Officially Utah residents

We have lived in Utah since August 2008. Since we still owned our home in Idaho Falls, we decided to keep registering Spencer's car in Idaho. Let's be honest here, Idaho's registration is much cheaper so we were trying to save a buck or two. However, our home went on the market around the same time we needed to register Spencer's car so we decide to bite the bullet. Bye bye Idaho plates, hello Utah!

SBL #8 & 9- Go Fishing/Granny Camp

Cameron got to spend some time in Idaho with Granny and Grandpa. They always have such a good time and really try to pack in the fun. This year was a little difficult due to football tryouts and Abbie's softball schedule but he still had a wonderful vacation. Grandpa took him fishing and sent me this picture of the huge fish he caught!

They also got to go to the Mack's Inn dinner theater to see "High School Musical" and eat a prime rib dinner!

Ryan did a mini football camp with Cameron to help him feel a little more confident before football tryouts. He taught him a lot and started the fire in him.

SBL #7 - Granny camp

Gavin and Owen went to visit Granny & Grandpa Tew for a few days in July. They went to Relay for Life with grandparents & cousins where they got their faces painted.

Grandpa took them craw-dad fishing!

 Granny took them to Madagascar 2. It was 3D.

They played with bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and play doh. They also went to Jensens Grove and enjoyed playing with Avery & Jette.

 

 

 

 

 

An Exceptional Kid

A few weeks before school ended, I got a phone call from the secretary. She told me that Draper City Police started an annual event called "kids appreciation" where they honored two students from each of the local elementary schools. She further explained that each teacher in the school nominated two students from their classrooms, then the principal went through all the nominations and narrowed it down to just two from the school! Our elementary school has grades K-6, about 5 classes per grade, With approximately 900 students that attend! Cameron was chosen to receive the award! A day or two later, I received a letter in the mail with a copy of what Cam's teacher had said in her nomination: So last night Cam and I went to the "Kids appreciation workshop." They asked us not to bring any siblings and just one parent. (Spencer's traveling for work so that was fine by us.) The workshop was at Home Depot. There were 12 kids there. They fed them a meal donated by Texas Roadhouse. Then Home Depot provided a keepsake craft for them to make. It was a little shadow box and Cam thought it was pretty cool. Then a Draper City Councilman and two Officers from the Police presented the awards to the kids. We think Cam's pretty exceptional too and are so glad that he received a little recognition!

SBL #6 - Scout Camp

Unsure of SBL?  Either read previous posts or skip to here.
Scout Camp:

Cam is the only Webelo in our ward so we have joined with another ward/troop for Den & Pack Meetings.  It is a lot of fun for him because his good buddy, Jake, is in that troop.  He left for Scout Camp this morning. First day is the day they pass off swimming requirements.  I'm anxious for him to get home and tell me all about it.

OUCH- Not on the Bucket List

On June 12th, I was in between piano lessons.  Cameron sat down at the piano and started practicing.  Han climbed up on my lap and Madi climbed up by Cam on the piano bench.  Madi decided that she would rather be on my lap and attempted to cross over Han to get to me.  I wasn't entirely aware of what she was doing and it happened so quickly that she fell and hit her little forehead on the corner of the piano bench.  Because it was a head wound, it started bleeding a lot!  I rushed her over to the sink and applied a cold water compress and the bleeding stopped.

Right after it happened

Waiting for the Doctor

But when I looked at her forehead, it looked kinda bad and so I took her to the pediatrician (where they do stitches and breaks on site, rather than sending you to the hospital.)  The nurse looked at it and assumed the doctor would just glue it but when the doc looked, he said he'd feel better if she had 2 stitches.  He said the glue wouldn't let it heal naturally and she'd probably just pick at it and cause more trouble.  It's a little ironic that in a house full of boys, our little lady is the first to have stitches.  She was very brave!

All stitched up 

The morning after...I love this picture--from her wild hair to wearing Han's pajamas to her goofy grin!!!

SBL #5 - Visit City Creek

Visit City Creek:

My dad had a meeting for work in SLC so he and my mom came on the 12th and 13th.  While dad was in his meetings, mom and I decided to take a trip to see City Creek.  It was amazing!  I'm anxious to go back sans kids so that I can do some window shopping and pretend like I can afford a Coach Bag or a little souvenir from Tiffany's.

SBL #4 - Swim at Emily's Pool

Swim at Emily's Pool:

This is a weekly (or more) event.  We love swimming at Emily's Pool and only wish that she and Miley were there to join us!

SBL #2 and 3 - Walk on trails & picnic

Not sure what SBL is?  Link here.

Walk/Bike Ride on a trail + Picnic in a Park

The kids officially finished school on June 6th.  They were already looking for things to do by the 7th.  On the 9th, we decided to cross a couple things off the bucket list (although these two are things that I'm sure we will do over and over again throughout the summer, I just probably won't take a picture of it again unless it's super fun!)  We loaded the scooters and double stroller into the back of our new car (did I ever mention that we got a new car?  It's a 2009 Ford Expedition EL (which stands for Extra Long) and is very similar in size to a Suburban.  It is SO nice and makes our summer plans/vacations seem like much more fun) and I packed an easy picnic.  We drove to a park that is on the Jordan River Trail and after eating our very windy picnic, we walked along the trail while the boys scooter-ed in front of us.  I made everyone pause for a quick photo...

1st On the Bucket List

From here on out, anything that we do from the bucket list will be titled SBL #_ (if you're not sure what this is, link here.)

So this is SBL #1~
Our friends, Whitney, Berkley, and Sovie, invited us over one day.  They had just bought a new "pool" and wanted to try it out.  They lured us over with the promise of lunch.  Owen, Han, and Madi put on their swimming suits and we headed over.  They all loved the pool so much that they insisted we get one of our own!  So we did.  And since it was on our bucket list, we had to fill it up immediately!  It has seen many summer days already and I know there are more to come.  

Summer Bucket List 2012

Summer has begun!  My cousin, Monicka, posted a Summer Bucket List they had created for their family.  I thought it was a great idea so we totally copied them and made a list of the many things we want to do this summer.  As we accomplish them, I'll post the different activities we do.  Some are easy, some involve a lot of planning, some require other people, some are ongoing.  We're excited about it.

I know it's hard to read everything on the list so here they are in no particular order:
- Summer Reading Program through the Library
- Bear Lake
- Swim at Emily's pool
- Go to a 3D movie
- Play at a lot of new Splash Pads
- Go to a ReAL game
- Jump on the Trampoline
- Swim at Draper Pool
- Memorize the Articles of Faith
- Scout Camp (Cam)
- Wheeler Farm
- Eat a Snow Cone
- Swimming Lessons
- Hollywood Connection
- Have a weiner roast
- Go to a Drive In Movie
- Piano Lessons
- Lagoon with the Tew's
- Have a water balloon fight
- Roast Doughnuts
- Potty Train the babies?
- Do Sidewalk Chalk Art
- Outdoor Movie at the Amphitheater
- Teach Owen to Read
- Granny Camp
- Play with Friends
- Go Fishing
- Visit Kami & Girls in Wyoming
- Sleepover at Grandma Tisa's
- Buy a Book
- Fly Kites
- Happy Hour at Sonic
- Play in our Pool
- See Beaver & Amelia & kids
- Swim at Callie's Pool
- Go Camping
- Have Family Pictures taken
- Watch Fireworks
- Picnic at a Park
- Go See City Creek
- Walk/Bike Ride on trails


We wrote each thing on a sticky note so that when we've completed it, we can take it off the board.  Hopefully, this will prevent my kids from saying "We didn't do ANYTHING this summer!"  We've already gotten started and we're loving it!