End of summer

We have been trying to cram a lot of things in the last little bit before school started and sadly the camera battery died again in my camera so I didn't get pictures of any of it but wanted to at least document that we did do something fun. A few weekends ago we went up north to go car shopping. We have desparately needed a bigger car. Trying to cram three kids and their car seats in a small car is not working so we ended up buying a black Yukon and have loved it so far. We also liked spending the weekend with my mom and dad and got to celebrate Chelton's brother Cam's 30th birthday while we where there.

Then the next weekend me and the kids went back up to stay at my mom's house for the weekend. My brother and sister-in-law Dave and Alyssa blessed their baby Sam so we got to go spend some time visiting them.



This picture is from when Sam was in the hospital and of course he has grown triple in size. He is so darling. The kids had so much fun visiting with their cousins and their uncle Dave bought one of those blow up water slides so they also had a ball getting wet and going down the slide. It is always a good time visiting with family on special occasions and eating their good food!!!

We also took a short day trip up north and took the kids to the zoo....again I had no camera but it was a hot but fun trip. The kids loved it (all but Kylie and those dinosaurs....she hated those)...it was fun to do something different and we haven't been to the zoo in a while.

The weekend after that Chelton's family (His mom and dad, his brother's Khayden and Taylor, his sister Meridee and her husband Kasey and their kids Addie and Jackson and Khayden's dog Baxter) came and stayed at our house for the weekend. It was really a lot of fun. On Friday night we played some Minute to Win it games and had some yummy food. It was fun hanging out and relaxing and visiting with each other. We don't get to see them very often. My kids loved sleeping out on the trampoline with uncle Taylor and I was suprised that all three of them stayed out there all night too.

On Saturday we drove 30 miles to Yuba Lake. We took my in-law's wave runners and found the perfect beach spot and enjoyed a day of riding wave-runners and just playing at the beach. The kids had a ball. The water was so high that the kids could go out a ways in the water and it was still shallow so it was a lot of fun. Plus we did get all three of my kids out on the waverunners (which is a first because they are usually too scared for that). Sadly towards the end of the day the battery died on one of the waverunners and we had to tow it to the dock thus ending the day of waverunning but we were pretty much done for the day anyway. Here is a picture of Yuba Lake, again I didn't take it but found it on the internet...wished I would have had my camera there though.



That night we had some more yummy food. Everyone went home besides Meridee and Kasey who stayed until the next morning. All and all it was a really fun weekend and I hope we can make it a yearly thing and all of the family can come.

Three days after that weekend school started for my kids. Hard to get in the routine but they had no choice. Connor started 1st grade this year. He has Mrs. Beckstrand who we have loved so far. He is a little bored because he is so advanced but we have just given him a little advanced work when he gets home from school. Garrett is in 4th grade and has Mrs. Sheriff who we also love. He was placed in a research class this year doing a Spaulding class. I think this will be wonderful for him. He has already done well in the first three days....already 100% improvement from his teacher last year. I just can't believe school has started already. Where did the time go.

We still have another trip up north next weekend we have to plan and a short camping trip in a few weekends that we have to cram in there...and the best news.....we have scheduled a cruise in January to the Caribbeans...Ever since we got married our goal was to go on a cruise on our 10 year anniversary. Well last year our 10 year anniversary came and went. Chelton was in the police academy and with him switching jobs and in school we were in no position to go. Well this year we are going on our 10 year anniversary for our 11 year anniversary. We got the cruise booked and are porting out of Galveston, Texas (are driving down there)....we are going on a 7 day cruise and make stops in Falmouth Jamaica, Cozumel Mexico and George, Town Grand Cayman. We are going on Royal Caribbean cruise line. The ship has an ice rink, rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, golf simulator and all sorts of fun stuff. We are extremely excited. To go along with our cruise we have set goals to get in shape and lose some weight. We have both been exercising every single day and been on a strict calorie diet. So far it is working great too.

All and all it has been a fun summer. The kids have spent hours playing by the creek at hour house, playing with friends, getting shaved ice at the video store by our house, going to the library, jumping on the tramp, running through the sprinklers, having water fights with neighbors and just being kids. Hard to see the summer go but always glad to see school start and a new routine begin.