Summer Fun

I'm trying to keep myself nice and busy so these last few days don't drag on. Luckily, Gavin and I have found plenty to do in the this fun summer month! Last week we went up to the Salt Lake area and went shopping at Nordstrom. My cousin works there so we went up and she helped us with the pre-sale shopping. Three of my sister-in-laws went too. Gavin and his cousin Noah had a blast running all around and causing chaos on the coaches in the t.b.d. department. Thanks to Rachel who chased them all around. It's getting a little tough for me to chase fast little kiddos these days. Then we went swimming at Maranda's grandma-in-laws pool. I love to be in the water. It feels like summer and it releaves my achy body right now. Gavin got to borrow some floaties and was SO excited about his new found independence in the pool. Unfortunately, Gavin lacks an essential swimming element for a two year old ... a little touch of fear. He just keep stepping right off the last step into the deeper water. I let him go under lots of times to see if he would understand the danger, but it didn't bother him. Maybe he will be my future swim team boy!

This week has been very exciting it that we finally got grass!!! After three long summers of landscaping we have finally put in the grass. It looks fantastic! Richard has done an exceptional job on the yard. Also I was so amazed at how many ward members showed up to help. Richard had announced in church on Sunday that he would be laying sod on Wednesday and he would provide pizza and homemade ice cream to all who would come. I was astounded when he told me about 12 or 13 guys came to help!!!! What an incredible act of service! I was running around getting pizza's, making ice cream and taking Gavin to his Grammie and Papa's to be babysat so I didn't see much of the work. Plus I had a meeting that night that I could not miss. So when I got home at 9:00 the whole yard was done!! It was such an exciting feeling and still every time I pull into my driveway I'm so excited about the yard. The last things to do are a fence and the planters. The planters will have to happen next summer and the fence is scheduled to start in about 2 weeks! So while I was at my meeting and Richard was working, Gavin was at his Grammie and Papa's house where his awesome Aunt Rachel watched after him. The kids had a great time playing in the irrigation water and enjoying ice cream. I love this picture ... truly what makes kids happy, summer and ice cream! Here are seven out of the soon to be 18 grandkids.

A Kid Can Never Have Too Much Ice Cream or Too Much Summer!
(Madilyn, Jaxon, Jace, Noah, Gavin, Emma and MaKenna)