SuMMeR SWiMMiNG

What do ya do when it is 113 degrees everyday? SWiM, SwiM, and more SWiMMiNG! The kids take swimming lessons 4 days a week and this year Daniel was on the swim team!

After two weeks of crying everyday, Samuel finally warmed up to the idea that going under water was really a lot of fun! AND he smiles every time he does. Swimming is also a lot more fun with your friends. Maia, Elizabeth, Cohen, Quad, Chrissy, and Samuel took lessons together for the entire 8 weeks of summer!

Daniel came in first place to win the freestyle event... but the breath stroke is his favorite. There were swim meets every week and he always brought home a ribbon. His siblings were very patient waiting the entire three hours for him to swim.
At the end of the summer there were metals handed out which were the highlight of the season. Next year Daniel, Kaylea, and Claudia will compete with the swim team at the meets. They are looking forward to it.

CHeCKeRS

"Mom, Mom, can we buy a checker game?" was the question that I heard over and over again for two weeks. So, I had remembered that a friend of mine gave me some blank boards that you could use to create your own game. This became a Dad Daniel project. Scott drew the lines and then Daniel colored the board with sharpie markers. (it took him many days to color!) One Sunday afternoon Dad and Daniel played many games of checkers using unifix cubes and stacked them whenever one was "kinged." They both took the game very seriously and enjoyed every minute of strategy!

Peek A BOO!

Whenever Kaylea gets out the camera, Samuel always hams it up and does something to make everyone laugh. Here is his version of peek-a-boo with the blankets.

Kaylea does an amazing job capturing every moment!!

Just a SWiNGiN'

When the kids get a hold of my camera... there's no telling what will show up on the computer after I down load the pictures. Here are a few that Daniel and Kaylea took while playing outside. I have to admit, like most kids, my kids love to swing... even Daniel, at the age of 6. But their favorite is when one kid stands on the swing while the other kid sits in the seat. Samuel laughs the entire time he is in the air going higher.
So, you might ask the question, has anyone gotten hurt, a swing fall, or a swing break... well the answer is, of course, YeS! There are injuries, bumps on heads, cuts anywhere on the body, and lots of bruising. BuT the excitement outweighs the bodily harm.

Camping with the Garretts

Mark, Brooke, Carter, Tal, and Avery, (not pictured) roasting marshmallows at Mormon Lake. We decided that it would be fun to tag along with them on their family vacation... It is a lot more fun to go camping with another family!
Daniel had been begging us to go camping again but his requirement was that we go camping in the woods where there were a lot of trees. (Our previous camping experience was at Lake Pleasant, about 15 miles from our home. No trees, just a lot of rocks and cacti. AND close to home in case the sleeping didn't go well. ) Cozy Sleeping for the kids... They were OUT!
The next morning around 6:00, everyone was up and ready to eat. No sleeping in when the sun is bright and shinning right into the tent. (The sun starts coming up before 5:00.) After Breakfast, Mark and Scott took the big kids fishing while Brooke and I hung out with Samuel and Avery. We put them in the van to watch movies so they would fall asleep for a nap. IT WorKeD! What did they do before portable dvd's were invented? The fishing trip was a bust! No Fish! But they had a Blast TrYinG!

The Tent that holds us all! The trip was awesome! And WE are ReadY for another adventure of roughing IT. Anyone Ready?

What are YoU eating SaMUEl?

There was a strange noise that I couldn't figure out coming from the kitchen. I knew a child was getting into something... BUT What? Then walking around the corner I Noticed the chair first~ Samuel! (all the other kids can climb up on the counter). Then the iCe CreAm SCooP was in his hand~ Confused, (the ice cream is in the freezer outside) SOO, wHat was He EaTinG from the scoop?
CrEAm ChEEsE by the SCooP fulls And enjoying every, yummy bite!

Claudia's Birthday

FoUR! Can you believe that Claudia is 4! How time does fly by. Scott and his dad moved our stuff out to Phoenix four years ago while I hung out in NC with the kids about to deliver any day (Claudia). Scott flew back to NC on Monday night and around 4am Tuesday morning, I went into labor. Now, I call that timing! She was born June 3, 2004. The kids and I stayed in NC with my parents for another two months while Scott started his first year of residency.
The kids have a favorite birthday breakfast! I use pancake mix to make the number of year that they turn! Look close and you can see the 4 on Clauida's plate with candles to blow out. Look even closer and you can see a bazillion chocolate chips drenched in syrup!
She wanted to have a pool party for her birthday with pink cupcakes.
Little lizards baking in the sun! Why else would you be sitting on rocks?!Samuel's job was to hang out with grandma while everyone else was swimming. He talked her into letting him have unlimited koolaid... notice the face, mouth, and streak down the belly.

Kaylea sleeping...

Kaylea hit the sofa HaRd the other day.... She was snoring really loud! Look at how she is stretched out on the couch AnD if you look really close....
her eyes are slightly open. Yes, she gets it honestly... from ME! I am finding more and more about her daily that is just like me. She only likes granny smith apples, green grapes, pasta, loves to paint, do crafts, and argue! Again, I am guilty!