SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

It is just crazy that summer is almost over and school begins on Monday. The beginning of June when the kids got out for summer I kept thinking what are we going to do for the next 12 weeks to keep us busy and not drive each other crazy. With the help of our trips we have taken and some pictures listed below we survived and believe it or not I am a little sad that it is over. It went way to fast and I am not ready for the craziness of fall with sports and school activities. I always say I can't wait until school gets back in and I can get MY LIFE back...and on a schedule....but who am I kidding our kids are MY LIFE so I will definately miss having them around. Here are some pictures of things we did this summer to keep us busy:

FOOD BANK
Our kids love to go and volunteer with the Nelson clan every few months at the food bank. My sister Amy is really good about scheduling our family to go and do some service there for 1 1/2 hours. The kids love it. They get to sort food and color boxes that the food is sent away in.

Alex, Adam, Jake, Sadie, Lindsey, Will and Me...coloring boxes.Grandpa Robert, Will, Adam, Jake...sorting food.

Alex, Amy, Sage, Mike, Grandpa, Will, Jake, Adam...sorting food.

SWIMMING
We are so lucky that Grandpa Roger and Grandma Judy have a pool for us to enjoy. Although we didn't get there as much this summer as past summers.... we really enjoyed the times we did go and swim.
Sadie, Mike, Will

Jake and Rachel

SMORES
For fathers day last year the kids and I gave Mike a fire pit for our back yard. The kids love it when we pull it out and roast hotdogs and smores.

NELSON FAMILY REUNION
My dads extended family does a reunion every other year. It is always fun to get together for a weekend with cousins we haven't seen for almost 2 years. This year the reunion was at the HEBER VALLEY CAMP. It is a camp of several cabins and a nice pavilion to cook in. We stayed overnight and it was such a fun time. There is a challenge course that we got to participate in while we were there which was definatley the highlight for everyone.

This was a challenge to get everyone through these squares without touching the string. It was really fun to work together and help everyone across....Sadie is going through.

This challenge we had to get the tire up to the top of this pole without touching the pole. We had lots of ideas to do it but the one that finally worked was putting Annie, Rachel, Adam and Jake on the shoulders of some of the men making them high enough to get to the top. It was alot of fun.

We climbed this pole to a rope which we walked along and on the other side we ziplined down. It was very scary for me. I watched all our kids do it and I thought no problem...I soon realized I am very scared of heights. But I did it.

Me climbing up

Jake climbing up.

Will walking along the rope.

Rachel ziplining downMike zipling down.Sadie and James were to short so they are watching us from the ground.We went on some paddle boats.
Morgan, James, Will, Annie, Adam, Rachel, Jake, Sadie, MikeSadie and MikeAnnie, Rachel, MorganAdam, Will, JakeFLAG BURNING

We were able to help participate in retiring a flag with the scouts in our ward. It was really cool to be a part of. They spread the flag out and cut it into chunks and than each chunk is burned in the fire. We listened to the national anthem while it was burning. I was really glad our boys were able to participate in such a neat experience.Will holding part of the flag while it is being burned.UNICYCLING
Jake got a muni (mountain unicycle) this summer. He had a grea
t time riding it on the pipline trail in Millcreek canyon.Diesel loves exploring in the canyon.HIKING
...in Millcreek canyon.CHEER CAMP
Rachel went to a cheer camp at BYU with 11 of her friends for a few days. It was really fun to go and watch their cheers at the end (although I have to admit it was a little hard for me to hear BYU cheers and not UofU). She had such a great time but doesn't think she wants to be a cheerleader.COWABUNGA BAY
...a new water park in Draper.
BRACES

Rachel got braces a few weeks ago....or should I say an investment in her mouth. Holy Smackers I about died when I found out the price of braces...why wasn't Mike an Orthodontist?Now onto the craziness that FALL brings....