a handful of hatchlings: The this and that of summer...or what was documented in pictures

We started off summer with a few old standbys:

Afternoon play-dates:

A bus ride to the Summer Fest:

A day (two actually) at Lagoon:

We bounced back with Suzanne and

Seth had free tickets to the SkyCoaster that he'd only let Hannah and Hyrum use on the condition that I went with them. Yikes, but they loved it and so in the end it was worth it, but sakes alive that was a long line.

This Lemonade stand was weeks...and weeks into the making.

Oh, the planning Hollie and her girlfriends do, always something in the works.

Hyrum, Mark and Hannah enjoyed a Book of Mormon Youth Conference.

The leaders came back sharing fun stories of Hyrum. While participating in an Iron Rod activity he became lost while traveling through the mists of darkness. The voice he heard directed him to give him both his hands so he could be helped around a large boulder in the middle of the trail, but then quietly led him off, abandoning him in a lonely meadow. Hyrum was then told to wait there because the line in front of him was long. Believing he was listening to the correct voice, he just waited there...forever. Finally his Young Men's leader saw him standing in the middle of nowhere and reminded him he could ask his Holy Ghost for help and he quickly made it back to the rod.

Reluctant about attending, Hannah dutifully went to Girls camp

and had a surprisingly good time:

Hannah loved EFY, she radiated all week long, such a great experience.

That same week, we sent Mark off to Camp Bartlett.

And when he came home a week later, he was two shades darker than an Indian.

And I was mad, thinking he hadn't worn sun screen like I told him to and was now doomed to die of skin cancer. But then he showered and when he emerged he was back to normal.

I was shocked, SHOCKED! that boy had just been completely covered in dirt!

On one of the nights the big kids were off at their various camps, Jotham took Hollie to the Father and Daughter camp out, leaving Gavin home alone with me.

We decided to build popsicle boats and float them down the canal. I let Gavin drive the Go-cart to the willow tree and now, I know why Mark always drives. Gavin is a cRaZy driver.

But he builds pretty good boats.

We also enjoyed free skate days at the ice rink and

Gavin took a session of swim lessons.

Hyrum picked up a few more hours at the Ice Rink

and also found a second job with a catering company.

Gavin talked his dad into letting him have a pocket knife.

Carving soap was about the right speed.

We've enjoyed having Melanie's family in the Valley and have done tennis and dance lessons together this summer. Gavin especially loves having Braeden close by. One day Hollie had put together a tea party for her and Brielle but after they finished up and left the table, the boys discovered the tea set still laid out and took advantage of the situation all decked out in matching hats and ties. The cuteness, seriously kills me!