Youth Conference

Blake and Andrew are at youth conference with 800 other LDS youth celebrating, learning, and having a blast.  This is not only Andrew's first youth conference but also his first youth dance.  I bet it's a site to see..I'd sure like to be a fly on the wall!  And although there are days I want to pull their hair out I sure love being their mom. I hope they are not only having tons of fun but I hope they are ceasing the moment and gaining the spiritual strength to get them through any rough days that might be ahead.

June Updates! (warning-Long post!)

The past few weeks of June have gone so fast. Seriously, I don't know how it became June 18-I loaded tons of pictures and had so many more but ran out of energy and am eager to get this done.
With Blake doing two summer sport trainings(-football and wrestling) for high school and Andrew doing one (wrestling) we are in the car a lot as well as many more fun things. Needless to say this is my last summer of driving the boys 30 minutes one way to a practice and will be ever so happy when Blake can drive this fall to take some of the burden of driving them around...so I am trying to embrace it and really enjoy the extra few minutes we have driving together as I hold my nose to the stink of sweat!!

Wrestling camp was awesome this year. They were able to be trained by an amazing coach, Wade Schalles. While the boys wrestled their hearts out the girls had their Hale cousins little girls up for Aunt Gretchen camp. We had so much fun swimming, crafting and sleeping in.
Next my brother, Uncle A. invited my boys up with his scout group on an amazing scout camp. They will go their regular camp soon but Adrian always plans these really neat high adventure scout camps.
They canoed all week 50 miles.  They came home today with another nice odor and many many stories and memories. I can't thank my brother enough for putting up with them and teaching them all his amazing skills. I feel so grateful.
While the boys were at scout camp with Uncle A. The girls went to Aunt Cynthia camp. They are still talking about it.  They not only did crafts but got to go out to eat and to the movies...lucky girls.
My niece, Lucy,  my mom and I took on the task of cleaning out her garage while we had some time without the kids. It was hard work and very hot but it felt so good to be finished. We also visited my sweet Granny and tried to start working on buying my Dad's tombstone. I came home for part of the week had a photo shoot and went out with my hub. We actually went on three dates in one week! WHOA.

If you haven't clicked off by now. I tried to load some pictures of all the fun but they wouldn't load in order and I lost my patience trying to get them just right so here they are!

Taking a break from paddling

Blake and Harrison
My crazy brotherWilliam and AlexanderAndrew and Bryce
Blake and HarrisonDate night with the honeyleaving for the tripAunt Gretchen CampVisit with Granny and cousins Michael and Lane

oops..andrew downuncle A. Giving instruction. I love this picture!

Aunt Cynthia camp

Wrestling camp

Wrestling coach and amazing leader Wade Schalles.

having fun on the playgroundmore Aunt Gretchen campMax's first sleep overAndrew and williamgoing for a swim

Also I took my first praxis 2 last Saturday. It takes 3 weeks to get the score. If I fail at least now I know more how to study. I have to take a total of 4 this summer and fall. I am scheduled for two more July 24. It's so nice to not be in school right now but I'll be so happy to pass the all the test!

Whew this post took forever! That's why it's better to do it a little at a time...hard to catch up!

2nd grade picture

Can't believe my youngest child is going into the third grade!  This is her 2nd grade photo. I never buy school pictures cause I can take them myself but I loved this one so I bought the copyright.
My little sweet girl lookin like her nana!  She is such a easy child to parent now that she's older but she was by far the hardest toddler I ever encountered!  She loves to play alone-entertain herself. She loves board games and riding her bike. She loves swimming, running, climbing, playing with stuffed animals and anything artsy! She loves to sleep late and hang out with her family. She has the biggest imagination more than any of my other children. She is such a little sunshine!