What our August looked like...

It seemed the kids were in water more than out of it this summer. The amount of towels we went through in August was shocking! I should have kept track. Both Jill and Mia made big strides in swimming this summer. Jill went from barely wanting to put her face in to swimming all over the "big" pool. She also discovered boogie boarding and is getting braver every time we go to the beach. Mia is not quite swimming everywhere by herself but she can swim out to me and back to the side again. Last night Lucas coaxed Mia into jumping in off the "high dive". At first she would have none of it even though he offered her several pennies and a trip to the yogurt shack. Finally he asked what she would want if she could have anything in the world. Without hesitation she said she would like pink. So he told her he would give her two pinks if she would jump off and so of course she did.

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Idaho Trip

We had so much fun on our summer trip this year. Instead of heading directly to Idaho we decided to take a round-about way so we could see some new countryside and visit friends. First stop was Phoenix. We had such a good time despite the 500 degree weather (I jest- I'm just a wimp). A & J took us to see a little bull-riding Sat. eve. Sunday was fellowship day so we got to spend time with other friends too. Sunday evening we headed up to Flagstaff and A & J joined us which made that leg of our trip extra special. Monday after the boys were done working, we went for a hike at the site of some cliff-dwelling ruins. It was very cool to see. Let us all be appreciative that we don't live on the side of a cliff. Tuesday we left Flagstaff, went to Bearizona and then on to the Grand Canyon. Did you know that the Grand Canyon is huge, indeed grand? That it is amazing? Pass the word along. We finished off Tuesday by traveling to Bryce Canyon. We drove through some surprisingly beautiful country before the sun went down. Wednesday we went into Bryce Canyon, drank in the beauty and then went on a little hike up the "mossy cave trail." There are no pictures of Mossy cave because, unlike everything else we saw, it was unimpressive. Regardless, we had the best time playing along the river. It was an afternoon we will not soon forget. Enjoying nature with the family is the best.

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Eventually we did make it to Idaho and of course enjoyed ourselves immensely!

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June

June found us saying good-bye to the school year and gearing up for an almost month long trip up North. But before I get to that boat-load of pictures here are some from the beginning of summer.

Lucas with his dear Mrs. Carlson. "She's the best teacher EVER!"

Preschool Graduation

On Jill's last day of school I wanted to get a photograph of her and Mia like the one I had taken on her first day of school but her mood was contrary as you can see...

So this is as close as I got.

As you can see Mia is almost where she was.

Summer found us swimmin'

Campin'

and man-handlin' the visitors.

A week after school let out Lucas went to a surf camp with his buddy. One of the nights his buddy slept over and this is how they came down ready for bed. Surfin' twins!

Lucas with his counsellor

That's the two Daddy's paddling out on the horizon.