Oh, What Do We Do in the Summertime?

Summer 2011

We play baseball for hours

And take outdoor showers

We ride wire spools

And catch the full moon

We relax on the swing

And do crazy things

Especially Justin on the trampoline

On Sundays we take a long drive

And enjoy the fresh air outside

A Boyd Visit

July 2011

We always look forward to our summer visits from Shawn and Kellie's family. Our families seem to blend well together and of course Kellie and I love staying up through the wee hours of the morning chatting without an ocean or phone line between us.

The smaller kids had a great time playing in the sprinklers and pool and we went through quite a bit of sunscreen in 2 days. It was so nice to sit on the porch swing and watch them from the comforts of our own yard instead of needing to put on momma bathing suits and try to keep an eye on our own kids among a pool full of strangers and splashers. And there was no panic (or very little panic) of drowning involved.

We love simple summer dinners! Bread & milk or burritos and everyone is happy...even the moms who don't have to bake in the summer heat or clean up a big mess in the kitchen.

Our kids pair off perfectly and each pair has it's own unique qualities and cuteness. Derek and Brendan both love to create and build things with their amazingly brilliant minds. Justin and Jeremy are the entertainment of the crowd. Not just loud but funny. They can take off together or pal around with the younger kids but they are seldom alone.

Nathan and Andie are just adorable together. They are like a little couple. They are best friends, they argue, they can sit quietly to read or color or they can have the whole toy room set up as they play imagination in their own pretend little family.

Hyrum and Hailey are our babies. Hyrum adores Hailey and she doesn't seem to mind the hugs. This time around the age difference didn't seem to get in the way near as much as they played together and filled the role of "kids" for Andie and Nathan's playtime.

Nathan and Hyrum get so excited when Shawn comes. Since LeRoy's back surgeries he is unable to wrestle with the boys or throw them around like he did with our older kids so Shawn fills in. He can really make them laugh with his stories and they always feel so important after hanging out with Uncle Shawn.

Kellie was able to sneak a picture of Levi on the way to Arizona. He usually hides from the camera so we are always excited to catch one with him looking and smiling.

Levi and Shawn have been buddies since Levi was four. They wrote back and forth through Shawn's mission and a tour to Afghanistan and Levi even joined Shawn and Kellie in a picture at their wedding where it would look like he is their kid. Shawn and Kellie started taking him on trips with them when he was about 12. They have been to Disneyland, Las Vegas, many museums, Peru and Machu Picchu, a Grand Canyon camp and hike, and this year they went to Arizona for camping and hiking. Levi fits in so well with Shawn's family that he is almost like one of the brothers but he also holds a bit of the big brother roll for Shawn and Kellie's kids.

I regretted not having any pictures of Kellie and I together from when she lived here for a couple of months so this trip I made it a point to get some. It just so happened that I was having a friend, Michelle, take pictures of me as part of a birthday gift for LeRoy and Kellie was going with me for the pictures. She also knows Michelle so it was very comfortable (and FUN) to get our pictures taken together. It was a really good thing we did it this way because the two of us aren't in any of the other pictures that were taken this trip.

Edwards vs. Edwards

LeRoy and Louie

July 2-5th

It was a great to have Louie, Donis and Lilly with us for a few days. Little old Rexburg doesn't come close to California but we had a great time together. Derek and Lilly were once again inseparable and silly to no end (just like last summer during the Edwards family reunion in Texas). And it was quite obvious that Lilly and Erika are related. They could be sisters.

Day 1: LeRoy, Louis, Donis, Lilly and Derek went to Jackson Hole to play tourists. LeRoy worked there for a couple of years so is quite familiar with it and makes a very good tour guide.

Day 2: we loaded up our families and headed to Yellowstone Park. The older kids and I hadn't been there since Derek was a toddler and we had gone in on snow machines so it was like visiting a completely different place during the summer.

We started with a picnic lunch near the entrance of the park. The kids had a blast splashing in the river. . .

while LeRoy made up the traditional Edwards' picnic lunch of peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

We spent the entire day wandering through only the first 30 miles of the park yet it never got boring. The scenery was beautiful, the weather was perfect and it was so great to be out of cell phone range. We were mesmerized by the paint pots, steaming "whistles", animals, remains of the Yellowstone fire of the 90's and the beautiful new growth since then.

After about 4 hours of walking, the older kids parked it on a bench on one of the trails. They (mostly Lilly and Erika) donned random accents and started asking everyone who walked by where they were from, trying to get the same question asked of them so they could wow and impress with their linguistical talents - or lack thereof. Most people kept walking and ignored them, some would simply answer where they were from as they walked by and there were even a few who stopped to chat - they were the ones visiting from other countries.

There's always some kind of competition with these two. Even to see who can handle a camera the best. Louie won. He just had a better camera, even if it was brand new and he didn't really know how to use it yet. This is the result of them staring each other down in a photo taking contest.

On the way home we stopped to see Mesa Falls. The mosquitos were so bad, swarming actually, that we literally ran to the falls, took a quick picture and ran back to the cars. It was torture standing still without swatting hands while being eaten alive! I was so thankful that Erika had volunteered to keep the younger boys in the car. There was a lot of panicked "Shut the door! Shut the door!" yelling going on as we loaded up as fast as we could.

Day 3: We went to the Rexburg 4th of July Parade. Donis and I had a great time sitting back in our lawn chairs to soak up the sun while LeRoy and Louie made sure the kids didn't get run over while snatching candy out of the road.

The Edwards boys put on an evening fire works show for us. They seemed to have fun even with the burned fingers, deafening noise and a cold Idaho evening.

By the time they got ready to leave I had to make sure that Louie or Donis didn't sneak Hyrum into their car. He took quite a liking to the two of them and they were so enamored by not only his adorable smile and fantastic hugs but his complete lack of teenage sass that I was afraid they'd take off with him.

Derek's 15th Birthday

June 25th, 2011

Derek was thrilled with a new book of project ideas from Grandma, Twizzleberry certificates from the Boyd family and a block of wood that represented a trip to Home Depot for wood.

I'd wish I had taken pictures at Home Depot! His reactions could match that of a Willy Wonka golden ticket trip. He guided his freight cart like a professional (with an occasional burst of speed when his excitement got the better of him) and left with a good sized pile of wood, some hinges, a pound of screws, a pack of gum, and his brain overflowing with ideas.

The cake matched the gift

.

His flaming drill bit and chocolate rice crispy wood were not going to be much help in construction but it was a visual hit.

Proof of our cake demolition was evident in all of our black and red mouths.

The first completed birthday wood project?

A really tall, powerful, stand way back or you'll get your head knocked off

Trebuchet

The Hills in Rexburg

June 13-16, 2011

We were very excited to have Kara, Max and Zane visit us. It was their first trip after Zane was born and we were very excited to meet him. He immediately became the center of attention.

We had perfect weather for the kids to spend all the time outside that they wanted. They had played so much in our own backyard that to spice things up a bit we took them to the Hibbard school playground. It's great to live out in the country and have a "park" all to ourselves for a picnic and recess.

Nathan was so excited to practice on the monkey bars at "his school" before starting kindergarten in the fall. He was brave enough to get across three bars and determined that on his first day of school he would "go all the way".

Nathan also mastered the skill of "pumping" himself on the swing. Max and Hyrum were content to bobble around on their bellies.

Even Derek and Justin were entertained at the elementary school, remembering the good times they had at Kennedy Elementary. Derek thought all the equipment was super tiny having grown about 2 feet since the last time he had played on it. Fitting into a tire isn't as easy when you're over six feet tall.

Justin made silly noises and pretended to chase after Max and soon it was a full game. I have never heard Max laugh so hard or see Justin be quite so animated. Max would run as fast as he could, laughing hysterically the whole time, until he was safely is Kara's arms. Justin is so great with his younger brothers, cousins and neighbors and seems to have a real gift for transforming bored, sad faces into smiles, giggles and a really fun time.

Each day we rewarded ourselves for all that exhausting playtime with our normal routine of baths and books. It was fun to share our favorite books with our cousins.

Kara and I did manage to steal enough time away to make a couple of crafts. She had been wanting some quiet church somethings for each boy so we made a Peek-a-Book thingy for Zane and a travel car mat for Max. His car mat had a little city of buildings that he could move around, some little people and animals to bring a little life to town, complete with handles for him to carry it all by himself and a pocket to store his cars, people and animals in.

Just Like the Old Days

June 7, 2011

In an attempt to relieve the budget, give the dryer a break, and provide my kids with a steady summer job,

I decided to put up a clothes line.

Derek was so excited to put his designing and building skills to work and quickly had us all involved.

Hyrum was his right hand man.

Justin's buff gymnastic arms came in very handy for hauling sand to refill the post holes and his all

powerful body was the perfect support when Derek was ready to put the lines up.

Nathan added a few additional staples at his level and never gave up or took a break (even the obviously

needed potty break) until the job was done.

I instructed the boys on the proper technique of clothes hanging and they were instant professionals.

As it came closer to the time to take the dry clothes down the boys were hoping for a rainstorm so that they could rush out in the rain to save the dry clothes "just like in the movies". That opportunity came 3 days later. I've never seen my boys so excited about doing laundry! Now if only I could find a way to make the folding and putting away part fun.

After a couple of days looking at our clothes line Derek decided it would be visually better if he cut the extra part off the top of each post. We wouldn't want anyone thinking that having a clothesline was a cross to bear.

Mexico: Homes of Hope

May 27-30, 2011

My brother James works for a company that sponsors the Youth With a Mission (YWAM)/Homes of Hope programs. His company paid for several employees and some of their family members to go to Mexico for 3 days to participate in a home build. Derek and I had the opportunity to go with the group to Ensenada Mexico. It was an opportunity that we will never forget.

Derek, me, my Mom, my brother James, my sister Kate, and my sister-in-law Audi.

We flew from SLC to San Diego, CA (where we met up with Audi) and then rode a bus across the border into Mexico. It was a very strange feeling to cross the border and immediately see the obvious differences. As we went up one side of a mountain we could see the border for miles - a tall concrete wall on the U.S. side, a wall made of almost anything of the Mexico side - and for a brief moment Derek and I felt a brief sense of insecurity being on the Mexico side. However, even with the travel warnings and worried family members that we left behind, we never felt that insecurity again. Prayer and good works go a long way.

YWAM bus ride and a quick view of the city

From there we went to the Youth With a Mission mission home in Ensenada to have an authentic Mexican dinner and to meet our building crew and the mission members. They are wonderful people with big hearts and a great sense of humor. Each day we met at the YWAM Center. We ate all of our meals at the center and were given instructions as to what would happen each day. For 2 days we would work from morning until night, only stopping for meals. The first day we painted walls, framed, wired the electrical (for future use only), added windows and the door, and put up the sheet-rock. The second day we added shingles, painted the inside, added all the trim, and completed the home with furniture, cleaning supplies, food and decor.

Each morning we began with prayer and got to work.

Derek was constantly busy, his building skills, height and ability to do electrical all came in handy.

When the walls were all painted and framed in and the roof pieces finished, we all worked together to raise the walls. That was really cool!

James, Kate, Derek and I all had the opportunity to lay shingles for the roof.

YWAM also provided a bunk bed with bedding, a dining set with table, chairs and dishes, a new propane stove (they were previously using a single propane burner in the trailer), curtains, and food items that the mother chose on a shopping trip into town while we put everything in the house.

Before and After

It was very humbling to imagine living in a 20x30 building with no bathroom, no running water, no electricity, no refrigerator, no washer or dryer, not even enough bed space for each person and yet the family was so excited and grateful to have everything we were offering them. When the home was finished we all stood in a circle and shared the moments that impressed, touched, or just meant something to us. After each person spoke, we passed the home keys around till they eventually ended up with the new homeowners. Afterward, they got to see their finished home for the first time. We then knocked on the door and they were able to invite us in.

Top: Our family with the Vasquez-Mejia family

Bottom: our building group

Maria, the 13 year old daughter in the family, and her friend Edmi kept glancing Derek's way and giggling throughout the 2 days. As we were cleaning up to leave Maria found the courage to speak to Derek and said one word "facebook". He nodded and they exchanged names so that they could friend each other on facebook. Then she got really brave and started acting out "take a picture". With my very limited Spanish I was able to interpret between the three of them and get a picture and say some thank you's and goodbye's. The girls were giddy!! By the following Tuesday (when the girls were back to school where they could be on a computer) Derek had friend requests from both of them.

James had been to Ensenada a few months before our trip so he took us to his favorite churro shop.

They were wonderful!

Our last view of the family as we drove down the mountain

Gymnast Justin

Justin has been doing gymnastics for four and a half years now. We couldn't have picked a better sport for this energetic, bouncing, flipping, standing-on-his-head kid. Spring always brings the recital and Justin's renewed goal to top last years number of whips in a row. It makes the rest of us dizzy.

Coach ValaRae and Justin

We ♥ Airbound

During the very first recital that Justin performed in he fell in love with the pyramid trick. At age seven he told me that someday he would be the one jumping over the top. This was his year.

The whip pass. We call it his froggy pass because he still needs to get those legs straight but how do you find fault in a kid who just keeps going and going.

"The Hole"

Some kids build tree houses. Some kids have forts. Some kids convert old out buildings into club houses. My kids dig holes. Serious holes. Justin and Derek started digging holes when we moved here. They each had their own and then connected them with a tunnel, which didn't last very long with sandy soil and rain storms.

This year Derek and Chris had the urge to dig again. So, they dug and dug and dug and hooked up a pulley and dug some more until they had a 9 foot deep hole in the ground. They installed a ladder and then built a roof over it because I was a little anxious about having a death trap in the back yard. Electricity was installed next, with guidance from LeRoy, as well as an old TV and DVD player that they picked up at DI, an old microwave from the work trailer, a light and a fan. They (Derek, Justin and Chris) have watched movies in "the hole" and even though it naturally stays pretty cool down there, that much boy creates a locker room kind of sweaty heat. In the "attic" they sit in hiding with their guns sticking out the holes in the walls waiting for the birds to land on the fence.

The roof is a little deceiving because the floor of the hole is actually quite a bit larger with room for them and all their stuff.

The sand pile is incredible, we have our own sand dune.

Their persistence is admirable.