Our Family: June

We are finally back from all our vacations and I don't feel like I am going as crazy so I have a minute to blog about our June.

Bear Lake Trip 1
Last summer I entered a drawing and won a FREE 3 night stay at Ideal Beach Resort at Bear Lake. I planned it for this summer. I won the family suite that sleeps 16. Found out it would have cost me $1,500 if I had to pay for it. LUCKY ME! Perfect way to start off the summer!

They offered free s'mores on the beach the first night we were there. YUM!

There was a moose wandering around the resort!

We made the Resort's face book page!

My kids LOVE the art center. The mornings were cold so it was perfect to have something to do indoors.

On the way to the resort we picked up my friend Jessica from the airport so she could come join us. It was so fun to have her. Love ya Jess!

Afternoons it warmed up so we went swimming!

We always have to go to Bear River Pizza while we are there. I invited several friends to join us on this trip. One family (the Hoge's our neighbor friends) made it and they came just in time for dinner so pizza was perfect.

We played at the park

Me and Jessica going for a walk

Looking for fish

Beautiful sunset

One night was midnight madness glow in the dark mini-golf. Laser lights, black lights, and glow stick golf balls.

One of the days my kids swam for 5 hours! I finished a book and they fell asleep so fast that night

Kayzee playing dodgeball with the one of the Hoge boys

Kayzee and her friend

One night Memphis asked me if he could have some alone time with me so we walked down to the lake.

Love my friends! And love their little baby

We had the pool all to ourselves one night!

Last day all done packing up the vans

Good bye Bear Lake! We were not too sad to go because me and my kids were going to go back in a couple weeks for Bear Lake Trip 2

Teaching Conference
When we got back from Bear Lake I had a week long teaching conference. I took a lot of fun classes on how to integrate the core curriculum into my PE curriculum.

Auntie Nita watched over my kids so I could go.

New Family Pictures
Since we are a new family of 3 we needed new family pictures. These are just some of my favorites. My sister-in-law became a professional photographer (britroyerphotography) so I was so excited she was willing to take them for us. She is amazing and I highly recommend her.

My Mr. Memphis would not smile normal but she captured his personality perfectly

Kayzee loved the camera

Summer Days

We love summer and the little fun things that we do each day...even if it's just being silly! As long as we do them together...

Memphis and his crazy hair. It's like this every morning. Time for a cut!

Snow Cones on hot days. This is the smallest kiddie size by the way

Reading...seeing my kids love reading makes my book reading heart happy. Kayzee is now on to chapter books!

Kayzee got some roller skates. They are so cool because they grow with her from size 12 which she is now and they stretch as big as size 5. And the wheels can be exchanged for roller blades. She is getting so good at them.

Memphis had his pine wood derby for scouts. Our neighbor was so nice and cut the shape out Memphis wanted and then Memphis did the rest all by himself.

My crazy Kayzee

Memphis got a cabbage plant at the end of the school year. One of the 3rd grade teachers told him that if he kept it alive during the summer he would get a pizza party when he got back. Memphis is so good at taking care of it.

His pine wood derby car all finished. His car won first place on one round but didn't win anymore after that. He didn't mind:)

My friend sent me this new phone case. She knows me too well. I LOVE BOOKS!

Memphis had scout camp one day. Me and Kayzee decided to go out to breakfast and then get pedicures.

Classic Fun Center
My kids played and skated for 4 hours! We love places like this during the summer.

Kangaroo Zoo

Another fun place to go play. It's a big warehouse with bouncy houses and slides and obstacle courses. They also have an arcade now.

Hang Time
Memphis and Kayzee got some free passes to Hang Time. A Trampoline warehouse. The place was so nice they let us jump for 3 hours for free. Another great summer activity to wear my kids out!

Kayzee got really good at the swinging ropes

Memphis got really good at front flips

Memphis was so sweaty and exhausted by the end I found him just laying there. HA HA

Funtopia
One of our favorite places. We have a punch pass.

Yard Work Started
First of all I just need to say that my next door neighbor is amazing. He has been over at my house for countless hours getting my front yard and backyard done. I don't know how I will ever repay him for his time and his generosity.
Rocks under the front bay window instead of dirt...the quail came from my Grandma Astle's yard.

One day some of my other neighbor friends came and helped. The hills of dirt and grass were taken out and rocks laid down in front of the basement windows

I had a path of flat rocks that I didn't want anymore so trying to grow grass instead

My backyard is the biggest job of all. My backyard is HUGE. It was covered in tall weeks and trash. My neighbor cleared the weeds, and we got rid of the trash. My neighbor also fixed my sprinklers. Like I said, he is amazing! Waiting for the fall to plant grass seed.

Father's Day
Happy Father's Day to my dad! My dad is the best dad and grandpa ever! I was so excited to go to Washington to see him. He is the most hard-working and supportive dad I could ever ask for. He has been helping me and listening to me cry a lot lately but I know he loves me and only wants what's best for me. Thanks dad for everything. Love you.

I didn't think I would have my kids on Father's Day because I wanted them to be with their dad but he didn't so I got to have my kids. I was having a bad weekend so they definitely cheered me up.

Divorce Finalized
In June I was supposed to celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary but instead I got my final divorce decree. Just a little ironic. But now I can finally move on. I follow Ashlee on her blog "the moments we stand" and I loved her quote about divorce..."divorce is sometimes God’s answers to our prayers. It is just as brave as staying, just a different kind. With the same leap of faith required of us to love, sometimes He asks us to move forward in ways we never thought possible—or right. He asks us to bravely walk away from something He once gave us strength to fight for. Sometimes the things that feel like a curse, are really a blessing."

I do feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I am finally free. I didn't want to get married knowing the things I did going into it but I have no regrets because out of all that struggle I have my two adorable kids who are my whole world and keep me going every day. Now we are just on a new adventure!

Family Reunion
My mom's side of the family had a big family reunion in Logan. This started our big family vacation. I had to pack the car for the reunion and staying in Logan for a couple days. We were headed straight to Bear Lake from there for 4 days so I packed all our beach stuff. Then I drove from there up to Washington for a week. My van was definitely packed full! And it was a long trip away from my bed but we had so much fun!

At the reunion we had a big blow-up slide, lunch, riding scooters, snow cones, water balloons, ice blocking, soccer, playing at the park, and visiting with all my cousins and their kids, and my aunts and uncles. I also got to play with my nephew James!!! My Mom, brother, and my sister with her little James came to the reunion and Bear Lake and then I followed them back to their homes in Washington. It was the best. Just wish my other sister and her little Max could have made it.

I took a few turns down the slide. It was fun!

Logan
We stayed in Logan for a couple days before we went to Bear Lake. We had fun exploring two really fun parks and swimming in our hotel pool. And I went on my first date since my divorce was finalized. Let's just say it was interesting and dating in my 30s being a mom is a lot different than when I was young and single before I got married. Excited but not excited to go on this new adventure.

My nephew is seriously the cutest!

James was my new best buddy on this trip. Love his smile and laugh.

Kayzee had fun playing with James as well.

We played a lot of hide and seek. I didn't think I could hide myself very well considering my kids could fit in smaller spaces than me but I won every round!

Bear Lake Trip 2
After Logan we drove over the canyon to Bear Lake for our 2nd trip to the lake this summer. So fun to play there with my family. We stayed in our family time share condo.

I bought a water proof case for my phone so I could take it in the pool with me and take pictures.

Drive to Washington
What should have only taken 13 hours in driving time ended up taking me 16! I have been trying to refinance my house to take my ex's name off so I could keep the house in just my name and of course they call me and say the closing date, and my need to go in to sign papers so I could keep my low interest rate, was during my trip to bear lake. On our last day there I woke up early and luckily the lender had an office in Ogden, (two hours in the wrong direction of washington) and I went in and signed the closing papers. My mom, brother, and sister cleaned the condo and then we all met back in Logan and were on our way. Whew! We also stopped at a few cool touristy places along the way.

Following my sister...

We stayed in a hotel in Oregon. We had just driven for 10 hours so my kids went a little crazy in the hotel. Kayzee asked "Are we there yet" at least 100 times...

Yay Washington!

Dick and Jane's spot in Ellensburg, Washington. Cool random house!

Rest stop viewpoint

Stop for lunch. So happy to not be in the car!

Woodinville, Washington
Finally made it to my 2nd favorite home...my parent's house in the trees.

On the last day of June while we were in Washington staying with my parents, we went to the mall and Kayzee got her ears pierced! I told her she could for her 8th birthday but she wanted it done before so she could wear different earrings by the time her birthday came around. She was so brave and didn't even cry!