Start Summer Off with a Bang...Lake Powell!!

So, school got out at noon on Friday...by 1:00 we were in the car headed to Lake Powell!! We're not foolin' around this summer...let the fun begin! The first 2 days on the lake were basically a hurricane...we camped out in the houseboat making flipflops, painting toe nails, having a tatoo contest, testing out the new flatscreen tv, eating treats and playing games. The next 2 days were perfection!! Because of the rough weather the lake was like a ghost town and we got to enjoy the glassy water and open beaches all to ourselves! We took a cruise on the motorboat and just explored and enjoyed the scenery one day. The next day we went tubing, skiing and hiking! There is nowhere on Earth as relaxing as Lake Powell for me and I just LOVE to hang out with the kids all day. Audree loved making volcanoes out of the sand on the beach, Spencer loved finding clam shells and exploring with Dad, Karlee tried (and almost got up!) slolom skiing this year...it was an adult sized ski, otherwise she would have had it! Rylee loved tubing and trying to eat every treat on the boat! Jake and I both skiied this year (not bad for a couple of old farts!) and just enjoyed having the phones and computers turned off!

Another School Year...come and gone!

The end of the school year always comes in a crazy heap of activities! This year was no exception. Spencer, Audree and Rylee finished their gymnastics classes for the year (I forgot my camera on Audree and Spencer's day for awards). This year Spencer completed 3 levels of gymnastics!! Audree got over her fear of the high beam and learned to do flips on the bars and Rylee got her back-handsprings! What a great year! They were all so excited about their medals too!

The annual Dance Festival was a great event too! Audree did the Mexican Hat Dance and was in charge of placing the hat in the middle (she was very proud of this responsibility!). Rylee did a Stick Dance (her partner didn't show up, so that was a bummer...but she performed like nothing was amiss!). And, after years of waiting for the 5th grade dance, Karlee got to perform the "Sophisticated Hula"...let's just say she was very excited (her facials were priceless, I had many comments about her performance!). Jake, Spencer and I just had the privilege of attending and cheering the girls on and it was a blast!

The 3rd Grade always has a program at the end of the year that they prepare for! Rylee's was called "American Dream" and they did such a great job! She had a big part in the movie portion (she was quite the actress!) and it was fun to go and watch her and all her friends.

Spencer had a Big Day too! He graduated from Mrs. Wall's Small World Preschool! He was SO excited and did a great job at his program. I can't believe my baby will be in kindergarten next year!

On the last 2 days of school I was at the school most of the day! Karlee had her big Mini-Society...she decided to have a nail-painting salon. Spencer enjoyed the store that let you play the drums for $1!

Rylee had her "Authors Fair" and presented Charise Harper, who wrote the "Just Grace" book series. You can't tell from the picture, but Rylee wore a tutu because the character Grace is quite the fashonista! She's so funny!

Then Audree had 1st Grade Pet Day (no pets at this house...so she showed a stuffed puppy!).

Whew...it's a good thing it's summer because I need a rest after all that excitement! Summer...here we come!

Almost a Month!!

Yikes, it's been almost a month since I last posted!! My computer got a virus and had to be at the shop for 5 days...that really put me behind on my computer stuff...so I am trying to get caught up! We have been so busy with just being us...but it's been lots of fun! Jake and I have been on several field trips with the kids...Jake went with Spencer's preschool class to a farm with exotic animals! Spencer and Caleb ended up liking the giant dog more than anything! So funny!

I went with Karlee's class on a 6-mile "hike"...it was a LONG walk to a park!! We had a great time hanging out with her friends!

Jake, Spencer and I all got to hang out at the Hershey Track too! I was a parent-helper at Karlee's...so no photos, but she did great and won her 100 meter race! Rylee just had her first Hershey Track meet yesterday...she won her 50 meter dash and took 2nd place in the semi-finals...she is QUICK!! It's so fun to go and cheer the girls on...can't wait for Audree to have a chance in 2 years!

Audree has had a great year in the Mapleton's Children's Choir and they had their big Spring Concert at the Covey Center this month! She had a solo part and a duet in one song. She performed with amazing poise for a 6 year old and she really does have a beautiful singing voice.

Rylee had a birthday too!! This year (she turned 9) is a "family party" year...but Karlee's best friend has the same birthday as Rylee and her party was the same night...so, we let Rylee bring a friend along for the fun! She chose her friend Lora and we decided to have dinner at Chuck E. Cheese and then go ice skating! It was a great night! Rylee LOVED her bright colored overshirt, her outfit from Grandma GiGi and was stoked to find out that Jake and I were going to redecorate her bedroom for our gift (something she's been asking for lately). She also got some money and I took her out for a mommy-daughter date the next week to go shopping with it (she was so funny...she bought shorts for the Hershey Track, a bright pink shirt, a magnifying glass for bug-hunting, a small gift for her sister's and brother and put some money in the bank!). Anyways, being 9 has been great so far!

After a week or so of planning, shopping, measuring and trying to visualize...we started working on Karlee and Rylee's new bedroom! They said the old room was boring and babyish (they are SO mature afterall!). They also wanted a place to put their trophys and ribbons from all of their sports. I planned on about 1 1/2 days of work (which of course, turned into about 5). Jake and I painted (and painted, and painted, and painted!), we hung things, changed the bedding, made new knobs for the dresser, and I am pretty happy about how it all turned out! After camping out in Mom and Dad's room for a couple nights, the girls are happy to be in their new updated room and their own beds! The thing they are MOST excited about...the $20 new alarm clock radio...they are so funny! OLD ROOM!

NEW ROOM!! It's looks so much bigger now!