Wrapping Summer Up....

Summer is over.... what on earth happened?! This summer has felt like a blur. It was here and now gone. We tried to make the last of our summer as fun or spend as much time out doors and with the people we love. We went to our ward BBQ which was simply a blast. The primary kids did a pioneer parade/march with balloons. It was so fun to watch the excitement and seriousness on Belle's face! She held her balloon so proudly and Cash clapped so hard and long for her! Cash thought Belle was so cool... 

Lots of summer days were spent with friends... We have new neighbors- which happens to be our old neighbors and our kids are so thrilled to have Claire, Ian, and Olivia right across the street.We have been going on walks and escapes to the school park, Our favorite one was with Skylar and Parker!

It's also been a sad time- we had to say goodbye to a friend that I feel became one of my close friends... Karen and her family will be seriously missed! The kids will miss Jackson who played Monster and damsel in distress with Belle and Cash will miss trying to sneak a kiss from Risa or trying to hug her neck! Karen we miss you so much already!

We spent so many days outside with friends playing volleyball, play dough, bug finding, hide n seek, chalk, you name it we probably did it!

Aunt Katrina got to come see the kids and meet Paige for the first time before she headed to teach English in China!

Then one of the most exciting things of the summer was one of our best friends... Jimmy and Vanessa came for a short day trip visit! Whenever I see these two life gets so much better! It was so fun having their kids over. Braden and Brynlie are so big now. The kids loved each other! I wish so badly that we lived close. That day we ended up, talking, riding bikes, doing a camp fire, playing in the river, eating some good Tai food, kids wrestling Jimmy (Cash keeps telling me that his best friend is Jimmy), and laughing! I love this family so much. I am so glad we got to spend time with them- even though it was so short!

And to make summer fun and healthy... Banana ice cream and my Mom's cobbler. This ice cream is frozen bananas and a tiny bit of milk.... that is it and it's so good! So healthy! So dessert! Love it!

This summer Belle has become scared of the dark. So I let her crack the door... but she is afraid it will close so she puts her guardian unicorn to protect her from the monsters. It's so sad but I am glad her magical unicorn helps!

The rest of this summer was getting sick, doctor visits, picnics, getting new sparkle shoes finally for Belle, late night movies, Paige sleeping till 5:30am, SUSHI 3 nights in a row and then anytime we went to the store, talking and laughing on the couch after kids fell asleep, falling more in love with Monk Man (cheesy but not kidding!), 0 calorie drinks, sonic slushes... grape and blue coconut, and finally the day came for Dad to go back to school... Sad day... The kids asked about a 100 times why he had to go back. I felt like asking it too!

We had such a great summer together despite all the madness of being what felt like constantly sick. You know I am really looking forward to the Fall! The smellls that are filling stores of cinnamon vanilla, pumpkin spice, harvest apples, etc! The changing of the leaves. Pumpkin patches and endless hot chocolate! Cool nights and kid friendly scary stories! Library rentals of little witch or Charlie browns pumpkin patch! Excitement of Halloween costumes- which Belle picked for all of us already... Tinker Belle, Peter Pan, Hook, Tiger Lilly, and a baby mermaid! We will see if I can pull it off. Sugar cookies the kids frost and deliver.... reading favorite books on leaves! Although summer is the best for endless fun.... Fall is my favorite for it's warm, fresh, crisp feeling! I am so ready!