June (25)

 The kids all finished their year of no sugar the beginning of June. Last year when I was listening to a health book they all decided to go off sugar for a year. One of the things that Benson and Evan decided to do with their money was to go to the zoo. We drove down to the Waco zoo and spent an afternoon there.

Yummy lunch that must of been on a Sunday because of Sunday clothes.

Above is the boys room before we cleaned it up well, they do a pretty good job of keeping there room generally clean.

Roslyn was the first to finish reading her summer reading so she got to pick her prize first. This is what she picked. She enjoyed making it and uses for a number of different things.

Above is the girls room on a messy day before our cleaning. (We were suppose to take a picture of their room before and after cleaning it. So we got a picture on the dirtiest day.) Below was a hike that we took with some friends to see some little water falls. It was a nice little hike.

I don't often remember this hardy hibiscus blooming but it was beautiful for quite a bit this summer so I wanted to get a picture of it. Below is a cute little poem I found one day that Roslyn had written. (The Love by Roslyn "I love my home, I love my family, I love good things to but I  love sharing love with you.) I just think it is such a sweet little poem.

I got to do a review product of this blow-dryer curling iron brush thing. It was fun to use and try it out. Below is a picture of some baby bird that the kids fun.

Family Reunion. I love just sitting around with all of my siblings and talking with them. I learn a lot and most of all we all laugh a lot. (A lot lot. We laugh and laugh.) Also we play music and sing and sing. I love it!

This was the big family reunion. It was fun to see cousins that I hadn't seen for years.

Maebryn always loves having her older girl cousins to play with and to have them hold her and love on her. She got attached to Aspen on this trip.

We also love having cousin time. Maebryn and her little cousin were so cute together.

Above was a picture of the Grandma 12 year old camp. We snuck in at the end of the camp. It was fun to see all of them playing together and seeing some of the things they did and learned.

Playing at Aunt Becca's house. We love her house and yard. It is so beautiful and peaceful and always seems the perfect weather anytime we have been there.

Below was visiting Grandma and Grandpa while on their mission at the church history building. It was neat to see some of the artifacts there and to see Grandma and Grandpa there. We also got to go eat at the church office building.

This was our visit to the church history museum. There are a couple of the paintings that we really liked. The one above was just very vibrant in color. The one below used everyday objects to make this beautiful image that you see. When you stand close it just looks like trash, her thumb is a corn cob, there are shells, ect..  but when you step back it is a girl reaching out for light. Beautiful in so many ways and so much symbolism. 

Below is another piece of art that I loved. I am rarely, very rarely moved by art much but this painting brought me to tears. Something about it was just so beautiful to me. I guess it just made me think of how I as a parent am striving like this man to hold my child up in every way I can so they taste of the fruit of the tree, but not only that I think of how so many people have held me up ....ancestors, grandparents, parents, prophets, ect. All the generations putting forth all of their strength to get us to the fruit of the tree. Even now it brings tears to my eyes. I just really do love this painting.

One thing I always love when I go home is the opportunity to go see a play at the Hale Center Theatre. This time it was "Finding Neverland". It was interesting to see how the things happening in the authors life weaved into the story of Peter Pan. I feel this is true of most stories, but especially most good stories. Even fiction stories seem to weave in quite a bit of truth from our own lives.

I got very pampered on this trip. I have never felt so pampered in all my life. One at night we went to the play. The next day my mom paid for me to get a pedicure, which was very nice but then made an appointment for me later that day to get this whole body facial massage which was AMAZING. (I looked to see if I could find something like it near me but have yet to see anything quite like it.) Then to top it off the girls wanted to give me another spa treatment. I felt like I was a queen or some very rich person being pampered so much.

On the airplane to Provo, Ut. It was a great direct flight. 

I can't remember why I took this picture of my music room but below was my set up for group piano which I did for four weeks. (I decided it was a one time thing, not my favorite, but Alden and Calvin both ended up with new students from it.)

This was the beginning of the month. The school we are going to this fall decided to do a couple of summer camps. The kids had a great time...cooking, swimming, doing art, theatre and all sorts of fun things.