I love summer!

I'm too busy this summer having fun to actually type up the fun we're having for the blog. I am in heaven right now. I love having all my boys home with me and the warm weather and no schedule. Granted last summer was so horrible with the pregnancy that anything would be a step up. But I feel like it's been forever that I've been able to go have some fun with the kiddos. So we are living it up. Each day Jacob and Adam have chores and then reading, math, writing and Spanish. I've really enjoyed our little school work each day and it makes me think about alternative ways of educating my children. While I'm not sure I would home school I really understand why moms would choose to do that and it's actually very satisfying. Our Spanish work has been really successful and the boys are learning a lot and I'm trying to force myself to practicing my speaking more. Anyway after our work is done is time to play and we are having a grand time. We've been getting together with my sisters and cousins about once a week. We've been to our splash pad and then to Amy's in Spanish Fork and then we went to This is the Place Park. The pioneer lady was in my dad's BYU student ward last year so we had to take a picture with her.

Matthew would not look at the camera. A nap might have been helpful for him.

One night we taught Adam how to ride a two wheeler and it didn't really take any teaching. It was more like "here let me take those training wheels off for you" and Adam just jumped on and rode off. He was very proud of himself though and can I tell you how much I love having a flat neighborhood. Our city also has an extensive paved walking/biking trail system and we have taken advantage of that several times. Matthew and Lucas ride in the bike trailer and it's a great family activity.

For Ammon's birthday Mom, Dad, Amy, Randy, Me, Aaron and Ammon went to the Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days rodeo. I have wanted to go to this rodeo for 5 years now but I was pregnant for 3 of those years and it just never happened. David refuses to go to a rodeo. I believe his words were "I would not be caught dead at a rodeo". So last year when it was Strawberry Days and I was sick and feeling sorry for myself, mom promised me that next year we would go to the rodeo together. We had an awesome time. The first 30 minutes the wind about blew us over and then the rest of the night was freezing but we had a ball and we had strawberries and cream and we learned all sorts of rodeo stuff. The wild cow milking and barrel racing were my favorites. Oh and Randy's witty commentary and Ammon's sunflower seeds.

Jacob and Adam are taking private swimming lessons and are doing so well. I'm really liking private lessons. It's worth the arm and the leg you pay. I've missed our pool pass this year but we have made it over to the PG pool a few times. One afternoon we met up with several of our friends from our old neighborhood and just had a party. It was so fun to talk with my friends again. We've found several parks out here and in Alpine that the kids are enjoying. Plus we found a duck pond that Matthew adores. We live really close to the splash pad and I take the kids up often for the hour before bedtime. It's not crowded at that time and they love it.

The only thing that is hard about summer so far is trying to get errands done with all four kids. First it seems like it takes me an hour just to get everyone ready to get in the car and then the grocery shopping takes twice as long peppered with hundreds of requests for treats and candy. My solution to that so far is to grocery shop only when absolutely necessary and stretch the pantry as far as I can. Oh well small price to pay for summer.

Last week David was in Mexico for his uncle's funeral and I was on my own for 6 days. This is the longest that David and I have been apart for our entire 9 year marriage. It was lonely but we made it through and the kids were great. I don't know how all you moms whose husbands travel do it. David brought the boys back Mexican National Team soccer uniforms. They are in heaven. Matthew has worn his 3 out of the 4 days since David gave it to him. (Yes, I wash it at night.) He brought me back a USA jersey.

In this picture below notice the difference in skin color between Matthew and Lucas. Matthew is as dark as his dad now. Next summer I think Lucas will darken up like his brothers but for now he's our pale skinned child.

The day after David got back we went to Lagoon and I don't think I took a single picture on my camera. I think they are all on David's phone. It was a long day and I was exhausted. David's plane the night before was delayed and we didn't get to bed until 1:30 am. But the boys had a blast and Jacob and Adam rode all of the big rides that they were tall enough for and we did Lagoon-a-beach too. Phew! I love roller coasters but I just needed a bit more sleep the night before.

I think this blog post is too long and it's time to stop. Next time I won't wait so long to blog about our summer adventures.