American Lake with Smith Cousins

It was over 100 degrees out the day we went boating on American Lake with my favorite Blackner...now Smith, Stephanie. I have never been on the lake with wind rushing by, soaking wet, and still hot! Crazy summer weather in WA.




Samantha and cousin Hewitt


Thomas(Stephanie), Savannah (Heather), Sara(mine) and Eliza (Heather)



Sara and Emily on the boat-Hannah and cousing Emma in the back

Sara and Eliza tubing...this looks like pure bliss.

The night before I drove the kids to UT my favorite little brother, Stephen, flew into town. I got to pick him up from the airport and see him for about an hour. Can you believe he wore scrubs to his mother in laws 50th birthday party?! Funny kid. We always have a great time and it was over WAY too soon.

Seattle

All of these fun activities in one day! I am so tired, but since I love Heather(my sister) I am adding these photos so she can see her girls while they are here in WA. We went up to Seattle, rode the monorail over to the Pacific Science center, did most of the exhibits, went out to the fountain and got wet and ate lunch, rode the rides at the carnival, rode the monorail back, got some delicious tarts, cookies, and crepes at westlake center, shopped, got some pie at Marie Callenders, and headed home for a sleepover with one more cousin we picked up on the way, Katie! I did drop Tyler off with them so there are still only 8 kids down here. 5 at my house tonight and 3 at Grandmas.

Arriving in Seattle for a day of fun.


The girls minus Eliza and Samantha. Eliza and Tyler offered up the last tickets to the other kids. So sweet of them. Trust me, they didn't miss out on a thing!


Sara too short for some of the rides. She cried...a little.


Emma and Tyler getting off the ride.


Science Center-Tyler and Eliza were pretending to be in the movie.


Space Needle with the 8 kids


Fountain in Seattle near key arena


Emma and Sara enjoying cotton candy and the view.

Life with 8 kids

Tyler is used to being outnumbered, but it has gotten ridiculous. My sister, Heather, sent her 3 oldest daughters out to WA from GA for 2 weeks. Poor Tyler and 7girls! We are finishing off our first week and it is finally becoming bearable. It helped that he was gone for 3 days this week to scout camp.

Here are some of the things we have been doing to make fun memories for the girls and boy.

Seattle Temple visit. We all love to visit the beautiful temple grounds. The kids ran around, reverently of course ;)

Hannah and Emma freezing on this JULY day.

Samantha has always loved the statues outside of the temple. She has hugged and kissed them for as long as I can remember.

Eliza was dancing like a freak to the music from her tic tacs. It doesn't take very much to get a smile like this out of the girls.

Savannah's tic tac dance

Favorite restaurant to go to with the kids in Gig Harbor-enjoying gelato!

Made a swing with a jump rope and stick in the backyard

Emma and Hannah BCF = best cousins forever (at least that is what they have written)

Emma and Hannah handstands

Eliza, Sara and Savannah getting some sun

Hannah floating

We have much more planned, but honestly they would be happy in an empty room if they had each other. They giggle all day long...well, most of the time.

My summer.

Cub scout camp is on my mind. It is next week, and it will be a blast. Tyler is going as one of the scout leaders. I have to tie dye the shirts with the boys. I know about the rubber bands, but I was thinking about spraying the dye on with spray bottles instead of immersing them in the buckets. It seems so much easier. Is that lame of me? I bought RIT dye and I am hoping the shirts aren't too pastel looking with just the spray. Any thoughts? I will try one out later today.
I just finished icing my ankle for the first time ever. I woke up this morning with it popping all over with some pain. I work out all the time so I know it is strong, but now I have to stay off it for today at least. Bummer. Last night I was running through a neighborhood, in flip flops, looking for someones house. There are steep hills and I think that might have set my ankle back. Dumb, I know, but I was determined to find the house, and there was a barrier so I couldn't bring my car with me!
One more hour and Tyler and I are going to see HARRY POTTER. It is our date. Good memories for me and my 11 yr old.

Picture day!

Our new best friend, Kjrsten, took some fun pictures with us last week. We are so thankful for her sharing her vacation time with us.
First off we tried to re-create our engagement picture 14 years later. Can you tell which is which? 1995 or 2009



Kjrsten was so fun with the kids and they actually had a great time taking pictures...imagine that! She is so talented with the camera and with kids.

a little update

We went up to the Pacific Science Center in Seattle yesterday. It seems like the kids and I have been going non-stop since summer started on Monday, and I love it. Emily just had to hold this nasty cockroach. No one else would get near it.

Emily loves to climb anything. At Sara's last tball game Emily was climbing the chain from the swings at the park over and over again. She has got some tough hands...and strong muscles! I don't know what we would do without our fun Emily around.

Tyler's report card came in the mail today and......all A's!! He is so excited for his $20 and I am taking him and a friend to the go carts. He is so happy about that. This is a picture I took right after he got his braces on two weeks ago. He WAS so happy to get them until about an hour later he started to hate them. Poor guy, I remember those days.

end of a season

Not a great picture, but I love seeing Sam on Emily's lap.
Yesterday was the final day for tball. Emily and Sara both had a great time playing this year and want to play again next year. I think the trophies played a big part in why they enjoyed it so much. Unfortunately last night Samantha got a hold of Emily's trophy and threw it on the pavement. It shattered into several pieces. Tomorrow I will get some super glue and put the puzzle together. Samantha wasn't trying to hurt it, she saw the ball on it and tried to throw it. Makes sense, right?
Samantha eating tball celebration cake.

Sara getting her trophy. Hannah behind her in the hat.

Emily and her good buddy, Clara.

Emily and Tyler during Emily's final tball game. (Her team doesn't pay much attention. By the last game they were down to playing just 2 innings)

A proud mom

I love athletics. I love watching my kids play sports. Tyler has really been the only one, until this year. I coaxed two of my girls to play tball. It didn't take any coaxing for Emily, but Sara had to be sold on the idea. They both love it. Hannah will be playing soccer in the fall. She isn't excited, but she knows that I insist she at least try it.
Emily in the field...

Chick helmet with the pony tail hole :)

Sara pretending she knows what she is doing.


A week before they started tball/and Ty started the baseball season, we had a primary talent show. Tyler and Emily performed a musical/dance number. It was great. One full minute of a big brother dancing with his princess sister to "Someday My Prince Will Come". What a good brother he is. Two weeks later they did the dance over again for the ward talent show.

Spring Break 2009

It is about time I updated my blog. I have been a little busy. ;)

This year we had the best Spring Break. First, the Friday before the break Marshall and I took off to Utah for a long weekend. Our airplane was very delayed, but with no kids it was no big deal, we arrived in SLC by about 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning. We spent four great days in Provo and Salt Lake. My parents are currently working at the missionary training center in Provo so we got to spend a lot of time there. It was amazing and Marshall and I had a much needed vacation. I got to hang out with my sister, Kirsten. She inspired me to get these nasty 10 lbs off. Nothing she said, just her walking in the room makes you want to go on a diet! Well, I have begun! I hope it sticks this time.

When we got back we took the kids to our current favorite family hotel, the Springhill Suites by Marriott. We easily fit in the rooms and the kids love to swim so we did that at least twice a day.

When we got there they had to go straight to the pool. Then got cleaned up to go to the Seattle Temple. They love walking around the beautiful grounds. Samantha was feeling sick, but she just had me hold her most of the time.



Samantha's nose was running like crazy so Tyler ran to the car for some tissues. I love that he is coming to the rescue in this picture.


The second day we went on a hike up Mt Si. It was actually Little Si, the kids loved it and can't wait to go back.


Swimming and more swimming. I didn't bother to bring a swim suit this time. I am glad Marshall did! Emily loves to make us laugh and she just walked around the pool acting like nothing was going on while she actually had this beard. She did this over and over.