Uncle Philip and Aunt Erin, or Big Edna as she has the kids affectionately call her, are here for Aunt Kim's wedding and we have been busy. Yesterday we went swimming at Memorial while Michael was in swim lessons. (He is getting so muscular with all the marching and swimming!) Then we had a picnic of Little Caesars pizza before going to pick blueberries. The kids imagined they were Indians. Our family alone picked eight pounds. We've been eating them all day and even had buttermilk blueberry pancakes for dinner.

Today we went to the sprinkler park. Eliza saw a seagull and grabbed my hand. As we followed it she kept saying "bird." She was excited to see it closer but careful not to scare it away.

I've been giving the kids each a night to plan and help prepare dinner. They have fun looking through the cookbooks and making their lists. I hope this is something we can make a habit of. Merian chose to make a whole chicken, something I have never done before. I always just get the boneless skinless chicken tenders from Costco. I feel they are healthy, a reasonable price and I don't have to mess with all the junk the icky that comes with a whole bird. So the kids were pretty impressed when Merian and I got it out of the package and into the crock pot. Derek took it all in. He and Emma were a little bit grossed out, I think. Merian was very excited and happy. When we got to dinner she said, "we're eating a real live chicken." Derek, who usually loves chicken refused. "I'm not going to eat a dead bird," he said with disbelief each time we asked if he wanted some. He served himself some mashed potatoes and then asked for the "sauce" (gravy).

Megan has been babysitting a lot lately and Michael even got to take a job that she was called for because she was at another job. With all their activities and things, it's kind of ironic. Just as soon as I got babysitters, they're gone all the time! I'm excited for them. It's fun to see them become more independent and watch their abilities increase.

With Megan and Michael gone all the time Emma has stepped up to be a wonderful helper. She makes my life easier and more fun! I keep telling her she makes me heart smile while I watch her do all the nice, mature, service that she does.

Emma and Merian are done with tennis and, along with Megan, will start swimming lessons next week. We went to Memorial pool as a family last night to let Merian try out the pool since she was a bit nervous. She was brave, learned that she can touch the bottom with her tippy toes and it now excited to go again! Derek kept wanting to go down the slide. I'll have to get him into swimming lessons starting next session.

Michael is going to march in the Fourth of July parade tomorrow. I think he is enjoying himself. I'll have to see about getting him private lessons for next year.

I love eating lunch at the park each day. Because I'm not busy fixing lunch or cleaning up afterwards, I get to talk with the kids and really listen to them. It is so much fun!

I love, love, LOVE summer! The greatest thing about being a mom is staying home with the kids in the summer time. I get to go to the pool, the park, the library, out to Sonics, the free movies, to play in the sun, to occasionally relax in the warm afternoons by reading, taking a nap or watching a movie with the kids. I'm looking forward to our camping trips and any other day trips or adventures we decide to take. I am so lucky! It's like being a kid again!

On Thursday we went to the wading pool while Michael was in swim team. I was surprised by how brave Eliza was. The water does not bother her at all. She could fall or have a wave go over her head and she's just up and laughing. She wanted to crawl around like Emma and Merian and wanted to be in the middle like them, even though it is deeper there. When Emma tried to lead her closer to the side she gave her trademark, "no!" She doesn't really shout it but she is sure of herself. Later that day while we were eating lunch at the park she was excited to finish so she could throw her garbage away. She had so much fun she threw everyone else's away too!

Megan got back from girls camp today. The leaders all told me how cute and happy she is. She's just everyone's favorite!

Michael is enjoying summer band and swim team. I'm so proud of all his hard work!

Derek has been telling knock, knock jokes all day. He is so funny!

Emma and Merian recently got a queen bed from Grandma Lewis. It worked out great because they were sharing a twin bed anyway. Now they are even off the ground! To celebrate they have been doing an extra good job of keeping there room clean. They're awesome!

Did I get everybody? Here is a sample of our daily summer schedule so we can remember it years from now.

5:00 I get up, go running, clean the house
6:30 Nate leaves for work so he can get home early and be with us!
Wake up Meg and Mike
7:00 Meg and Mike leave for summer band
7:15 Wake up Emma and Merian
7:45 Leave for tennis
Derek and Eliza ride scooters and play with Asher during tennis
9:15 Get home, tidy rooms, practice piano, laundry (the kids are starting to do their own, I hope this helps with the piles that sometimes/often accumulate inside/outside the laundry room), school work, Grandma Lewis comes over to work with Merian
10:00 Snack
10:30 Leave to pick up Meg and Mike
Swim team/play at Memorial park or in the wadding pool
11:45 Kids eat lunch at the park
12:30 Reading time/nap time
Quiet time/chore/project
3:00 Snack
Start dinner, the kids are going to take turns helping me
5:00 Dinner

We are planning on making each night of the week for something. Monday is FHE, the rest of the nights can be designated for yard work, swimming, family bike rides, and other fun things.

I didn't include going to Sonics for Happy Hour (this usually co insides with mowing the lawn), the bookmobile and park, mowing the lawn, the water park, and other fun thing we are doing.

Like I said in the beginning, I love summer! I hope I love home school just as much!

Megan left for girls' camp early yesterday morning. She was excited and happy to go. It's like the first day of kindergarten. I was kind of sad to let her go. It's just one of those things that force me to realize that she'll not be here forever and that the rest of the kids will too quickly follow. On Sunday she graduated from primary. The bishop called her to the front during sacrament meeting and she recited the third article of faith. She also sang with the Young Women.

Meg and Mike are both in summer band and Michael is in swim team. He is going to be gaining some muscles with all the exercise they have him doing!

Yesterday Eliza wanted something that Derek had. She was whining so I reminded her that if she asked nicely Derek might share. Derek followed our usual ritual: "Lizie, say, Derek...(she copies along, usually it is "may I please...) is...awesome." He shared with her. That kids is amazing with a scooter. We have to get him one of his own.

Gotta go wake up the girls for tennis!

In the nursery, we are not allowed to have very many toys. This Sunday Derek decided he would take matters into his own hands when it came to his boredom. He wanted to bring his blanket to church. I thought that maybe the overcast skies made him think it was cold outside. During sacrament meeting he put the blanket on the floor and sat on it. He wanted Asher to come and sit on it too, but made him get back up on the bench. He seemed so happy to have been able to bring his blanket. When we got to nursery, he arranged chairs in a circle and then put his blanket over the top to make a fort. He and Asher played in it mostly, but other kids did too. He was so good and didn't really get mad when Ella kept trying to stand on the top. He shared it with the other boys and when it was time to put it away so we could use the chairs for snack he didn't mind. I love that guy!!!

He has gotten so easy to reason with which makes life a whole lot easier. He is always thinking. He has interesting ideas. Yesterday he put two of the little bush plants on the back of his tricycle and drove around in circles. He takes really care of "Lizzie" and I love that he gave her that nick-name, it's the name she prefers.

Eliza is now sharing a room with the girls. She has been in there for three nights and slept all the night in there for the past two. When she woke up yesterday morning she pointed out the butterflies on the walls. Maybe being in a big girls room will help her like this change.

Yesterday Megan turned 12! Today she gets to go to mutual and next week she will be leaving for girls' camp. We had Aubree and Marinda over for pizza and then went to see Up in 3D. (Aubree had to leave after dinner because she had a softball game.)

Michael and Nate went to Cub camp yesterday. Both Michael and Megan are growing up!

Emma and Merian are in tennis right now. They seem to be having fun.

Emma is becoming so wonderful. It's amazing to me to watch the princess she is becoming. She is helpful and kind. She always does her best. She is so fun to have around!

My Mountain

Have I written about how Derek loves mountains? Just about as much as "train tracks." When we are out he points them out and one day while we were driving home from taking the kids to school he asked if we could see his mountain. We ran errands later on so he could get a good look. One day while I was making his peanut butter and jelly sandwich the bread was really squished. I asked it was okay if he had a triangle sandwich instead of a dinosaur sandwich and he explained to me that it wasn't a triangle sandwich, it was a mountain sandwich. I can't wait to climb Badger Mountain with him or show him Mt. Rainier.

He is so amazing. It is so easy to reason with him now and that makes life so much easier. He is a smart guy and loves to be involved. When Nate was adding a filter to our sprinkler system he showed my a neat nozzle he was planning to add also. When it was time to put it on he found it already attached to the garden hose. Derek knew exactly where it went. He is so snugly and I love him!

Eliza is talking a lot. When she gets excited she jumps up and down and giggles! She gets really excited to eat sometimes. Her and Derek are best friends and I love to see them hug each other in the morning. Derek takes good care of her. How lucky she is!

I can't believe Marian is almost done with kindergarten! She has had a great time and made many friends. I don't think she minds that she will still be going to school while everyone else is home schooled. She seems more grown up every day. On Sunday we had a piano recital and she did so well. She was the first one to play but she was so cute and confident. I wish I would have recorded it so I would have her introducing herself and her songs.

Emma had a birthday cooking party. The girls got aprons for their favors that they wore throughout the party. They looked so cute! They played games and made pizza and lemonade. I'm glad we were finally able to have Emma's party.

Michael is such an amazing helper. He is so willing to lend a hand, often without being asked. He is responsible and will practice the piano and do his homework without being told. (The other day when he was practicing I even heard him say, "this is fun!" YES!!!) He really enjoys baseball and does really well during the games. He also is pretty good at marbles. I'm planning on getting him a hacky sack and yo yo. That will give him something to work on during the summer. Derek idolizes him. Most nights Michael puts him to sleep and Michael single handedly potty trained Derek and did a much better job then I ever did. Derek is almost perfect at it and it didn't take any time at all! We didn't even go through a whole package of pull-ups. It's amazing! I love my boys. They are so sweet; they will make the perfect husbands and fathers someday, just like there dad.

I am proud of Megan and all she had accomplished in her first year of middle school. She will be getting another 4.0 and her schedule was packed with high cap classes. She even opted to take algebra instead of a fun elective, even when she knew is would entail a lot of homework and that in the past math hadn't always been her strongest subject. I am proud of her for taking the challenge and doing the work that was needed to succeed. This year she also had a leading role in the school play and received a perfect score at Solo and Ensemble contest for her solo. In a week she'll be going to mutual and then girls' camp. How did that happen?

Yeah, maybe I'm bragging, but when my kids read this I want them to remember what they did and that their mom is proud of them.

Derek is an amazing worker. When he saw Nathan tinkering on the bug he asked if he was fixing his bug. (I love his voice!) To be helpful he grabbed "daddy's new blue vacuum cleaner" (the sandblaster) and wheeled it out to him. Nate then left to mow the lawn but Derek grabbed his toolbox. He must keep it right next to Nate's. I heard banging near the bug and when I went to check it out I wasn't surprised to see him "fixing" it with his tools.

But he didn't stop there. When Nathan was done mowing, Derek grabbed the big broom and swept the sidewalk and the drive way. He is so awesome. I think he's our hardest worker!