The goings on of summer are always very busy for us. I think my children think that life in the United States is nothing but a party. They don't realize that people go to school and work and live a real life because all they see are 10 weeks of fun.
Samuel was the busiest, with a week at EFY (which he LOVED), Leadership Scout Camp, Kayak/Paddle board camp, speed and power camp, and started off the summer turning 14 on youth conference trek. Keeping him busy keeps everyone happy these days. :) One of my favorite stories from this summer was while my friend Tiff was visiting, she and I had gone to Park City for a girl getaway. My phone rang around 10 or 11 on that Friday night. It was Samuel on the phone (who was at EFY), he was sobbing.
"Honey, what's wrong?" I say.
"Nothing...." says Sam.
"Uh? Then why are you calling me crying?..."
"Well, (sob, sob) we just got home from the last dance." Snort, sniff. "And I don't want to goooo hoooome tomorrowwwww." Cries my big boy.
"Well that's good." I say, "I'm so glad you're having such a great time."
"It's just that I love these guys SO much, mom. Like I really love them. They are my family. I mean, besides my own family. I really love them. I don't want to leave them tomorrow."
Oh, my Big Sam. Is that the cutest thing you ever heard? My big 14 year old boy, crying because he loves his EFY family so much. He drives me super, duper crazy A LOT of times right now in his life - but things like this..., well, I am so excited for all that lies ahead for him. I remember feeling like that with my Youth Conference family one year. And getting so close with friends at camp that I didn't want to go home either. These are the memories we cherish, the memories that we want more of. The ones that keep us going until we can get 'refilled' again. Needless to say, I just registered him for this year already. I feel very blessed that we can afford for him to go right now, because it's not cheap, but it is a great thing.
And yes, I did ask him if had met a girl and that was why he was so upset. Because really, didn't we all wonder? He said no, he just felt like especially the guys, were his family. Like 'brothers he never had'. Except. You. Have. Three?. Oh well, I get what he was saying. Love that kid.
Simon, Ruby and Solomon went to a BYU All Sports Camp. Football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, soccer. They loved it. This is a great camp for getting introduced to different sports. And the kids got to see the locker rooms and have the BYU players be their coaches. My kids L.O.V.E Studio C, the BYU comedy show. I mean are OBSESSED with it. The other night at dinner Peter had to ban all Studio C talk, because they will sit there and quote scene after scene. All of them - including Gideon! Anyway, their most popular skit is this funny skit about a soccer goalie getting hit in the face, like a gazillion times. It's called Scott Sterling, and they watch it over and over. Well the players who kick the ball into the goal (at Scott Sterling) are the players from the men's BYU soccer team. My kids LOVE seeing their coaches from the week at camp. Utah Valley has been such a dreamy place to spend our summers. It's such a small community and so family friendly. I'm so glad we get to go home to there.
We spent two weeks in Seattle. Always a fun time. We spent time with Geoff and Cindy as well and Katherine and Jared. And of course we got to see Grandpa Tennis everyday, and some of the Tennis Uncles as well. My kids, especially the older boys, love just spending time with grandpa Tennis. They love listening to him and laughing with him. We also visited Grandma Tennis. She is in the late stages of Alzheimers and it is very hard to see her like this. This is the first time we've let the older kids see her in a few years. It was just too much when they were younger. But I think it was good for them to see her now. She lives in a home just down the street from where she lived for 50 years and raised her 7 kids. Not more than a block, in fact. Life has a funny way of ending up sometimes, doesn't it? I don't understand why so many different things happen. And I find myself praying for understanding and peace instead of blessings and miracles.
Samuel and Simon went to a kayaking and stand up paddle board class on Lake Sammamish for a week as well. I think it was really good for them and I know they had a great time. My mom was with us in Seattle and it was so fun to be there with her. I haven't been in Bothell with my mom for years. It was also such a big help to have her with us, well - me, really. Peter was gone, so she drove up with me and then my dad came up too for a bit. I love Washington and each summer we talk about someday moving back there. But for now Utah is our U.S. home. I also got to spend the day with my old college room mates Amy and Maile Granger (formally). I met Maile in Issaquah and we drove to Ellensburg together to spend the day with Amy. SO FUN! I love these girls and have such a great time with them. I cannot believe it's been more than 20 years that we've been friends. Crazy!
I love getting to see people that I have known almost my whole life. Here in the middle east, life is full of short term relationships, so it's so comforting seeing people that have known you forever. My mom and I went to lunch with my great friend (and once college room mate) Anna Smith and her mom Betty (my young woman's leader). Oh, that was an afternoon of great conversations and laughs. So fun. AND, we ate at Tai Ho in Kenmore - delish-i-oso! I got to see Nanette too. Truly my oldest friend, next to immediate family. It's so fun to see our families growing up and catch up on life. As you can see - I am TRULY a blessed person in the was of dear friends and relationships!
In August Peter and I flew up to Seattle for a weekend together. Aimee took my younger three kids and Mindy took Sam and Simon. I think they all had a great time, and so did Peter and I. It was also Katherine's 40th birthday, which was really fun to be with her at that time. We hiked up Tiger Mountain and spent a fun day with the Smith's. Kath and I have known each other more than 28 years now, it's amazing how time passes so quickly. Her kids go to our Junior High...how is that possible???
Some other summer highlights:
Hiking the Y a couple of times. (Lot's of crying from the kids, but they ALWAYS love that we did it - when we're done.)
Walks up to Bridal Veil falls.
The Utah Holgo Zoo
Going to the TEMPLE!
A great day hike at Sundance: we rode the chairlifts up, then hiked over to Stuart Falls. A big summer storm blew in and it thundered and lightninged like crazy. They closed the lifts, so we hiked the ski runs down. It poured and poured and poured! I won't soon forget how fun that was!! Just thinking about how soaked we were makes me smile. SO much fun!!
Enjoying our lovely back yard in Orem.
Yep. Our summer's are jam packed! And we love every minute of them. We really do have a wonderful life and I am SO thankful for all my many blessings, including all the people Heavenly Father has put on my path to love me and help me grow.
Samuel was the busiest, with a week at EFY (which he LOVED), Leadership Scout Camp, Kayak/Paddle board camp, speed and power camp, and started off the summer turning 14 on youth conference trek. Keeping him busy keeps everyone happy these days. :) One of my favorite stories from this summer was while my friend Tiff was visiting, she and I had gone to Park City for a girl getaway. My phone rang around 10 or 11 on that Friday night. It was Samuel on the phone (who was at EFY), he was sobbing.
"Honey, what's wrong?" I say.
"Nothing...." says Sam.
"Uh? Then why are you calling me crying?..."
"Well, (sob, sob) we just got home from the last dance." Snort, sniff. "And I don't want to goooo hoooome tomorrowwwww." Cries my big boy.
"Well that's good." I say, "I'm so glad you're having such a great time."
"It's just that I love these guys SO much, mom. Like I really love them. They are my family. I mean, besides my own family. I really love them. I don't want to leave them tomorrow."
Oh, my Big Sam. Is that the cutest thing you ever heard? My big 14 year old boy, crying because he loves his EFY family so much. He drives me super, duper crazy A LOT of times right now in his life - but things like this..., well, I am so excited for all that lies ahead for him. I remember feeling like that with my Youth Conference family one year. And getting so close with friends at camp that I didn't want to go home either. These are the memories we cherish, the memories that we want more of. The ones that keep us going until we can get 'refilled' again. Needless to say, I just registered him for this year already. I feel very blessed that we can afford for him to go right now, because it's not cheap, but it is a great thing.
And yes, I did ask him if had met a girl and that was why he was so upset. Because really, didn't we all wonder? He said no, he just felt like especially the guys, were his family. Like 'brothers he never had'. Except. You. Have. Three?. Oh well, I get what he was saying. Love that kid.
Simon, Ruby and Solomon went to a BYU All Sports Camp. Football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, soccer. They loved it. This is a great camp for getting introduced to different sports. And the kids got to see the locker rooms and have the BYU players be their coaches. My kids L.O.V.E Studio C, the BYU comedy show. I mean are OBSESSED with it. The other night at dinner Peter had to ban all Studio C talk, because they will sit there and quote scene after scene. All of them - including Gideon! Anyway, their most popular skit is this funny skit about a soccer goalie getting hit in the face, like a gazillion times. It's called Scott Sterling, and they watch it over and over. Well the players who kick the ball into the goal (at Scott Sterling) are the players from the men's BYU soccer team. My kids LOVE seeing their coaches from the week at camp. Utah Valley has been such a dreamy place to spend our summers. It's such a small community and so family friendly. I'm so glad we get to go home to there.
We spent two weeks in Seattle. Always a fun time. We spent time with Geoff and Cindy as well and Katherine and Jared. And of course we got to see Grandpa Tennis everyday, and some of the Tennis Uncles as well. My kids, especially the older boys, love just spending time with grandpa Tennis. They love listening to him and laughing with him. We also visited Grandma Tennis. She is in the late stages of Alzheimers and it is very hard to see her like this. This is the first time we've let the older kids see her in a few years. It was just too much when they were younger. But I think it was good for them to see her now. She lives in a home just down the street from where she lived for 50 years and raised her 7 kids. Not more than a block, in fact. Life has a funny way of ending up sometimes, doesn't it? I don't understand why so many different things happen. And I find myself praying for understanding and peace instead of blessings and miracles.
Samuel and Simon went to a kayaking and stand up paddle board class on Lake Sammamish for a week as well. I think it was really good for them and I know they had a great time. My mom was with us in Seattle and it was so fun to be there with her. I haven't been in Bothell with my mom for years. It was also such a big help to have her with us, well - me, really. Peter was gone, so she drove up with me and then my dad came up too for a bit. I love Washington and each summer we talk about someday moving back there. But for now Utah is our U.S. home. I also got to spend the day with my old college room mates Amy and Maile Granger (formally). I met Maile in Issaquah and we drove to Ellensburg together to spend the day with Amy. SO FUN! I love these girls and have such a great time with them. I cannot believe it's been more than 20 years that we've been friends. Crazy!
I love getting to see people that I have known almost my whole life. Here in the middle east, life is full of short term relationships, so it's so comforting seeing people that have known you forever. My mom and I went to lunch with my great friend (and once college room mate) Anna Smith and her mom Betty (my young woman's leader). Oh, that was an afternoon of great conversations and laughs. So fun. AND, we ate at Tai Ho in Kenmore - delish-i-oso! I got to see Nanette too. Truly my oldest friend, next to immediate family. It's so fun to see our families growing up and catch up on life. As you can see - I am TRULY a blessed person in the was of dear friends and relationships!
In August Peter and I flew up to Seattle for a weekend together. Aimee took my younger three kids and Mindy took Sam and Simon. I think they all had a great time, and so did Peter and I. It was also Katherine's 40th birthday, which was really fun to be with her at that time. We hiked up Tiger Mountain and spent a fun day with the Smith's. Kath and I have known each other more than 28 years now, it's amazing how time passes so quickly. Her kids go to our Junior High...how is that possible???
Some other summer highlights:
Hiking the Y a couple of times. (Lot's of crying from the kids, but they ALWAYS love that we did it - when we're done.)
Walks up to Bridal Veil falls.
The Utah Holgo Zoo
Going to the TEMPLE!
A great day hike at Sundance: we rode the chairlifts up, then hiked over to Stuart Falls. A big summer storm blew in and it thundered and lightninged like crazy. They closed the lifts, so we hiked the ski runs down. It poured and poured and poured! I won't soon forget how fun that was!! Just thinking about how soaked we were makes me smile. SO much fun!!
Enjoying our lovely back yard in Orem.
Yep. Our summer's are jam packed! And we love every minute of them. We really do have a wonderful life and I am SO thankful for all my many blessings, including all the people Heavenly Father has put on my path to love me and help me grow.
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