Labor Day at the Riot Zone

He took the middle of the lane.

He didn't want anyone passing him. All of the kids are at the top!

This is our speed racer.

She was a natural.

I was amazed it was her first time driving.

But she did slow down considerably after being told

that they weren't bumper cars. I'm not sure who the winner was,

but Dad deserved a medal for PATIENCE.

Stitches under the chin after a nasty crash in a go-kart.

Thank goodness Dad can do that too.

The Space Shuttle was a favorite. He made it to the top of both "rock mountains."

My other speed racers.

The paddle boats were fun for the girls.
As were the Inflatables.

This is the same race as his crash and cut face.

BUMPER BOATS!

Need I say more?

Sunday Game Night...TWISTER

Sunday night, a lot of the time, is family board game night.

But tonight somebody got out TWISTER.

We managed to have some fun..Can you tell who's in charge?

This one likes to get in any photo shot she can.

She's come a long way from last year

when I could never get her to hold still in a photo.

It was my daughter's idea to do funny faces!

Football Saturdays

With the all four boys playing football this fall,

this is how the girls and I spend our Saturdays.Lined up as wide receiver.

He plays DE on defense.

He returns the ball on kicking teams (got a 20-yard run back this week).

He also plays wing and running back on offense.

Our family's two cheerleaders...

and boy, do they cheer loudly!
Half-time shot.
He's playing flag football,
like the two brothers just older than him.
Dad is coaching two of them,
so I've got to be to the other games...
hence the photos of only two boys.
We'll get the other kids up there too.

He get's lots of "tackles" on defense.
On offense, he's scored!!
He's quick. He can catch and throw.
He's a natural athlete.

First Day of School

School started on Wednesday.

The boys were standing at the bus stop (in front of our home)

when I remembered that I hadn't got any photos.

So I embarrassed them by running out with my camera

while in my red bathrobe. These three are at elementary school:

1st, 4th, and 5th grades.
I told them to do funny faces
and this is what I got from the hamballs.

I didn't get his photo until the second day of school

because he had already left for school

when I ran outside with the camera.
He's probably counting his lucky stars that he missed that spectacle.

And then, of course, the girls wanted their photos taken too.

Ignore their bed-hair...

At least they're dressed for the day!

They're all cutie-pies.

Summer Family Reunions

Both reunions had the kids wishing for more...First reunion involved a water inflatable.

The kids had a blast at Grandma's.

The second was an overnight campout.

Again, there were tons of cousins to play with

and lots of good food.

We had a water balloon injury.Apparently, you can do "sand angels."

Go figure.
She was covered.

The kids enjoyed both reunions this summer.

June's Summer Trip

The photos from our trip to Nauvoo and surrounding Church history sites

are jumbled up here as I loaded them. This is from ride home, after picking up the girls from Grandma and Grandpa.

We had ice cream when we stopped for gas.

The only shade was under the sign for the station.

Note the pioneer hat on son #3.

Although it's blurry, this documents our LOOONG drive.
Liberty jail was a favorite of the boys.

Of course, each hotel we stayed in had swimming pools.

This was the REAL HIGHLIGHT for the boys...

swimming every night until they kicked us out.

Yes, we did stop at Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Dad loved it, but by then

the rest of us were just hot and tired.
Do those white legs blind you?

Dad and I did a session.

Son#1 did baptisms for the dead.

The Nauvoo temple was MY highlight of the whole trip.

The boys had never seen fireflies before.

We spent a couple hours one evening trying to catch them.

They're pretty neat in the dark.

Son #3 and Me.

Nauvoo Temple.

Sons #2 and #3.

I think son #1 is taking the photo.

Learning to make rope in the Family Living Center.

It was nice to get out of the heat into air conditioning for an hour.

Outside the window that Joseph Smith fell from at Cathrage Jail.

Cathrage Jail statue.

At a show in Nauvoo.

The evening shows were incredible.

We saw the Nauvoo Performers and the Young Ambassadors.

Both were great shows.

Meeting the horses who took us on a carriage ride.

Kanesville Tabernacle.

Winter Quarters Temple.

Winter Quarters Visitor Center.

My boys say it was cool to visit.