Visiting the Fanks

What a beautiful place!

I think I love the summer so much because these last few years, I have actually tried to enjoy the mountains and they are beautiful.

Sky and her fam go up to this same place every summer and they love it so we thought we would go visit them one night.

Ella pushing Blake in the hammock.

Crossing the bridge to the "fairy tale area" the girls have made.

Austin

Zak pushing Jax in the hammock - a little high wouldn't you say?

Isn't that river gorgeous?  I just love these little beautiful areas.

Love this bunch of people so much!

S'more time!

*Rio and Halle*

Cute boys - love them and their friendship together.

Love this little family so much!

What a cute boy isn't he?  He is adorable and so much fun.

Time to float some homemade boats!

Logan was more than happy to get in the water.

These pictures make me so happy - I think that is one of my favorite things - seeing my kids happy with their cousins and family - I just love it!

Not happy about leaving :(

I love Rio, she is so sweet and loves her family so much.

Sky and I

I'm so grateful for her example and am grateful she's my sister!

20 years? Wow! HS reunion, here we come!

Has it really been 20 years?  20 years?  Can I even say something happened 20 years ago?  That is honestly just crazy to think but yes, it happened.  Our 20 year high school reunion.   Since Spence was the Class Pres. he got to plan it along with his two great helpers, Mitzi and Nicole.  It was great and I think everyone had a great time.

Friday night we had a dinner with spouses at Noah's and it was great.  There was a photo booth, music, dancing and mingling with everyone.  It was really fun and I was glad to see those that came.

Saturday, they had planned a Splash Pad day for families to bring their kiddos and that was really fun too.

Of course, our kids and Colin and Ranie's were ready to play together.  They are really so cute when they get together which isn't as often as it should be.  I just love their boys and love seeing our kids together.

*Logan, McKay, Austin, Jax and Evan*

I absolutely LOVE this pic.

It's Spence, Colin and Chris with their boys - so, so cute!

And this will be another favorite of mine forever!

*Colin, Ranie, Kim, Jesse, me, Spence, Meghan and Chris*

I so wish I saw these couples more - they are great friends.

*Meliss and I*

She's a beauty but even more, she's the best friend in the world!

Spence and I had a great time although we rarely saw each other that night.  He is the greatest and did a great job planning and it was a fun night.  Couldn't ask for a better spouse and friend.

Mitzi, Meliss and I

Oh man...these ladies - words couldn't express how grateful I am for them - we missed catching Emily in the picture with us but she is included in this.

 So...naturally, we had to take another one with her.
 I wouldn't have made it through high school without these 4 other women.  They are incredible people and strong in the gospel and the best examples I could have asked for.

Forever friends with them!

Austin's 1st lost tooth - he is the first! & our mischievous Blake

Oh man, we have entered into a new phase of life:  The Tooth Fairy and losing teeth.

I'm excited for all these kids but it has been kind of hard to watch as well and it's making me realize that milestones in these 3's lives are going to occur at different times and be hard for them to watch each other achieve things and them not to and all that type of thing.

There are the greatest joys of having multiples but watching them be sad because of expectations that "should" occur and then not is kind of heart breaking to watch.  But..we will do the best we can to help them navigate through these types of changes.

Austin had been saying that his tooth hurt for awhile now and then finally I felt it and wiggled it and sure enough!  It was loose!

He was so excited and it was fun to watch over the next day or so how things played out.

First, it was loose and then honestly within 4 hours, it was out!

Super wiggly and bending...

I told him to push and pull on it and few times and guess who pulled it out?

HE DID!

He pushed it back once and out it came - easy peasy!

He was so excited and I couldn't believe how easy it was.  It was cute to see his face after it came out and he was so surprised!  It must have been wiggly forever because it came out so super fast and simple.  Whew!  First one down but like I said earlier, it was sad to watch Rio and Jax be disappointed and sad that no tooth fairy would be visiting them.

However...our tooth fairy is pretty awesome and brings all the kids a treat and gives the tooth loser and special gold dollar too!

I had to add these pics in because I thought they kids looked so cute!

It was July 11th so on 7-11, 7-11 offers free Slurpee's so of course, we went!  Yum-Yum!

Happy kiddos right there!

Okay, onto our little mischievous kid.

Does this look familiar?

Let me scan back about 5 years ago...

Aren't they SO DANG CUTE!?!

I cannot say how much I adore those pictures and am so grateful for a daddy who instead of getting mad and cleaning them up right away paused to take those adorable pictures.

And yes, can you believe that our Logan is the only child who did not get into Desitin?  Yah, think about that for a minute :)

Little Blake - so cute and looking so innocent but he has become quite the little curious, mischievous soul!  Naughty but adorable!

And here that little cutie is again.  This happens at least 3 times a day.  Yes, I know I could put Lennox's food up so he couldn't do it but how sad for Lennox - I can't do that for very long but the second I put it on the ground...

this happens!  And look at his face.  He is totally covered in water and wet dog food and happy as could be!

Love him so much!

Silver Lake Hike with great friends

Silver Lake Hike once again and I LOVE this one and can go over and over.

It is simple and absolutely beautiful!

However, this time, we went beyond Silver Lake and hiked to Lake Solitude too.

First pit stop and man, the kids all loved them to climb on.

Aren't those wildflowers gorgeous?

I love this hike because the flowers are always beautiful!

Roxy and I went together and we each invited a friend to come along.  I invited my friend Kristy and her 3 kiddos and Rox had a friend from high school come with her two kids.

This is my cute friend Kristy that had honestly had her baby about 3 weeks before this and went on this long hike with her 4 and 2 year old as well - love her!  She's awesome and so, so sweet.

Ahh..my little 4 - love them so much!  Blake was in my pack with me.

Totem pole kids!

Freedom!

 He was so happy to be out of that pack and ready to crawl!

Love these kids - always amazed to see their abilities!

I don't have a favorite pic - I think these 3 are all so cute!

So proud of my kiddos and love being with them in these beautiful places each summer.