Summer Report Card

~T-ball: Fun and chaos! A+

Parker was so excited to play T-ball and have Daddy coach his team. He hit the ball really well (says the proud mother) and was so excited to show off his "super fast" running skills. He really wants to make friends, but is too shy to do it, so he ends up being silly when the other kids are silly. Cam had to repeat the instructions to his son more than any other player. :) Such are the actions of a 4 1/2 year old. 

One of my favorite moments was when I was standing on second base, and after hitting the ball, Parker took off toward second base, towards me. His eyes were wide and his grin was stretching off his cheeks--he was so excited that he had hit the ball and was running so fast! I felt bad redirecting him to first base amidst all the other loud directions from parents, but it made me smile.

~Family Reunion: Time with long lost extended family A+
Sleeping room in my parents' house B-
Fun trying to figure out where to sleep A+

One night, Deacon ended up sleeping in a laundry basket while McKenna and I squeezed into her twin bed.

The family reunion (my mom's side) was held the 24th and 25th of July. Some arrived the 23rd, and I believe my parents had approximately 80 people sleeping at their house that don't usually sleep there! Their parking lot  driveway was packed, but they used their field as the parking area, and there were at least three or four tents that popped up on their lawn with every couch, bed, mattress, and carpeted floor area inside being occupied. Parker and Stockton slept in their little Star Wars tent, which they loved, and Cam, Deacon, and I shared a tent with Carissa and Spencer.
The Wallsburg 24th of July celebration is always a fun one, and we had quite a few members of our family participate in the rodeo. Nate and his pony, Arrow, played musical chairs; our cousin, Melanie Padilla, and McKenna participated in Pony Express and the hide race; Melanie and Braden also did the hide race.
P.S. NEVER do the hide race in shorts and a t-shirt with no shoes. It may just be renamed the Braden race, because the hide rode on top of HIM. Braden's arms and the tops of his feet looked as though he'd been dragged down the road behind a truck. But! For jumping in with no notice and providing the family with some entertainment... I guess that deserves an A+.

Parker was super excited to get a dragon painted on his face...

...but it got smeared later when he went down with some of the cousins to participate in the chicken chase and couldn't find his way back to us afterward. He was crying pretty hard when someone brought him back to my parents on the bleachers.

One night of the family reunion was spent at the Heber Girls' Camp. Canoeing (the boys didn't like getting wet), playing Frisbee, playing Minute-to-Win-It games, and just being with family was so fun. For awhile after the reunion, whenever I would wave to some unknown passerby or talk to anyone, Parker would always ask, "Is that your cousin?"

~Garden harvest: Keeping up with zucchini B-
Trying new recipes A

The refrigerator dill pickles were a big hit at our house this summer!

We are learning the ropes with a Master Gardener this year. He took us under his wing, along with two other families, and taught us what to do and what to plant on his acre plot of garden. Holy Hannah, it's a lot of food. I'm learning still trying to learn the secrets of freezing everything from kale and spinach to onions and peppers. Canning will come... someday...

The boys are at peace playing in the dirt whenever we go weeding or harvesting. They like to pick the peas and go "potato hunting".

~Stockton's 3rd Birthday: Happy little boy A+

Fighting with fondant C

Batman theme for Stocky Boy! At age 3, he likes to be with Parker, play superheroes, and have books read to him.

We used Stockton's birthday to meet some new neighbors and rub shoulders with old ones. It was fun to simply sit on our lawn (yay!) and eat cupcakes and chat. The cupcakes ended up being Plan D cupcakes, but they were good so... whatever. :) The homemade chocolate chip ice cream was super yummy. And I don't even like vanilla ice cream!

Some of Parker's and Stockton's friends digging into homemade ice cream and cupcakes.

After the incredible experience that I went through fighting with fondant for the first time, you'd better say that this cake got a freakin' A+++++++++++++++! Go on! Say it!

Miscellaneous Items
~June 6th, happy 7 year anniversary! A+++

~Yard work A+ to Cam
~Camping with friends on Monroe Mountain A+
~Sweet family experiences that proved to me that heaven is here, families are forever, and that some of the most strong, faithful people are members of my family. I can't score that.

Garfield County Fair Days fish grab. Stockton wouldn't touch one. Parker surprised us by getting in and trying to catch a fish. It only lasted for 47 seconds, but he tried. :)

Have I ever said that there is a new and glorious project completed every time the boys and I are away from Cam for a few days? This headboard, made from a door in Cam's parents' house that burned a few years ago, is the newest addition to that list.  

Carissa's baby shower on August 22nd was a little too much fun! Her little boy will arrive at the end of November. Grandson #5! Granddaughters... don't talk about that...

I couldn't resist. All these pictures of my cute 11 month old!

Okay, you get the idea. This summer was an A+! Like a good meal, it was gone before we even got to taste it!