High School!!!

Seriously? I cannot have a child in High School. Nope.
Sighhhhhhh......... O.k., I do. Erin started High School today!!! She has been SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She gets EXTREMELY bored in the summer and annoyed with younger siblings, and would so much rather be learning something! She had a great day - loved her teachers and LOVED seminary!!!!!! I'm so glad she had a great first day. The only thing she was upset with was the Band Playing Test she has tomorrow - really? on the second day of school? Oh well - it's all good.

Braces!

We have entered a new era..............
Ethan is the first one to get braces..........yesterday! He's been so excited - they've been waiting for a year for him to finish loosing teeth and deciding what to do, so he was ready. He has two baby teeth that don't have permanent ones underneath. They were just going to shave them down ( the only teeth in the mouth where the baby teeth are bigger than the permanents) and let him keep them because they had good roots, etc. But, there's a new way that they've started doing that has worked REALLY WELL and they want to do that instead. They're going to pull those two teeth ( that way they won't give out in his 30's because they're baby teeth and then he'll have to have implants) and insert a little post/screw to pull the teeth together. We saw some examples and it looks great!
Last night, though, Ethan wasn't so sure about this anymore - braces hurt. And those littles wires that poke if they're not trimmed close enough........but, he's o.k. this morning and we'll try and go get those trimmed ( I remember how bad those hurt). His little sisters were jealous - funny, huh? And, Erin doesn't need them - don't know how THAT happened!

Yin Yang

Found this on the couch yesterday and couldn't resist! Doesn't it look like Yin Yang?

P.S. - beware of the next few posts - they are long..........

Utah, Part 3: Centerville

Then........ we went up to Centerville to stay with my brother's family - so fun! First, we visited Wheeler Farm.

Talin and Kelcie in the little Treehouse

Kelcie and Lafe watching the ducks
The whole gang in the "cool tree"! Everyone loved climbing all over it

Especially Ethan....

Proof the quilt got used! We took it for the 4th of July party in the park, and ended up using it so much - very handy!!!

Picnic lunch - so nice in the shade...

Then, we went to the Sweet's Candy Factory - it was fun, but lots of the machines weren't being used that day. They have REALLY yummy salt water taffy!!! Sporting our lovely hats!

That night was the 4th of July Celebration in the Park - they do such a great job! It take FOREVER to get dark up there (don't get me started on Daylight Savings Time), so they had a magician for the kids. After a while I realized I hadn't seen Ethan in a while and this is where we found him! It was high - I'm not sure how he got up there! But, I guess he wanted to see the magician!

Rick (my brother) take a guitar EVERYWHERE he goes! He was playing at the park and Talin asked if he could play it, too. It was so cute!

Saturday night we did fireworks for the 4th! We had TONS of sparklers so the kids were able to get their fill. My nephew, Tyler's, birthday is on the 4th of July so he always gets fireworks for his birthday and is the main attraction! We love that we get to watch. Grandma lighting Talin's sparkler

The kids like to do tricks and see how they turn out on the camera.

Erin burning from both ends!

Tired boy - collapsed on Rick and Teresa

On Sunday, we visited another Temple - we saw 7 of the 10 Utah Temples!!! That's amazing!

Bountiful Temple

The kids with Grandma and Grandpa - it was so fun they could meet us at Rick's house for the fun!

Finally, driving home!!! We always feel sorry for the person in the middle, but I guess they figured out an arrangement - parents love that!

Utah, Part 2: Salt Lake City

Soooooo.......after Provo, we went up to do SLC for a day. Of course, we all HAD to wear our new BYU shirts (LOTs of comments on that one!). First, we toured the Conference Center - it blows me away how huge it is every time I see it!

On top of the Conference Center

LUNCH! Food Court makes it so nice for everyone to get what they want!

Light Rail Train - Talin thought this was SO great!

Talin on the train

All of us on the train - no I'm not asleep...

Then we went to the Planetarium - we had so much fun in there!!! Walking on Mars....

....and the Moon

O.K., call us Math geeks, but, Erin and I LOVED this shirt!!!

Then, we went back to Temple Square

Salt Lake Temple

The kids in the "picture spot" - Talin was not in the mood...

JUMP!!!

Utah, Part 1: Provo

Our big summer trip this year was to visit family in Utah! First, we went to Provo to visit Lafe's sister, Carri Jo - we had a blast!!!

Playing in the fountain at the Provo Temple

Rolling down the hill at the Temple
Provo Temple

We visited BYU - it was so fun to show the kids all the memories we had in Provo!

Had to have a picture with the "Y"!!!

We also went up Provo Canyon to have a BBQ - great time!

...and s'mores!!!

...and sparklers!!!!!

We had so much fun with Carri and her family. The girls never stopped and we really enjoyed being there.