out their ears!

At 10:30 after s'mores and everything, the Bennetts left for the night (they weren't feeling up to camping) and Ash and I took the tiny girls back to her house to sleep. It was kind of awesome. Lila fell asleep immediately when we got there, so Ash and I stayed up until 2:00 chatting about all the deep life stuff and it was the best. When we got back to camp in the morning, we found out that Ben and Russell had done the same thing! So all the parents were exhausted, but I think it was worth it!

We spent a little more time playing around the campsite in the morning before taking off around noon. I took a bunch of pictures of Chase and Kynlee playing in the river together, slightly in hopes it might go in their wedding video someday.

This is just Lila being adorable reading her books. She's starting to love paging through books on her own, which always looks adorable.

We spent a day at Pineview with the Josephs! The kids had so much fun, and true to my usual form I hardly took any pictures to document the fun. At one point all six boys were on one paddleboard! This is Megan and me out on the paddle boards. The day was super warm, but the water felt amazing and it was so fun to see the kids have the time of their lives at the beach. Davis had been begging to go to the beach for a few months, so this was a dream come true for him. He really was one with the sand.

She's watched her big brothers play- she knows what to do. She also frequently tries to join them during their practice sessions, which is sometimes cute to them and sometimes just frustrating.

 I took the boys on their own back to school shopping date and then lunch afterwards- this was Hudson's date at Zupas. I didn't even get a picture during Chase's, but it was so fun to have time with each boy!

Chase and Lila doing "up-shoulders" as Davis calls it.

We've spent so much time at the pool this summer! 

I let Chase stay up late to watch Olympic Gymnastics with me- he loved it mostly because he loves a good excuse to stay up late.  We spent a lot of time in August watching Olympics and we loved every minute of it.

I took my kids to the Natural History Museum. It was a brave endeavor, and Lila was kind of a nightmare. But the boys all loved it! They had a cool exhibit on mummies, which was a highlight for Chase. And Davis is super into dinosaurs and loved seeing the dinosaur bones (we walked through them twice!). 

We usually swim 4-5 days a week, and we usually bring friends along too, which makes it more fun. On this particular morning my kids were just being way too cute in the water, and although pictures never quite capture their cuteness I tried anyway.

While I was watching Olympic gymnastics the Bacciocco kids were over and they all were trying to do gymnastics (although Nora was the only kid who could really do them). They all sure tried! Even Lila would bend her hands to the ground, stick a foot in the air, and then stand up and clap for herself!

4th of July

 The 4th of July fell on a Sunday this year, which means that we celebrated on Saturday AND Sunday AND Monday (the official work holiday). It made it so fun! We got to spread the celebrating out over several days and do all the stuff and see fireworks three separate times!

On  we did a big swim party at my parents house with the whole Newbold family- these pictures of Lila and Rosie are so cute! 

The theme for dinner was "Men who grill" and Will, Ben and my dad all brought their grills (we had all three going) and grilled different specialties for dinner. Ben got really creative and made two different types of sliders. Everything was super delicious and the company was lovely. Then everyone left but me and the boys (Ben took Lila home to bed) and we watched fireworks from my parents balcony- which is my favorite thing ever.

Layton City had their celebrations on Monday, so we ventured over to the Layton parade and crashed Hickman's party there. Let me tell you- it was HOT. So hot. The kids got tons of candy and loved it, but man it was HOT. Afterwards I drove the boys straight to my parents house so they could take a quick dip in the pool because everyone was so hot and sweaty.

On the 5th we did our traditional red, white and blue breakfast. Ben made biscuits topped with berries and cream and it was delicious!

This was on the 4th, which was Sunday. Ben and our 14 year old neighbor George matched at church! They both humored me with a picture on the walk home.

Lila had so many cute, festive dress up options! I kept passing that section in Target and thinking about buying her a special 4th of July outfit, but I'm glad I didn't. Turns out her wardrobe at home was perfect already. So we started on July 1st and she got to wear them all before the 5th was over! 

Before church on the 4th of July. I maybe could have found some red ties for the big kids to wear, but they didn't care. They went with Ben to set up chairs at church, so I snapped some pictures of my two tinies and while they didn't exactly cooperate, I love their candid shots!

We are so thankful to have my parents beautiful pool which makes life a party! These kids are all fearless in the water and we love watching them have so much fun!

This little outfit was a gift last year- it was size 6-9 month which she could have feasibly fit into last 4th if she wasn't such a tiny, slow growing baby! But it actually still fit this year and was just perfect!

We watched fireworks three nights in a row! On the 3rd we watched from my parents balcony, which is our favorite spot. Right after I put the boys to bed on the 4th a lot of people in our neighborhood were setting them off, so I grabbed the boys out of bed and we all went out and watched. Davis LOVES fireworks and was a wild little man running up and down the sidewalk and pointing out every one of them! On the 5th we did the same thing, we could see the Layton City fireworks from our next door neighbors driveway, so we set up chairs and enjoyed the show from there! In all of these firework shows, Hudson lasted for maybe 10 minutes and then we sent him to bed to the relief of everyone, including him. Lila slept through all of them without a peep (thankfully!) and Chase and Davis were excited to the very end! 

The Rest of June

We spent so much of June playing outside. Davis and Lila love playing in the front yard, a lot of times with a gaggle of other little kids. I am thankful every single day for our beautiful neighbors!

Hudson, being the sweetest brother ever, practicing the piano with Lila on his lap. He has done this before and I always think it's darling, even though it isn't the best way to practice.

Davis is officially "deep end certified" (a term Hudson coined years ago). He can jump off the board and swim to the side. He's been amazing! He doesn't panic at all- so he'll be swimming across the pool, lift his head up to get a breath and sweetly declare "Almost there!" and then put his head in again to swim! We are so proud of him!

Sweet cousins, enjoying swim night! 

Chase and I started running together last spring. We just go once a week (my knees can't handle more than that). He's done amazing! We are up to 2.2 miles, no stopping, and even though it feels super hard to him, he keeps going! He told me the cool down is his favorite part because he feels so accomplished. I love this time with this cool kid.

I turned 33! It was during one of the weeks I taught swim lessons. I had Anna and Nora in classes that week, so Kate came early and they decorated the yard for me! It was a fun surprise! Ben and I went out to dinner and did a little shopping that night, which was also wonderful.

I was super excited to be done teaching swim lessons! The two weeks went really well, but it was so nice to have it behind me. I put all my boys in classes the first session and I loved having them, they all enjoyed it too.

Classic Huds

I think this was the last time we went to a park- this is like the first week of June. It got HOT so early this year, it's too hot for parks! It's been high 90s or 100s every day for weeks and we are all getting a little tired of it!

 

The Beginning of our Summer

Summer is off to a really great start! It has been packed full lately, and we are less than two weeks in! We've created so many fun memories with the kids and spent a lot of time outside, so I'll call it all a win!

One morning I took the crew up to Silver Lake. This place is one of my very favorite spots in Utah! The drive up the canyon itself is just so gorgeous, it leaves me in awe every time. And once we got out the car, Chase even kept remarking on how amazing it is to be up in the mountains and how beautiful the scenery is! We met the Bennetts up there and the kids had a really great time together. Chase, Ryder and Hudson kept track of the little guys as they ran ahead and climbed on all the rocks, while Alyse and I very slowly walked around the lake with very independent one year olds.

Every time we visit here I promise myself we will be back SOON! 

Lila had her 15 month well check and she's perfect! She was 21 pounds and 30 inches, which puts her right around the 40th percentile in both. She did NOT like the doctor assessing her at all! Even though he did the whole exam with her in my lap, she was super unimpressed with his stethoscope, or flashlight, or touching her in any way. She's very friendly to people from a distance, but she is very selective on who can touch or hold her and when. She's definitely a mama's girl! 

Hudson's baseball team won the 2nd grade championship! It was so exciting! They were a talented little team, and although Hudson didn't add many points to the scoreboard, he loved being part of it! He cheered for his teammates, had so much fun in the dugout, and had a lot of courage to keep getting up to bat even after so many strike outs. He was thrilled with his trophy! Right after they won, one of the coaches came and got all the parents and families to come out onto the field to make a tunnel for them to run through. It was so fun to celebrate with them! 

 I'm sure Chase was a little jealous that Hudson's team got to the championship game and won! His team got out in the first round of the playoffs. However, instead of showing any jealousy, he went to the other extreme of being SO excited and enthusiastic for Hudson that it was almost a little annoying. I was proud of him though, and Hudson really soaked up the attention. And I love that Hudson couldn't even put his donut down for me to take a picture of him and Richie with their trophies!

Memorial Day and the End of School

Memorial Day my parents opened the pool! Davis has been asking to swim since about February and he was ALL OVER IT! Lila surprised us by mostly really liking the pool and she lasted for a long time (although she didn't love her life jacket).

I wanted to do something fun as a family on Memorial Day morning, and this is what Ben came up with! Family bike ride on the legacy trail. It was seriously so fun! Ben and I don't have bikes, but Chase wanted to roller blade anyway so Ben rode his bike. And then I just pushed Lila in the stroller. It was beautiful and lovely and a great way to spend the morning!

It got so hot that the last week of school the kids were in the pool or the sprinklers every day! This is the best part of childhood.

And then the boys finished up their school year! What a year! Definitely not a typical year and one we won't soon forget! From starting on hybrid schedule, to four days a week, lots of remote learning, masks every day (until the last week!)- these boys had a positive attitude through it all! Yes, they would have loved to go 5 days a week with no masks all year, but they didn't complain. They really made the best of it and have a new appreciation for school.

They had such great teachers this year. Hudson had Mrs. Evans (who Chase also had in 2nd grade) and we love her so much. I might have colluded with Richie and Hyrum's moms to all request her so the boys could get another year together and it was so great. I love that he has these sweet friends. He also made so many new friends and tells me all the time about the girls who chase him at recess (Becca, Megan, Lyla) and he's well aware that they chase him because they all have crushes on him. His reading really took off this year- he started reading short chapter books and ended the year being able to cruise through much harder, longer books. He did so well in math, too. And I always loved seeing his writing. He's really gotten into art this year as well, always drawing different characters or ideas. I love his creative little mind.

Chase had Mrs. Blankinship, who was really nice and really pushed him (a first for him). I didn't request a teacher for him, but he managed to get in the same class as all his best friends anyway, which made the year really fun. Chase struggled a lot with perfectionism this year and being really hard on himself, something we are working on. He was one of only 10 kids in his grade to finish the "read across Utah" challenge, 29 books of varying genres. He finished it by March. So he got a book of his choice and to attend a special waffle breakfast. This kid just devours books, and truly enjoyed the challenge. They also did a lot of science this year, which he really loved. He disliked his music prep class, and tried to form a class boycott against it. It didn't work, their teacher made him go anyway, but she was proud of them for using their vocab words (boycott!). Otherwise I think he really loved 4th grade. In fact, he told me once school was out that "I'm so excited for summer, but I'm sad that 4th grade is over."