Back to School Feast and Theme

We held our annual back-to-school feast this year with a menu of steak, jello, bread, and baked potatoes.  Our family theme for the 2017-2018 school year is STAND TALL.  

Girls Camp

For as many years as I've served in Young Women I have never, ever gone to girl's camp!  I've always been pregnant or nursing... but this year I had no excuse!  I was a little nervous to be in a tent with a bunch of women I didn't know but it ended up being a great week!

I loved spending time with the 2nd year girls... especially the ones from our ward.  They are the best.

(Audrey Gadeski, Ellie Belt, Pam Worthen, Abby Davis)

We did a lot of fun activities like Zip Lining.  The girls were pretty sure it was going to take a lot of convincing to do it too and were surprised that I went so willingly!  

(Alexis Abney and Payton Sinquefield)

I also joined the 2nd year girls on a hike.  It was longer and hotter than we all expected!

We also had fun climbing the rock wall.

(Abby Davis and Pam Worthen)

And we had the greatest girls camp crafts.

Some of my very favorite girls!

We even had paintball and archery.

There was even a little bit of downtime for volleyball...

... and hair and nails.

Watching the girls get out of their comfort zones is my very favorite.

There were all sorts of great carvings up at camp.  There was a giant beehive... so we just had to get a picture of our ward Beehives there.  (These are just the Beehives in our ward!  Can you believe it??  They are all amazing girls!)

The thing I was most nervous about was spending a week with women I didn't know.  It ended up being the very best part of camp!  I enjoyed getting to know these amazing ladies from our stake!

I'm a little sad that next year will be just ward camp... I'm excited for stake camp again!

Big Birthday Boy!

Oh, Henry!  I am so bummed to be gone on your birthday this year!  I know you'll have lots of fun though! You are such a happy, sweet, smart, silly boy.  I just love when you think something is funny because you just laugh and laugh!  At school this year you became "Jeff" and your friends and teacher thought it was so funny.  I'm glad that Mrs. Cochran let you be silly at school.

Every night after you are in bed you tell me that you are hungry.  And every night I tell you to hold still with your eyes closed for 5 minutes and then we'll talk about it... to which you reply, "No!  I'll just fall asleep!"  

You are wanting to be like your big brothers all the time (even though you said you would never grow up) but you are still so sweet to Lydia. You make our family so much more fun!  I love you, Henry!  Happy birthday!

What is your favorite...
color? black, green, red, orange, blue
food?  pizza
toy?  legos
show? Gravity Falls
animal?  Komodo dragons
book? The Book of Monsters
song? Carl Poppa, Seagulls Stop it Now, Bushes of Love (all of these songs are from Bad Lip Reading)
What do you like to do?  watch tv
Who is your best friend?  Jayden and Joshua and Ryder and Luis and Tate
What do you want to be when you grow up? police
Do you have a girl friend? NOOOOO!  I'm not getting one until I'm, like, 85.

I am - asleep (and then he curled up and pretended to sleep on my bed)
I am afraid of - nothing

I like - to try new things

I like to eat - chocolate cake

I don't like - asparagus

I know - nothing! (followed by a bunch of giggles)

I want to be - asleep (and then he curled up to go to sleep again... he must be exhausted from playing outside all afternoon)

My hero is- mom and dad

I cry when - people tackle me and punch me in the face

Mom gets mad when - I play video games without doing my jobs

Mom is happy when - I do extra jobs when I'm not told to

I can't wait for - my birthday!

Something Mom says to me - "no!!!"

Something Dad says to me - "fee fi fo fum! I smell the blood of little children!"

My favorite place to go is -  Gravady

My Mom makes me laugh by -tickling me

My dad makes me laugh by - playing 'king of the living room' while tickling me

I know my mom loves me because -she does!

I know my dad loves me because - I am funny!

Spy Party!

This was Henry's first year to have a birthday party.  He decided on a spy theme and had lots of fun helping me plan the party. 

All the kids were given a spy badge with a code name at the beginning of the party.  After fingerprinting themselves we had everyone do some spy training.

They had to dodge lasers.

We also played a version of "I'm an old lady with a stick and a staff" although I can't remember how we changed it to be related to spies.  The kids always get a kick out of this one.

We also played button, button who has the button?  Then we did a little bit of target practice.

(All the kids were in love with the apples on the tree out back so they picked them and had them for a snack.  A few of them took bags home as well!)

(Tate, Zachary, Jayden, Henry, Ryder)

For dessert we had some secret spy cupcakes.

Henry had a super time with his friends!

Birthday Celebrations

Alexander was pretty excited to be turning 8!  It's pretty important!

He requested a chocolate bundt cake for his special treat.

He was having a video game themed party a few days later so that is how we decorated his cake.

He was really happy with all of his gifts.

 A few days later we had a party for him.  Alex loves when it's a party year for him.

The older boys led everyone in a few games.

And then we had a pac man pinata.

 I made it a little too strong.  So strong that we ended up tossing it around and whacking it with a bat until it broke open.

Alex really lucked out that we were having the t-ball team party at our house the same day and had rented a bouncy house.  Everyone had a great time playing in it.