June phone pics

At the beginning of June, I posted this picture and message on Instagram,

Hey June, thanks for showing up. Because I was thisclose to breaking up with May.

I might like watching Matt's parkour lessons, almost as much as he loves taking them.
What would it be like to be this cool? I'll never know.

From June 10th:
It is a bit on the late side and the last of about thirty kids just left our house.

A few things I know for certain from this evening:
1. I'm old. And staying up super late makes me feel ancient.
2. Teenagers are really loud. Thirty teenagers are really, really loud.
3. Teenagers are really cool. As in I absolutely love them. A lot. As in a lot, lot. 

When you walk into the room and this is what greets you.
Your mother's heart melts into one giant puddle. 

An afternoon swimming with my fabulous in-laws and
the kids' darling cousins and aunts. It was a good day. 

Dinner tonight with two of our favorites. These kids absolutely adore their
Nana and Grandma Cammy. And I agree. They are the best and we love them so. 

Isn't Grace cooperative? And adorable?

High adventure

This is a powerful picture to me. These young men and leaders are headed out for a
few days of adventure. Beginning with a visit to the Logan temple and then on to
Bear Lake. The youth of the world are really good. I believe that with all of my heart.
I'm so privileged to know so many of them. Especially that incredible boy of ours.

Scout camp

And he's off. We will miss him, but he is about to have
six days of scout camp fun and I'm excited for him.

My mom

Happiest of birthdays (especially with it being such a special one) to my amazing Mom!
She has blessed my life tremendously for as long as I can remember. She loves deeply,
is thoughtful beyond any person I know, has sacrificed incredibly to raise a family and
chooses to follow the Savior in word and deed. I'm so thankful for her and feel so grateful
for the privilege of celebrating her today. Happy Birthday to my incredible Mom!

Celebration

Dinner tonight, with six of my nine siblings plus two of our spouses, to celebrate an upcoming
and very significant birthday for my sweet mom was pretty wonderful. I truly believe I have
the funniest siblings known to man, I really do. And mostly, celebrating my incredible mom
and all she has done for our family, but especially for me, made me emotional. I'm so
beyond grateful for her. She has blessed my life more than I could ever convey in words.

One more for the collection

Glasses

We knew this little sweetheart was going to need glasses going into Kindergarten
and today was exam day. This darling boy will be sporting new eyewear
starting next week. And he is pretty much the cutest ever in it.

On being a mother

She wanted to carry her baby around like a "real momma."
Oh how I hope she finds happiness in motherhood like I do.
And drives her kids nutso on a regular basis.
Both bring me immense joy.

Remembering

Beautiful lanterns floating skyward to remember a sweet little one who changed our
neighborhood one year ago when she passed away. Jacob and I felt so grateful to
celebrate her life with her incredible family and so many neighborhood friends tonight.

And a gorgeous sunset as we headed home, my constant reminder that God loves
His children. Each and every one. And while we don't understand everything
that happens on this earth, our Heavenly Father does. And that is enough.

This day for dads

He always chooses to be kind, to teach, to play, to work hard, to laugh and to
make each one of us better. He loves being a dad and every one of his kids adore
him like crazy. I don't blame them, I do too. Happy Father's Day to the greatest
blessing I've ever been given. I'm so privileged to have a front row seat to his
goodness, his handsomeness and his incredible choices as an amazing father.

Today

While the boys were boating (see last picture), the girls were getting ready for
Father's Day...and playing. Grace wasn't a bit excited to get her toenails and
fingernails painted. It was the most still I have seen her sit in, well, her entire
life. I love being with these girls of mine. I'm so blessed to be their mom.

And this boy is still riding like a pro

Nate's first lesson

This sweetheart wanted to try out horseback riding a few times and see what
he thought. His face in each picture says it all. Cutest thing I've seen all week.

Lunch date

Lunch with this handsome guy was my favorite today. I love summer for a lot of reasons,
but one is because my cool oldests happily tend my darling youngests, so I can have
lunch with their sweet dad every couple of weeks. So yeah for a thing called summer,
for my fabulous kids and for this incredible guy I get to call mine. I have a good life.

Girls camp

I think Annie looks forward to the week of girls camp more than any other week of
the year. And no wonder. This group of leaders and girls (as well as those they are
joining later on) are absolutely amazing. As in amazing, amazing. I'm so grateful.

Three and done

This boy is officially wireless. He looks so old without braces. I just adore him.

Oh, and of course our car doesn't need to be washed, why do you ask?

My favorite Detroit Tiger

I'm not a mom that buys sports photos or school pictures. I could say it is because I am frugal
and like to save money (Jacob is laughing hard right about now), but really, it is just that I like
taking photos. So I take my own. And this picture of my little sweetheart on his last t-ball
game day, makes me want to squeeze him through the screen. Love this little stud so much.

Chicken races ~ Part two

More of our redneckedness. Just for the record, the rules stated
you couldn't touch the chicken while herding it toward the finish line.
Annie took the championship. Have I mentioned we are weird?

Chicken races ~ Part one

Chicken races for the Family Home Evening activity?
Well, Annie said we should, so we did.
We are seriously the weirdest. Like truly. The weirdest.