She's got it!

This summer Ky has been working very hard for one thing...to master her backhand spring. When the summer session of tumbling started, already having passed off front walkovers, back walkovers, and more, she set a goal to be able to do her backhand spring all by herself and land it, before school starts again in August.

I am thrilled to say that she has mastered it!! I am so proud of the way she has spent numerous hours to accomplish something so important to her :) It wasn't always easy...and sometimes very painful, but she stuck to it!

These pictures are of her on my brother's trampoline on the 24th of July.

I'll post the video soon!

She was so patient we me...It probably only took 15 backhand springs
for me to get a couple pictures that I liked ~ Thanks Ky :)

July

The month of July has been CrAzY, so I am a little behind on my blogging...

I'll start with the good times!

Happy 60th Birthday Grandma!!

On July 3rd Joel's Mom, Linden, turn the BIG 6-O :)


Happy birthday Grandpa!!

Then it was my Dad's birthday on July 12th :0)

Earlier this month, before Girls Camp, I took my kids, picked up Brent's boys, Colton and Bailey, and then met my mom and sister for lunch...then we headed over to the Clearfield pool. It was good times with the cousins...Well, until all those nasty boys ganged up on my sweet princess...
(if only she didn't make it so much fun to tease her ;)

The day after returning from camp we went boating with Susie and Ryan to check out their new boat. The kids had a ball being pulled around on the tube. Joel and I were exhausted and spent most of the time up on the beach in the shade.


A few days later we went out and got Rosie a friend... Lily! She is so small and adorable, only a few months old. These two guinea pigs have us wrapped around their little fingers, they are very cuddly and are always very happy to see us :)

Lily is a long haired guinea :o)

Then the not so fun times...

When Ry went to my Mom's house, while Joel and I were at camp, he fell and tore his Achilles Tendon, YIKES :| Basically that means that Ry and our lazy boy became BFF's and his football season went down the drain :( He was pretty upset about losing his defensive position on his team. Joel and I are disappointed that we don't get to watch him in his element this year. Was he the team rockstar?? NO, but it's always fun as a parent to watch your kids excel and be part of something they love! But like I keep telling him...and myself..., there is more to life than football! There has also been a good few things come out of him getting injured, easing the blow a little bit. Ry's favorite part is the friends and family that have been stopping by with treats, videos, comic books, and much more :)

This picture was taken today as we were walking out of the doctor's office ~ after the cast was removed and the boot was put on. At least now he can put a little weight on it!

Only a few more days of crutches, then just the boot for 4-6 weeks. After that he'll start physical therapy...good times, right?

There is Death and Denial going on around here.... :|

The first new car that Joel and I bought as a married couple was our 2001 Saturn, it only had 16 miles on it when we drove it off the lot. Joel is very attached to this car...and the fact that there has not been a payment for several years. As I set here typing, our car is in our driveway struggling to stay alive. She has been a fabulous car for us, but she's got over 175,000 miles on her. However, Joel is out there doing everything in his power to bring her back...but, I'm afraid she is headed toward the light, slowly...but still headed. Still it is very cute to watch him keep trying ~ he's the greatest :)

All I have to say is....WOO HOO!! I have wanted a new car for a while now, but that no payment thing also got me. However, I am starting to think we are going to be forced into it...making the new payment easier to live with. So, now I am setting here trying to narrow the list down of cars that I want! SUV, Crossover, Sedan....too many choices! Oh, I am sure that he will succeed in fixing it again...even a few more times, but I know the end is near!!

Camp Pukes-A-Lot ;)

Once again I was given the opportunity to be camp director for the girls in my ward. Camp this year was SO much fun!! EVEN though there was WAY TOO much throwing up going on around there ;) You know I don't do well with puke.... All things considered, we had a great time and laughed more than I remember laughing in a 3 day period! Which is exactly what we needed after all of the drama we had start two nights before leaving for camp...when the YM Leader in our ward took off for the week with the trailer that had all of our tents, dutch ovens, coolers and firewood. It was a interesting 48 hours of trying to round up all of the supplies we needed, YIKES :|

On the first day, after setting up tents and eating lunch, we tie dyed t-shirts and played a game where the girls were divided into teams and then went to 8 different stations. Each station was a fun activity were the girls had to work together...and the leaders spent a lot of time laughing! That evening the girls were once again split into groups and given a backpack with misc. house hold items. The girls had one hour, which went by quickly, to prepare a commercial advertising a product that had something to do with this year's theme... "It take COURAGE to be who you really are". The commercials were all very original and funny! Around 9:30 we started our video. Earlier in the day Joel had set up a movie screen on the back side of the cabin and then we used my laptop and a projector for our outdoor movie theater. It worked great! We watched a video by John Bytheway, "What's in your backpack". It was perfect! The video went perfectly with our theme and with the age that the girls are at.

The second day started with our hike....I mean, nature walk ;) They asked the wrong lady to be in charge if they wanted a vigorous hike. Half way through the walk we gave each girl an egg to protect and cherish. Then the leaders were asked to do anything possible to get the girls to give them their egg to carry. It only took about 10 steps before the first girl handed over her egg...Oops. Once the leader got it she was asked to throw it on the ground. It was hard on both the leader and the girl, but it worked perfectly for the talk we had prepared for when we got back. One of our fabulous leaders spoke on Virtue. Laura did an amazing job! She talked about how one of our girls gave the egg to someone she loved and trusted, and how once it was broken there was no way to ever put it back together again, resembling their virtue. After we gave the girls a copy of the new virtue insert for their personal progress book and sent them for solo time.

After lunch it was craft time! Each girl was given a carpet sample...rug, and ask to put something on it that would remind them to say their prayers. They were all so different and very cute! Once completed the girls were given free time, most of them had fun playing in the river :0) Brrr......

That evening Brother Fowers, Shawna's Dad, came up to speak to the girls. He brought such a strong spirit while speaking to us about the trials he has endured during his life and how each one of his trails brought a blessing in one form or another. He is a perfect example of being courageous and strong. Afterward we all gathered around the campfire to play a game of two truths and a lie. Each person took a turn at telling their two truths and a lie while the others had to guess which was which. We really got to know each other a little bit better, again, while laughing :)

The next morning was spent cleaning up camp. The girls were in charge of packing up their stuff, taking down tents, and cleaning up...making sure we left the area better than we found it. After lunch we spent time playing more games and holding our awards ceremony. Later that evening parents were invited up to camp for dessert and to attend our testimony meeting. Then....ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END! Even though we had a blast...Joel and I were exhausted!! It is amazing how much sleep YOU DON'T GET at camp :)

My amazing husband attended all three days...and two nights of camp. Him and Jimmy O. were our Priesthood Leaders through it all, the good and the puking! They were even given camp nicknames... Joel aka Water Boy, because of his MANY trips on the four wheeler, with Dax, to the spring for water ~ Jimmy aka Camper Boy, because of his monstrous fifth wheel he brought up to house him and Joel...they also enjoyed his TV and satellite dish a little too much. I still can't believe someone toilet paper his trailer ;)

Next year,...if not released..., is stake camp. The girls will be going to camp with all of the young women in our stake instead of just our ward. Stake camp is easier for us leaders...but the girls don't enjoy as much ~ It's kind of bittersweet :(

I want to thank Kyle, Shawna, and their 3 year old son, Dax for letting us invade their cabin! It turned out perfectly and couldn't have asked for a better location... Thanks Again!!

Stupid Kidney Stones...

Last weekend Joel and I got on frontrunner with our kids, to go to the Gateway with our friends Heather and Joe. My Dad met us at the Woodscross station to get my kids, then we went on to Salt Lake. First we had lunch at Jason's Deli and then went to see the new Adam Sandler movie, Grown Ups. After the movie my Dad brought the kids back to us and we headed to do some shopping. We didn't get far...while in the first store, Barnes & Noble, my back started getting sore. I wandered around the store looking for Joel and by the time I found him I thought I was going to die. So needless to say it was time to head home.

We went back to the trax station and then over to the frontrunner. While getting on the train I ask how much longer it would be before the train left...25 MINUTES!! THERE WAS NO FREAKING WAY I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO SET THERE FOR 25 MINUTES!! and then still have the hour ride back home...

Thank goodness for wonderful parents!! I think I said, while crying, to my mom..."come get me NOW!! OH, and bring PAIN PILLS!!" About the time the train was leaving with my friends on it, my parents showed up... I sat in the front set of my parents car while my kids were panicking in the back set and my parents were arguing over which hospital to take me to. My Mom said, "any where but DEATH ________"(Nickname of a local hospital). Then because our insurance is NOT IHC, which it seems every hospital in SLC is IHC, I ended up at......DEATH _______.

I later found out that the hospital was absolutely fabulous! The E.R. nurse, a wonderful man, got the I.V. put in, with a good dose of morphine and zofran, very quickly!! I was so impressed with how fast they were! After a quick CT Scan, they confirmed it was "just" another kidney stone, DUH!, but this one was only 3 mm ~ easily passable (HELLO, I DON'T THINK SO!!)...the doctor said (obviously he has never passed a kidney stone ;) The CT Scan also confirmed that I still have many more, deep in the kidneys, left to pass once they come into the center of the kidney :(

3 hours later I was back home feeling pretty good...gotta love morphine, however, it does were off quickly :( The week went by in a percocet blur... The stone did pass and now I am left with messy house, lots of laundry, dead flowers, and I'm REALLY behind on getting ready for girls camp ~ yep, I'm camp director~ that is THIS WEEK :| YIKES!!