Our Summer of FUN

This summer was probably the roughest summer I've had in a very long time- NOT! I have to laugh and joke about it, because it was one of the best summer's I've had since having children. All of my kids are old enough to swim, and since we are members of the YMCA, it made life grand. Here is how the days would start...

• Wake up, feed kids
• Text Jyll or receive text from Jyll
• Meet at the YMCA, drop off girls
• Send boys to open court to play BBall
• Run/Elliptical for at least 45 minutes.
• Pick up kids.
• Eat lunch together
• Swim at our pool/ swim at the YMCA

This little critter, just made each day of summer very entertaining! Miss Shae always did something crazy or ridiculous that had me rollin'. She reminds me so much of Kaden when he was little. You never know what she will say or do, but when she does, it stands out. This particular day, she was eating her toe nails. She didn't like the toe nail color, so she bit it all off.

Then she resorted to picking. She doesn't say much usually unless she really, really likes you. It took her a few weeks to warm up to me, but we are great little buddies, and she calls me her "Jen, Jen"...makes me miss my nieces and nephews back in Utah and Texas. She is so darn cute!

This is her beautiful Mom, Jyll. Jyll and I became fast friends about 3 weeks after we moved to Tucson. She is in my ward and I met her at Colt's first pack meeting. Her daughter, Carlie, was so sweet to Josie that first night, gave her a bracelet so they could be friends... as we were leaving the building, Jyll's husband had been telling her that she needed to meet the Carpenter family, and she was not so much in the mood. She'd had a day and was done. She said, "Hello" to me and that was about it. I only remember saying to Bry that she seemed like she'd had a bad day. Never really thought twice about it. But, little did I know that she would be my saving grace and my best friends here! When Josie was invited to Carlie's birthday party, we stayed after to talk to Jyll and Nate, and we just hit it off...and we are pretty much inseperable. All 5 of her kids and all 3 of mine, can't stand to be apart! They are such a blessing in our lives, and we love them to pieces:))))

I really don't love this picture, but I don't have too many of me, since I do all the picture taking! Jyll shot this at the Y one day while swimming. This was pretty much how our lazy, fun summer was. It felt a little "groundhog day'ish" but the kids were happy, and SO WERE WE!