Boo hoo, summer's over. :(
We deviated quite a bit from our Summer Bucket List, but we did the majority of what was on it. We didn't do any major traveling together. We had basketball games, scout camp and not too much else for the kids. Lots of late nights playing manhunt and watching movies. No one (except for the working man) was up before 9:30 every morning. I think I heard Sadie sigh and say "I love summer" several times. I think this was my favorite summer so far.
We hosted the pre-teen/teen group of cousins again for Cousin Camp this year. We had a lot of fun jet-skiing, tubing, making up funny commercials and riding a seven person bike around town. There were movie nights and lots of eating. We took them all to the temple for a baptism session to finish off the week.
Jackson went surfing no less than 4 days a week most of the time this summer. I'm so thankful for the other mom who took him most of the time. There's only so much sun I want my little ones to get. I put aside my fears of living minutes from the shark bite capital of the world and let him have some fun. Shark Week was fun to watch this year...
Steve went to Alaska for 10 days to fish with his Dad and uncle and cousin. He said my vacation was the Pioneer Trek reenactment I went on. In the middle of July. In Florida. It was no vacation but a neat experience. Steve brought back 100 pounds of salmon and halibut so he's off the hook for that remark. We've been experimenting with recipes. Yum!
Ty turned one in July. He's pretty much the king of this castle. I wrote a birthday post that I still intend to finish and back date, but he weighed in at 26 pounds 7 ounces and 32 inches tall. He's a giant and I have the sore back to prove it.
I read the Harry Potter series over the summer and enjoyed every page. I don't know why I waited to read them, I just never did. I remember reading the first one with Jackson when he was in 2nd or 3rd grade but just never went beyond that. We watched each movie after I read each book. I had already seen most of those. My goal was to read them all before the last movie came out in the theaters. I didn't quite make it. I had way too much prep for the pioneer trek to do, among other things, and Steve and I finally had time to go see it last week. What a wonderful series and an amazing writer. It was nice to read them all back to back, so I guess I'm kind of glad I waited. I think Jackson and Sadie were jealous I was reading them and they both re-read some of their favorites of the series over the summer too, just to feel a part of it again, haha. I do have to say I have felt a void too since I finished. :) Audrey has now caught the bug and is almost done with the 3rd one. Do I stop her from going on? She's still my innocent baby girl and they become more intense with each one....
All good things must come to an end and we are back in the swing of school. 4 kids and 3 schools this year. 8th grade, 7th grade, 3rd grade, and pre-k. Justin is still adjusting. He is my little homebody, but he likes school so it's a bit of a tough one for him. Ty is adjusting to being an only child throughout the day. He's doing just fine. :)
