SuMmeRTiMe, fLyS and BeiNg on TiMe!

Summer is coming to a close before my eyes! It was so chilly in my house this morning, I kind of wanted to turn on the heat....kind of. I didn't! Today I'm enjoying some of the things I love at Summers end, like fresh peaches and tomatoes. What I'm not enjoying...the flies! I've killed at least a half dozen so far today and I just opened my dishwasher and another one flew out! A stowaway! He knew I was on a fly hunt!  I just can't believe how fast this summer has flown by! Really, June didn't count this year for a couple of reasons. The weather was rainy all month and we were putting the finishing touches on our basement project. I remember thinking I was glad it wasn't nice outside or I couldn't have stayed inside day and night to finish! Soon I'll post pictures...we are LOVING the extra space to say the least!

So, yesterday I was reminded of a funny little story about my son, who will remain nameless. I forgot to pick him up from lacrosse. Bad mom! Bad mom! Really he wasn't upset... a little bugged but he knows I'm flaky sometimes and is patient with me.


That was not always the case.

A few years ago Tanner was playing little league football. If you've never been involved with this before, you should know it's serious stuff! Kind of like a mini boot camp or something. Honestly...I don't quite understand it! Anyway he was practicing five nights a week and Saturdays. I was done! The kids hadn't even started school yet so we had gone to a movie that day. Well...I didn't plan very well and by the time the movie got out, it was obvious Tanner was pretty much in a panic and just knew he would be running extra laps to make up for his mother's lack of planning!As Tanner (I guess he's not nameless!) got out of the car and shut the door, he turned around and tapped on the window. Tap, tap, tap. I promptly rolled it down. He then says to me in a very restrained voice, 'THIS had better not happen again.' To which I promptly rolled up the window and drove away. Then of course I started to laugh hysterically. He is just like both of his grandfathers! If he's not early, he's late! If he's late, it's my fault, because HE would not be late! Hello he's being raised by me, which by the way, I've been working on my tardiness and doing fairly well. But his father...well you know...he's still working on it!


Thanks, Tanner for keeping me on time...for the most part! I love that guy! :)

P.S. Where did the spell check go? Am I going crazy?

New Sisters Blog

Allie started a new blog this summer and she's been bugging me to add it to my blog! She made a few digital scrapbooks and wanted to post them to our family blog...so I helped her start her own blog. Now she can put whatever she would like to on it! As of right now it is listed as the sisters blog on my blog list. It will soon become private...so let me know if you are interested in following her blog by leaving a comment with your e-mail address here! If you know us don't be shy! It might be some good entertainment!? It is her blog...so I have no idea what will end up on it?? Allie loves to read, so she added a shelfari bookshelf today. If you have a child close to her age, or McKenna's age you might want to see what they've been reading. I know I'm always looking for ideas! They are still trying to remember all of the books they've read!

Family Pictures

Back to School

Kelsie-preschool

Allie-6th Grade

McKenna-2nd Grade

Tanner-8th Grade

Well...last week the kid's all started school! I got pictures of the girls, but failed to rise and take one of Tanner! His bus comes at zero dark thirty! Still, I feel like a terrible mother! :( He would have been totally irritated if took pics of him anyway! The kid's all had new clothes and shoes, which made them happy. Everyone was excited/nervous to meet their teachers, but they all seem pretty happy with them and their friends...so life is good! Back to the routine!

Views from Mount Timp

Tanner recently climbed the backside of Mount Timpanogos with the scouts! He took along an older digital camera that we have and actually got some pretty good pictures, so I decided to post a few! I'm glad he was able to make it to the top...way to go Tan-man!

The "Lake"

Kelsie, McKenna and Gracie

We have a couple of new little "lakes" that have opened this summer and are fairly close to our home. I use the term "lake" very loosely as my husband grew up in Michigan and knows what lakes are really supposed be like. One of them is actually a small reservoir that we have dubbed, "the puddle" and the other is a very small lake. But...they both have sandy beaches and the kids love it! One even has a big playground behind the beach. This summer we've enjoyed spending time at both of them!

LaGoOn!

Kelsie, Mickelle, McKenna, Allie and Audree!

In July, we spent the day at Lagoon with some friends from our neighborhood, the Ereksons. We had a great time and stayed at the park from open to close. It was Hot, Hot, Hot! But, after lunch we all went on Rattle Snake Rapids and got soaking wet...it cooled us off for a while. I have to say, I was more impressed with Lagoon than I have been in the past. The flowers were beautiful and it just seemed like there was shade everywhere we went. Everyone but Kelsie went on Wicked...that is a one wild roller coaster! I feel like I've been on some pretty good ones in Orlando, but this one is crazy! I couldn't even open my mouth to utter a scream...a first for me! I'm not sure I'll be getting on that one again! It was a great day!

Grandpa Woody's 90th Birthday!

Grandpa Woody and Grandma Colleen

I think everyone in the family agrees...

This is our favorite picture of our grandparents.

This picture was taken walking down the street in downtown Seattle, WA.

A street photographer took it and sold them the photo.

They look like movie stars to me!

The party was held at the Cole's clubhouse. Starting at the bottom right and going clockwise:

my mom and dad, Grandpa Woody and Aunt Maxine (his sister)

Grandpa Woody with his children: Don, Laurel and Jan and

finally Grandpa and Aunt Maxine with Gayle and Kent Brown, and the Larsens.

The kids had fun swimming in the pool!

The whole family!

Grandma and Grandpa's posterity.

The girl cousins: Savannah, Allie, McKenna and Avery

enjoying the theater room.

One of the neatest things about this celebration was my Great Aunt Maxine, surprising my grandpa (she's his only living sibling) and coming to Utah from the Portland area. A few of her children came as well. So it was one big party! I think my grandpa was exhausted afterward! Happy 90th Grandpa!

4th of JuLy!!

This year we hosted the 4th of July in our humble abode! It was a great day with lots of family around. We had my parents, Red's parents, Aunt Jan and Uncle Doug, Tim and Kylee and of course darling baby Beckett. Grandpa Woody was here and Scott and Kati also came with the kids and last but not least Auntie Katie Jr.! Red took the girls up to the Granite Parade first thing while we finished some of the food preps. Doug brought bocce (never played it??) and the kids had a ball playing that in the backyard. We had barbeque chicken salads (thanks Marilyn!) corn on the cob, fruit, chips and salsa cupcakes and of course homemade icecream. After gourging ourselves, we took all the kids over to the splash park for some wet fun! Then played some dominoes...chatted....listened to Doug tell off color jokes...watched fireworks! The End. It was a fun, family day!

Plum Jam!

I am so tired of Hello Kitty! I mean she's cute, but I've had enough! I was planning to spend today updating my blog and doing a few other projects on the computer. But, instead I ended up doing this...plum freezer jam! My Aunt Margaret gave me a bag of plums from her tree, so I embarked on this project. I ended up making 4 batches total. It's pretty yummy, I know our family will enjoy it. So for now...this will have to do. I'll be updating our blog in the next couple of weeks. Summer's coming to a close and the kids are back in school...time to get back into our routine!