Kate at swim lessons with Alexa Norton on Evergreen. Katie grew so much is swimming this year! She came to really love it and be brave.
Hailey is a cute little fish and swimming very well independently. She is also awesome at flipping, diving and even back diving off the diving board.
A hike with the cousins at Brighton Ski resort to Lake Mary (I think).
The Sunday before the 4th of July. These sweet kids are so cute! They groan to take a posed picture but, they look so great I just have to have a picture. In this picture the kids are 10, 9, 6, 4 and 2. Since Ashley has just had her birthday and the rest will be having birthdays in 2 months.
Our water bounce house gets tons of use. Dave hates how it damages the lawn but, the kids and I enjoy it too much to care and I do try to move it off quickly once we're done.
Nate exploring during swim lessons for Hailey and Kate
More of Katie swimming in her favorite pink with white hearts and a skirt swimsuit.
3rd of July fireworks at the end of Paige Circle. This year I bought safety glasses but, unfortunately it was so windy we only did a few fireworks and then had to save them for another day.
Nathan just playing at home
And Katie too
4th of July Millcreek Parade! Nathan, Katie and Charlie watched the parade while Andrew, Ashley, Hailey, Joe, Callie, Liz and Will rode scooters and threw candy in the parade until they got to our watching spot.
The parade started with very, very (very) loud police motorcycles. Nate didn't like the loud noise.
Katie got pretty good at waving and grabbing the thrown candy.
Here's Hailey! She loved being in the parade! She's adorable.
Nate and Charlie exploring the garden of the yard where we sat
After the parade we swam at the Wharton's pool. It was extra fun because Daddy was with us.
A family dinner up at Nana and Papa's house that evening
Fireworks that night at the Holladay City Park
The next day we spent at the Church sites. We took a quick tour of the Conference Center and saw the view from the roof, walked around Temple Square and went to the Church History Museum. It was fun, hot, free and a great experience.
Afterwards we headed to Cold Stone for delicious ice cream, and used our free certificates from the last Reflections Contest.
Water fight and trampoline time.
Katie
More swim lessons with Alexa for Hailey
and Kate
We discovered a bird's nest right out side our bedroom balcony door. 4 baby birds hatched and we watched them for 2 weeks as their mother and father fed them and they grew and then flew away. During that time Andrew had several Allstar Baseball games. He is the lead off hitter and first baseman. For some reason, his games make me feel nervous and anxious. I found that these baby birds helped take my mind off of it and calmed my nerves and I was very grateful for them. I also had a large puzzle on our dining room table that I'd fiddle with here and there when I felt anxious. That might sound like a very silly reason to be stressed (it is) and very silly coping mechanisms but, that's the truth and I was grateful.
Ashley's friend Liam Clements came over to play while in town. Liam is in the red T shirt.
Swim, swim, swim Hailey and Katie
Nate and June are so good to each other.
I rarely ever went on our balcony until these birds were born. For the 2 weeks we had them we each watched them often and really loved watching them grow.
Andrew and his buddy Landon, Ashley and Nathan J and Hailey and Harper looking pretty ridiculous in dress ups.
Dodgeball and water play with friends
A day at Cherry Hill
For Ashley's birthday she asked Nana and Papa for a trip to the Aquarium and a ticket to the Feed the Penguin Adventure. She and Nana went together for a special experience. They were in a cold room and were given some fish to feed the penguins. Sweet Nana gave Ashley her fish so Ashley could do more. Ashley loved being so close and only wished she could hold them.
Katie is getting better and better at swimming! She can swim about 10 feet on her own.
Hailey and Alexa swimming together
Leaving the Wharton's. Katie looked super cute!
Ashley, Hailey and Ellie at the Wharton's
Hailey being her creative self to stay busy at a baseball game for Andrew.
Andrew had lots and lots of baseball games the first half of July, and even more practice. He worked hard and we were phenomenally impressed with how well he did game after game sometimes under a lot of pressure. He is a great ball player. He is a consistent hitter, a super smart and dependable first baseman and a good teammate and sport.
~
This game was a tricky one. In the first round of this new tournament, Andrew's A team had to play the Olympus D team. Andrew's team was seeded high and so they got to play a team seeded very low. Andrew's team won 24-7 and the game was called 2 innings early (so after 4 innings) with the mercy rule. Our coach even used our 3rd string pitcher until the last inning. It was a fun, easy game for our boys.
The reason it was tricky is that 3 kids from Andrew's grade left the Millcreek league this year and went to Olympus. One of their dads put together a D team for Allstars that these 3 boys played on. It was an easy win but, what was tricky was that Andrew had to practice over and over to be kind even when someone else isn't. And I had to practice holding my tongue when parents bragged about what good sports and what big-hearted kids their sons were.
Two of the boys live right by me. Each time Andrew saw these boys on the days leading up to the game, they trash talked and were bragging and condescending and just rude. Of course, that's not such a big deal to me because that does happen and it doesn't really bug me except that if Andrew were to do that to their kids I can guarantee I'd get an earful.
One of the boys from that team was catcher and each time Andrew got up to bat he told Andrew mean words about how he would strike out. He did it to other children too. Andrew never did strike out, in fact he got up twice to bat most of the innings, because our team's up at bat went on for eternity each inning. The mother of the pitcher yelled loud, rude comments too. Usually I wouldn't care one bit except that she knows all the boys on our team and their families but, mostly because she got mad at me and confronted me last year and said that I cheer too loudly for my own child during games. That I'm too competitive. She is likely right, and so I toned it down and cheered less loudly. But, as time has passed I have tried to forgive her rudeness realizing that that she felt jealousy that her son hasn't had success and even though her hypocrisy is hard for me to miss, she is unaware of what her son and his teammates are saying too.
~
This game was a tricky one. In the first round of this new tournament, Andrew's A team had to play the Olympus D team. Andrew's team was seeded high and so they got to play a team seeded very low. Andrew's team won 24-7 and the game was called 2 innings early (so after 4 innings) with the mercy rule. Our coach even used our 3rd string pitcher until the last inning. It was a fun, easy game for our boys.
The reason it was tricky is that 3 kids from Andrew's grade left the Millcreek league this year and went to Olympus. One of their dads put together a D team for Allstars that these 3 boys played on. It was an easy win but, what was tricky was that Andrew had to practice over and over to be kind even when someone else isn't. And I had to practice holding my tongue when parents bragged about what good sports and what big-hearted kids their sons were.
Two of the boys live right by me. Each time Andrew saw these boys on the days leading up to the game, they trash talked and were bragging and condescending and just rude. Of course, that's not such a big deal to me because that does happen and it doesn't really bug me except that if Andrew were to do that to their kids I can guarantee I'd get an earful.
One of the boys from that team was catcher and each time Andrew got up to bat he told Andrew mean words about how he would strike out. He did it to other children too. Andrew never did strike out, in fact he got up twice to bat most of the innings, because our team's up at bat went on for eternity each inning. The mother of the pitcher yelled loud, rude comments too. Usually I wouldn't care one bit except that she knows all the boys on our team and their families but, mostly because she got mad at me and confronted me last year and said that I cheer too loudly for my own child during games. That I'm too competitive. She is likely right, and so I toned it down and cheered less loudly. But, as time has passed I have tried to forgive her rudeness realizing that that she felt jealousy that her son hasn't had success and even though her hypocrisy is hard for me to miss, she is unaware of what her son and his teammates are saying too.
And here is another game where Andrew got to pitch the last inning. He isn't the hardest pitcher but his accuracy is great. That can mean big hits if a good hitter is up but, in time he'll get stronger and that accuracy will be awesome.
A quick cousin play date after baseball games
Just started. Another 20 or so filtered in as it got darker.
Don't you love the cowgirl outfit Hailey put together?
On the the last baseball tournament of the summer, the State tournament. Some years his team hasn't even made it into this tournament so, it's exciting when they do. Andrew's team lost to a team that they had previously beaten and should've easily beat but, those things happen. Andrew had a great game, one of his best ever. He was 5 for 5 hitting and on base. He was almost perfect at first base and he had the best attitude. His team lost but, we didn't care. We celebrated how awesome he did.
Taking a seat on first during an unusual break.
Back outside, Katie was back to normal.
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