the last week of summer

As is normal, we crammed as much fun into the last week of summer as possible.  I asked the kids the week before, "If you could do one last thing this summer what would it be?"  Madison chose Bahama Bucks, Jaxon chose swimming with glowsticks, Colton chose FC Dallas game.  Thankfully, all those things worked out!   Along with a lot of other fun things!

The second to last week of summer Madison went to horse camp.  I'm not super big into doing camps for the kids.  I'd rather spend the money traveling or doing things the whole family can enjoy, but Madison got this camp as a gift for her birthday and she went with two other friends!  She loved it!!!  Even though it was the middle of August and the heat was horrible, she still had a blast. 

Madison also went to a day of cheer camp with her cheer squad.  She has been begging me to let her cheer for a couple of years now.  I've been putting it off, mostly because of the stigma that goes with cheerleading, but I finally gave in and I'm glad I did.  She is in HEAVEN!

Madison is also the smallest girl on her team, big surprise there.  So she gets to be the top flyer!!  If you look closely at this blurry picture you can also see a fun little fact about Madison that we discovered this summer: she's double jointed!  She is embarrassed about it, but someday I'm sure she will think it's cool!

One morning I heard Colton in the bathroom yelling for me.  I went to see what he wanted.  He was standing there like this.  And he asked me, "Mom, am I chubby?!"  I was cracking up.  What a little goof he is!!! 

We spent a lot of time at the pool the last week of summer, soaking in all the sun and the water.  Colton is finally swimming!   Which I'm super happy about.  He's my most timid fish and I'm glad he finally got brave enough to take the floaties off!!

We joined a group of friends at the lake beach near our house.  Colton and his buddy Caden had a nice little picnic on the towel underneath their little tent!

The big kids love hanging out on the buoy.  They all take turns seeing who can stand up the longest.  

Colton had a nasty ear that just wouldn't clear up.  With his ear tubes he doesn't really get ear infections, they just leak.  He had one that wouldn't stop after three weeks.  So I took him in to get it checked.  I thought he and Hudson were so cute sitting there looking out the window.  Colton and I spend a lot of time at the doctor, one of the games we like to play is "I spy the cars."

One Sunday morning the kids played scripture legos.  I gave them a scripture story and then they built the scene and someone had to guess.  This is King Benjamin teaching the people.  I loved how Jaxon put a little guy in a tent down there.  It makes me happy that he listens, even if I can't tell!

We did a fun glow-stick swim.  The kids loved it.  I feel like anything with glow sticks is always a hit with the kids.  

The primary did a service project for Graham and another man in our ward who is having chemo.  They decorated quilt squares that were then made into a quilt.  It was really fun and another great opportunity for the kids to learn to serve.  

Hudson has been a sweet little tan summer baby all summer, but I'm not sad it's over.  I'm sick of trying to keep this kid alive at the pool.  It's so much work.   We now spend our time at the park, which is still a lot of work, since he likes to sample all the wood chips, but at least he isn't at risk for drowning.  

Madison got her wish.  We went to Bahama Bucks one day after football practice.  The kids loved it.    They are building one near us and I'm sure we will be going quite often!

One morning I took 5 kids to the mall for 2 hours.  I generally don't love taking the kids to the mall, but we had a bunch of errands, returns, etc. that needed to be done and some of them involved the kids being there: birthday money to spend, soccer cleats to purchase, excess money that was burning a hole in Madison pocket.  I started from least to most important cause I figured if we didn't make it through the list we could just leave.  Madison pushed Hudson and I pushed the big boys.  Amazingly enough we made it through the whole list!

We had a swim party at the pool with all the families from church who are going to our school this year.  The kids were having a blast and Hudson was beat, so I worked with him and finally fell asleep.  This is nothing short of a miracle.  

Uncle Steve is still living with us.  The kids really enjoy having dad and a big brother to wrestle with!

Colton got his wish and we went to an FC Dallas game!  Actually, Chris and the kids did.  I stayed home decorating Colton's birthday cake!  

And here is Colton's birthday cake!

Colton requested a volcano transformer cake.  Kind of a funny combination, but that poor kid had to wait forever for his turn, so I let him have it!   He's been really into drawing volcanos lately.  On Chris's father's day card: dad in a volcano.  On a letter to Madison: Madi in a volcano.  On Steve's birthday card: Steve in a volcano.  I guess it makes sense that Colton would want his birthday cake : in a volcano.   I also got him, Jaxon, and Hudson transformer shirts for the party.  

Colton was BEYOND thrilled to finally get some gifts.  He's been waiting and waiting and waiting for his birthday! 

We had his party at the pool.  Cake and swimming, that was it.  I tried to make the cake erupt, but the "lava" was too thick and it kind of launched in a column out of the cake, it looked cool though.   

And the lava turned into amo for a lava fight :)

Colton has got a great group of little 4-year-old boys that he's started hanging out with and I'm so grateful for that!  Jaxon and I just never found that group when he was 4 and that always made me sad.  I feel like 4 is the perfect time to develop some great buddies.  Colton has his posse and they are all awesome kids!

Action shot of Hudson at the party.  We've had lots of fun playing with our water proof camera this summer!

And finally, Colton turned 4!!  He requested sprinkle pancakes with whipped cream.  He was so happy.  I love this little four-year-old of mine.  He sure has kept me on my toes the last four years with all his weird ailments, but he's a sweetie and a trooper!

There ya go.  The end of summer!!!  It was an interesting one, but I feel like we had a lot of fun and looking back at all the pictures made me realize why I was so worn out by the end of it all!!!