Summer Is Here And The Best Calling Ever... And One That Won't Go Away

Summer is here!  I can't wait to relax with the kids and not have the school system dictate my calendar!  I see the beach in my future!  I can't wait!  

In November I got released from Young Women after 3 years.  I was ready!  I loved the girls but last year was exhausting and I was ready for a change to hopefully something easier.  I did not want Primary though.  Been there, done that!  Primary was not fun the last time I was there and I did not want to repeat that!

  I got a much needed break until February.  Then I was called to ... Primary. 

 I was devastated.  The last time I was in Primary,  I had kids running off and throwing scriptures at me.  I was not up for that again!  I was asked  to go do sharing time.  I loved it!  Especially the Junior Primary.  I have never been in Junior Primary.  Then I got to sub in Nursery.  That is where the fun is!  Snacks, singing, playing.  I loved it.  Put me in Primary with the little guys all of the time! 

At the end of May, I got pulled out of Sunday school by I am sure, a very nervous man (2nd councilor) given the task to ask me to teach Primary.  He knew previously that it was not where I wanted to be.  I was called to teach the Sunbeams!  BEST CALLING EVER!  Oh how I love it! They are a hoot!  I get to teach the simple things (I am thankful for my eyes, etc.) with small lessons about Jesus, as well as, "we need to share" and "boys and girls can be friends".  Of course we get to play games and color too.  I'll take this over Relief Society any day.  

I was also called AGAIN to the calling that I can't seem to escape.  Camp certification specialist.  I don't like camping ( even though our camp is pretty close to glamping  aka glamour camping) and my least favorite thing about camp is certification, unless you count the camping part... you know, humidity, bugs, bugs in the shower, humidity, hot weather, bugs, oh how i miss my bed and a good night sleep, raccoons getting into the food, ticks and more bugs, and oh how I would like to take a shower and feel clean instead of still sticky. Okay enough complaining.  

I have been to camp every year but one since Hannah was 11.  I think  I am kinda done.  I said I would do it this year, so I am trying to get excited or at least mentally prepared for it.  We as certification specialist do try to make it fun.  Last year we had a first aid war and we shot them with water guns and threw grenades (water balloons) at the girls while they were running a relay to certify.  Our theme this year is Our Zion or OZ with a Wizard of OZ twist.  We are are still planning for this year, but I think it will be fun for the girls.  It is just a lot planning and a lot of work.

Maybe it will be my last year.  Savannah is a YCL (youth camp leader) this year as well as next.  I pretty much said I would go this year, because she was excited for me to be there.  It will be weird after next year to not have one going to girls camp.  It has been our summer companion for a while now.  I will be sad that Savannah won't be going anymore because  a. she loves it and b. that means she is growing up and getting ready to leave home. :(  

But as far as I am concerned, I hope to bid it farewell after this summer.  Let me just stick to the Sunbeams!

Zachary is 13!

Zachary turned 13 in May.  I can't believe he is a teenager.  Wow!  I am getting old!  He wanted a Kindle and Amazon gift cards and money for his birthday this year.  He also wanted his dad to grill steak and he wanted mashed potatoes with the steak.  We had stake conference  that morning and we came home, Kyle grilled and I made the mashed potatoes.  After we ate, we had some of the family over for cheesecake and cookies and cream ice cream.

Getting his Kindle

He got a Kindle cover with a light attached so he can read in the car or at night without his lamp.

Amazon gift card!  He already has his list of books to buy.

Money!!!!  Need I say more?

We finished the day studying for final exams.  The kids only had three more day school!  Bring on Summer!!!!

Hannah's Home!

Hannah is done with another year at the Y.  One more year to go!  She turned 21.  I can't believe it!  We flew home on her birthday. (fun for her!)  She didn't want a party. I guess she is starting to become more like her father.  All she wanted was to go to our favorite restaurant for some chimichangas and cheese cake.   Rio Verde was changing names and locations, so it was closed for her big day.  It was supposed to be open, but much to our disappointment instead of being closed a week they were closed for a month.  We got by with cheese cake from publix.  The kids loved it so I guess it was good and that is all that counts.

When Rio Verde reopened as Campo Azul we had to go and get her some chimichangas!

All is right in the world!

  Of course Kyle had to go out of town for this great adventure, so we HAD to make a repeat visit when he was back in town a couple of days later.

Prom

Savannah went to the Mormon Prom tonight.  She looked beautiful!

We went to her dates house for some pictures.

 Putting on the boutonniere

 Putting on the corsage

 Charlie's Angels

 goofing off time

 Can't forget the shoes!

 I had to get the back of Savannah's dress.  Zachary was bored out of his mind, but was a good sport.

After the first round of pictures, we met up with the rest of the group for more pictures.

 All of the girls

 The whole gang

 The Sophomore girls that turned 16 in time for prom

They all loaded up in cars and headed to the Spaghetti Factory.  They would then take  a limo to the prom.

Savannah sent me this picture from her phone.  They are a The Spaghetti Factory.  Not sure why she has a balloon on her head.  I'll have to ask when she gets home.

Savannah will be taking more pictures of the night, so I sure I will have more to post later.

2011 Rewind Part 3

OK, I totally have t get caught up on this blog so I will feel inspired to share what is going now.  I guess my push to get done stems from Savannah going to prom this weekend, and I know I will want to share pictures.

Here we go:

Last summer we were also able to go to the Johnson's for a visit.  Thanks again for letting us come stay with you and go to the beach.  The kids loved being lazy beach bums.

The girls

Zachary - always in the water

Zachary and his jenga tower as tall as he is

4th of July

Grandpa's band entertained us all.  We had a good time leading up to the fireworks.

We have to include our family fun at Rio Verde ( our favorite place)

I was there, just the one taking pictures.  With all the weight I gained from my slow thyroid, I don't mind not being in the pictures.

Girls Camp

Savannah got to climb the wall. 

While Savannah and I were a camp, Kyle had to take Brinkley to the vet for kidney stone surgery.  That was fun.  Now he is on a special diet and is still taking medication to keep the kidney stones away.

I got the oil changed on my car and I think they were doing some updates or recall work on it, so they offered me a rental for the day since they were out of cars from the dealership.  Zachary loved my rental.

  August 11 First Day of School

Zachary can never keeps his eyes open for pictures when he is outside.

Hannah moves into her apartment for a new school year

Dad took Hannah out to school this year to move her in.  He sent me pictures of her apartment so I could see where she would be living.  He also showed me that he had taken her grocery shopping and had stocked her kitchen, so I wouldn't worry about her having food to eat.

Zachary got braces

 before

after

Savannah turned 16

 She wanted a Scooby Doo party

 She got a Perry the Platypus from Zachary.  She was very happy and surprised.  She got lots of opening presents help from her cousins.

 Talking to Hannah

 Ready for Homecoming

Her birthday was on homecoming, so we had the family over for cake on Thursday night, homecoming on Friday night, and she had her friends party on Saturday night.

Some of her friends at her party.  I forgot to get more pictures.  She also got her license, but I have already posted that.

Mom and Dad Celebrate 40 years

We (my brothers and sisters) threw a surprise anniversary party for mom and dad.  I told them they needed to come to a grandparent appreciation night and get their picture taken with Savannah and then they could leave to celebrate their anniversary.

In November, all of the girls in the family that were in town went to see Wicked.  Last time we did this, we went to see the Nutcracker and all the girls were able to be there.  That was definitely better.  We will have to shoot for that again sometime.

 This is the only picture we could take inside

the guys got us a limo so we wouldn't have to deal with the occupy wall street protesters and the rain.

I went to the doctor  in November and they finally have my thyroid levels normal.  It takes a while to feel normal and to recover from the exhaustion, but i am getting there and now that it is April, a year after the radiation, I am happy to finally be losing the weight I gained.  I've got a long way to go, but at least I'm losing.

Christmas

 It couldn't be Christmas without our lights going out on our tree.  Again!

the traditional Christmas morning picture

Well that wraps up 2011. 

 I am finally caught up and ready to post things for this year.  YES!