Utah Pictures

Well, I thought I'd finally post some pictures of our trip to Utah this Summer. We've only been back almost two months now! :) Better late than never! The kids and I had such a fun time. Although we wish Rob could've come along. They're not in any particular order. I wanted to write a little bit after every picture of what we did, but I figured if I took time to journal it might take me another two months to post. So, I'll let the pictures do the talking.





This was Mckinlee's favorite place to hang out...



Best Buds...
Mckinlee and Ayden



I love there pictures of Mckinlee and Ayden.


Ice Cream with Grandma Flo

I Love my Pa Pa! and Uncle David

Swimming...

This is what most of our days consisted of. The kids practically lived in the pool while we were in Utah.

Sleepovers. . .




Aspen and Kennedy


Draper Park



Kick Ball

Fourth of July Festivities...

Visit with Grandpa Stephens
One of the kids favorite things to do when we visit my Grandpa is to ride my Grandma's old motor scooter.




Grandkids
12 Girls and 6 Boys!





FHE

We had a special guest speaker at our Family Home Evening. Yep! King Benjamin came for a visit. The Kids thought that was great.



Ice Cream at Thanksgiving Point
After FHE we all went to get 25 cent ice cream cones.







The Gardens at Thanksgiving Point

Madison, Ashlyn, Brinlee, Mikayla, and Taylor


Cherry Hill






Marler Cousins


Two of Rob's brothers live in Utah so we were able to see them too
I love these pictures of Lily and Mckinlee. So funny!!

Brett and Autumn and their kids came swimming one day. It was good to see them! Lily warmed up a little more the second time we got together . . .

Mom Finally Agreed...

Madison has been asking to ride the bus since Kindergarten. So I thought I'd let them try it out this year. The first day they tried to ride the bus they never made it on the bus! I got a little worried as I was waiting for them at the bus stop and they never got off. Luckily my friend Melissa was driving by and offered to pick them up for me since my kids were sleeping. The bus driver apparently wouldn't let them on because they didn't have the right paper with them (which was totally an error on their part because all the paper work was filled out and they were the ones that told us to bring that paper!) I wasn't very happy. I felt sad for Madison and Ashlyn because I knew how excited they were to be riding the bus , only to get told they couldn't. Not a good first experience. So, the next day I get a call from Ashlyn's teacher right before I was about to walk out the door to meet them to let me know she had the girls. AGAIN! Madison's friend who was coming home with her couldn't find her note to ride the bus, which didn't make any since because she rides that same bus, just gets off on the stop before. Anyhow, Ashlyn's teacher was so nice and brought them home for me. So finally after two attempts they made it on the bus and loved it!

I don't know why I didn't do this sooner! It sure beats having to deal with all the traffic after school and waking up sleeping kids.

Eight months old

Jaxton is getting too big, too fast! He started crawling a couple weeks ago and is now pulling himself up on everything! He has two little teeth that just cut through a few weeks ago and probably a couple more on the way since we've had lots of sleepless nights lately. I wish they would hurry up! People always ask me if it's any different having a boy and I used to respond with no, becasue he's still just a baby, but I would have to say with in the last month he has definitely become a busy little boy with a little temper. Much different from my girls, but still very FUN!!

Just One left in Diapers!!

While we were in Utah Mckinlee started showing more interest in using the toilet. At first,she started taking her diaper off after she went, which wasn't always good. But than she started telling me when she had to go before she actually did. She would go poop in the toilet, but never potty. But if I had to choose, that would definitely be the one. So that was a start. When we got home she started telling me every time she had to go potty as well. And within a couple days after we got home I got brave and decided to put her in underwear. She did great! She's been a big girl ever since! It is so great!

A Day at the Lake

Last Saturday our friends,the Andersons invited us to their parents lake house. We had such a good time! We were planning on going tubing, but they were having some problems with their boat. The kids had fun swimming in the lake, jumping off the dock, getting pulled in the inner tube, kayaking, picking blackberries, and throwing rocks in the lake. I took too many pictures and couldn't decide which ones to use. I did narrow it down to only four collages though. :)

Arena Football

The Kerrs and The Marlers went to a Stockton arena football game a couple weeks ago. It was a lot of fun. I had never been to an indoor football game before. We all had a good time. I don't know how much of the game we actually saw, but we definately had fun just visiting with our friends. The kids had a blast just running around. Luckily we were up in a suite where the kids were confined to the room. Jen and I always joke around that it's hard to get together because between the two of us we have 10 kids!! It can get a little crazy. I'm glad we were able to get together though!

First Day of School

The girls were so excited to go back to school today. Almost as excited as I was! Just kidding. Although, it will be nice to get back on some kind of scedule and hopefully my house will stay clean a little longer. Ha Ha! Madison started fourth grade, Ashlyn second grade, and Kennedy started Kindergarten. I can't believe it! She seems so much younger than Madison and Ashlyn were. I guess she wont be five until October, but still. She's kind of just in her own little world. She is very smart, but kind of just does her own thing. I'm hoping she'll pay attention in class.

Kennedy with her new back pack. It's almost as big as she is! We had Kindergarten round up yesturday where she got to meet her teacher and see her classroom. At dinner last night she informed me that I didn't need to walk her to her classroom, that she could go all by herself, since she knows where her classroom is now. :(

I told her I was still planning on taking her. (and she let me,so that was good.)

Kennedy with her teacher, Mrs. Petroni

Ashlyn's teacher this year, Mrs. Haydn-Myer was Madison's second grade teacher too. Ashlyn was excited about that.
Madison's teacher this year is Mr. Eismen. I have heard alot of good things about him. Madison was excited to get him. He is at a conference and wont be at school the first week, so that is a bummer. But at least she was able to meet him when we were checking to see who their teachers were. He happened to be in the classroom doing some work. He seems really fun. Her friend Katie Dunlop from church is in her class this year too. So that will be fun for her.








Kennedy has such a fun little class. There are six kids from our ward and then Corbin and Tyce Kerr from the other ward. We had a few connections. Thank you Shelly! Corbin, Tyce, and Kennedy


Grant and Kennedy



Chloe Kerr and Ashlyn


Ashlyn lucked out and got two of her friends from church in her class this year.
Chloe Kerr, Natalia Loosli, and Ashlyn (with her eyes closed) oops!