August

I have a lot of random pictures from August. I don't have a ton of time to organize them all nicely so here are some of our random snapshots from August:

We played outside A LOT!  I love living on our cul de sac with lots of other kids.  It makes for lots of fun outside.  Brennan was creative and created this little "tractor ride" with Callie's trike and the little tikes car. The kids love taking turns in it.

Callie picked up riding a bigger bike with training wheels so fast and now it's her favorite activity. 

 Nate's parents big move finally came!  After a family meeting in June, it was decided that the best place for them to live right now is in Colorado with Carolyn's family.  It would allow Diane to stop working and for them to not have a mortgage anymore.  We spent a lot of our free time this summer helping them pack up and get ready to move.  It was sad to see them go but we know it is the best thing for them right now.  We will sure miss them though! We're anxious to go visit soon.

 Nate drove the moving truck out to Colorado for them.  The night Nate left, Carolyn and Becca and her kids, and Samantha and her kids all hung out at our house.  The kids have fun making this tall tower.

 I went to Nikki's baby shower one morning.  It was so fun to see her (we go too far between seeing each other these days!)  I'm so excited for her to become a mom soon.

 Here are a few random pictures of Callie I took.  She's at such a fun age - I don't want her to grow up....until she throws a big three-year-old tantrum and talks sassy to me...then I'm okay with her getting a little bigger :)

 Holland threw a spa birthday party just like Callie's so Callie got to be pampered again.  She loved it.  It's so fun having a girl for stuff like this!

 Callie always sneaks my phone and I find random pictures on there.  This one of her dolls and her little toes was too cute to delete.

 Aiden and Brennan and Callie did the summer reading program at the library.  I am SO proud of them for reading so much during the summer!  We had a rule that they had to read and do a few pages in their workbook and practice the piano each day before they could play with friends - and they were so good to get it done early in the morning so they could play the rest of the day.  I think their reading really took off.  They got lots of fun rewards for reading so it made it fun.  As the big reward for both of them getting over 500 minutes this summer, we went to a big pool party.  Becca stayed home with Graham and it was fun to spend quality time with just my three oldest.

One of the other prizes for the reading program was free lunch at Chick-fil-A.  We met Nate there for lunch and enjoyed all our free food.

And Brennan had fun giving Graham licks of his ice cream.

 We went out to Texas Roadhouse with the Brewers one night...and we were quickly reminded how crazy it is to eat with 7 little kids!  We couldn't talk much and it was loud and crazy...this picture sums up our experience.  Next time we decided we'll get a babysitter for the kiddos.

 Graham started eating solids!  And boy did he love them!  He has never once spit something out or refused to eat something - and he's eaten a lot so far - peas, carrots, zucchini, plums, peaches, oatmeal, apples, berries, etc.  He's a good little eater which is so nice! That's probably why he's such a big boy.

 We met up with Josh and Rachael and Becca one day at the BYU paleontology museum.  It was a nice little outing and the kids loved walking around.

 We went to Debbie's baby shower and got to meet Graham's new little 2nd cousin Addison.  She is literally one of the prettiest and sweetest little babies ever!  I'm so happy my cousin Emily could adopt her and have a little girl in her family.

 Nate and I have been trying to do weekly date nights.  But life is so crazy between callings and sports and activities and family responsibilities that we don't make it every week...but when we go we have such a great time!  Date nights are the best. We hiked to the Y the other day and then stopped at Swig for some treats afterwards...where we ate all the calories we just burned.  But it was worth it!

 I always find lots of random pics on my phone of Graham...just cause I think he's the cutest thing ever and I don't wanna forget him at this age.

 Aiden and Brennan went to their friend Porter's birthday party one afternoon and I got sent this cute picture.  

 Another day while the kids were at school, we met up with Amie, Becca, Samantha, and all their little kids at the dinosaur museum.  Callie had a blast with her cousins and I loved catching up with my sisters-in-law.

 Steve and Rayane had baby James!  He is the sweetest and I love getting to hold him!  I'm so excited for them.  

Once James and Rayane were home from the hospital, the rest of the family got to meet him.  Graham and him are gonna be the best little buddies!  Just like Savannah and Callie.

 We went on the ward campout. It was pretty fun until Graham refused to sleep in a tent and I went home with him in the middle of the night.  But the kids had a blast and it was a good experience.  Oh and the boys loved playing "chubby bunnies."

I didn't take any pictures there so I'm glad my friend Amanda sent me some.

My parents were kind enough to let us have a bunch of their peaches.  My kids loved helping me pick them.  We did all sorts of stuff with the peaches - canned 18 jars of them, made peach baby food, made peach cobbler, ate peaches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and froze some.  

And that sums up August!