Summer camps

These aren't in order, but the kids were able to do a few different camps this summer.  

 July 22-24th Tori went to a cheer camp at BYU with her friend Shelby Stephensen.  

 July 15th-19th Tori went to Retreat for Girls in Logan Utah at Utah State.  She roomed with a girl she had met the year before.  I love this program.  They have amazing speakers and so many fun girly things.  My girls have come home every year with deeper, stronger testimonies.

 The only thing I wanted to do while we were in SLC was go to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's pioneer concert.  I was concerned the kids would be bored, but everyone loved it.  And Baylee's violin teacher played violin with the orchestra so that made it super cool.

 I'm so sad, but I didn't get any pictures of Kade at baseball camp.  He went to BYU on July 22-25th with Branson Tressler, Max and Will Robinson.

 We had to do this trip on a serious budget, so I spent a lot of time figuring out where we could stay.  I finally checked on our timeshare website to see if there happened to be anything in Northern Utah that we could trade for, and there was.  We got a room in Snowbird and loved it!  It was so beautiful and nice up there.  It was cool to see where the church vaults were.  And we even saw a moose one morning.

 While Tori was at cheer camp and Kade was at baseball camp I got to hang out with Bay and Cole.  It was so fun to have just those two for a couple of days.  It seems like they don't ever spend time just the two of them and they absolutely loved it.

 This was Baylee's 2nd year at EFY.  Of course she absolutely loves it.  She goes by herself, she likes meeting new people and rooming with someone she didn't already know(crazy girl).  She was at EFY July 15th-19th in Provo.

Of course, what would a trip to Utah be without some Chick-fil-A!!

First day of school

I have been so horrible at keeping up on our blog!  I figure throwing a few pictures on here is better than nothing though right?

 First day of school the student council had to wear their school shirts in case anyone need assistance they would know who to ask.  Bay still added her own flair with the flowers.

 Travis and I both take her to seminary.  She looks like she is moving every morning with all her orchestra and tennis stuff.

 Kade is in 5th grade this year and loving it.  He is in the same class as his 2 best friends, so pretty much everything is perfect in his world.

 Cole is in 3rd grade.  No idea how that happened!  He was the only one that was nervous the first day.

 8th grade for Tori.  I get to spend about an hour with her after everyone else leaves and I love it!

Fix you

I read a blog post this morning from a mom whose baby is turning 16 today.  She talks about the song "Fix You" and oddly enough I had almost the exact same revelation listening to that song not long ago as the one she talks about.  I have said more times than I can count lately that I would LOVE to go back 10 years and get to do this all over again.

It scares me to sickness the thought of how close my kids are to being all grown up, especially Baylee.  3 more years and she is outta here.  So I try to teach her how to be responsible.  How to think through things and be organized.  I nag her about her room and bathroom being a mess, and try to "fix" all her little quirks.

But in the process of raising this girl, her being my first experiment at every age of being a mom, I suddenly realized she is the one "fixing" me.  She has taught me more than I could ever hope to teach her.  Through her contagious laugh and easy going smile.  Through her love of music and expression of her testimony.  Through her forgiving heart and perfect love.

So thank you Bay, for being patient while training me to be a mom.  Thank you for becoming an amazing, talented, kind person despite all the screw-ups I have made along the way. And thank you for becoming so much better than I could have ever imagined you could be.  And keep "fixing" me!

Cole's Baptism

Never has a kid been more excited for their baptism than Cole was!  He couldn't stop smiling.  I'm so grateful for this little boy.  And a little sad our last baby is this big!

15??!!!

Wow, no idea how this girl is already 15!  Anyone that knows her will understand, there just aren't enough words to describe Baylee.  But to know this girl is to love her!

15 Things About Baylee

1. She is crazy!  She will try anything, especially if you "dare" her.  I love it, but it also scares me!
2. She is super duper talented.  Where this music talent came from I have no idea, but man is she good!!
3. She loves riding her 4-wheeler at the sand dunes.  I can't wait for some boy to think he's going to take her riding for a date to show off.  She will smoke him!
4. She loves wakeboarding and tubing at the lake.
5. Bay was on the swim team this year at school and didn't love it.  I think the pressure of everything she was doing at the time really got to her!
6. She has been on student council for 4 years and will be the Sophomore class historian next year.
7. She is the most kind person I have ever known.  She gives everyone the benefit of the doubt and forgives very easily.
8. Baylee was also on the tennis team this year.  She LOVES it.  She had to take some time off from tennis during swim and I think that's another reason she didn't like swim.
9. She has played violin for 10 years.  It is one of the greatest joys in my life to hear her play.
10. She teaches violin lessons now.  She is so great with the kids she teaches, and it is awesome to hear her tell these kids the same things she was told to correct for so long!
11. Bay is so easy going.  She will be happy and have fun no matter where she is or what she has to do.  Life is just fun for Baylee!
12. She has the strongest testimony of any teenager I have ever known.  She earned her honor bee this year.  She stands up for what she knows is right and is an incredible leader with her friends.  There is no gray area in Baylee's life.  She knows what is right, and always chooses it.
13. Bay is very very smart.  She has taken all honors classes this year on top of doing student council, tennis and swim, and all the orchestra stuff she has done.
14.  Her favorite thing in the entire world is Zion's Youth Symphony and Choir.  They play twice a year at The Smith Center.  There is nothing she works harder at, and nothing she loves more.

I just realized when I posted this I stopped at 14!! I really do hate she is getting older.

15. She loves seminary and has loved having her dad be her teacher this year.  It has been a great experience for both of them.

I love this girl tons.  She is a blessing and inspiration and I thank Heavenly Father every day I get to be her mom.

Baseball

Last night Kade FINALLY got the game ball.  He is having such a great season, but last night he played almost perfectly.  He is catching, and loves it more than words could explain.  While he was catching, he caught a foul-tipped ball and got the kid out. He went 2-2 last night.  His first hit was over 2nd base, and his second hit was into far right.  He hit it hard enough that when it hit the fence, it bounced back about 5 feet.  And the last inning he played third.  he caught a ball and threw a kid out at 2nd.  

A couple months ago I tried to convince him to quit baseball.  He wasn't having fun and he wasn't trying very hard.  But since our little talk, he is working so hard and having so much fun.  I love watching him play ball and see the pure joy he feels out on that field!

Another Teenager! Tori turns 13

13 things about Tori

1. She is very logical.  She understands what needs to be done and how to do it.
2.  Tori is definitely the hardest working 13 year old I know.
3. She is amazing with little kids and they all seems to adore her.
4. She loves cheer, and is sad the season is over for this year.  But is excited for tryouts and her 3rd season next year.
5. Her favorite color is STILL orange!  It is spirit week at school and each day is a specific color.  Since she is on student council of course she chose to have today be orange so the entire school is celebrating her birthday by wearing her favorite color.
6. She has a very strong testimony.  She told me the week before conference how excited she was for it and took notes the entire conference.
7. She really wants a sugar glider.  Not happening though!
8. She also wants a cat.  Not happening either.
9. She is a total night owl.
10. She is super smart and is doing so well in school.
11. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up.
12. She has more clothes than Baylee and I combined!
13. She is beautiful on the inside and out, tons of fun, spends half her life upside down doing handstands, is kind, loving, and adds sparkle to whatever she does and wherever she is!

Love to tons Yada.  Thank you for being such an inspiration and example to me :)