Fun activities focused on talents and interests

Summertime is also a chance for our children to do special activities that help them learn a new skill or develop a talent.

This Summer Kaitlyn wanted to learn how to cook, and sew.  So we enrolled her in a sewing camp which she LOVED and did really well at. She made a pillowcase, pajama bottoms, and a bag.  She also went to Grandma's house for a few days (with her cousins Shelly and Ashlyn) and they did a cooking camp of sorts.  Such domesticated talents and abilities!

Lindsey has a passion for dolphins.  So she was really excited to go see Dolphin Tale at the dollar movie days during June AND we enrolled her in gymnastics classes over the summer and we discovered that she's quite good at it.

She also took a turn going to grandmas.  She spent some time with her with her cousin Elisa.  This is a photo we took at a hamburger place half way to Grandma's where we met to exchange children.

Sam loves scouting.  He was eager to spend a week going to "twilight" cub scout camp.  Too bad a few of the days got rained out, but on the day mom went with him he was all smiles. =)

I'm always impressed how Sam is a friend to everyone.  He's usually well behaved. I am so proud of him.

On this particular day we enjoyed making bottle rockets, shooting archery, and creating a structure out of dry spaghetti noodles and large marshmallows.  I am pretty sure his team built the tallest one.

Camping in Bonham

One thing our family LOVES to do is go camping.  Stephen is in his element.  He is so relaxed and happy.  It's nice to get away from technology.  Stephen does most of the cooking.  And we spend time as a family.  Early in the Summer we got away for a few days and went up to Bonham State Park.  It was a great place with a small lake, swimming area, fishing area, and some bike trails.

Fun memories include:

• Being rained on but being safe and dry in the tent and playing card games.  And dad made Matthew an "airplane".
• Going on a 3 mile bike ride.  Everyone had bikes except mom who took up the rear on foot.  Matthew stayed right behind Stephen and surprised us with his ability to keep up and just keep going.  At one point Dad came around a bend and had to clothesline Matthew to save him from hitting a log and going over his handle bars.  Sam came to a fork in the road and couldn't decide which way to go so he went straight and went right into the bushes!
• It was HOT so we did take a trip into town to get milkshakes from Braums--YUM!
• We really like s'mores, and walking tacos.
• Trying to fish but never catching anything
• Swimming in the beach area

Summertime fun

With the beginning of Summer comes our traditional favorite things to do:  We go to the library A. LOT. and sign up for their Summer Reading Program.  Sam and some friends from school do a Summer Book Club.  And with our first book we were reviewing the favorite book of Sam's 2nd grade teacher Kathryn Lee (who is now a full-time mommy) and it was so fun to have her come a be a guest reviewer of the BFG (Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl.  This is the 3rd summer we've done this boys book club and it's seriously one of the things I'm most proud of in my accomplishments as a mom!

Kaitlyn has begun playing in the kitchen and made watermelon lemonade, which we enjoyed while watching Star Wars (we want to watch all the ones we can in anticipation for the new movie coming out at Christmas) and because I'm a cool mom, I even found and bought this cool Star Wars Macaroni and Cheese!

One thing we often do, is get up early and go on a bike ride while I run.  I can motivate them because when we come home we enjoy smoothies!

And we enjoy excursions with friends.  We had an annual pass to the Arboretum that was set to expire at the end of June so we enjoyed this day with our friends, the Bergussons.

Soccer's over

Here's to the completion of another soccer season.  I don't know why I don't have photos from Matthew's party--perhaps I wasn't there...at any rate.  3 soccer players makes for a busy week and some busy Saturdays, but active and healthy kids are a good thing.

Last days of school

Matthew and I had a busy day close to the end of school.  Sam's class had a field trip to the Perot Museum.  Earlier in the year I had signed up to be a chaperon to another field trip to the Arboretum.  But due to weather it had to be re-scheduled and it got rescheduled to Matthew's birthday--which was not a good day for me to chaperon.  Then when this field trip came up, it was also the same day as Kaitlyn's end of year party, which she wanted me to attend.  I'm so grateful that Sam was sensible enough to be ok with me not being an actual chaperon to this museum trip but to come for a bit and leave at lunch to go be with Kaitlyn at her class party.

 Kaitlyn with her best friend from across the street, Katie Glaser.

Kaitlyn with her super awesome teacher, Clint Gebhardt.  I adore this man, what he did to help Kaitlyn have confidence in herself and to see her strengths is something I will be forever grateful for!










LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!  I had to snap this fun photo on the last day of school--these kids are SO ready for summer!!!
And there is an after school tradition of a shaving cream fight at Bradford Trace Park--the bigger kids were not so into the mess, but these two were....BRING ON SUMMER!

One Year

May 23, 2015 1:06 pm

This picture was taken one year to the minute that my mom was killed in an accident at this intersection.  Stacey Road and Lost Creek Ranch on the border of Allen and Fairview Texas.

This is the entrance into my neighborhood.

They say the first year is the hardest.  "They" were right.

But I made it.  Good days, bad days, days when tears just came for no reason, days when I missed her more than I can express, days when I wish she were still here so that we wouldn't have to deal with things we're dealing with.

But I am stronger for it.  My knowledge of my Savior is deeper, my testimony of His Atonement is more full.  I can even say I'm grateful for what I've been through.

Earlier in the day we gathered at the local chapel to share memories, sing songs and remember her life.  We wanted to gather at her grave but due to an amazing amount of rain, the cemetery had been temporarily closed because there are no paved roads and they were worried about people being stuck.  It was nice.

Family Excursions

We kind of love Legos around here.  In fact they have their dedicated room in our house. This came about when we loved Legos when Matthew was a baby and we were worried about him choking on them.  So we designated our guest room (with a door that could be closed) as the only room where Legos were allowed to be kept and played with.  Matthew is nearly 6 and he doesn't put in his mouth anymore but the name and the storage place has stuck.

So when a traveling exhibit of Legos built like National Monuments came to our town, along with a free lego kit, the Kids and I ventured over one Saturday afternoon with some friends.

Another fun excursion was to a Frisco Roughriders Game.  The Frisco Roughriders are a lower level farm team that feeds the Texas Rangers Baseball team.  There is a nice, family friendly, ball park near our house.  Typically we go in the summer when they have this great deal that includes a hat, dinner and a ticket to the game.  But Kaitlyn was selected by her teacher as a special recognition that earned our family tickets to a game and so we went!  It was really fun!

 (Kaitlyn and her friend Abi Berry)

Talent show and Watch Dog

Stephen FINALLY got to be the watch dog for Kaitlyn.  The children each choose a day to have dad be the "Watch Dog" on campus.  It's usually around their birthday.  This year, however, Kaitlyn's birthday fell on a day when Stephen had to go out of town for work. And her "make-up" day had to get rescheduled two or three times.  So this really was a FINALLY:

And we were excited for our girls to participate in the school talent show by playing the piano!

Matthew Graduates Preschool

Don't even get me started on the ridiculousness it is that children have to graduate from preschool, kindergarten, 6th grade, middle school, etc.  It's just another reason to make a big to-do.....but enough of that.  Matthew's preschool did have a graduation and here are some adorable pictures:

I was a bit nervous when Matthew didn't get the teacher I really wanted, and when he only had 5 kids in his class I was concerned about socialization and preparing him for Kindergarten, but everything worked out really really well.

Matthew has made some dear friends who are close like siblings who have grown so fond of each other.  We actually couldn't make it a week without hanging out, here he is with Lauren at the park: