A few more summer memories and now . . . school!

Well here's our fun bunch of kids!  They are holding up the grade they are in this year.  Halle just thought she was suppose to raise her hand :)

 

And here's a few last minute summer pix.  Grandma Sally surprised Jessi with her very own quilt!  She makes one for each grandchild & Jessi has been patiently waiting (well sort of) her turn.  It's just beautiful & green - her favorite color. 

We get lots of chances to hang out with Grandma Donna & Grampa Dennis!  This summer was no different - here's some fun pix of a Sunday afternoon up in East Fork.  We had tin foil dinners, smores, picked choke cherries, soaked our feet in the creek.

Every August we get to pick, shuck, cook, & freeze corn grown from the Glenns Ferry ranch.  Jesalee & Dennis picked it all this year and then we tortured our children into helping again.

 Summer wouldn't be the same without cousins.  We had Avery & Chelsea for a few days, then Max & Ally, and always Jade, Ty, & Zoe.  We love cousins!

 Quinn made an epic journey into braces!  She was such a good sport & can't wait to get them over with. 

 All my kids are excited to be back with their friends in school this year.  Here's one of my favorite pix of Shelby & Sienna. 

Our Family Boating Party

 So last Saturday our kids begged us to go boating.  So here are some highlights . . .

 Shelby, Josh, & Jessi were the first to dive in.

 Joaquin popped right up on the wake board, what a hottie.  He wowed us all with his tricks.

 Believe it or not, I even got up on the wake board!  I don't think I wowed anyone except myself for still remembering how. 

 Jessi rocked the knee board first. . .

 Halle was our happy co-pilot. . .

 Josh couldn't be outdone by Jessi so he popped right up on the knee board too . . .

 Shelby was even braver than her siblings by showing us her "no hands!"

 And last but not least, we had to talk Quinn into the knee board - but she did it!  What a woman.

To finish off the night we pulled our 5 gorgeous kids on the tube.  It was an epic boating day!

Shelby's 6th Birthday

 Shelby picked out a fun butterfly cake & we were so lucky to have the Showalter cousins here for her birthday that we made 2! 

 Shelby, Jade, & Grant. 

 Aunt Kristin made it the best party ever by buying everyone a present.  She said since they live in New York & thye're never around for birthdays, she wanted to buy a little presents (she's going to be the favorite Aunt!)

With summer always comes Quinn's begging for kittens.  This year's no different and so here are Apollo & Zeus.  Very fun playful brothers & you can see Quinn is elated!

The Wizard of Oz

 This summer Quinn & Jessi were in their first play, "The Wizard of Oz."  It was lots of late nights, lots of make up, & even more hairspray.  They both loved it.  Here's a shot of my munchkin, Jessi in green behind Dorothy & Glinda.

 Jessi was also a flying monkey but sadly that scene is pretty dark & they wore masks so I couldn't even tell which one she was.

 My Quinn is in the middle back.  She was a fantastic citizen of Oz.  She danced, sang, & sewed up the scarecrow.

 We took the family to see the play & Halle really didn't like that mean green lady.  Quinn loved her!

Here's my cutie with her 3 messy buns & crazy face paint.

I love running . . . and running . . .

 Me, my sisters Emily, Lisa, & Maria.  My sister Emily & I finished the Utah Valley Marathon!  Lisa & Maria ran the half marathon (in hindsight I'm thinking they had more fun).  Emily & I finished in 4 hrs. 12 min. - which I thought was just awesome (we averaged 26.2 - 9:30/miles).  The course was hilly, it was windy, & I couldn't even talk the last 6 miles (it was all I could do to breath) but I'm so dang proud!

 Here's a picture of us right before the race started.  Me, Emily, & Cindy (Emily's sister-in-law) all wore matching shirts.  Aren't we so dang cute?!?

I'm glad this picture looks like we are smiling, because I was almost dead.

 

After sitting for a good 10 minutes, eating & drinking I could actually pose for pictures.

 As if that wasn't enough running - lots of my family decided to make up a team for the Northwest Passage Ragnar Race.  12 runners, 2 vans, & 200ish miles - what a race!  Doug & Lisa borrowed a motor-home that Maria, Jason, Andy, Mary, Joaquin, & I all carpooled in to Washington.  Other than the AC not working, I loved the trip. Amy, Troy, Emily, & Nate met us there. 

 Joaquin wasn't afraid to sport some compression socks - and a farmer's tan.

 Here's all the amazing women (Lisa, Maria, Me, Amy, Mary, & Emily)