New Wheels!

Derek showing off his new wheels...and I don't mean the bike!
This has been a fun bike riding summer, it started out with Jaxson smooth talking his way into an early birthday present and then everyone decided they had outgrown their old bikes so we were on a mission. We found a great purple mountain bike for Grace on craigslist-$20 and then Bella moved up into Grace's bigger bike and after a year of Brock riding around on his toot scoot, we brought down Jaxson's old two wheeler, pumped up the tires and bent over holding onto his seat. Brock does great, but due to a little fear, he keeps slamming on the breaks once he realizes we have let go. We also attached the tandem bike to Derek's bike so Brock can join us on the family rides. Now...if only mom could get her cruiser bike....:)

Brock turns 4

Although we have the summer off, Derek doesn't so we had to wake Brock up really early and he was not happy with our singing, this first picture is him hiding back under the covers. Then after a little wake up time, he was all excited! His big present was a DSI and his siblings gave him a few things they bought with their own money, mostly candy...


Then the next day was his party at the fire station, after a tour of where they sleep and eat, the kids all got to go in the fire truck and then they got out their hoses and sprayed them all down. We finished with a pinata! Fun time for his friends and their siblings! Happy Birthday Brockie!!

The 7 year old gymnast

Bella often follows Grace in her interests, but lately she has been expressing the desire to do gymnastics. Luckily a cute couple on our ward teaches at a place close by and we enrolled Bella for the summer. This was parents day and we were amazed at her skills, strength and talent! What a gymnast!!

Zucchini Races for scouts

"to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."...or just have some fun carving and racing zucchinis!

4th of July

(Bella and Kelsie sitting on the mailboxes playing with rolly pollies)
We had the Rogers and Howards over for the 4th of July! The boys had a great time lighting off the fireworks (many paid for with their own hard earned money) and it gave us a great show to watch. We enjoyed root beer floats and Derek made a cobbler in the dutch oven! Great memories, great friends!




Tylie slept through the whole loud show going on outside, we found her with her head tucked into the side of the bed and her hand holding on for support.

First lemonade stand of the summer

My kids have made a tradition out of this. At the start of every summer, the neighborhood kids get together a have a lemonade stand and have a party with the earnings! This year they decided to add homemade cookies to the sell and they quadrupled their earnings! Making over $40 in one day!! Lot's of generous neighbors (and persistent kids)! In addition to the pizza/movie party we also had enough to go out to see Soul Surfer at the theater too!