Tri-Ward Swim Party...2012

Tonight we had our annual tri-ward swim party at the rec center. The kids were so excited to go, even though we have a pool in our backyard, because the rec center has a water slide. I picked up their cousins and then we were off.

When we got there the kids immediately went for the water. Jaedyn wouldn't join the big kids under this fountain...it was "too spooky" as she called it. The rest of the kids loved every minute of it...

This is where the kids, minus Jaedyn because she's not old enough and she can't swim, spent most of their time...they love the water slide!

Jaron looks like he's ready to ride his motorcycle here...


Even though Jantzen doesn't look like he's having very much fun here, he really does love the water slide...


Jaedyn was very upset that she couldn't go down the water slide with her brothers and cousins, but she found other ways to have fun. I got her to play in the shallow end of the pool where some of her friends were playing. She got really brave and kept wandering off to the deep end. I don't know if she was just trying to find her brothers or if she thought it would be funny to have me chase her while I was holding my camera. Knowing her, I think it might be a little of both!


The older kids were good about coming to the shallow end every once in a while to play with Jaedyn so she didn't have to be alone. They convinced her to go on the mini water slide that's in the shallow end and by the look on her face I don't think she liked it very much...she didn't go on it again.


Instead, she just hung out with her favorite cousin Sadie and some of her other friends...




Jaedyn did take some time out for a little snack that consisted of raisins and graham crackers...


Popcicles, ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream bars were provided for everyone to enjoy and all the kids took full advantage of that. I think they all had at least three each, except for Jaedyn. She likes to eat part of one, then move on to another one.


I got a few pictures of all the kids together. It was hard to get smiles out of them all at the same time, but I think they turned out cute. There's so much personality in these six kids! I'm starting to think that Jaedyn got her love of sticking out her tongue in pictures from her cousin Tate and not her brothers as I previously thought...






It was a fun night for all of us. The kids had a "blast" as they put it and I got to do a little relaxing. I think that makes it a win win for all of us! This is the part of summer that I love!

Pioneer Days Celebrations...2012!

It's that time of year again, a time where we get to bake in the heat and celebrate "Pioneer Days". On Friday night we went to the BBQ dinner with the kids and some friends. I bought each of the kids their own spray mister this year to help keep them cool while we were there (you really need it in the 114+ weather we get to experience here every summer) and Jaedyn had the most fun with it. She completely soaked herself and laughed about it...

When her water ran out (very quickly), she turned to sucking on ice cubes to keep herself cooled off. That's a lovely face she's giving me as she drops her ice cube...


...then, when she gave up on the ice cubes she bummed a little bit of Jantzen's popsicle to cool her off some more...


After we were done eating dinner, the boys took off to play with some of their friends while Jaedyn hung out with her friend Avery.


Jaedyn did some goofing off with Avery...


...she did some dancing for me (sorry about the blurry picture)...


...and a little bit of goofing off with her daddy...


Jantzen did some goofing off on his own...


For the "Pioneer Days" activities this year they held a "Pioneer Olympics" that consisted of several different events for all age groups. Jaron was able to participate in the "Hay Roll" race. He did pretty awesome and loved it!


He was very exhausted when the race was over, but he wasn't too tired to show me his big guns with his friend Ethan...


I signed Josh up for the Elders Quorum "Tug-O-War" event. They had to compete against the different wards in our stake until there was a final winner. Here's Josh having a little meeting about their teams strategy and getting ready to kick some tooshies...


Check out those muscles!




They won the first round they were in and then in their second round they went up against the polynesian ward with their huge men and unfortunately didn't win. In their defense though, the polynesian ward ended up being the champions and our elders held them off better than any other ward did, so I'd have to say that our men are the second strongest in our stake. Poor Josh had a rope burn across his forearm after it was all over!

Before we went home for the night, Jantzen and Jaedyn did a little star gazing. I love watching these two hang out together, it's so cute!


On Saturday we headed back to the park for some more celebrating. We started off with dinner so the kids could just play the rest of the night. The boys and I enjoyed our nachos, Jaedyn had a hot dog, and Josh got his carne asada "roach coach" burritos...


I think Jaedyn enjoyed her hot dog bun more than her hot dog...


After the kids were done eating, they took off to play games. The first thing the boys did was the blow up slides. I just love their faces as they're sliding down...


Such goofy boys...




After a few times on the slide the boys moved on to the water slides. They tried to get Jaedyn to go on this one with them, but she chickened out at the last minute, so they just enjoyed it over and over together...


Jaedyn just wanted to play in the lake that was forming in the grass...


My kids are so cheesy!




Since Jaedyn wouldn't go on the water slides with her brothers, Josh and I took her over to where the little kid games are so she could have some fun too. She started off at the duck pond where her prize was a purple jumping frog...


Then she headed over to the fishing pond where she got her favorite prize...a Dum Dum sucker!


Jaron and Jantzen had a blast going down the water slides together...


When it started getting a little dark, we all hung out waiting for the fireworks to start. Jaedyn and Jantzen were having a blast playing with each other. Jaedyn was blowing on Jantzen's back...


...sitting on his shoulders...


...and walking across his stomach with Avery. Poor Jantzen, but I secretly think he liked it because he was laughing most of the time.


The only thing that saved Jantzen from Jaedyn's "playing" was when Jaron sat down with his snow cone...she quickly went over to have some.




Finally it was time for the fireworks to start. They were really good, as usual...


Jantzen had fallen asleep before the fireworks started and we tried to wake him up so he could see them, but nothing we did worked. He slept through the whole show, I don't know how, but he did.


The rest of us got to enjoy them and Jaedyn was in awe...she loved the fireworks!


We had another fun weekend celebrating "Pioneer Days" this year, even with the heat. I'm not a big fan of the heat, but this weekend is something we all look forward to every year. HAPPY 24TH/PIONEER DAYS!

Fun Times!

A few nights ago Kennedy, Sadie, and Tate had a sleepover much to my children's delight...my kids can never have enough sleepovers with their cousins. In the morning when they woke up I heard a lot of laughing going on, so I went to see what was so funny. As I walked into the toy room, this is what I found...

...the kids were swinging around a toy in one of the blankets, but it wasn't just any ordinary toy, this one laughed like a cute little girl.

Oh, look at that, there was a cute little girl inside!...


Jaedyn was loving being swung around in the blanket, she thought it was awesome! I remember doing this as a kid. It's nice to know that some fun things I did as a kid aren't too outdated for my kids to do too. I love that my kids can come up with different ways to play with each other and have fun without the TV or video games being on. Sometimes I wish I could be a kid again!

I Have My Own Little Maid...

The other day as I was busy doing random household chores, I took a quick stroll in my bedroom to put away some laundry. As I walked in I noticed that my bed had been made, but I knew I hadn't done it yet. That's when I heard a little giggle and all of a sudden a super cute little girl jumps out and says, "I made your bed mom!", It was the sweetest thing.

Jaedyn had taken it upon herself to help me out by making my bed and I have to say I think she did an awesome job! She told me she put one of the pillows at the end of the bed so she could lay on it to watch TV...funny girl!

Oh, how I love my little Jaedybug!!!