July

 Brynn picked to clean the car for her chore one Saturday.  This means taking all the mats out and scrubbing them with soapy water and vacuuming out the car.  We took it one step further and washed the car as well and Ivy was happy to assist.

Stockton went out later that afternoon and rode bikes with Ivy.  They raced and he let her win.  I would go as far as to say that she is his favorite sister.  At least at the moment.

 

We have met Ivy's friends at the pool a couple of times this summer.  It is a great way to kill some hours in the afternoon.  These three are the cutest and I am really hoping they get put in the same class again!

Raina Cottle, Ivy, Hannah Reynolds

*Update: School started today (Aug 16th) and they are not in the same class.  Hannah and Raina got one teacher, Ivy got the other.  I was nervous to tell her but she handled it really well and just told me that she'd find them at recess.

Ivy wanted her turn to make dinner.  She wanted to make spaghetti and meatballs with french bread and I did something I rarely, if ever, do.  I bought frozen meatballs and canned spaghetti sauce.  Guess what?  Everyone like it and Ivy felt very accomplished.  She also made vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkles-with a cake mix and canned frosting.  Gasp.

she had to let Brynn help frost the cupcakes because Brynn let her help frost the chocolate cake when Brynn made her cake in June

We met the Moyes' at Lagoon on a 100 degree day.  We rode a few rides and then cooled down at Lagoon-a-Beach.  Erin's sisters were there as well and Brynn made a new friend when she was playing with Grace (Grace's cousin).

Ivy and Grace

Maggie Jenkins, Grace, Brynn

We hadn't planned anything ahead of time but when we got there, I realized that it would be fun to take Grace home with us.  Grace was game and so she hopped in with us.  We stopped and grabbed treats at Twisted Sugar (cookie for me, drinks for them) before heading home for a German Pancake dinner, movie night, and sleepover.  Grace went home the next day when I was taking Brynn and Ivy to Grandma's anyway to stay for a few days.

Brynn, Ivy, Grace

Brynn and Ivy got to spend a couple days in Plain City and then a couple days in Sandy while the rest of us were in New York.  

While they were in Plain City, Brynn got to go birthday shopping with Harper and they both got time in the pool.  Brynn went to Young Women's with Grace and slept over at Harper's house.

Brynn and Harper

My mom drove the girls to Heber on Tuesday so Brynn could go to cheer.  April met her there and they made the swap.  While with Grandma April, they made toilet paper wedding dresses and even walked down the street wearing them!  Evie was able to be at Grandma's while the girls were there too.

Ivy, one of April's YW, Evie, Brynn

Molly's new team was in a tournament in mid-July.  I was excited and anxious to see how this would go.  I told Molly I wasn't sure how much playing time she would get...I didn't know the coach or many of the girls so I really didn't know how it would go for her.  She missed the first game but played in the other three-and it went really well for her!  She didn't start the first game but got plenty of time on the field but she started the next two games and actually never subbed out in the final game.  She played defensive wing and did a great job.  They advanced to the final and lost in overtime but they seemed pretty happy about how they did.  They are a pretty new team and hadn't had much time to practice together this summer.  Excited to see how they do next spring!

Molly is in the back, middle

Weekly trips to the library are the norm around here.  I love the possibility of all those books.  Justin thinks I'm weird.  Brynn and Ivy are always up for a trip to the library.  They like to take the elevator to the second floor and this time they laid down while it went up and then back down.  I tried not to be grossed out, rolled my eyes, and took a picture.

 

We had Brett come and stay for one night.  I gave him Ivy's room so Ivy and Brynn decided to share Brynn's loft bed.  It worked out until about 4 in the morning when Ivy woke up which woke Brynn up.  When I went to put Ivy back to bed, Brynn was wide awake...and neither of them went back to sleep that morning.

 

We drove up to Plain City early one Sunday to support and listen to Ben give his farewell talk.  He got his mission call in May and was heading to Michigan mid-August.  The whole meeting was exceptional and Ben did great.  We were so proud.  All of his cousins look up to him and love him and he is a great example to them.  It is so amazing to get his emails and see how he is changing already.  What a blessing he is to all of us!

Stockton, Justin, Molly, Ben, me, Ivy, Brynn

Tessa, Grant, Stockton, Gavin

Josie, Lucy, Molly, Abby, Grace, Chloe, ?, Brinley (Ben's girlfriend), Ivy

Harper, ?, Brynn, Bryce, Spencer, Seth

Girl's Camp-

{Heber Stake} Girl's Camp took place July 18-21 at a church camp located near Kamas.  It was beautiful there.  I was called as a stake camp specialist back in January so I had a hand in helping to plan and was expected to be there to execute.  I was sort of dreading it...we had just gotten back from New York and jumped right into the soccer tournament (which was early mornings in Salt Lake).  I was tired going into camp.  But.  When I woke up that morning and started heading up, I started to get excited.  Girl's Camp is always a blessing to be part of.

Anyway, stake leaders and YCL's got to camp bright and early Monday morning to get everything set up and ready for the 8 wards to join us soon!

I am on the bottom, 3rd in from the left.  To my right is good friend and fellow ward member, Renee Anderson

I will talk about my experience with camp and then Molly's since we were not really together.  I actually rarely saw her.  I really enjoyed serving on a stake level.  I got to know a lot of new people who I didn't know beyond our meetings.  Girls Camp takes it to the next level and, by the end, you are bound to be really great friends!  I didn't grow up in Heber and I don't know everyone in the valley so this was fun for me.  Mostly, I helped make food and serve food and herd girls to devotional.  I was in charge of making sure assigned wards were ready for devotional.  I just helped wherever there was a need.  I was also in charge of the river rafting logistics...getting 250 girls and leaders shuttled to the Weber River, on rafts, and shuttled back to camp took a large chunk of Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons for me!

skit night...Moana in 3 minutes...I am second in from right

I served soda at the soda bar for nearly 3 hours (3rd in from right)

making scrambled eggs with Sarah Mair (Stake YW President)

delivering eggs to be served to girls

Molly's experience was a little different this year as well.  It was the week before high school soccer tryouts and I had told her that I would get her to all the events that I possibly could.  They had a new coaching staff and I thought, for her, more visibility would be best to increase her chances of making the team.  They had been holding Tuesday and Thursday training sessions all summer but they switched things up that week and held evening scrimmage sessions as well.  That meant she was back and forth a lot.  Luckily I had some help from other leaders so I was able to stay at camp the majority of the time.

Molly is middle right, in the orange shirt with a turquoise fanny pack

Molly and Brooke Turman

Daniels Canyon Ward in the front; Molly is third row back, on the furthest left

She went up Monday morning with the ward.  She was there all day and night and went home late that night with Michelle Hansen.  She did conditioning Tuesday morning then drove back up with Janna Bush.  She got to do the river rafting that afternoon with the ward and then got a ride back to Heber with Elisa Bingham so she could go to that evening's scrimmage at the high school.

She drove back to camp Wednesday morning with Michelle and did the side-by-side/ATV scavenger hunt with the ward.  She loved this activity!  I took her home that night for the Wednesday night scrimmage.  I hated that she missed testimony meeting but it was just how it went this year.  She didn't go back the next morning since it was just taking down camp and driving home.  I went back and helped with serving breakfast and clean-up Thursday morning.

The theme for camp was "I AM" and we studied scriptures where the Savior is referred to as "I Am" as well as "I am" statements for the girls...I am divine, I am progressing, I am virtuous, etc. etc.  One of our camp leaders had made over 200 "I am" signs and had them placed around camp as a continual reminder of not only our Savior, but of our potential and what we can become.  It was really powerful.  Our theme song was "Who You Say I Am" and we sang that at morning and evening devotionals.  We made bracelets with tiny beads that spell "I AM" with colored beads representing different characteristics of Christ.  I was happy and grateful to be part of camp this year and the memories made and testimonies strengthened.  It was a special experience. 

 

Stockton, Brynn, and Ivy had to just stay home and entertain themselves.  Stockton had golf that a friend gave him a ride to.  Brynn had cheer and Justin had to take care of getting her there and back.  The Webb's had the kids over Monday night to swim and eat dinner but it rained and they weren't able to swim so they had them back for Tuesday night as well.  They went through a Cars phase...watching all the movies and setting up these elaborate race tracks, garages, etc in the loft.  It entertained them pretty much the entire time I was gone.

We got out the blow-up pool and Stockton set up a "water park" for the girls.  The water is cold so they dared each other to go all the way under.

 

We had a rare Saturday night with nothing on the calendar.  Justin had worked that day until 3 so when he got home, we loaded up the kids and the tubes and went to float the canal.  We tried this a couple years ago but did it too late at night and we all froze.  This was a much better experience.  The water was still freezing but it was hot enough outside to be almost refreshing.  Brynn and Ivy had thought they would try to float with those donut tubes from Ivy's birthday party but they were way too small to hold anyone up so Justin and I put them inside our bigger tubes and they worked great to keep our rear ends out of the water!  Stockton hated it last time but had a great time this year and keeps asking when we can do it again.

 

We didn't do anything for Pioneer Day.  It fell on Sunday and we did normal Sunday things.  Justin had Monday the 25th off but Molly had morning and evening tryouts and she was driving with the school instructor in the afternoon.  Stockton pulled out our homemade slip 'n slide and he and Brynn and Ivy played on that.  Gene, April, and Brett came up as well and we had a barbecue with them in between taking Molly to all her things.

 

We got snow cones one afternoon after Brynn's cheer practice was over.  Blackberry snow cone=a favorite summer treat of mine!

 

I signed Stockton up for a summer golf league.  Some friends from baseball were doing it and he thought it sounded fun.  It was at Red Ledges which is a private course so Justin was super jealous.  I originally thought it was on Monday evenings but they held Friday afternoon matches as well.  Stockton really liked it but he missed a lot of days, something I didn't foresee at the beginning of the summer.  I'm not sure I would pay to have him do it again. 

Stockton's birthday party:

He invited four boys, only two could come.  We got soda, chips, cookies, and candy.  They played basketball in the loft, did tricks on the trampoline, and started a movie outside.  It was totally chill and they had a great time.  I had told the girls that they might have to stay out of the way but they hung out with the boys the whole time.  The boys didn't seem to mind and certainly didn't say anything and Justin and I have a sneaky suspicion that one of the boys might have a crush on Brynn, ha!

Stockton, Madduk, Drayven, Ivy, Brynn

A week later, he had the same group of boys over + the 2 that couldn't come the first time. I was gone pretty much the entire time but they didn't need entertaining.  Kind of lame for a birthday party but Stockton was cool with it...and we counted his Cooperstown trip as one, big birthday party!

Stockton had not been to Plain City to hang out with cousins and swim in the pool.  Molly was there for the 4th and Brynn and Ivy got an extra trip when we were in New York.  So I knew I needed to make it happen for Stockton.  Ali and I got our schedules together and found a few days that he could go stay with them.  I met Ali on a Sunday afternoon so he got to be at grandma's for Sunday dinner.  Ben had just been set apart as a missionary so he got to spend some time with him before starting home MTC the next day.

Grant, Gavin, Stockton, Ben