The End of Summer

The last few weeks of summer we did so much that there wasn't enough time to post here about it.  I'll just recap the highlights.   We had a cousin exchange sleep over the second week in August.  We had a Smalley kid here and some of our kids at the Smalleys and then we switched after a day or two.  It was very exciting to have cousins over.  The little kids decided to go swimming at the Draper pool.  The big kids decided to go see The Lorax again.

Then we headed up to Bear Lake to visit Grandmother Renee.  As always, it was a weekend filled with lots of fun, good company, and delicious food.  We visited the ice caves, slept in the cottage with Renee (all 18 of us), rented a jet ski at the lake, and went to Bloomington Lake to swing off the rope swing.  The jet ski is always exciting, but this year was especially exciting for me.  I took Hannah and Allie out, and they both wanted to drive.  This would have been great, except that they both threw me off the jet ski when it was their turn.  After getting dunked twice, I told Aaron he was in charge of teaching Hannah to drive a car.

The sun setting over Bear Lake.  It was super smoky because of a fire,
but it made for beautiful pictures

Allie and Hannah and Me after the traumatic jet ski ride.  

That's one handsome guy!

Aaron and I also celebrated our 40th birthdays in August.  I was excited to reach this milestone.  Every time I get down on the floor to read scriptures with the kids, I creak and groan--"I'm getting old," I would say. The kids always respond, "No, Mom, you're not old until you're 40."  Now, at last, I can creak and groan to my heart's content.  For our birthday party, I made an Asian food buffet.  It was super delicious.  Then for Aaron's birthday, which we celebrated at Bear Lake, I made a chocolate hazelnut cake and put 40 candles on it.  It made an impressive fire.  We also celebrated by going to a Real soccer game.

Aaron's birthday cake forest fire.  

Our last days of summer were spent getting Hannah ready to attend the local middle school.  We spent a day getting to know the school, opening her locker and meeting teachers.  We also had to get school supplies, a backpack, and a lunch box.  She was excited and nervous to go to school.  And, despite the early mornings, she has really been enjoying her classes.  Maggie and Sophie are having to do a lot of their school on their own this year, because I am working so much with Caleb.  And Katrina is doing quite a few workbooks and a preschool with our cousin Lia in preparation for Kindergarten next year.

Here we all are in front of our pioneer house on the last day of volunteering.