Swim Team and Lessons

Laura was our only one to do Swim Team this year - but it made them shorter :)!  It was so fun to watch her swim!

Getting ready for her first race.....

Freestyle

2nd Place!!!!!

Take your mark....

Breaststroke - love this picture.

Talin was our only one in Swim Lessons this year - yeah!  And, he's a swimmer!!!

Talin - floating....

Wish I had more pictures - he took off this year and is officially a swimmer!

Cabin

While Erin and Ethan were at EFY, I took the younger four up to the cabin for the week.  It was "cooler" and fun to just relax and hang out in the trees.

Chillin' - They must be trying to get me to do something....

Jamie....well......being Jamie!

Kelcie

Since we couldn't actually have a fire and roast marshmallows, Laura  used her imagination :)

EFY

Erin and Ethan went to EFY this year up in Flagstaff!  We've never done this before and neither Lafe or I went when we were kids.  I drove up to drop them off and I totally wanted to stay - it looked SO FUN!!!  I think they had a great time and made some good friends.  And, it was fun for me to see them be on their own for a week and have an AWESOME time!!!

Ethan's Group - well, him with the girls :)  His group was lucky to escort 2 girls' groups!

Erin's Group

Ethan is 15!!!

Yes, he's 15 now........wishing he was 16!  He keeps asking us to take him driving, and planning dates for the future :)

New watch! 

CAMERA!!!!!

See how happy he is!  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ethan!!!!!!!  You are so much fun and such a great teenager!!!  (Stay that way, ok?)

Painting

While Lafe and Ethan were away at Scout Camp.......the rest of us had some fun.  We (I) decided to organize and paint Lafe's office at home since we've been here 3 years and it's been unusable except for a storage room - I was done!

 

 He wanted a red wall - he got it!!!  I went searching for curtains first, so that I could match them with the paint before committing - and then I finally got brave and picked a color!  Red is hard!  But, he loved it and it is MUCH more functional now!  AND, he actually uses it as an office!  go figure....

Kelcie's Baptism

 Today was Kelcie's Baptism!  It was simple and simply beautiful...

The girls practicing the musical number before.  Kelcie sang the first verse of "I Like to Look for Rainbows...." and then the girls joined her on the second verse with a little harmony.

Classic picture in the foyer.  Kelcie and her dad.

Our Family - some of those kids are a LOT taller than the last baptism!!!

Kelcie with Mom and Dad

Ready for the Baptism...

Last Day of School

I love going down to the school on the last day and see the kids in their parties with their friends!!!  Such a fun day!

Kelcie coloring during her party 

Kelcie and Mrs. Adame

Laura and Mrs. Brodnax

Laura and friends

Jamie and friends: Brigham, Emily, and Brianna

7th grade in the Fire Hose!!!  Jamie is right in the middle looking down at her shirt.

 

ALL WET!!!

Preschool Graduation

This morning Talin graduated from Preschool!  I can't believe we'll have EVERYONE in school next year!!!

Performing "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" .....in SPANISH!!!  I was very impressed.  I didn't even know he knew any spanish  - and he tells me a lot!

Receiving his diploma!

My Cute kid :)

Talin with his teacher, Miss Alissa 

Kelcie's Birthday!!!!!

My youngest little girl is 8 now!!!  We're adjusting to this new reality.....  She's SO EXCITED to get baptized!!!

Kelcie with her gifts - New Scriptures, Scripture Case, Scripture Markers, Bike with cute basket, Squinkies from the kids, Pretty barrett for her Baptism from Jamie, and a tiny Children's Songbook and necklace for her Baptism from G & G Starr.

Trying out her new bike before school

Gotta have CAKE!!!

Kelcie's Baptism Pictures

My favorite!!!  (That's the new Gilbert Temple in the background :)  )

My second favorite!!!

End of the Year Activities - Jamie

End of the Year - PHEW!  For the 7th Grade Science Fair they have to build a model of something living.  Jamie chose the Rainbow Trout.....

Jamie with her cross-section of a Rainbow Trout.

The outside - It was so sparkly!

End of year Orchestra Concert - sorry, it's IMPOSSIBLE to get good pictures at concerts!

End of Year Choir Concert - also, not easy to get pictures, but wanted it documented :)

Angel Moroni

Gilbert, Arizona Temple, waiting for Angel Moroni 

Here we are waiting - Jamie took a picture of us looking "casual", and Dr. Leavitt had to look "un-casual"  :)  It was SO WINDY, we were really worried they wouldn't be able to place him up there - 

Sweet picture of my almost-8 Kelcie looking at the Temple

Pulling Angel Moroni upright

It was so neat - after they raised him upright, the workers walked him around the fence so that people could see him up close!  Lafe and some of the kids ran across to see it up close, and Jamie got this picture.

Starting up.....

I loved how he was framed so pretty right next to the Temple

At the top - we all cheered when the worker caught the wire to feed down the spire - he becomes a lightening rod for the Temple.

Lowering it down onto the spire!!!  We all cheered when it was finally placed!!!

Perfectly placed - facing East

Jamie, Laura, Kelcie, and Talin in front (well, back) of the Temple with the new Moroni on top!!!  Yes, we took them out of school...... 

And, if you want to watch it happen, this is a video a guy made from the other side, but it's well done.  My video didn't turn out quite this good :)

The kids were so HOT - it was supposed to be 104-106 yesterday!!!  And, of course - did we think about bringing water???? or sunscreen?????  HA!  But, I just kept telling Talin that he may never get to see something like this again!  I remember watching the movie about the building of the Salt Lake Temple, and there was a scene where they were watching the Moroni be put on the Temple.  I remember thinking if I ever have that opportunity, I don't want to miss it!  Although, when it comes down to logistics of getting kids, and getting down there, etc., I almost gave up - especially with the wind being so strong and not knowing for sure if they were going to do it.  But, I'm so glad we went!  It was so fun, and a neat experience - and HOT!