Fill The Boot!

Every year in August, us firefighters have the privilege of collecting money for MDA (kids with Muscular Dystrophy) We take turns volunteering each night to stand out in front of Walmart and Lees Market to ask people for donations. We hold a firefighter turnout boot and people can put their money in it. Some nights we pretty much fill our boots. It is always a very heart-warming experience to watch so many people give so generously. It is always people that don't have a lot themselves, that are so willing to donate generously. I am proud to be a part of it and it is something I love and look forward to every year. This last monday night, no one had signed up for fill the boot and so I suggested to my wife and kids that we should go do it together for our family home evening activity. Our kids were very excited. We went to Lees and spent a few hours over there in front of the store talking to people and taking donations. It was a good experience for our kids. They had a lot of fun and didn't complain once. I took them to 7-eleven afterwards for slurpees and then we counted all of our money at the station. We made a hundred dollars in bills and change. It was a good night!

Precious moments!

Sunday morning we were all busy getting ready for church. I walk out into the family room and saw Cambree and Calee painting each others fingernails and toenails. It was very cute and I knew that I had to hurry and take a picture and capture this moment. I love moments like these when our kids get along and love each other and help each other.

golfing with my buddy!

Carter begs me to go golfing almost every day. I decided to take the day off on tuesday to spend with the kids before they had to start school on wednesday. I got up and made the kids cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then Carter and I went golfing at Ben Lomond. We had a really fun round. Carter surprised me with a lot of really good shots. I am proud of how well he is doing at golf. It was fun to be out there with him and spend some time together. I am glad that I have a golfing buddy for life. After golf, we went and got the girls, and I took them all to Mcdonalds for lunch. After lunch they wanted to swim with their friends. It was a fun day. Last day of summer vacation!

First Day of School!!!

Our kids were so excited for their first day of school. It was fun setting new clothes out last night with them and getting their backpacks ready. We also had to find their bike locks and keys and get them ready. They were up early this morning and anxious to get to school and see their friends. They are growing up so fast! We love them so much and are so proud of them!

Back to School Night!

Monday night was Back to School Night and our kids were super excited. It is such an awesome feeling to see our kids get so excited to go back to school. Both Carter and Cambree love school and can't wait to go back on wednesday. Cambree got Mrs. Burlison this year for 3rd grade and she is awesome! Carter got Mrs. Ritchie  for 5th grade and we couldn't be happier. Everyone has told us that Mrs. Ritchie is the best 5th grade teacher and told us how awesome she is, which has been comforting. It was fun to talk to their teachers and get to know them. It was also fun to see our kids meet up with friends that they haven't seen much this summer and get so excited to be back.

 Cambree and Mrs. Burlison

Carter and Mrs. Ritchie



Calee's new haircut

It's actually been a few weeks now, but Calee got her hair cut short and we are just now posting some pictures. Emily trimmed Cambree's hair and cut Calee's short. We were nervous at first, but after we saw how stinkin' cute she is with short hair, we have loved it. Here are some cute pictures of what her hair looks like now.

Peaches!

Each year we are blessed with the awesome opportunity to go and help pick peaches up at the Peach Orchard in Pleasant View, not too far from our house. The peach orchard is owned by the LDS church and supplies thousands of pounds of peaches to people all over the world. Last year we held a family home evening and taught our kids all about the peach orchard and how important it is for us to help pick peaches so they can be shipped all over the world and help feed people that need them. We took our kids last year up to pick peaches and they loved it. They talked about it all year long and this year they were begging to go back up. We were able to go up tuesday night for a few hours and pick a lot of peaches. Cambree got to go with her activity days group which was fun for her. It is always a very neat and very humbling experience. I can't quite describe that feeling that I get when I am up there. The spirit is overwhelmingly strong at times. It is awesome to see so many people up there helping out. I am proud of our kids and how hard they worked at picking peaches and that they are such good kids and have a desire to help. It was a fun night! one our kids will always remember, I'm sure!
(these picture were taken with my Iphone, so they aren't the best quality)

American Girl Doll bunkbeds!

Sunday night we had another little birthday party for Cambree and we had both of our families over for an ice cream party. Cambree asked my Dad a few months ago if he would build her bunkbeds for her American girl dolls. I still remember the night that the two of them sat at the dinner table drawing out the plans for it. Cambree was so excited that her Grandpa was building her a bed, and I think my Dad was just as excited to build her a bed. He enjoys wood-working and he loves his little Cambree so much. So over the last month or so, he would give her updates. He would say," today I bought the wood for your beds, or "I've started building your beds." one night he even came down to measure her dolls, so he could make sure he was building it just right. These were not just your average bunk beds. She wanted them double beds and three high, so she could fit all six of her American Girl Dolls on them. Well, he did an amazing job. They turned out so cute. He painted it white with purple bases and caps. He even made two little ladders which he painted purple. On Sunday night he brought it down and surprised her with it. My mom even sewed mattresses, quilts, pillows, and pillow cases. Cambree was so excited. She couldn't wait to put all of her dolls in for bed that night. She is one loved little girl! Thanks to everyone for making her birthday so great!

BA-A-AD to the Bone!

This year the theme of the fair was BA-A-AD to the Bone. We usually go all four days, but this year we scaled back a little bit and only went two days. Thursday and friday. Our kids love the fair. They love all the animals, the games, and the free stuff. We love all the yummy fair food. Christy had her annual funnel cake which she looks forward to all year long. It was a very fun couple of days and nights.

 our kids feeding the goats

 this baby horse was born thursday morning

at the duck races

 

 Darrin and Peyton

 Carter getting a hockey lesson

 the girls love getting their faces painted

Funnel cake!

Happy Birthday Cambree!

We can't believe that our Cambree lou is eight years old! Wednesday was her birthday. Christy took the day off and made her breakfast. This year Cambree really wanted a new American Girl Doll named Mckenna. She was a happy girl when she opened her presents and saw that we had bought her Mckenna and lots of cute american girl doll clothes for Mckenna. She also wanted to have a birthday party with all of her friends (including boys) at North Shore and go swimming. We rented a bowery, bought a Disney Merida cake and let her invite all of her friends for a swimming party. It was a really fun day and she got a  lot of really fun presents from her friends.Happy Birthday Cambree! We lov you!!!