Summer Camping

Last year we bought a camping trailer and LOVED it!!! It made it so much better and easier to enjoy the experience of family camping. This year we decided to upgrade a little so that we could have more room. It's amazing how much better I sleep knowing that Lauren can't fall off the top bunk onto me (it did happen once last year). Although last weekend she tried to get off the top bunk by herself and landed on the floor and kicked Dallin in the head, just glad it wasn't me :) So far this year we've been to Deer Creek Resevoir (above pictures) and Palisade State Park. We did just a quick trip to Palisade so we could see the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, which was really fun. This coming weekend will be our longest trip of the year since Monday is a holiday so we can stay an extra day without Greg taking time off work. We are going to Bear Lake with my brother Aaron and his family.

Simply Monday, Notebooks

I love notebooks, pads of paper, or anything easy to write notes on. I usually keep one on the kitchen table during the day and if I think of something I need to do, I write it down. I'm sure its partly an age thing, but I seem to easily forget what I need to be doing :) I also keep one in my purse for shopping lists or when I see something I really like I write it down so I don't forget where I saw it, what size it is or what I wanted it for. I also write extra chores on it for the kids and they know where to look if I say there are a few things they need to do. I usually buy a bunch of these after school starts when Target marks down all the back to school items then I don't need to buy them so often during the year (unless I see a really cute one at the store.)

No more...

Last week when I went to the Dr. in trying to still figure out this digestive problem I have, she asked if I was drinking carbonated sodas. I said "Of course not". I'm such a liar :) So, I decided that since I need to be telling the truth I better quit drinking it. I thought it would be really hard since I tend to be quite tired from the medication that I take but suprisingly it hasn't been bad!! I miss the flavor but oh well, I shouldn't have been drinking it in the first place. Greg is thrilled that he doesn't have to share his soda with me anymore :)

Curls

Lauren has been bugging me forever to get her curlers so she could have curly hair. So Friday I finally bought some and we triend them out that night. She did well sleeping with curlers in and woke up extra early Saturday to check it out. Doesn't she look cute??

The Beach :)

The beach was tons of fun!! Dallin especially loved it, he spent most of the time running in the water. Lauren hated the seaweed so she didn't get her feet in much. We buried Keiler in the sand and played with his kites. We mostly just wanted the little kids to have this experience since they have never been to the beach before even though they were both born in CA.

Knotts Berry Farm

Just a few pictures from our fun day at Knotts Berry Farm. We decided to try a new (to us) theme park this time to So Cal. We just went to Disneyland 1 1/2 years ago and Legoland at that time too. It was a fun day, the big kids and Greg loved all the roller coasters and the little kids just enjoyed everything. The last ride they went on was the wooden roller coaster. Lauren, Jordan, Kyle, Max and Keiler went on it and loved it!! Lauren wasn't sure about all the roller coasters most of the day and was nervous to go on them (although she loves roller coasters and is never afraid of them). Finally Jordan convinced her to go and it was definately worth it. We probably wouldn't go there again but it was fun one time. It was half the price of Disneyland but half the fun too :)

Graduates

Not the best pictures but just wanted to officially document the graduations of these 2 boys. Kyle's graduation (2nd picture) was indoor at a civic center in downtown San Diego. Luckily Dallin played his DS the whole time and didn't complain about sitting around for 2 hours. Keiler's graduation was outside in the stadium at his high school and it was hot and sunny. We got to sit on cement bleachers with the sun shining right in our faces :) It took us awhile to realize that Keiler was straight in front of us but that was so cool when we figured it out. The poor graduates were sitting facing the sun the whole time in their hot caps and gowns. So excited for both the boys and the next step they will be taking. (Can't wait to find out what that will be :))

I love this picture

Just wanted to do a quick blog post since we are leaving this afternoon to see two of these handsome boys graduate from High School in San Diego. It is strange that now we will have 3 adult children. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. I remember Keiler's first day of Kindergarden, even then he wasn't thrilled to go to school :) Kyle was 7 the first time I met him and its been fun watching him grow up too. I hope to get lots of pictures while we are in CA and will hopefully post them next week. For now CONGRATULATIONS Keiler and Kyle for making it through 13 years of school, now onto the next adventure :)

12 hours later

Yesterday morning, Lauren was up and ready for the day at 6:45. She even asked if she could go outside and play. I told her it was like when we are camping and there are quiet hours, the same goes with the neighborhood :) We did our daily walk at 8:15 when Sammy got to our house, which the kids didn't enjoy as much as I did. Then they spent the rest of the day playing hard with all their friends. We stuck to our lunch at noon schedule but when dinner time came around I let them play a little longer. We finally had dinner at 6:30 and by 6:45 pm this is what I saw at the kitchen table. She was so exhausted that I had a hard time getting her to her bed and luckily she is still asleep this morning.

Simply Monday- Dishes

Well, I almost didn't do a post today, but since this is mainly a reminder to me to live simply I thought I better do something :) This summer with Sammy here everyday and making lunches for the 3 kids I thought I'd come up with something easy for all of us. Dallin, Lauren, and Sammy all have their own color dishes and those are all the dishes they can use each day. I've shown them how to rinse their cups to be reused during the day and also how to wash their dishes and put them in the dishwasher. It saves me time by getting them to clean up after themselves and since they all have different colors I will always know who didn't do their dishes, or who left them sitting on the table. We are having a set lunch time so they know when they have to be home from friends houses. Also trying to have healthy meals so they wont ask for so many snacks during the day. Hopefully we will get Dallin to try some fruits and veggies this summer when he sees Lauren and Sammy eating them all the time. (At least I can dream :))