Backtrack::August 2012

August 2012

*We did a lot of hiking this month, which unfortunately, isn't a family favorite thing to do.

*Mom and Dad went out on a 4-wheeling adventure in the desert where we helped construct a zip line and also found ourselves lost after dark.

*We spent the first couple of weeks shopping and getting all ready for the first day of school!

*With three kids in school now, we've got 7th, 4th, and Kindergarten covered.

*Isaac loves his new found freedom from his older siblings during the day, but is just as excited for them all to come home at the end of the day (Mom really isn't that much fun).

*We camped in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, just outside of Santa Fe (again hiking is not everyone's favorite thing to do).

*We're enjoying the end of summer warm days and settling back into a routine, just in time for sports to start.

Instagram - I love it!

Backtrack::July 2012

July 2012

We drove up to Denver for a family reunion.
We spent the 4th with family and a huge soccer game and lots of fireworks.
We were able to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa Paxton's 50th wedding anniversary!
We had so much fun with our cousins and were sad to come home.
We were successful with our fruit trees and started enjoying what they had to offer.

The garden is growing!
More swimming lessons and lots of swimming on hot afternoons.

Mom, Dad, and Brandon celebrated birthdays this month.
Wally went to scout camp.

Backtrack::June 2012

June 2012

We now officially have a young woman in the house! Kelsie turned 12!

Swimming lessons for Brandon and Caleb - we especially love the "shark float"!
Grandma and Grandpa Watkins came for a quick visit to drop off an organ.

We went to Pop-pop's as many times as we could while they were here.

Grandma and Grandpa took the kids up the tram to the top of Sandia Peak.
We went camping in Moab and to visit Aunt Kenna.

We spent many nights at the park with friends

Mom and Dad went mountain biking one night, we're so lucky to have such a great babysitter!

Backtrack::May 2012

May 2012

We celebrated Isaac's second birthday!

Mother's day was the best with homemade breakfast pizza and lettuce wraps.

We finished up school and started summer with a bang.

We hiked Tent Rocks for the first time and loved it!

Wally built a water rocket and we have spent many nights at the park shooting it off.

We picked cherries at a friend's house and she let us hold her puppies that she was taking care of.

We got the garden planted and watered and are anxiously waiting for the growth of our new plants!

Kelsie's Birthday is Not Forgotten

I was already planning on getting up early Saturday morning, June 16. This was a big day for us. My little girl was going to turn 12! I had the whole morning planned. We were going to get some breakfast, get our hair cut, head over to the make-up store, and then the mall. It was the ultimate mother/daughter girls day out and I was so excited!  I wasn't prepared for the unexpected visitor we had before the alarm went off. It went something like this:

"Dad, how do I know when it's time to flip over the crepes?"

Both Wally and I jumped out of bed and noticed the smell of burning batter. It was Brandon, who decided that he wanted to do something nice for his sister on her birthday. Upon further explanation, we found out that he wanted to cook her breakfast. So, he decided that crepes were the best thing to make. Wally asked which recipe he used and how he made it. This is how he described it:

"Well, I couldn't find the 1 cup measuring cup, but I remembered that 2 tablespoons is about the same as one cup, so that's all the flour I put in. Then I remembered that Kelsie really likes sugar, so I added a little extra."

Being the great dad that he is, Wally helped him make a new batch of crepes, following the recipe this time, and more importantly, finding the 1 cup measuring cup.

This sweet gesture from a loving brother ended up being the start of a really great day for Kelsie. She and I were able to spend the whole morning together. We got our hair cut and I took her to Merle Norman to learn about make up and then spent some time together at the mall. She learned all about how to take care of her face and put on make up and she looked completely grown up afterwards.

before and after the make up store

While we were gone, the girls from her young women's class came and heart attacked her room, welcoming her into the Young Women's Program. She was so surprised when she came home and quickly declared that all those hearts were never going to come down!  She was more than ready to graduate from primary and join the older girls at church. She also went 4-wheeling with her dad and brothers that afternoon and then finished off with her party at the end of the day. She had a really great day and had a big smile all day long.

We love having a 12 year old in the family. She is a great babysitter and we may take advantage of that fact quite a bit! She is maturing faster than we'd like her too, but we couldn't be more proud of the young woman she is becoming. Happy Birthday, sweet girl! We love you!