Oh What do you do in the Summertime?

I always try to have a loose schedule of sorts in the summer so that we aren’t getting up every morning and wondering how we are going to fill the hours.  Each day we generally do something, but of course we can change it if something else comes up.  All three older kids are in swim team in the morning, and then we do different stuff in the afternoons—we have library day, a swimming day, a movie theater day, and on Mondays we have a new thing—making and musical Mondays—which means we STAY HOME!! (This is generally my favorite day.)  We make or cook something and watch a musical.  Also, catch up on laundry and cleaning. 

Anyway, there is a point to this long description of my life presently.  This Monday we made salsa and watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  And for some reason I was much more laid back then usual—probably because we didn’t have to pack up and go anywhere at any specific time.  I found myself spending fun time with all my kids—especially Ella and Conner, who probably need that a lot more these days with Savannah around.  And wow, I really enjoyed my day—and I enjoyed my family.  And it felt so nice!  Then I thought to myself, this must be how Alayne Favereux feels every day!  She is my children’s amazing piano teacher and she seems to have it figured out ya know?  She knows how to ENJOY life and she ENJOYS people.  So, I decided, that’s how I want to be more and more. 

And THAT is what I want to do this summertime.

More of this…

and this…

and this…

and this…

and, uh, this was just a really cute picture. 

Savannah’s Blessing

It was a very nice day. It was a beautiful blessing and I felt the power of the priesthood very strongly when Jack gave the blessing. It also just gave me such a sense of gratitude to be blessed with all these great kids.

One thing that was a bit of a dissapointment though--I figured with a few gagillion relatives sitting by us in church that I wouldn't have to worry about my kids for one Sunday--yeah, unfortunately they still wanted to sit by me! At least, Ella, Conner and Logan all did (and consequently they are my biggest trouble makers). I did still have a lot of extra help though, and Savannah slept through everything beautifully.

Here is the little beauty herself:

Beautiful sisters! ( And Logan and Conner wouldn’t sit for any more pictures anyway... Girls are just more patient.:))

It worked out that my brother Danny and his family were visiting when we did the blessing—they live all the way in North Carolina so it was so nice that they could be here for it.

We love this little one!