Saturday, August 22, 2009

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

It is just crazy that summer is almost over and school begins on Monday. The beginning of June when the kids got out for summer I kept thinking what are we going to do for the next 12 weeks to keep us busy and not drive each other crazy. With the help of our trips we have taken and some pictures listed below we survived and believe it or not I am a little sad that it is over. It went way to fast and I am not ready for the craziness of fall with sports and school activities. I always say I can't wait until school gets back in and I can get MY LIFE back...and on a schedule....but who am I kidding our kids are MY LIFE so I will definately miss having them around. Here are some pictures of things we did this summer to keep us busy:
FOOD BANK
Our kids love to go and volunteer with the Nelson clan every few months at the food bank. My sister Amy is really good about scheduling our family to go and do some service there for 1 1/2 hours. The kids love it. They get to sort food and color boxes that the food is sent away in.

Alex, Adam, Jake, Sadie, Lindsey, Will and Me...coloring boxes.Grandpa Robert, Will, Adam, Jake...sorting food.
Alex, Amy, Sage, Mike, Grandpa, Will, Jake, Adam...sorting food.
SWIMMING
We are so lucky that Grandpa Roger and Grandma Judy have a pool for us to enjoy. Although we didn't get there as much this summer as past summers.... we really enjoyed the times we did go and swim.
Sadie, Mike, Will
Jake and Rachel
SMORES
For fathers day last year the kids and I gave Mike a fire pit for our back yard. The kids love it when we pull it out and roast hotdogs and smores.
NELSON FAMILY REUNION
My dads extended family does a reunion every other year. It is always fun to get together for a weekend with cousins we haven't seen for almost 2 years. This year the reunion was at the HEBER VALLEY CAMP. It is a camp of several cabins and a nice pavilion to cook in. We stayed overnight and it was such a fun time. There is a challenge course that we got to participate in while we were there which was definatley the highlight for everyone.

This was a challenge to get everyone through these squares without touching the string. It was really fun to work together and help everyone across....Sadie is going through.
This challenge we had to get the tire up to the top of this pole without touching the pole. We had lots of ideas to do it but the one that finally worked was putting Annie, Rachel, Adam and Jake on the shoulders of some of the men making them high enough to get to the top. It was alot of fun.
We climbed this pole to a rope which we walked along and on the other side we ziplined down. It was very scary for me. I watched all our kids do it and I thought no problem...I soon realized I am very scared of heights. But I did it.

Me climbing up
Jake climbing up.
Will walking along the rope.
Rachel ziplining downMike zipling down.Sadie and James were to short so they are watching us from the ground.We went on some paddle boats.
Morgan, James, Will, Annie, Adam, Rachel, Jake, Sadie, MikeSadie and MikeAnnie, Rachel, MorganAdam, Will, JakeFLAG BURNING
We were able to help participate in retiring a flag with the scouts in our ward. It was really cool to be a part of. They spread the flag out and cut it into chunks and than each chunk is burned in the fire. We listened to the national anthem while it was burning. I was really glad our boys were able to participate in such a neat experience.Will holding part of the flag while it is being burned.UNICYCLING
Jake got a muni (mountain unicycle) this summer. He had a grea
t time riding it on the pipline trail in Millcreek canyon.Diesel loves exploring in the canyon.HIKING
...in Millcreek canyon.CHEER CAMP
Rachel went to a cheer camp at BYU with 11 of her friends for a few days. It was really fun to go and watch their cheers at the end (although I have to admit it was a little hard for me to hear BYU cheers and not UofU). She had such a great time but doesn't think she wants to be a cheerleader.COWABUNGA BAY
...a new water park in Draper.
BRACES
Rachel got braces a few weeks ago....or should I say an investment in her mouth. Holy Smackers I about died when I found out the price of braces...why wasn't Mike an Orthodontist?Now onto the craziness that FALL brings....

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

NEWPORT BEACH

Wittwers, Deans, DenningsWe took our 3rd annual trip to the Beach July (17 - 25, 2009) with the Dennings and the Wittwers. This year we decided to try Newport instead of Oceanside. The beach seemed nicer but was way more crowded. It was fun being able to walk along the boardwalk to the pier and shop. The parking was pretty crazy. The kids had a great time as always and couldn't get enough of the sand and water. It is so fun spending a week with these two families because our kids get along so well it makes it really fun.

OUR HOUSE
We stayed on the top floor so the view was amazing. There was a view of the beach from every room...even the bathroom shower...when you were showering you could see the ocean. AHHHH how we loved it :)This was THE VIEW from our deck.The last day we were there the waves were over 20 feet in some parts of the beach. It is pretty crazy how many times we saw action from the lifeguards. They had to continually rescue people that were getting pulled out from the undertow. They actually wouldn't let the kids get in above their ankles that day...Rachel and Ashley had to be rescued one day from the lifeguards...it was quite funny me, Lindz and Carolee went in to make lunch and we heard the lifeguards on the speakers we thought oh more rescues...and low and behold it was our children.We would set up at about 9:30 everyday and come in about 3:30ish. It is so heavenly sitting their with the breeze and cool temps you could sit there fooooreeeeever. Loved it.Lots of digging and playing in the SAND.
Rachel and Jake sitting in their chairs they created.The dads dug this big hole with only SAND buckets. All the kids could fit in it at the same time. Rachel, Jake and Ashley Denning
Sadie was in heaven. She loved, loved playing in the SAND.Eating dinner out on Newport Pier.
Jake and MikeMe and Rachel Walking home from the pier along the beach.One night the adults went out and Rachel watched all 8 kids. We went to the Crab Cooker. It was quite yummy. Lindsay Denning and Me (I just love her...she is one of my favorite people :)On Balboa Pier going to eat at Ruby's Diner
Ruby's is one of our favorite restaurants. They have the best fried zucchini and shakes. YUM!!!Rachel , Me, SadieRuby's Diner.
Rachel and SadieFASHION ISLAND...Shopping? Are you kidding...not with 7 kids.

Jon Denning, Sadie, Will, Rachel, Jake, Nick Denning, Ashley Denning
(Wittwers went to Legoland on this day so they weren't with us)We had to try a Sprinkles cupcake. Vanilla and Chocolate. Peanut Butter and chocolate. Chocolate and Chocolate. Vanilla and Vanilla.All the kids with their boogie boards.
Rachel, Ashley Denning, Jake, Blake Wittwer, Will, Nick Denning, Sadie, Tyler Wittwer, Jon DenningThe big boys and their boogie boards.
Mike, Troy Denning, Ryan WittwerRachel and JakeWillJake running from the waves...it is so fun seeing the kids so happy when they are playing in the ocean. WE COME IN "3"s
The "3" (5) year olds
Sadie, Tyler Wittwer, Jon DenningThe "3" (8) year olds
Blake Wittwer, Nick Denning, WillThe "3" older kids.
Rachel (13), Ashley Denning (11), Jake (10)The "3" Moms.
Me, Lindsay Denning, Carolee WittwerThe "3" Amigos
Mike, Troy Denning, Ryan Wittwer....they are best friends from High School.The kids played ALOT of football in the sand.
Ashley, Blake, Nick, Jake, Rachel, Will...and lots of PADDLE BALL.
Sadie and WillWe played games at night. The favorite with the kids was THINGS. The favorite with the adults was Hand and Foot and Play 9...and we sometimes played games in the afternoon....can you see that awesome view we had from our kitchen table :)Mike and I on the roof deck of the house.The kids had a great time looking for crabs and starfish on the rocks.They caught some pretty big ones.Our little family.
(Of course Sadie didn't want much to do with a family picture.)THE END!
Until Next year...July 2010...CANT WAIT :)