Summer...in full force!

Well, we've been out of school for about three weeks now, and time has FLOWN by! There have definately been no lazy days of summer here. Between going out of town, and all of the camps that my kids have been doing I feel like we've constantly been on the go. The weather has been nice and hot, but the lake is still low and with the cost of gas these days, we can't justify going out on the boat. So here it is the middle of June and I still have yet to go wakeboarding! My most favorite thing to do.

Braxton has had a very busy summer so far. First we had scout camp, which he absolutely LOVED! I made the mistake of volunteering for a couple of days, which at times was super painful, but we got through it. (Mike says I've voided the service if I complain about it.......is that true? :) Anyway, Braxton did a lot of fun things and brought a lot of "projects" home with him. I don't have the heart to throw anything away yet. There is a life size picture that the kids did of themselves, that everytime I see it out of the corner of my eye I start to panic cause I think someone is in the house........especially at night! I figure I'd give it a few more weeks and then I'd break it to Braxton that it's time for it to go. Braxton has also done a basketball camp. Which he also LOVED!

Hailey hasn't been left out. She was able to do a "princess" camp. Yep you read right, they now have princess camp. They had tea parties, learned ballet dances, did dress up, colored princess pictures, made princess crafts and played in the "castle". She loved it too. She still asks if she can go back to princess camp.

Our summer took a turn two weeks ago when we found out that the rental house that we own, was vacated by it's tenants, who still owe us two months rent. They had lived there for 4 years, never been late with rent and had planned to buy it, which almost happened twice, and I'm talkin we were down to the day of closing when we'd recieve a call saying there was a gliche and it needed to be postponed. Anyway, they just up and moved. So I went over to the house to see what kind of condition it was in, and OH MY GOSH! It's hard to put into words what the house looks like. I'll just say this, I can't imagine that anyone lived in that house the condition it's in. It's so dirty, bug infested, smelly............and I'm at a loss for words. It's something you have to witness for yourself. So, we are in the process of fixing it up. I have come to the realization that every spare second we have has to be devoted to getting the house ready to sell. I'll post pictures later.

I am venturing out to Utah next week. And I say venturing because we are driving once again. After our last trip I promised myself that was the last time, but never say never I guess. The Sampsons are coming with us again, so it's Nicole, myself and six kids. Should be an adventure!

one year older, and none the wiser......

Another birthday come and gone! I never thought I'd dread getting older, but it just seems that each year brings more challenges, as far as the breakdown of my body. I can remember my older sister telling me on my 30th birthday, that things start to change once you turn the big 3 0. I just kind of brushed it off, but oh my gosh, it's true. I never would have thought that I would wake up every morning, stiff on every part of my body, and when I walk down the stairs my ankles, knees...HIPS would crack all the way down! I'm only 33 for crying out loud. But I guess so goes life. So instead of focusing on the negatives I made a list of all of the things I'm grateful for....Mike, being a good provider, working hard so he would have a good stable job, being a worthy priesthood holder, fulfilling his calling to the best of his ablility, his way of trying to make me feel better when I'm stressed, being a great dad to our kids, being a hard worker! loving me when I'm not so easy to love.... Braxton, trying hard at school, being kind to his sister, helping out when I'm sick, having a great sense of humor, being kind and giving to everyone. Hailey, being loving, always wanting to help me out around the house, asking me if I'm ok when she sees I'm sad. Having a wonderful extended family, having parents and inlaws who love me and my family. Having awesome friends who are there when we need them. And most of all having a relationship with my Heavenly Father and my brother Jesus Christ, knowing that eventhough I feel like it sometimes, I am never alone.