Casey's Birthday

My nephew Casey turned 14 yesterday and my sister Marilee had his party at the bowling alley last night. I took second to Greg, he bowled a 188, while I only scored 135. I think Casey tied with the same score. It was a great night with family. And when we came out of the bowling alley, the sunset was brilliant. I didn't really capture it very well, with my phone camera, but it was beautiful.

(Mom, Marilee, Greg)


Cole, Morgen, Markus and Max paused for a photo before continuing with the chase they had going on for Max's hat.

Smiley

Yesterday after church, Smiley baby (Hannah) wanted to come home with us. She wanted to come play at "Marker's" house, as she calls him. So I told her mom, Sharon, that she could ride home with us and that Markus could bring her home on the scooter.

Right after I took these photos, as she was riding home, the sash on her dress came untied, and got caught under one of the wheels. Before I could stop the scooter and gather her dress up, it was riped and dirty. I felt so bad, I told her mom that I would try to fix it and pay her for a new one.

I took the dress back home and spent the next hour repairing her dress. I think it looks pretty good, not perfect by any means but you have to look really close to see where I hemmed it again. Sharon won't take any money from me for a new one, so I will just have to go buy her one. Good excuse to go shopping for a little girls dress. She is such a darling little girl and was so much fun to have at our house. She told Markus, "I like your face Marker" while she was touching his cheek. She is not even two yet.

Hudson's Birthday Party

Hudson invited Markus to his 7th birthday party yesterday. Markus loves playing with Hudson and was so excited to go. He had a great time and ended up staying 1 1/2 hours later than the party was supposed to end. Hudson is moving to California next week and Markus is kind of sad. He has had so many great play dates with Hudson this year, since they met in Kindergarten.

Markus loves watching people open presents and was telling me afterward what he thought Hudson's favorite present was. I don't think Hudson told him which one it was, Markus just watched his reactions and decided off of that. He is pretty perceptive that little one.

Ward Sister's Retreat

Last night I went down to the Manti pageant with a group of ladies from our ward.
Melanie Griffith (right) invited us to stay with her family who lives down there after the program was over and so we didn't have to drive home at midnight. So I did. The production was quite amazing actually, all of the effort and expense that they put into it is unbelievable. It was worth the drive down.

This morning we stayed and had breakfast in her home before driving home. Kind of relaxing and we all had a pretty good time.

Father & Sons

The boys are going on their first ever camping trip with their dad tonight. Our ward has never done a father and sons camp out before, so the boys are excited. Especially Markus, he loves to sleep in a tent and has only done it once before. This photo was taken last year when we went up to Jordanelle for my nephew Casey's birthday party.

To-do

• Clean the house
• Do laundry
• Groceries
• Visiting teaching
• Teach skating
• Max to Jake Ellwell's birthday party
• Swim

Seventy

It is my dad's 70th birthday today. I wanted to make him a slide show of photos from his life for his birthday, but I wasn't able to get all the photos I needed from my mom. Oh, well, maybe I still will. My sister Monet had his party at her house on Sunday, combined with Father's Day.

Kimberly's Cutie

Nora Sofia 6 lbs 14 oz 19.5 inches long

My cute friend Kimberly from Bunko had her baby last Thursday and she just sent me these photos of her kids. I love hearing baby news. I just love it!!!

Vacation

Father's Day

Ironman

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Ben's 2.4 mile swim time: 1:23:43

112 mile bike: 6:55:43

26.2 mile run: 5:41:48

Total Time 14:21:27

Cousins

Markus loves it when his cousins Whitney and Josslyn come over. Sheri asked me to babysit for her Wednesday while she was flying and brought Shane's son Michael with her as well. She and her friend Ashley spent the night, because Sheri's husband Shane was flying Tuesday, Sheri Wednesday morning and Ashley in the afternoon. So they all came down together since they live in Preston, and made one trip instead of three.

Mark came over to hang out for a little bit Wednesday night before leaving for our trip to Idaho on Thursday. He is nice enough to come over and take care of Molly for us while we are gone and Max was so relieved. All week he has been asking me what we were going to do with Molly.

First he wanted to take her with us, but I talked him out of that one, telling him that Molly wouldn't have much fun on a ten hour car ride. Then, we talked about taking her to a kennel, but he was worried that the other dogs might be mean to her there. I thought that maybe our neighbors could just take care of her while we were gone but they were both going out of town as well. So when I asked Mark, Max was glad and could finally relax because he knew that Molly would be fine. Max really does love Molly so much. It is kind of cute the bond between a boy and his dog. Even though Molly is Morgen's dog, Max takes care of her.

Noah (Mark's son) and Josslyn (Sheri's daughter) are only three months apart.

My sister Sheri came over to pick up her kids at the same time that Mark did, so it was fun for Noah to meet Josslyn. It was a little hectic, in spite of trying to get ready for the trip and teaching my students out at the Accord rink (since their competition is out there) I said yes to babysitting. Being the yes woman that I am, and it actually worked out fine. Her daughter, Whitney was using my camera to take these pictures, so that is why it is such a belly shot!

Sheri is having her sixth baby in December and has been really sick for the past few weeks. With Shane's two kids, it makes 8 kids for them so they bought a new car as well. It is a Pilot but it has a third seat so it has a few more seat belts than her Ridgeline did. Since she doesn't have all of her kids living with her, she only needs the extra seats once in awhile.

Scout Camp

Max had scout camp up Millcreek canyon on Wednesday and Thursday. It was his first camp as a Webelos scout and he had a great time especially shooting the guns. I forget that he hasn't been around guns much. I grew up being around guns, my dad has every type of gun imaginable and would give all of his kids a gun for Christmas or birthdays. We would go out and shoot targets but I wasn't very accurate. I think I am going to take Max up and let my dad teach him how to shoot some time this summer, I think he would really enjoy it.

Anyways, he had a great time riding up with all the younger scouts. He is the only scout his age in the den. But he still knows most of the younger kids and so had a good time, or so he said.

I actually remembered his permission slip and he packed his lunch the night before, since I was at girl night with my friends until late on Tuesday night. I had a great time, just eating dinner, shopping and hanging out at my friend Carol's house, with Heidi, Laurie, and Olivia until the wee small hours of the morning. It is like group therapy and I am so grateful to have such dear friends. Nicole was in California on a shopping trip, purchasing fabric for her swimsuits for next year I think. And Kelli was in California with her family for a wedding. It isn't the same with out all the girls there. But sometimes it is hard to get everyone together.

Hangin' with the Homies

Morgen and Markus wanted to go see baby Noah on Tuesday night, after he arrived here with his mom Ashley, from Nebraska. So we went over and chilled in the backyard for a little quality time with the cousins.


Baby Noah is such a cute little guy and loves to ride around in the cars.

Only problem is that he has one direction, reverse!

Max, Morgen and Mark playing a game of backyard hoops. Mark is staying with his parents until the 17th of next month, when he will go up to Montana and take the bar exam. Their backyard shares a back fence with the golf course, and the boys have been known to sneak out on to the course and play a few holes.

Markus makes almost all of his shots, and his face is usually red by the time he is done playing.

Silly boy!

Uncle Mark teaching Morgen some skateboarding moves. Mark used to skateboard a lot back in the day and hasn't forgotten most of his old moves.

Max having a ball (pun intended).

Mark's little boy Noah (No-No, they call him) didn't want to miss out on the action. He is a pretty good shot.

Markus wanted Uncle Mark to try on his fake mustache and I think it looks pretty good on him.

Zoo

Since the weather was perfect yesterday morning, we went for a quick trip to the zoo.

Max wanted to see the gorilla's, and stopped to give one a drink on the way!

He almost measures up to the orangutan...

Not quite Markus!

We also stopped by the library to pick up some DVDs for the long car trip this weekend. I think 10 videos should do the trick.

Ortho

Morgen went to Dr. Stevens today, his orthodontist and chose green for his color bands. I guess so that they would match his hat that he loves to wear.

Markus usually gets a surprise from the ortho as well. He won this crazy mustache today and wore it all day long.

After the Dr. we stopped at Baskin-Robbins for a little treat.

Even though it doesn't feel like summer outside we are still having summer time fun.

Markus enjoying his pop rock twist.

Free Bowling?

Max was learning how to bowl today using the ball the real way, with his fingers in the holes. Before, he would usually just kind of hold the ball and toss it down the alleyway.

He has had his own bowling ball since he was 4 and that was the only thing that he asked for, for Christmas that year. It is a Sponge Bob ball with his name on it. The finger holes were too small last year, so I took it in and the guy just re drilled the holes to fit him for free.

Lucas and Justin, a couple of the neighbor boys came with us.

Morgen had a great game with a few strikes and spares.

I am glad that the boys received free passes for bowling all summer long. I am pretty sure we are not going everyday though. You see the bowling is free, the shoes however, still have to be rented and parents have to pay as well. So it will be a fun activity once in awhile, not free of charge. No such thing as a free lunch? Probably, but we still had a good time!