Our fun weekend

Labor Day weekend was going to be a camping trip up to Bear Lake, but when we found out that there were Sunday conflicts that we needed to be back for, and plus there was a forcast that included rain (and SNOW at the higher elevations!!), we decided we would make it our "Weekend O' Fun" at home. We started off by doing a barbecue with the Wilkins family (the family with whom we would have been camping) - Actually, Aaron and the boys barbecued with Dave and their kids while Kristie Wilkins and I went to Swiss Days, the mecca for mormon women. There had to be at least 200 craft booths! So much fun to just get out and look around and get some ideas of things I want to do for our home. I bought one thing - a 16" tile that has a great family mission statement. It says:

In this home
WE BELIEVE
in living deeply, laughing often,
and loving always.
WE BELIEVE
we were brought together
to support and care for each other.
WE BELIEVE
in celebrating together...
our faith, our heritage, our traditions.
WE BELIEVE
that everyone's feelings count, and that
the uniqueness of each strengthens all of us.
WE BELIEVE
in the power of forgiveness to heal
and the power of love to carry us through.
WE BELIEVE
in one another; In this family;
IN THIS HOME.

I know we're not perfect, but this is the kind of home that I want my boys to live in - where we love each other, celebrate each other, and believe in each other.

Do you see all the teeth?

This boy is the toothy-est boy I have ever had!!! He now has 16 teeth!!! His molars are in, the ones next to them are almost in, and then he has the 8 that he sprouted when he was 5-8 months old. Compare that to Jordan, whose teeth didn't even break the gums until after his first birthday... He's taking it really well, though. We have grumpy days, but really, considering that he's got teeth erupting out of his mouth like lava from a volcano, he's being a champ. Gotta love this boy!

Caeden's haircut

Before

This past week Caeden decided to experiment with cutting his own hair. He cut a huge chunk out of his bangs. It didn't look too bad as long as we combed it to the side, but by the end of the week, I couldn't stand it any more. This morning I "evened it out..." At least he'll have a cool head for the rest of the summer.
After

Little muncher...

Guess who's discovered the apple basket? He loves the apples, just not the peels. Those he just spits out... where ever he may be standing... But it's funny to watch him finish a whole apple. He's getting so big so fast!

Another reader in the family!

Levi makes me smile!
He's really getting into books recently. He has decided that Jacob's "Blue's Clues Thinking Chair" is one of his favorite spots to sit in when we're in Jacob's room. He'll grab a book or two off of the bookshelf and sit himself down and "read." I love my smart boys!

Aaron's adventure

Aaron and some of his co workers went mountain biking this weekend. It had been a while since Aaron last went biking, but he was excited to go. They biked the trail called the "Wasatch Ridge." Aaron had quite the adventure. He puked on his shoes, which was only appropriate since he had just finished a big climb called "Puke Hill." He wiped out about 4 times, bent his rear tire, and discovered that his 11 year old bike isn't quite as cool as what we thought it was when we first bought it. He also learned that if you are going to go mountain biking along the Wasatch crest, you need to change out the road tires!!! At the end of the day, after a long bath, lots of ibuprofin, 4 stitches in his elbow, and a good scrubbing of his shoes, he was glad he went.

Meet Senator Hall!

These first few weeks of school have been busy! We do so much homework!!! We have to track reading minutes, physical activity minutes, music practice, and homework, then send the logs in to the teachers to get credit. On top of all the fun learning we are doing, Jordan decided to run for "B-Track President!" He made it past the primaries, and came in second in the run-off on Friday, which means he is the b track senator. He was a little bummed not to have won, but is excited to be a part of the student council. I'm thinking, it's not bad for a first run at office. And I'm really happy to not have to make any more posters or help him with his speeches... Now he gets to go to meetings and feel important... I'm glad that my kids want to be involved. I surely wasn't that kind of kid!

July fun!

July is our month o' fun! It starts with the fireworks, then we have Aaron's birthday!
Aaron has never been a big cake fan, so we made him a birthday pie.
Since it has been so hot recently, the boys feel that if they "have" to be outside, the hose has to be on. I didn't want to put the pool out this year because I was a little worried about Levi going over the edge, (he sneaks outside with his brothers so often!), so the boys made their own swimming hole with our ball bucket.



Of course, Jacob always seems to find a new way of doing things...

This morning it was back to work, though. School started and our noses are back to the grindstone!
Aren't my young scholars handsome?

Our 4th of July!

Caeden watches our "big show!"

For our Fourth of July celebration, we really didn't do too much. It was a lazy day where we caught up on some housework, then barbecued and then did our own fireworks out on the street. South Jordan has its own "Country Fest" at the end of June, complete with greasy fair food and carnival rides and a free concert in the park (this year they had country singer Darryl Worley - he sings "Have You Forgotten?", "Awful, Beautiful Life," "I Miss My Friend," and "I Just Came Back From a War" to name a few songs) and they have a great fireworks show where we can sit close (and by close, I mean there's ashes in your hair when you leave!) and there's very little traffic. So we get our fill of big fireworks and fair at the Country Fest every year then spend the 4th at home doing our own thing. It's been quite fun, really. Anyway, here's a few pictures of our "fireworks show."
Zach and the sparkler
Pyromaniacs in training

Zachary's not a huge fan of noise...Jordan climbs the street sign post

Our Trip to Zions National Park

At the end of June, we went to Zions National Park for the Hall Family Reunion. Aaron and his siblings and all the spouses and kids and parents all attend, and we had a great time. We rented the "Moose Lodge" (which sleeps 34 people) at a resort just outside Zions and spent time hiking in the park, swimming at the resort's pool, and just enjoying each other's company. We took all of the kids on the Emerald Pool hike, which was a perfect hike for all the kids. Jacob didn't think he could make it, but up at the 3rd pool, all the kids took a dip in the pool... I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to swim up there, but you try to stop 30 overheated kids on a 100 degree day from getting in the water...!
Zachary on the hike

Jordan under the waterfall at the first pool

Catching tadpoles at the second pool

Aaron and the boys cooling off at the 3rd pool

Levi playing in the cool dirt on a hot day!