Summer Goals!

At the start of the summer I wanted our girls to have some goals to work on. So I made up some charts for them and I was actually surprised that we followed through! I don't know how many charts, chore charts, reading charts, goal charts, exercise charts, and dinner charts that I have made and only do it for a week and then forget about it or say, "I will start that again, tomorrow!" and never do. So I was proud of my girls for helping and being responsible in finishing each goal we set out to do.

Madisen's summer goal was to read 300 books by the end of August. Avery's summer goal was to learn 100 basic sight words. I wanted them to be able to win a prize once they reached a certain point in their goal that way they knew they were getting closer to the Grand Prize. 

Emily really didn't have goals like the other two did. But we read many books together and she did pick up several sight words along with Avery.

After reading 100 books and learning 33 sight words they each were able to pick out a $20 prize at the store. What they all picked out at the store totally describes each of their personalities so well...

loves animals

loves Princesses

loves electronics

After reading 200 books and learning 66 sight words the girls got to take a friend to Hop-2-it. It's a bounce house play place. We had a great time!

Madisen invited her friend Lydia from Primary

Avery brought her friend Brody...who she says she is going to marry someday. Hmmm...better keep an eye on them.

Eating Cotton Candy

(This was taken on another day we went to Hop-2-it. We had a month pass and got to go several times. I thought this picture was funny of them together playing).

And the Grand Prize was a Trampoline!!! 

They finished their goals with a day to spare! Madisen read 300 1st-3rd grade level books and Avery learned 100 sight words. Congratulations girls! We are so proud of you!!

Last Minute Projects

 The last week of August we were busy getting the last few things done before school started... The first and MOST important thing was to update our BLUE and ORANGE for the big games this season...

I went down to the mall to get all of us new shirts and I was looking at spending close to $90 in shirts! Yikes! I decided a cheaper route was to make them. It was really easy. Bought $3 blue shirts at Wal-mart, orange puffy paint, and iron on letters and Boise State logo and wall-la! $6 a shirt vs. $15-25 a shirt. We are now ready for Boise State Football!!!

 Go BSU!!!!

Another thing I wanted to do before school started was freeze corn and do some sweet relish canning. My mom and dad found a really good deal on corn and pick us up over 200 ears then came over and spent the weekend with us doing a few projects. 

 My mom and dad helped us shucked corn, clean it, boil it, and cut it off the cob to put in freezer bags. My mom taught me how to make sweet relish, while my dad taught Ryan how to put up a ceiling fan in our family room. My dad also helped Ryan put together the girl's swing set. It was great to get so much done that weekend.

For Young Women's we put together a back to school kit for all the girls. I got this idea of another blog by a YW. I can't remember the blog address, but it was similar to what I put together...

With a "Snickers" taped to the back.

With a "Smartie" taped to the back

This one we had one saying on the front and back and with it some hand sanitizer.

M&M's taped to the back.

Now and Later candy

Gum

Pick this up at Desert Book for 25 cents.

I think it turned out pretty cute. I hope the girls liked it and know how much we love them!

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I saw this project on Pinterest (I am not very creative so most everything I do, make or get comes from somewhere!) and thought it was perfect for organizing my kids projects or special papers through their school years. My mom saved some of my art, crafts and school assignments when I was growing up and it's been fun to look back at my handwriting(which really has changed much since 1st grade! yikes!). There are even coloring pages I remember vividly coloring all those years ago that she kept. Brings back some fun memories. Obviously, I can't keep everything my kids make or color but I wanted to keep some and that's why I put these together. It was super easy, and only cost me about $32 for everything.

Labeled each school year.

10 Wonderful Years!

Ryan and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary on August 31st. To celebrate we left our kids with my parents and headed to Utah for a fun day at Lagoon. We haven't been back in years and this time we would be successful in getting in. For our honeymoon we went to Lagoon and it didn't quite pan out. Why? Well, because Lagoon closed the day before we got there. All we have are pictures of us, crying, throwing a fit, and punching the "Lagoon Closed" sign. haha! It was only open for the weekends at that point and we went on a Tuesday. We learned a valuable lesson: Check the park schedule next time.

We had to be back in Rexburg that Thursday for school so Ryan and I never had a honeymoon. We were pretty bummed, but don't feel bad for us. We have made it up in other ways ;) and some day we will take a great trip. But for now, we decided for our 10 year anniversary we would go back to Lagoon. And that's what we did. Pretty romantic, huh? Crazy,out-of-this-world, honeymoon and anniversary, right? Yeah, we know. We are pretty crazy. But we enjoyed our time together riding on all the crazy roller coaster rides over and over, like we were 16 again.

At my parents house right before we left

Arrived at Lagoon...let's go play!

 Haunted house!

So scary I almost peed my pants!

No. Not really.

But we looked scared huh?

We are good actors. :)

Just us. Being us. 

I love this guy.

Thanks babe for the fun memories, the jokes, oh and the punch in the nose-haha! I am so grateful to have you as my husband forever! I love you honey!!