This Summer...(4)

we went camping! It was so much fun. We found a new spot. Granite Creek. It is right by the creek and there isn't drinking water, you have to bring your own, but the campsite is free! It was beautiful. The water was freezing but we went in anyway and had the best time. There was an area that was almost like a waterslide too. We rested in the hammock...

we acted silly...
we sat by the fire and visited (Aunt Morgan (my sister) and Nana Paula and Papa Larry (my parents)) were there. We roasted marshmallows.

Tyler and all my kids caught their first fish!
I cleaned my first fish, my little sister taught me. The grimace on my face is because I was cleaning a live fish with a dull pocket knife and feeling very sad.

One morning, before any of the kids had caught a fish, Jacob asked if he could take the pole and go fishing. He soon came back with this fish, caught all by himself! So, of course, everyone else had to have a go at it.
This is Jake's fish close up, there were only a few Brookies caught (they are fish that are not planted but natural to the creek)and his was a good size, the Brookies tend to be smaller than the Rainbow.
Micah caught a big one too, and I'm so glad, who knows what would have happened if he didn't catch one!
Peyton caught one with Aunt Mo's help.
Benny caught one as well.
Tyler thought that since everyone else caught one that I needed to catch one too, so I did. Right as my bait went it I caught one. Sadly it was a tiny little thing that I would have let go had he not swallowed the whole hook and had blood gushing from his gills. I had to work to smile in this picture and turn him so his bloody side was to me.
Ben and Roxie had a good nap together. Do you like those dirty feet?
Ahhh, we love to camp! Oh yeah, and did I mention that we ate, and ate, and ate? Well, we did, a lot!

Star testing results, yes Ty, I'm posting them, sorry!

When I told Tyler that I wanted the boys Star testing results so I could scan them he immediately gave me "the look". The look that says it all. He said, "You're not going to blog them." It wasn't a question as much as it was counsel. I said that of course I wasn't going to blog them, which translates to...I was going to blog them but now I wont because you said that but maybe I still will but later. Got it?

So, it rubbed Tyler the wrong way to hear me tell people how well our boys did on the Star testing. He is very aware of bragging. I don't think we should brag, but I do think it's good for the kids to hear how happy we are with their success. We make a big deal when the kids aren't making good choices, so why not make an even bigger deal when they do something great? Anyway, the first week of school they had a rally and honored the kids that got perfect Star testing scores, so, in my mind, I got license to blog it! I am not bragging, I am just saying that my kids did well in something and I'm proud of their progress and efforts...WAY TO GO BOYS!

We received Jacob's results several days before Micah's and we were blown away by the fact that he scored a perfect 600 in math! Both of our kids have always tested well, scoring in advanced every time, but a perfect score? Wow! I can tell you truthfully that I am not tooting my own horn here. I take zero credit for their math success, I am terrible at math. They must have gotten Tyler's math genes and great teachers.

Many days later we were blown away yet again to find that Micah also got a perfect 600. I was especially surprised at this because he always complains about math and says how hard it is. I am now expecting great things from these kids, when I go back to school they'll have to help me with my math!

One last thing I had to add, both boys wanted to know what they scored in the other category, the exact number, just so they could see who was smartest! I didn't let them look.

And the new student body V.P. is...

Micah Laing!

By some wonderful fluke he ran unopposed. I guess all the other kids thought there was no way they could beat him, jk. It was a huge blessing though. I think this will be really good for him. He gets to do the announcements every morning. Yesterday he did the flag solute, birthdays and a school reminder that they are all super heroes (I think that is their theme this year). His brothers said he did a good job, I wish I could have heard him. He also told me that he can't go anywhere without people saying things like, "Hey V.P.!"

On another topic, Micah has been paying attention to my obsession with Pinterest and wants in on the fun. He came up with this idea and asked me to post it and pin it...

Here is what you do. Get some googly eyes and some everyday school supplies and a pipe cleaner. Glue on the googly eyes, cut the pipe cleaner to your preferred arm, leg or eyebrow length and glue those on. We used hot glue because it adheres and dries quickly but you could really use any glue, maybe even the glue from your soon to be new "friend"! I thought this was a bad idea but all three boys played with them for awhile, what do I know?

Printable Quote (if it works out like I plan!)

My friend Allyson gave the Relief Society lesson on Sunday and used this quote that I just love. I wanted to remind myself of it so I made this to print and frame and I'm sharing it with you. I think you can just click it and save it to your computer and it should come out ok, I hope! I used paper from The LDS blog train blog "6 bees" (aqua paper) and the hearts. I used paper from Gettin' Scrappy with Britt's collab "Boy Meets Girl" (the orange paper for the words Harder and Better).

This Summer...(3)

We did window art. I went yard sale hopping with my friend Deanne and found some window paint. They loved it.

This is the finished product.
Peyton got to go to a little gathering of girls at the Bogle's house. She loved it. She got to taste fresh coconut (which she didn't like), swim, and she came home with a ring pop...

We took all the kids to see Hello Dolly. 3 of our family members were in the play and it was done very well.
Jacob got to experiment with water and the freezer. He discovered a way to make a glass out of water, very cool.