summer- the mother load

so, it turns out summer is just about over and this one has been particularly eventful. i want to document best i can seeing as how life is passing me by and my feelings of nostalgia are growing at an alarming rate. i need everything to stop. slow down.

let's go back to june, after all that's when summer began. and in order for summer to start, school needed to end...

asher performed in his class play to finish off his first grade year. He played Poseidon in "Odysseus and the Cyclops". i've always thought asher had a knack for acting:)




The weekend before school let out, i enjoyed a fabulous ladies trip down to St. George with my four cousins. we even spent a day in vegas to celebrate jasmine's birthday. shopping and the O show. It was grand.

i
love
these
girls


awww, first grade. i don't know what to make of it. school really was great, i just believe first grade may have brought out a different side of asher. he's a bit more wild, a bit more whiney, and bit more distracted. i'm hoping its just a phase, but i'm more worried that perhaps the first part of his life was just a phase, and the sweet, smart, mellow kid i once knew is gone forever. i know i'm being overly dramatic, but still. that being said, he loved his teacher and so did i. he was an excellent student, science was his fave, and he loved all of the great friends he made. its just....he's becoming a real boy.


swimming lessons were first on the docket this summer. we did our traditional two weeks with the nelsons. a perfect way to start off summer.


Next, we were lucky enough to have the withers come to town. we met up at the alpine slide for some rides and dinner. wahoo!


we even got to have rylee, sophie, and chuck spend a day hangin at our house. such fun.


one special occasion that took place this summer was the Carver family sealing. it was so magical to watch those beautiful children dressed in white. i am so proud of jasmine and justin.


mr. mac turned 4. that's right 4, and i don't believe it. sometimes it seems likes he's been around for twice that long. he is emotional and crazy and sweet and violent all at once and is one of the most lovable creatures on the planet. Because kevin was going to be out of town on his actual big day, he got double the celebration. a day with dad included a matinee viewing of toy story 3 followed by an evening at jump on it and dinner at noodles and co. my kids were in heaven.


the next day, we had his "real" party and went to the zoo, and mimi and pa's for pizza and cake and ice cream.

malcom's birthdays are the best (ask asher).


no sooner had we cleaned up the birthday wrapping, than we began packing up the car. that's right folks, over 2 weeks of fun at our favorite place-- the CABIN!

kevin's birthday was only days after we got home. chocolate cake and a fireworks display in the backyard. what more could a 32 year old man want? (besides the toucan icey/hot gel pack my boys picked out for him at old navy of all places. it was .99 so i agreed it would make an ideal gift for dad)


huntington beach 2010. since kevin had mostly been absent this summer, we planned a family vaca to California. we spent our 9 year anniversary at none other than the greatest place on earth, disneyand. surprisingly enough, we enjoyed the smallest crowd and the lowest temperatures of either of our previous trips. the boys top pick was seaworld of course. we even sat in the soak zone but much to asher's dismay, did not get wet. we spent hours playing at the beach and ate at some fun local joints. i love vacationing. here's what i've learned in my old age: despite how many times i wanted to slug my husband or strangle my children throughout the duration of our stay, i look back on this trip with only the fondest of memories. that's what these outings are all about.

august 3 2010 kinsey got married. my little sister is a wedded woman. she looked smashing and the events were lovely. here's to a long life of happiness! cache is a gem.







what better to follow a weddin than a baptism. asher and i got to see cute rubee get baptized on the 7th. hard to believe asher's baptism is just around the corner-- how are these kids getting so old??


a backyard campout is as far as we dare to go. maybe next year


asher and madden were part of the copperview children's choir this summer. they put on a great performance. here they are, the tone rangers, i like to call them.


what would summer be without a trip to lagoon? i might have said that last year, which shows how much i really mean it. kevin thinks i'm a carni. i can't help it, i love amusement parks... and i'm thrilled to see asher is following in my footsteps.


something my kids have loved doing this summer is riding our bikes to the lake to feed the ducks. we've done it quite a bit and it makes me feel like a good mom because we're being active and doing something interactive. and don't forget nature.






a gathering with my girls was an event fit for such a glorious summer. hard to believe i've been rolling with these ladies for nearly 2 decades. they are the best of company and plus hilarious.



so in case i was wondering, life is pretty good. except that school starts tomorrow. waaaaahhh! christmas will be here before i know it.

PS its really august 23