The end of last week brought the end of the school year, and all the fun that comes with it. I always help with Field Day, and this year, for the first time, I was able to be one of the first to sign up to help with the water slide. My kids have wanted me to do this for years, and I've never been able to sign up before it is full. So I was very excited that I finally got the coveted field day position! After dutifully performing my field day duties for a full day, I've decided that I don't really like the water slide, and I will never do it again. Ha ha! It is way more work than the other stations that I've helped with, and it has a much higher danger factor and therefore, stress level. It is also the most fun for the kids, so there is that. But next year, I think I will stick with Pool Noodle Croquet, or Duck Duck Splash.
The next day was the last day of school, and Maren's 6th grade graduation.
She has a great group of friends.
And she loved her teacher, Ms. Adamsen.
Gramma Lana came to support.
Afterwards, we met a few of her friends and their parents for lunch. It was a fun morning!
When school got out, we surprised our kids with a trip to St. George to see the play, Newsies, at Tuacahn. The kids didn't know where we were going, so every half hour or so, we gave them a clue, and they tried to figure it out.
Tuachan was a really neat place. The play was wonderful! Our kids know the movie and the music well (it was my favorite movie during middle school, and my friends and I had every song memorized. So, now my kids have seen it a number of times and we've listened to the soundtrack on trips, many, many times).
Happy 16th Anniversary to Dustin and I!
The next day we swam at the hotel before checking out. A swimming pool is all our kids need to feel like they had an amazing vacation.
Dustin knew of a cool park in St. George, so we endured the 100 degree heat for as long as we could, and played at the park.
Then we took a tour of the Brigham Young home.
And then stopped by the St. George Temple, where we were married 16 years earlier. We've multiplied.
Now, instead of just us two, we have photo bombers and chaos.
On the first official day of summer vacation, this happened. So frustrating! My first ever wreck, and it was in my 1 week old van. I turned left as the light turned red, and someone hurried through and hit me. I had all the kids with me, so it was a little scary for them. I am grateful that no one was hurt. It did create a little stress in my life that I could have done without.
Later in the week, we watched my sister, Jen's kids while they went on Trek with their Stake. So we felt what people with 9 kids feel like. We had fun taking hikes, and walks, and playing at the park and in the water. And, really, I couldn't have fit all 9 of them in my van, anyway.
And they were still here for celebrating with Maren on her 12th birthday. 12 years old!! Time is flying by. Lynnette and her girls, and Gramma Lana also came to celebrate. Jen and Jeff showed up a little later to eat cake and retrieve their children.
This cake kind of looks like a mess, but it was actually really delicious. It was an oreo jelly roll cake.
After cake and ice cream, all our visitors went home, and Dustin and I were able to take Maren and Avery to the temple to do Baptisms for the dead, for Maren's first time. It was such a sweet parenting time for us.
Maren is growing up into such a beautiful young woman. She is an awesome babysitter and helper. She is very organized and responsible. She did a great job in 6th grade and is excited to start Jr. High in the Fall. She plays the piano well and will start the baritone in Jr. High, and we are excited to see that. She loves her friends, and loves to have fun and always makes us laugh. We love her!
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