The rest of the August Redux...........

I'm not sure whoever coined the term the "the lazy days of summer", but they were dead wrong.

I have not been lazy. In ANY way. Nor has Bill. He is training for LoToJa (or Logan to Jackson) and I really can't wait to have a husband back in my life. Anyway....here is a little of the recent fun:

Monika and I hosted the final "Bookworms' Bookclub" for the summer. They've met every 2 weeks with a new book and an activity to go along with what they've read. The last was a sleepover book, so "late over" party it was. They decorated cupcakes and had to eat them with hands behind their back. We had several games and ended with nail-painting and "Just Dance". I took a little pleasure in beating the girls at it. I tripled the girl's score. I have one talent in life and I like to use it to make little girls cry.

I started teaching this week. Really love my classes and am seeing improvement in all my girls. Emi hopped back into dance class without missing a beat. Can you believe Macy starts in a year?

We shared coats. Parker and Quinn fought most the summer and I've been excited to get them apart from each other during the school year. The day before school started, they played and laughed together all day. Why couldn't have this happened a month or two earlier?

First day-o-school. Love their teachers. Happy to be with friends. La,la, la........

Macy tried new ways to keep herself busy without her siblings to entertain her. I hope she survives without them. And what is with her....she cannot keep her eyes open in a picture!

Emi's fish died last Friday. Really....it was about all I needed. Of course, she noticed right before school started and went into the school in tears. We had a little fish funeral (yes, I bury fish).

But, most importantly....BILL TURNED 40 ON SATURDAY!!!!! What an old man. I threw him a "Halfway to the 80's Prom". This will be it's own separate post once I get all the pics back, but it was super fun. We danced, laughed, hung with old and new friends. Even though we got home quite late, we hung out in the backyard and watched the crazy, crazy lightning storm. Bill LOVES August storms, so it was a perfect end to his great B-day.

Squeezing every little bit out of summer......

(Really...does it get any cuter than this?)

It's been nuts around here. I feel such a pressure in the summer to pack everything in before school and work starts up again. I'm proud to say that I feel like I've given my kids a good summer...and vice versa. I'll do a complete rundown later, but here are a couple of recent highlights:

Say what you will about Lagoon, I really do like it. It's no Disneyland, but for a local fun spot, I'm happy with it. Trashy people...yes. Part of the experience. It's nothing compared to Magic Mountain. Sorry. I'll stop the "judginess". I have great memories as a kid, and I hope to pass it on to mine.

I do get sick on some of the rides. Never did before, but my age is getting to me. As my cousin says, she gets the "Lagoon headache" because Lagoon has all sorts of different ways to spin you around. And, we went on a humid day which I didn't think existed in Utah. But still fun. My dear sister came to help me out so I wouldn't have to go on a crowded Saturday with Bill. My kids were so happy and Macy fell in love with rides. Just a few short months ago, she screamed through the zoo train and merry-go-round. Because of that, she lost out on a trip to Disneyland because I made her stay with Grandma S. I'm so mean. But whatever...she loves it now. What a couple of months will do. Jumping Dragon was her favorite, which I couldn't even believe they let her on. She loved Puff as well. Macy giggles and keeps her hands up the whole time. So funny. Quinn fell in love with Bombora, the new surf roller coaster. It plays beachy tunes, which he plays drum and guitar the whole time while the ride is in motion.

(this one is for you, Uncle Mark.....hee, hee, hee)

(I'm sure I will NEVER get Parker on a little kid ride again, so I had to savor this brief moment in time when all 4 kids fit in a little spaceship)

Macy loving the Jumping Dragon. I'm about to lose my dinner.

We loved it so much, I did the "bounce back" offer and made Bill go with us last Friday night. We always did Lagoon at night growing up, and I forgot how fun it was when you aren't sweating up a storm. Bill and I took turns running (yes, running) to big coasters with Parker and Emi, and it was super. Glad I sucked it up and did it.

Also last week, I was lucky enough to travel to St. George and see "The Little Mermaid" at Tuacahn. A bunch of my friends and their daughters were happily available to go with us, and it was so, so great. We stayed at my friend Erin's fabulous house and swam, ate, gossiped and relaxed.

Please don't look at the pictures and think I had anything to do with these cute costumes. We have "Super Amazing Mom/Camp Director/Party Planner/Costume Designer" mom in our neighborhood, and we are just her minions. Seriously. We just show up at her house, and the magic happens. It exhausts me thinking about how much she does, but so glad she exists to make our daughter's life exciting and memorable. Also very glad that Macy is just a few months younger than her other daughter =-).

Ariel and Eric made a big fuss over the girls.

(tired girls....it was 11:45 p.m.)

It's honestly been a super summer and I'm already mourning the end of it.

Strong

The past few weeks have thrown me for a loop. No details....just proud.

Proud of the strong women I know.

Proud of women who raise kids in a world full of evil influences at every door. Proud of women whose greatest desires is to bring children into loving homes. Proud of women who take care of their loved ones with very little help. Proud of women who devote their time and energy to bringing others to Christ. Proud of women who take adversity, stare it in the face, and tackle it. Proud of women who believe in themselves. Proud of women who don't shrink to the levels of others. Proud of women who smile through impossible situations. Proud of women who know what they're worth. Proud of women who take the challenges they are given and become stronger. Proud of the line of strong-willed women I come from. Proud of the huge pool of women that I call friends and role models.

That's it.