Crazy Summer...Catching Up..

 So we had the craziest summer ever.  Honestly it was not much of a summer.  We spent many hours and many days a week over at Grandma Corbridge's house.  Since we have not been home this summer I am way behind on blogging.  It is kinda sad that my kids are back in school now and I am just posting about things that they did BEFORE school got out.  I guess that is the way life goes when you are constantly on the run.  Hopefully things will settle down now (at least a little bit) and give us some time together.  This is a picture of Gid and Gracie in their costumes for the end of the year program.  Their class was the Ants, the other first grade class were the Grasshoppers.  They had a great year and honestly the worlds best teacher EVER.  Their new teacher has a lot to live up to in my estimation. 

 We got to go back to the Stein-Erickson Lodge again.  This is becoming a fun FREE family vacation for us twice a year. 

 We found a super fun park the kids just loved.  Halle is such a dare devil.  She climbed to the top of this and was ready to keep going.  Scares me to death.

 Brian and Gid enjoying Motor-cross races and to busy to look at the camera.  The kids especially love going to Park City to enjoy the personal hot tub we get. 

 Grace and Gid turned 7 this summer.  I love that they chose cupcakes (made it way easy for me).  Gid chose to have sports balls.  He is so into sports.  Anything that gets the kid out of the house is what he loves best.  His Fav color is blue and he hates school.  Well, not all of it.  He loves recess and lunch.  He is SO his Dad's kid.  He is very smart and gets great grades, just would rather be outside moving than sitting in class "Its so boring to just sit there". He really excels in reading and math.  In fact Gid and Gracie both had a 350 point AR goal last year.  They both surpassed this goal and had the #1 and #2 spots for reading.  Gid is really upset Mom won't let him miss school to go hunting with his Dad.   He has the cutest giggle.  He is still shy but has tons of friends.  He makes up for being quiet when he gets home because he won't shut up.  We love this little guy so much.  I am amazed at the incredible young man he is becoming.

 Blowing out candles.

 Gracie cheesing it up because she just got the Monster High Doll she got from Grandma and Grandpa Taylor.

 Lisa has a new "friend".  Trevor is so much fun to have around and a great sport about letting so many kids climb on him.  Lisa is not liking that when she comes around now all the kids run to them screaming "Trevor".  Now she knows how Becki and I feel when she comes around!

 Halle especially loves Trevor.  She told me that she was going to steal Trevor away from Lisa and marry him when she gets big.  Good luck with that one Bug. 

 Now if he would only pop the question. 

 For the end of 1st Grade Mrs. Morrison (again the worlds best teacher) has the kids in her class put on a play.  The kids voted for "The Shoemaker and the Elves".  Gid wanted to be an Elf but instead landed a main role of the "Narrator".  He looked so dang cute in his little costume.  This was a hard part for Gid since he has lots of lines and HATES to be the center of attention.  He did awesome though. 

 Our Gracie Jewel landed the part of "Shiny" the Elf.  Just the part she wanted.  She did so cute and delivered her one line great! 

 Putting on her vest the shoemaker made for her.

 Another quick picture of Gid before he finished his last line and literally ran out of the center of the room.

 Our cute little Halle Bug graduated from Pre-school.  Here she is in her graduation cap.  I just love her adorable little grin. 

 Getting spotlighted from Mrs. Rosaline.  Her spotlight said "Halle has a lot of important things on her mind and a lot of important things to talk about, which she articulates very well.  Halle is pretty much in charge of herself and directs herself with confidence.  She completes her work precisely and with ease.  Halle sticks to a task until it's done well.  Halle is a great friend and is kind and fair.  She has been a great student here and she will do very well in Kindergarten.  Yup, sounds like Halle.

 Bug with her great preschool teachers.  Mrs Rosaline and Gramma Nanny.

 Grain Growers had a wild west shoot out and Grandpa Ariel played the Sheriff.  Since Hog and Red were staying at our house we ran over while G & G were still in school. 

 Gracie chose rainbow cupcakes for her birthday.  These were a huge hit with their friends for their friend party.

 Even rainbow on the inside.

 Pinata time!  This is fun tradition we have loved.  This pic pretty much sums up the way Grace bats.

 Gid ready to swing.

 Hogan

 Look out Tank!  Halle's up!

 Each kid got to have a friend party.  They each invited 4 friends. 

 Gracie and her friends!  Izzy, Korie, Halle, Holly, Grace and Adi.

 Bop and his cute group of friends!  Dallin, Redick, Reddick, Hogan, Gid, Mckay and Porter. 

 Gracie is still the daughter I was never going to have.  I never wanted girly girls.  I have to say after having her I have changed my mind.  She is so easy going.  She loves everyone.  She is always a friend to others.  There was a little girl in her class last year that when the class was given the assignment of writing a story about something that made them sad. This girl wrote about not having any friends and going home and crying.  Mrs. Morrison read it to the class while this little girl was out of the room.  Gracie took it upon herself to be this little girls best friend.  She invited her everyday to play with her and her friends.  One of her good friends started being mean to this little girl and Gracie stood up to her and told her "I invited her to play with us.  She is my friend.  You are not being nice and if you want to be friends with me you will not be mean to my other friends".  This little girl that had no friends now has tons of them.  I just love that Gracie knows what is right and will stand up for others.  It makes me so proud to be her Mom.  She loves school.  She is very excited to be back in school.

 We had so much fun playing games.  They did a dress up relay game which the boys won and even put on tutu's.  The pics turned out a lot blurry but here are a couple of the girls.

 I went to tuck Halle in one night when we went to bed.  This is how I found her.  She has her Prayer Rock the Stake Presidency gave her and kept it close.

 Our oldest.  Tank is still kicking.  He is old and gray.  He just turned 11. 

 Since we were always at Grandma's this summer we had a water party at her house and let the kids play. 

 All the Corbridge Cousins.

 Hogan kept braving the sprinkler to get others wet.  Such a goofy boy, we sure love him.

 Gid played his first year of baseball this year!  He did so awesome.  He is a super fast runner.  He learned to hit well and played AWESOME at defense.  He played pitcher most of the year and got lots of people out. 

 The girls played T-ball again this year and I got to coach them. Brian being the great hubby he is decided to help me.  This left Gid to be our photographer this year and thus the far away shots of everyone.  These were the better shots of our T-ball team "The Monkeys". 

 It was a fun 5 weeks of T-ball.  I just love being able to coach my kids and spend more time with them teaching them something I love so much.

 Somehow in the mist of summer we did manage to get some camping in and this was the highlight of our summer.  We enjoyed getting out alone as a family and away from phones.  Brian showing off and teaching his kids to do stupid things while hot rodding on the 4-wheeler. 

Gracie earned enough money to buy her own makeup.  She came out like this.  We had to have a talk about where eye shadow goes...Obviously.  It was a good summer.  We did lots of service but I guess we at least did it as a family.  That is what matters the most right!