July

This is how I put Emma down for a nap and bedtime.  Often she calls Makayla's Beanie Boos "Hoo-Hoo" because that is what Joseph named his Beanie Boo owl.

First time driving the suburban.  I realized Christopher needed parking lot practice in the suburban if he was going to get enough driving hours, driving our family around town.  He doesn't like driving such a big vehicle, but this is where we spend the most driving time.

We watched the first few episodes of the tv show Alone (History channel arctic survival show) with the kids (until the language got too bad), so one day when we went to the park and the Springville skatepark, Makayla, Joseph, and Zachary chose to play Alone and build little shelters and fires complete with pinecone fish.

Zachary spend his birthday money on "Nacho Libre"

Makayla did my hair one Sunday.

We went to the rope swing on our river trail.  Michael and Christopher have come a few times with friends, but this was only the 2nd time we went as a family.

Joseph is in the yellow shirt and surprised us by going off it on Rob's back.  And the first time we came he swung by himself, without going in the water.  This is big because he has a fear of heights.  Makayla chose not to go on the swing, but enjoyed the water.

Christopher

Makayla

Michael

Matthew at swim lessons, on the diving board.

In the middle of jumping.

Swimming to the side.  We went to the pool as a family after they finished swim lessons and Matthew "lived" at the diving board with Michael.

I wasn't sure if Joseph would go off, since he didn't last year.  His swim teacher from last year is across the pool watching his diving class. (and our old home teacher from church)

I think Joseph was able to do it for 2 reasons.  1. He didn't stand there thinking about it for a long time.  2. They spent most of the week jumping off the side of into the deep end, so this wasn't a new part of the pool.

Ready!

In the water!

Joseph needed a big of help getting turned around and all the way to the edge, so we didn't let him be in the deep end w/o Rob when we went as a family.

Makayla actually didn't go off the diving board.  She did last year, but this year she hit the "nervous 8's".  It seems like kids get a healthy sense of fear to keep them safe around this age.  She enjoyed swim lessons, but wouldn't jump off the edge in the deep end unless her teacher would catch her.

Michael was all about the tricks this year.

Zachary didn't want to go on the diving board or the water slide (he did later with Rob though).

When we went to the pool as a family on Pioneer day, Emma was crossing her legs so cutely while eating a snack.  Her first time in the pool she held my hand for a while and was very nervous.  By the end she was "swimming" on her stomach (with her head above water) while I was barely holding her, very comfortable.  It wasn't crowded at the beginning and Rob won some towels in the drawing.

Sister-in-laws pregnant with cousins due a week apart, but will most likely be 2 &1/2-3 weeks apart.

Cup stacking!

This has been the summer of grilled chicken and watermelon.  We've never eaten so much grilled chicken and watermelon, but Rob and I have sure enjoyed it!

Rob saw this book on our floor out of the corner of his eye and said "why's the car manual on out here?!"  then he looked closer.

Asking Rob which blue light glasses he wanted.

Luckily he didn't choose the Napoleon Dynamite ones.  I think he looks very distinguished in the first pair.

 "Take a picture of us!"  These two are so cute together.