Half way there....

Some people LOVE summer vacation. Every year, I dread it. Since I am stuck at work all day, summer means stressing about what the kids are doing or what they aren't doing but should. 

So trying not to feel like I was slacking on the mom duty, I spent my lunch hour one week running the kids to swim lessons. 

It really helped Ben with his confidence in the water. With Zachary and Coleman ,they loved learning the correct techniques and the correct way to do things. That even carried over to watching the Olympics. They were mesmerized anytime swimming came on in the Olympics this year. 

Since the main goal in a Mesquite summer is to cool off...we spent some time at the splash park.

We filled our time with crafts...

..and baking.

I love it when the boys are in plays. I am sure its a simular feeling to an ex player watching his son play football. I was so sad that our trip to California meant that the boys couldnt be in the summer acting program. We did have quite a few friends that did make it into the play. So I went out on a date with two cute boys to see it. 

Adorable Jaylee (Who is the object of two West boy crushes) and Taylor (one of my great prmary kids) 

My stinking photo bombing kids!!!!

This is Zach getting a hug from his future mother in law. I adore Krissy. She is one of the funniest, happiest people I know. Ever since her daughter Emerald was in Kindergarten with Zach we have been plotting to be related.

We spent some time with our good friends, the Andrus'.
This year has been hard with them moving to St. George. It takes a little bit more of an effort, but its worth it when we get together. 

Dave and Tim playing on the teeter-totter swing. 

 One of the worse part of the summer was seeing 4 more families of our already family deprived ward, move out. Kids are getting pretty sparse. I counted the kids in our primary a few weeks ago, there were 16 and 4 of those were mine. 

One of the familes moving out was the family of someone in the bishopric. They asked the primary kids to make cards to say goodbye. Oliver drew this picture:

I asked him what he was holding in the picture. His responce was so awesome that I had to write it down on the back of the card so everyone would know what was going on. 

As always my residents spoil my kiddos. Gary came over with some old sports equipment and gave something to each of the boys. 

With all that excitingness I still felt like the kids needed to get out of the house more. So I took Zachary and Coleman on a work trip with me. 

We saw wild donkeys...

Strage people, 

This is Catman. (Infamous in many documentaries about extreme body makeovers) I was floored when he just walked into the Tonopah office. 

and strange cars. 

These cars are filled with so many different things. I actually got several pictures of the cars because I thought it would be a good eye spy game!

Thank goodness for FaceTime...we were able to call and say good night to Papa back home.

On the way home we stopped in one of the Cafe Rio restaurants in Las Vegas.  We ran into Rick from one of the kids favorite shows, Pawn Stars. 

I did find a little time to spend with my girls
   

Brooke tried some of the moves we saw in the movie.

I thought it was about a magician! 

Oh yeah...and I made it!

Brooke had challenged me to 6 months with no chocolate and no soda. I made it. July 1st was six months. Although its over a month since then, I still have not have chocolate.

..but those apples are looking good.