July--at least part of it.

 July, July---fun month!  I can only post the first half here because I want to add all the pictures.  Things started off with a bang--quite literally.  4th of July festivities:  They actually started off with Grandpa Smiths famous breakfast--but I don't have any pics!!  Next year.

 

The Balloon Fest of course:

The Shumway Spectacular, Spectacular

Followed by the firework show--on the hot pavement in front of the stadium.  Yes, it was my year to choose!  Tradition!

Linda's will forever be the epitome of a perfect summer Sunday night.  The kids will not let me miss it.  Going or not going gives me so much POWER over them.  hee hee.  I'm pretty sure every VanCott uses Linda's as a way to parent with manipulation and idle threats!  Thank you Linda!!



 July also brought my 20 year high school reunion...no joke.  I got to go with my 2 best friends from high school, Chrissy and Marianne.  It was such a surreal experience to be in the same room with all those people 20 years later... Some hadn't changed a bit, and some...wow! they had changed more than three bits!  I was surprised by how the old insecurities just came flooding back--but it was also a good experience to be there as an adult, and to realize that we all had the same insecurities back then--popular or not.  It is hard to be a teenager!  I was really reluctant to go, but I am really glad I did.

 Check out our class picture!  We must have made some pact together to try to look as ANGRY as possible!  Chrissy cheated at the last minute!  I'm in the middle left, Marianne is center and Chrissy is middle right.  Awesome.

  July also brought a lot of yard work.  I was proud of my little herb garden and my front containers.  I also added a perennial garden in the back, leveled and layed pavers around the pool area, took out shrubs and leveled a spot for the tramp--which I moved by myelf--DIAGNOLLY through our aspen trees and almost broke my back...  Lots-O-work.

 Gavin captured this hummingbird with my camera--amazing shot!

 Now, for the second half!

2 strikes against me...

I'm not sure what is more depressing: a bad memory or a crappy phone camera.  We had a such a GREAT summer and unless I get it down on my trusty blog, I will have forgotten the whole thing.  I think I may have to go in a couple of installments so feel free to skip if you're bored. :)

SUMMER 2012--JUNE

The return of the long lost cousins!!  The Warrens came back to Utah and the kids were reunited with Bronx, Belle & Eva.  Gavin wasn't so sure just HOW to fit in--but he eventually...well, things have gotten better.

 Within 5 minutes of being reunited, Kesley & Belle were back to looking like the cutest clown hookers you ever did see--some things never change.

Jenna and Eva will forever be the tea party queens!  So happy to have these guys back in town!

 

 Kesley's best friend from 2nd grade was moving back East.  We had Mikkele over for one last play date.  Poor Kes has had every best friend move away at the end of the school year for the last 3 years.

 We will never forget the HURRICANE that was the Orem City Days this year!  Wind, rain, COLD.  BOO!!  We stayed for the parade, but headed home after and watched the fireworks from our neighborhood--not the same.   Note to self:  If you are responsible for saving the space for 50+ cousins--get there early and bring reinforcements!  Holy Crap!  What a nightmare!

 Gavin had a butterfly flying around him for 5 minutes.  It would land on him and then circle and come back.  Really cool--and then hysterical as it landed on his behind and stayed for awhile!

Fathers Day!  The annual shirt and a new camping chair!

We headed up the Uintahs with Grandpa Smith and Tiffy for a day of fishing and yummy food.

Then we hit Lindas and pretended we had just come from church...We love our Dads!

Gavin had James and Ashton dressing up as missionaries and going door to door in the neighborhood...guess we aren't doing everything wrong after all!

We had an AWESOME weekend trip to Elba Idaho with some good friends.  We hiked to a beautiful glacier lake, fished, 4 wheeled, shot guns, made fires and had an all around great time...until I had to try to kill the fish I caught.  That involved lots of screaming and quite a bit of blood flying around.--kinda embarassing.

Gavin was relentless on wanting to get in the pool as it was filling up and FREEZING!  He wouldn't take no for an answer, so I picked him up in his clothes and threw him in!  I think he will have a little more patience next year.

Not as exciting when I can't remember details...but at least its here!

Memorial Day--the best yet!

Bonnie and Jon rented a room at a nice hotel in Newport Beach for the Memorial Day weekend.  They invited us to come down and rent a cheep hotel and spend the weekend hangin out at their hotel pool and the beach.  So. Much. Fun!!!  I think we need to do this once a month.  Top 5 in pics:

#5  Hyatt Regency Pool = Heaven:  Love that my kids can swim for hours.  Who doesn't love a beautiful pool?  Now that we know this pool is 100% easily poachable--I'm sure we'll be back!

 #4 Ferry and Boat ride around Balboa Island: I had never been to Balboa Island.  Luckily, this area is Bon and Jons territory.  We rode the ferry over, explored the shops, rode the Ferris wheel, had lunch, took a lovely boat tour around the fancy yachts and mansions and just had a GREAT day!

#3 Diggin in the sand and PADDLE BALL!!  We need to live closer to the beach!  The girls spent hours digging--and digging out and Gavin got pretty dang good at paddle ball.  I LOVE THE BEACH!

#2 Kids finally learning to frolic in the surf: My kids were too little or it was too cold every other time we've been to the California coast.  It was a whole new adventure to actually be able to swim with the currents and not freeze your tail off.  Still a little scary to watch them go under a wave as a parent--but the kids found a whole new world.

#1 HANGIN WITH BON and JON!: Thanks guys!!  We had such a great trip!

Although, Bonnie--letting my daughter fall into the fountain was a feeble attempt to get out of babysitting while I went shopping. :)  Definitely a highlight of the trip (equaled by my face plant running in the surf to save our purses from being stolen!!  Glad there isn't video of that!--wish I had video of Brent eating it off the sand cliff whilst trying to show off his moves to Gavin!)  

Cute side note to this picture--When we got home the girls went to play at Shumways house.  Shannon was driving them home and Kesley says, "Shannon, did you hear about Jenna falling in the fountain?"  Shannon said Jenna very exasperatedly blurted out, "Oh. my. gosh!" (to which Shannon was expecting a --it was so embarrassing, or it was so cold...but instead) Jenna said, "Oh. my. gosh!  APPARENTLY we are STILL talking about this!!!"  She also said Aunt Bonnie pushed her in--but we all know that isn't true!  Love our Bean!!

11 Years...

June 1st (tomorrow) is our 11th Wedding anniverary.  I married a great guy.  Chrissy texted me this blast from the past she found in her closet.

This was about the time Brent and I met.  We didn't end up dating until 10 years later--but I can see why he had a crush on me--I was cute!  Little did he know--11 years of marrage and 3 kids later--this would be his new reality:

This is the picture he sees on his phone every time I call him.  He calls me "Mad Maddam Mimm!"  Happy 11th Anniversary!  Sure love you!