Swim lessons

 

Michael on the diving board

Makayla on the slide

Makayla swimming in

Matthew? Swimming in

Joseph? on the slide

Zachary (and teacher) on the slide

Zachary attempting to jump off the diving board

Our old home teacher (before his mission) dropping Zachary in.

Zachary loved it

Swimming back

Matthew about it jump in.

But instead he does a front flip!

Matthew swimming to shore as Zachary looks on from the edge.

Will Joseph jump in?

To the edge...

He does!

Swimming back

Makayla's turn, Zachary watching on

She did it!  (last year she didn't, but the year before, she did)

June

 

Adalyn loves the wagon and the kids love pulling her around!

Emma always asks for her picture taken, then does these 'not really smiles"

Our neighbors brought us an ice cream watermelon. So fun!

Classic use of tracks at our house.

Emma fell asleep on my bed

Makayla doing my Sunday hair

When your kids want to take a picture of you...and they cut off Dad's head.

Or my head.

We went to the Spanish Fork resevoir with Thomas and Katie and Brooklyn.  Here are the girls not eating sand.

Rob and I went on our anniversary date to see the Millennial Choir and Orchastra.  It was at the Spanish fork rodeo grounds and David Archuletta was a guest singer.

Horses/riders showing the states that members of the choir are from.

On the day they were resurfacing our street I didn't want the kids outside.  So I told them if we cleaned the downstairs, we would have an ice cream sundae party and movie marathon.  (This is a huge deal, we never do more than 1 movie a day...2 if its a special day.). It took us 3& 1/2 hours to finish (not including our lunch break), but everything was organized and clean!  They actually worked really hard and had pretty good attitudes.  Then we had ice cream sundaes and each child chose a movie on disney+ yes, that is 6 movies...but I think a couple of them chose 1 or 2 short episodes of a tv show.  And no one messed with the wet tar.

Cute sisters.

Cute cousins.  Too bad Adalyn is in a bad mood.  Cora is wearing some of Adalyn's old clothes.

Makayla and her friend Jojo did each other's hair.  (Their family wore masks anytime they were inside for like 2 years.)

Matching swimsuits!

Zachary graduated from his online preschool and they sent him this graduation stuff.

A real smile?

We had to document that Adalyn let someone besides me hold her at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Happy to be outside

Cute mommy/daughter picture!

Memorial day weekend

We met Rob's brother Daniel & family and sister Trish and family in Colorado to see their old stomping grounds.  Here we are at Garden of the Gods.  The weather was nice half the day and rainy the other half.  After this hike, we made it back to the RV just as it started raining.  On this trip we drove to Rifle, CO and boondocked in a walmart parking lot.  The kids, especially Emma were really hyped up until 11pm as we were trying to fall asleep. The first night is the hardest to get them settled.  It was so nice to get up, have breakfast, then drive (or eat with a table while driving).  We met cousins at Garden of the Gods, then hiked, then hung out at the RV with them.  Then we made dinner at that parking lot, ate, then drove to a McDonald's in Woodlin Park that advertised RVs were welcome. (also, cheapest gas here, even though this was a rich area).  We were wishing that the play area was open, but the dining area wasn't even open.  We watched Spiderverse that night (my first time seeing it), and the kids went to bed at a more reasonable hour.  

Zachary must be tired to fall asleep like that.  Funny that there are beds in this thing, but the kids fell asleep at the table.  I should say the Christopher and Michael didn't come on this short 4 day trip with us.  They were invited to separate end of the year parties and since we were going to have a family reunion the next week, we let them stay with their (separate) friends.  They had a blast and the Hanks and Harris' said they were great.

Then we drove a short ways from the McDonalds to Mueller State Park.  We made breakfast there, then hiked with Daniel's family and got back just as the rain was starting.  Maybe we got a little wet and cold, but not too bad.  Then we drove to Cabalas near Colorado Springs and made dinner.  After dinner we walked around Cabalas.  Then Trish's family came and saw us and hung out in our RV with us.  I bet we watched another movie then went to bed.  (Glad we put the tv/dvd player in even if we can't hear it while it's driving). The next morning was Sunday, so we showered everyone (we had a great system where Rob washed them and I dressed them (or laid out their clothes).  (Remember, still boondocking in the Cabalas parking lot).  Then we drove to Rob's old church building in Black forest.  We made a bunch of crepes (Rob cooked, I made the batter & Rob's siblings provided toppings.) and ate with Rob's siblings and kids.  Luckily no one got nutella all over their Sunday clothes.  Then we went into church, they saw a bunch of people they remembered, we took over a few primary classes, then drove by their old house.  Afterwards we drove to Fox Run Park, but didn't get out because it was pouring down rain!   We hung out in the RV, all 19 of us.

Here are some kids/cousins

And some more

 And the rest (minus one baby).  After that we drove back to Rifle to spend the night, very grateful that the roads were clear.

Stephenson reunion

The boy Stephenson cousins

The girl Stephenson cousins

Rachel wanted some pictures with the babies. (and Emma wants to be wherever Rachel is)

Adalyn's like 'mom, are you sure about this?'

Kids loved climbing around in nature's playground.

Makayla's cousins made her a beautiful hair-do,

 Emma loved playing in "the sand". Too bad I didn't get any pictures at the reunion house or the neighborhood pool that we enjoyed every day.  Emma was so funny and was scared of the water at the neighborhood pool/waterpark.

Michael's 6th grade graduation and award ceremony

Michael was awarded the Kiwanis Terrific Kids award.  Here is what the letter they sent us said:  "Your child has been selected by teachers at your elementary school to receive a Kiwanis "Terrific Kids" Award sponsored by the Spanish Fork Kiwanis Club. Each year our club recognizes outstanding 6th grade students from elementary schools in Spanish Fork and Salem for their contributions to the school and community. Our criterion for a Terrific Kid is one who is: Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Responsible, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive and Capable; hence, TERRIFIC. "

I was really surprised and impressed that Michael was awarded this award with 5 other 6th graders at his school.  Here he is with his friend Derek, who thinks Zachary is really cool. (several of Michael's friends gave Zachary candy on his birthday.)

Parading around the school

The awardees.

Michael's 6th grade teacher (she was also in our ward).

Michael and his friend Joseph (and Zachary)

Michael and Derek with Mr. Talbot (which the kids call Mr. Tablet)

Even though 6th grade graduation was outside, it was weird being so close to other people after a year of social distancing.