These pictures aren't that great but we played one awesome game of kickball!
We went to the Saturday market in Bend.
After the Saturday market we played at a really cool park.
We went to a Bend Elks baseball game. Sophie was asked to hit a golf ball and Andrew was asked to do a spinning game during one of the inning intermissions.
Nathan did some yard work for my mom.
Sarah and Andrew got to go to "Cookies at the Bishop's" in a very cool car!
Then we went on our Never-to-be-Forgotten-Trip to the Redwoods.
Andrew went on a campout the third weekend of the month to somewhere around Cascade. For him to finish the requirements of the fishing merit badge he had to catch a fish, clean it, cook it and finally eat it. Merit badge complete!
One day, we had our fabulous friends the Hamm's come to play and swim with us. We do this every summer and it's so fun to catch up on everything their busy family is up to. Our visit wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Snow shack.
This year because the Stake organized Trek back in June, all of the individual wards were in charge of organizing our own Girl's Camp. When I heard about all of the fun they were going to have, I asked if they needed my help in anyway. They needed a camp cook, so I took the job. I am so glad I got to go to Girl's Camp with Sarah. It was definitely one of my favorite things I did this summer! I loved spending time with Sarah, sharing so many fun memories with her and getting to know the amazing girls in our ward. We didn't get any pictures, but we began our adventures with a white water trip down the Payette where I was the only one who fell out of the boat when we hit a rock. I was fine but I definitely hadn't planned on going for a dip.
Everyone helping to set up camp.
Whitney and I were the camp cooks. It was so fun to work with Whitney! All of the girls had different times where they helped prepare or cleaned up the meals and they all did a great job!
After dinner and before the campfire we swam at Silver Creek Plunge. This was one of my favorite parts. It was warm but not too hot and they had these perfect inner tubes for everyone to use. It was super relaxing and fun!
Third year girls practicing for skits. Their skit was definitely the funniest and Sarah was by far the funniest of them all!!!
We had some time in Crouch to look in stores, relax and visit.
In this store if you played a song on the piano you could get a free coffee. The girls asked if instead of coffee if they could have hot cocoa. I think there were at least 10 girls who played a song and got cocoa.
Here we all are after dinner waiting for the musical to start.
We went to the Starlight Mountain theater to see Huckleberry Finn. I didn't really know that much about the musical but I definitely enjoyed it!
A BIG thank you to Andrew who watched the boys both days while we were gone. He did a great job!
Nathan worked on a project while we were gone to camp - he painted our kitchen table and chairs. I absolutely love them!!
The day before school started we had our Back to School Dinner. We had chef salad and rolls just like last year. Our theme for this school year is from the New Testament, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Matthew 5:16. We talked during dinner about how they can be "lights of good works" to those around them. After dinner we had lemon bars (the "light" theme) and Nathan gave all the kids Father's blessings.
Nathan drove Sarah and Andrew to school for their first day. I love that he insists on taking their picture. I wonder how many more years he'll be able to pull that one off. Don't their smiles look real?
Levi insisted on having spiky hair for the first day. Don't they all look so handsome!
The traditional first-day-of-school picture taken by "the rock".
Levi is going to Smart Start again this year. I'm happy that I'll be able to go with him and teach on Wednesdays. We both love learning at Smart Start.
All of the kids (except for Andrew who was at football practice) came home from their first day of school and enjoyed our traditional eating of chocolate chip cookies and talking about their new teachers and classmates. I love hearing about their days!
Spencer earned a date with mom and dad by reading (I can't remember how many minutes but it was a lot!). We took him out of school one Friday and went to Dickey's. Way to go, Spencer!
Nathan fixed pancakes several mornings and made them any color the boys wanted. Levi was very excited about his pancakes!
On the last Saturday of August we went down to the Saturday Market. We got delicious cheese, donuts, green beans, tomatoes, fabulous grapes, cucumbers, potatoes and bread. Nathan is helping with Jolt and as they were also at the market, our boys were interviewed to be put on Facebook.
