Cousins Day - Part 1

We haven't done much this summer except for hang out. I finally planned an activity. Every Friday has become Cousins Day. My nieces and nephews come over for a craft, snack, and swimming. The kids have had so much fun creating, playing, eating, and splashing. Our craft today were patriotic magnetic flags. Each cute little flag was different. Lindsey and Spencer are the oldest ones, without other cousins there their age, so they have become super helpers and are so fun to watch teach and help the younger ones.

A Garden Update

Things have been going pretty good with our garden. The squash and zucchini have done amazing! We've been eating it for dinner about twice a week. I've even gotten the kids to like it now. They will it it sauteed in olive oil and garlic. We also love zucchini bread.

It took forever for a bell pepper to show up on the plant, but they have finally started growing.

The tomato plants keep growing and we finally have little green tomatoes.

We've gotten a few cucumbers, but they are all deformed and misshaped.

Watermelons - I kept waiting for them to get bigger, but they never did and ended up getting too ripe and splitting. We've been able to get a couple watermelons before that has happened. We haven't been too lucky with the canteloupes yet.



Lesson learned: pick the zucchini before the sun sunburns them.

Don't leave the squash out to get brighter, they just get bumpy with tough skins and aren't as tasty.

Father's Day

Some snapshots of Father's Day...

Rattlers Football

Eric has played flag football since we've been married. He loves it. He's always been the quarterback for the team. His team mates have ranged from best friends, to new friends, to work acquaintances, to ward members, to other guys from the league. Eric used to play on Saturdays, but has changed the schedule and has played on Monday nights for years. He is very proud of his team and accomplishments. He has brought home numerous MVP trophies and 1st place trophies. For the last season, his team won, so they earned the opportunity to play at halftime during a Rattlers team. He enjoyed playing and the boys and I had fun watching.

A New Activity

My kids are sk8ers!

I get to look at this lovely artwork when I take Kaylen, Logan, and Spencer to the weekly skateboarding lessons at an indoor skate park. All three kids started out in the same class, a beginner class. About 15 minutes into the lesson, Spencer was moved up to a much higher level. Kaylen and Logan are sometimes in the same class, depending on teacher availability. They have all caught on quickly and are doing great. The teachers have been really impressed with Spencer and him being able to "drop-in" so soon. Kaylen has been surprisingly good with her kick-turns. The kids are enjoying it all, but it is sometimes nerve-wrecking for me. It's kinda scary to watch; I always am afraid one of the kids will get injured.

Colton - How'd He Get There?

I don't know how he did this, but he ended up here, and didn't stay happy very long.

Girl's Camp - Before & After

Lindsey went to her second year of girl's camp. I thought it would be fun to take a before and after picture of her. She looked so cute when I dropped her off - she had her hair done, complete with a flower and make-up on. She was so funny when I took her shopping for the things for camp. Of course, she had outgrown her pants and needed new ones. No way could I take her to DI to buy some like I did when I was in YW. She wouldn't be caught dead in tennis shoes - Nike-type shoes. She had to have cute pants and shoes (the shoes even to the point that she squeezed her feet into cute shoes that were too small instead of wearing practical shoes).

after girl's camp - pajamas and dirt

tired, but happy and glad that she went

Kaylen's Dance Recital - Cinderella

Kaylen just completed her second year of dance with Miss Wendy. This year she did a combo class of tap/ballet/tumbling. The best part about the class was that her cousin, Abbie, and Grandma's neighbor, Brooke, were also in the class. All year, they have worked on their part for the recital. Kaylen's class did a ballet dance to "Pat-a-Cake." Each girl was dressed like a fairy tale character.

Kaylen and Abbie

on stage

after the show - she was surprised that the flowers were for her




on the way home, we saw the stagecoach used in the recital

"We are not sissy girls!"

This is what my boot camp instructor said today, the third day of boot camp. She then proceeded to have us do extra reps with heavy weights while we side lunged.

I have to admit that since having Colton, my regular exercising schedule went haywire. I'd walk here and there, but it wasn't anywhere as consistent as it used to be before Colton was born (walking 2 miles daily, up to the day before he was born). I decided that I needed a jumpstart to get back into regular exercising. I found a boot camp at the community rec center and debated about doing it. When I talked to Eric about it, he laughed at me and told me that he didn't think I could do it. That solidified my mind and I immediately signed up for it.

My greatest fear was that my trainer would be a Jillian Michaels. I've always struggled with running great distances, so I was afraid that I'd be forced to run or do really hard things. When I got to class on the first day and met my teacher (who swears), my fears lessened - I can block out swearing. She didn't look tough or mean, so I followed her instructions and completed the workout, going lightly on the weights. I loved that I was able to complete it, and that I wasn't like one of the ladies who got sick during it and had to stop. That evening, I felt the soreness creep in. When I woke in the morning I was sore EVERYWHERE! I couldn't pick up Colton, bend down, or move without wincing. Things gradually got better. Before class on Monday, I told Eric that I was barely recovered (from the workout 4 days ago) and that I wasn't sure if I was ready for another day.

I went to class on Monday and made it through another workout (there was another person who also got sick this time). I even upped the size of the weights I used. I decided that I love the instructor's sense of humor. It will definitely get me through the classes. (She likened one of the squatting stances to an idle nail technician - loved it!) I was definitely sore the following day, mainly my butt and thighs.

I went to class today. I made it through just fine. But I can already feel my arms are going to be majorly sore over the next few days.

Good things about boot camp include:

- I'm finally getting back to consistent exercising

- recharge for the day before dealing with kids

- hopefully I'll get more toned

- I'm proving Eric wrong!!

What she said in class today about us not being sissy girls will become my temporary motto as I try to get through summer and the happenings involved with it, along with my new exercise motto.

Speaking

I do not like getting up in front of people in church whether it's to read a scripture, say a prayer, help a child with a Primary talk, share a testimony, or give a talk. It has always been a huge hurdle for me. I would always get very nervous about it. My hands would sweat, my voice would quiver, and my knees would shake. In all of my married life at our old house I gave a talk two times. The first time was when we moved in, and the second time was when the boundaries were realigned and we were put with a new ward. Since then, I developed a huge aversion to speaking. I would not and flat-out refused to speak in church. Two bishoprics knew that I do not speak in church. They knew not to ask because it just wouldn't happen. Even the stake presidency knew that I don't speak in church.

About 3 years ago my attitude shifted ever so slightly. It started when I first attended Women's Conference at BYU. My testimony was so incredibly strengthened that I felt that I needed to share it, and that I did. It was difficult and my legs shook and tears flowed. The following year, I put off sharing my testimony after Women's Conference. Instead I got up the Sunday we blessed Colton and bore my testimony. My whole family was there so I wanted to get up because I don't think any of them have ever heard my testimony. I did it and survived. Then, just before Women's Conference and our move, I got up and bore my testimony. The thing that got me up there that time was that my institute teacher, Sis. Gardener, had spoken about testimony bearing and that it only takes 30 seconds to bear your testimony. That stuck with me and I convinced myself that I could get up there for 1 minute and share my testimony.

The neat thing about each experience is that every time I got up, my testimony was strengthened. It was uncomfortable, but I did it.

So, once we moved in to our new house, sure enough, we were asked to speak in church. I didn't want to. I was able to get it pushed back a couple of weeks, but was not able to get out of it.

Throughout the week, I listened to the conference talk (which I was asked to speak about) about 5 times and read it just as many. I procrastinated slightly and couldn't start writing the talk. So, for our date night, after Eric and I hadn't been able to write our talks, we went to dinner and then to a park where we worked on our talks. The weather was nice and the park was beautiful. I found many distractions, but was finally able to get a good outline of the talk written. I typed it up Saturday and made a few changes Sunday morning.

Through it all, I wasn't worried (except for the brief stomachache Sunday morning). Eric kept on trying to give me a hard time about it all. I brushed his comments off because I felt unusually calm about it all. I got up and gave my talk. I felt really good about it all and did a lot better than I could have hoped for.

I'm not quite sure why I have done a complete 180 with regards to speaking in church, but it is so strange and amazing! I really do think that it came from me realizing that every time I have gotten up to bear my testimony, that it has been strengthened. I also believe that I have learned that my testimony can get me through anything. It's a very weird attitude change and scary too (considering I don't have a calling yet).

Swimming Fun - Part 2

A Summer Haircut

So it was early afternoon and I needed to run to the store, without children. Kaylen desperately wanted to go, so I bribed her. (She'd been wanting her hair cut for a few months and I just didn't want to chop off all her hair, so I told her no and made her wait.) Well, to get her to stay home, I told her that I'd cut her hair when I got back. She jumped at that idea, and off to the store I went. I came home, with Kaylen eagerly waiting for her haircut and not wanting me to put the groceries away.

She wanted it cut "this short," she said, while holding her hand above her ear. I decided I'd cut it short, just not that short. I started cutting away. Mind you, I have no training cutting hair. I've guessed at the boys' haircuts, and have trimmed one of the girl's hair before. I copied what I've seen my hairdresser do when she cuts my hair. It turned out not too bad. I did, however, a week later, go back and re-trim the hair where it was just a little off and I hadn't gotten it all cut even. Kaylen loved that haircut. I did too, even though it made her look older. (I cut 6 inches off!)