Summer

You know it's summer when...

 

 

 ....sleeping outside becomes an option.  With our faithful four legged friends keeping watch Jill, Kenzie and Miki could rest easy.  I think Miki stayed the warmest with her little tent packed full of fluffy blankets.

 

 

You know it's summer when we head for the mountain. 

 

 

fashion statement?

 

 

You know it's summer when my mom's birthday comes around.  I can't believe she's 71!  She runs circles around me daily.

 

 

Either we sing too loud, or we are terrible singers.  Either way Kyler just couldn't  take it.

 

 

 

You know it's the start of a special summer when you get to go to a grand child's baptism.

 

 

Grace was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Mesa AZ on the first of June.  Grandpa Walker was happy to be the one baptizing her. 

 

 Surrounded by family Grace felt the blessings of a special day.

 

Marvelous May

May has come and gone in a whirl wind.  From dance recitals, dance competitions, band/choir performances, school programs, award assemblies, field trips, 5th grade promotions and more, May is crazy!!  I'm glad it's come to an end and the summer vacation is just beginning.  I love having my girls home with me.

 

 

Miki's dance class did their performance to Alice in wonderland.  It was a fun performance to watch.  Jillian's little dance class took their dance to competition and took 2nd place! 

 

Sam had her end of the year performance for band and choir.

 

 

Acting as the good witch from the Wizard of Oz Miki and her class put on a cute play.

 

 

To end the May madness Jill was promoted from 5th grade.  Next year she starts middle school!

 

 

Sam will be a Junior this next school year, and Jill wanted to see where she measured up with Sam.  She already wears a bigger shoe than Sam, and it won't be too much longer before she's taller than her.

 

 

Farewell to 3rd, 5th, and 10th grade...  hello to Summer!



Get Up

Almost three weeks ago my niece was in a single car accident.  After flying off of the road for about 100 feet and then down a ravine about another 40 her car landed.  Help arrived at the site and they managed to revive her, but she was in a coma, were she remains today.  Over the weekend two of her very closest friends held a "Get Up" and run 5k/1 mile fun run fundraiser.  Pictured below are the "super seven" named so because of the ordering of our bib numbers, and because some of my favorite people are in this picture.  From left to right, Debbie, Michelle, Clark, Josh, Skylor, Sam, and myself.  It was so encouraging to see all of the support Danelle has behind her.  We live in such a wonderful community.  We are all anxiously awaiting the time when she will "Get Up".

 

 

Waiting at the start line. 

 

 

Below are the runner/walkers for the 1 mile.  Kay, Jill, and Miki are the three in the center.

 

 

Back at the finish line..

 

Sam, Kennedy, Linnae, Me, Skylor

Jolyn and Kyler

Clark and Debbie

Me, Sam, Jill, Skylor and Miki

 

Birthday Time

Jill had a birthday... just about a month ago.  Life has a way of throwing surprises that sometimes make you loose track of time.  And that is my excuse for being so far behind.  It's always fun for me to ask my kids what kind of cake they want me to make and then try to create that.  Jill's request this year was a chocolate cake with crazy colors and peace signs.  That is what led to this death by chocolate cake in the shape of a peace sign with crazy tye dyed colors.  With layers of chocolate cake, brownie, frosting, chocolate chips, and candy bar it really was to die for.

 

 

We had a small gathering of family and a friend.

 

 

Jill loved all of the presents she got. 

 

 

Here Dawntae is giving Jill pointers on how to use the balloon tying kit she and her family gave.

 

 

After present time we sang happy birthday to Jill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point in her life Jill is still the bubbly, happy, full of life girl that she's been since birth.  With her contagious laugh, smile that lights up my days, and larger than life heart I can't begin to imagine life without her.  She's creative, courageous, and full of life.  She's blessed our lives in so many ways, and adds so much to our family.

 

Happy birthday Jill!! 

Easter Time

Easter has also come and gone.  We had our annual egg hunt/brunch at our house with our family. This years brunch consisted of carrot cake pancakes, Easter resurrection rolls, and several yummy potluck dishes.  Every year the "kid" egg hunt gets smaller and smaller as these little guys keep growing up. 

 

Miki and Dawntae scouting the yard for more eggs

Jolyn helping Kyler, Miki, Jill, Dawntae and Kenzie

Jill and Kenzie

Miki

After the hunt was over all of the kids gathered on the tramp to inspect their find.  Anthony tried to get what he could from them, and Hubert watched from a distance.

 



 

 Samantha happened to come down with the stomach flu this year for Easter.  So she chilled on the chair while the festivities went on around her.

 

 

This year (thanks to pinterest) we tried something new.  With a few of the eggs we made "dinosaur eggs".  They require staying in the fridge overnight, and this is what they looked like when we took them out to the fridge.

 

 

Then we started to peel them and this is what they looked like. 

 

 

Still feeling sick (you can see her legs in the background) Sam didn't help color Easter eggs this year. 

 

Miki and Jill

 

Miki and Me

Easter morning Sunday dresses.

 



 

Our dogs scared the Easter bunny again!  So, while we were at church he finally made it to our house.  After emptying their Easter baskets the girls  searched high and low until they had found all of the Easter eggs. 

 

Royal Review

It feels like we were just here, but the Royal Review has once again come and gone.  This year they did a few things a bit different, one of which was a coed dance.  Sam asked her friend since childhood to be her partner, and she had a lot of fun with this dance. 

 

 

Miki and Jill had to be part of the action too.  (there is an extra set of hands, and the belong to one of Jill's friends)

 

 

While watching this years review I had a sort of review of my own.  Sam is just about done with half of  her high school life, and it feels like it has just started. 

 

 

As I watched Jill's little dance class perform their dance I couldn't help but remember when Sam was her age and how that doesn't feel like that long ago.

 

 

Time goes by way too fast!  When my kids were all younger and people would tell me to enjoy them because they really do grow up too fast, I honestly didn't believe them.  It felt like they were never going to grow up.  Now I'm seeing the wisdom in their advice.  Sam will be grown up and on her own before I know it, and her little sisters aren't too far behind.

 

 

I know that's the plan for life, and watching them learn and grow is definitely a joy.  I just wish it were a little longer than the blink of an eye.