3rd Week of July

This picture was taken by a High Councilman that was visiting our ward.  He spoke in our ward and was truly the answer to prayer.  The night before I was at the end of my parenting rope...and this High Councilman spoke all about parenting.  His message was just what my mama heart needed.  As he came out to the foyer he commented on my sweet sleeping Silas and offered to take a picture.

Our Tuesdays and Thursday in July were really busy with Phin's soccer followed immediately by Millie's dance.  Several times I dropped Phin off at his activities and did a quick run to the store...the store with just two kids is a million times easier than the store with three kids.

We watched Seth play Frisbee on a couple of Tuesdays.  A soccer group was also practicing and Phin and Millie found a way to get one of the soccer team's treats.

I was also crazy enough to take all three kids to have the oil changed on my car.  We were quite the circus at the dealership.  In between circus acts...Millie and Phin played in the little kid area.

I pulled out another little project for Millie to paint...it kept her busy for at least a half hour.

Phin kept himself busy with a ninja sticker book.

Millie earned her Mermaid tail blanket...she was so excited.

We spent Thursday to Saturday with Seth's side of the family at a family reunion in Star Valley, Wyoming.  We were running late so we dropped Seth off at the temple and then drove to meet the rest of the family.

Millie and Phin had a great time playing with cousins on the playground.

Silas got reacquainted with Aunt Emily.

The place where we were staying had some wagons in the front for photos.  The kids loved playing with them with cousins.

After a yummy pizza dinner the kids painted rocks.  Seth was back from the temple by this point and was a great assistant.

After rock painting the kids blew some jumbo bubbles. 

I also found them playing in the gravel of the volleyball court.  They found some rocks that looked like eggs and were pretending that they were building a nest.

The next morning we were up bright and early to head off to meet with extended family.

Seth was in heaven playing games with family.

The kids were in heaven playing in the dirt and then at the park.

I loved watching Millie play with her cousins.  Eliza and Lily had brought some Disney Princess dolls and these girls pulled out their squeaky voices to play with each other.

Phin preferred to hang out in the hammocks that Uncle Philip set up under the playground.

Silas took a great nap in the shade tent.

Millie has been swinging quite a bit on her stomach lately...it reminds me so much of my childhood.

Millie found a cute Second cousin to watch Blue Mermaid UmiZoomi with on the iPad.

Silas took a great nap with Grandma Jo.

Phin played some Foosball with extended cousins.

That evening we met at a Stake Center for a yummy BBQ.  Phin loved running around outside with his cousins as they tried to catch butterflies.

Seth also brought along our stomp rockets which were a huge hit.

This happened to be our 8th anniversary...Happy Anniversary to us.

The next morning we took family photos before heading for a huge extended family photo at the Temple grounds.

Seth with his cousin Aaron who lives in Cody, Wyoming.

After family photos and breakfast we headed to the pool.

Phin spent most of the pool time with his head down in the water testing out his new snorkel set.

We heard the happy news when we first arrived in Wyoming that our newest niece had been born...so we decided to come home via Chubbuck so we could meet Sarah and Joe's baby girl.  Phin and Millie loved hanging out with Kate and Harvey.  They were so sad when we left.  They loved their inside playhouse. toys, trampoline...

and outside playhouse.

I loved meeting sweet baby Rachel...straight from heaven.