Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Summing up Summer

(everyone’s allowed one of of these on their blog, right?)

I know you thought all we were doing was birthday-ing, traveling, losing our jobs and whining.  But you are wrong.  In between the birthdays, travels, job loss and whines, we did the following:

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Emma got to spend a week with Grandma Dorrie.  Despite quite a few bumps and bruises (that Grandma can play rough!), Emma had a great time.

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This was the Ryan Romney School of Swim.  Certain former-lifeguard/swimteachers are too cheap to pay for swim lessons, so every once in a while I threaten spending his hard earned money if he doesn’t teach the kids.  This was his answer.  What are these called?  Arm-ups?  Anyway…they did lots of them.

Emma and Gabe ended up taking lessons, but only because the local gym wouldn’t refund something else and would only transfer it to swim lessons.  They learned the 4 major strokes, in hopes of being good enough to start swim team this fall.

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These are pictures from our town’s annual Fun Run.  Everyone but Seth and Faith participated, as well as half of our ward.  Emma and Ryan (ahem, 4 miles in 27 minutes) took second place in their age division.  Oh, and me?  Oh, how nice of you to ask—I ran it in 34 minutes (8.5 minute hilly miles—not that I want to brag.  Or anything).

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These are pictures from my cousin Tyler’s visit.  I hope they prove to Aunt Stacy that we did do fun stuff with him…slave labor at the raspberry patch and finding junk in the local lake!

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Faith got ridiculously small pigtails forced onto her head.

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Also, I sat her down next to some pretty roses, to take her picture.  And she fell into the rose bush.  While I tried to pull her from the thorny depths, she thrashed around with her face and hands.  The results are the HORRIBLE scratches you see in this picture. 

Just wanted to include that awesome parenting move for posterity.

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We had lots of fun trips out to local lakes and rivers (Liberty, Hayden, Priest), with generous uncles providing lots of fun tube rides.  Too bad I don’t have the picture of me and two other 35+ matrons doing some of our amazing tube tricks.  While you would have loved the tricks, the thighs might have put you off.

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This is from one of trips to Riverfront park.  Our deal:  Ryan does the height rides (see above with Seth on the Ferris Wheel), and I gag my way through the spinning ones.  It’s a true testament to our deep love for our kids that we did this 4-5 times this summer.

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Our kids slept like this EVERY night.  They DO have their own beds, but why sleep all alone, when 4 kids in a twin is available?

 

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As a Finished-Mom’s-Tortuous-Summer-Learning-Schedule Reward, we took the family to the 3$ Movie Theatre and saw “Up”.  Since we are the last family in the world to see it, I don’t need to tell you how super super funny and entertaining it was, right?

 

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And this is how Seth chose to take a few bike rides this summer.  Last year’s Halloween costume, this year’s birthday cape from Grandma Nut.  He said to Ryan: “Dose people were  looking at me.”  Ryan replied: “Really?  Were they looking at you like ‘that guy is so cool’?”  Seth:  “No.  They were looking at me like they thought I was REAL.” 

It was, in lots of ways, a summer filled with fun and lessons learned.  Hopefully that’s how we all remember it.

29 comments:

Kiley said...

I LOVE their summer sleeping arrangement! Makes me look forward to summers to come.

Ilene said...

Loved the summary. Very entertaining and extra, extra darling with those pictures of Faith.

This makes me so bummed that I don't live next to you. Our summer was spent pretty much housebound. I need to be more brave like you.

Carie said...

This is one of my favorite kinds of posts.

Your mom is gorgeous and you look just like her. Lucky.

(I am jealous of your running time, as I train for another race. 8.5 miles would really be pushing it for me.)

My favorite pic is the kid's sleeping, we do that here too, all the kids in one room basically every night when there is not school.

Carie said...

Oh, you know what I mean: 8.5 minute miles.

Tristan said...

You guys were busy! It looks like a really fun summer! I was happy to see you a few times :)

Kristin said...

Between the pigtails and the super hero, I think you have the cutest family.

♥Shally said...

1. Love Faith's pony tails!!

2. I still have to do a summer catch up post.

3. I have never seen Up. :(

4. Still so amazed at how much Ryan and Zach are alike.

diane said...

Those pig tails are cracking me up.

jessica said...

The teeny tiny pig tail are so freaking RIDICULOUS! And do I really need to say anything about that picture of Seth...

Cami said...

Does it get real-er than Seth?

I love that the kids all pile into one bed like that. So cute and brother/sisterly.
Personal space was much more predominant in the home I grew up in.

Laurie said...

We haven't seen UP yet.

the wrath of khandrea said...

jessica, i LOVE reading you. you make me laugh. thanks.

Anonymous said...

sounds like my summer plus 2 more kids. I seriously did about 5 posts in 2 days, just trying to catch up!
I love how your kids sleep. that is priceless.
lately, brooklyn has been tucking herself into the floor rug in her bedroom. so funny.

Erin said...

Excellent post. Most excellent comment from Seth about his bike-riding-paraphanelia. Probably the cutest thing ever said.

Christie said...

Ah, teeny-tiny ponytails. That takes me back. Also, love the super hero biker. He IS real.

AMY said...

Looking back, aren't you glad summer was busy although a little bit crazy? Lots of memories.

Lauren in GA said...

Jessica, your humor is awesome. I love how you write and I love that you include even the painful moments...literally...those scratches look painful.

Those pigtails are to die for. I love them.

As they say around here, "Great Day in the Mornin'!" (Not exactly sure what that means but it is good, I know that) So, back to what I was saying, "Great day in the mornin'...Emma and Ryan ran it in in 27 minutes and you in 34 minutes...you are all so, so awesome!

Nancy said...

I love the pig tails and the super hero. And I haven't seen up yet either. Hopefully soon. last time I tried it was sold out at the dollar theatre.

J'net said...

Can't seem to comment... keep coming up w/ the WRONG password after all this time??

J'net said...

WAIT... it worked!?!?!
Cute summer! LOOOVE the teaching swim lessons...
Swim team is a great commitment for a growing family! Happy fall!!

Stacy said...

That Seth is a crack-up - I love him! Summing up summers somehow makes them seem a lot more fun and eventful...thank goodness for that. Congrats on your super fast run, hills and all. That's awesome.

Erika said...

And you wanted all this to end and school to start? Seriously, did you even have to wash sheets this summer with those sleeping arrangements?

krista said...

How fun! Ryan- I don't blame you on the swim lesson thing. I have a hard time paying for lessons of any kind for my kids. Love Seth and his costume. Zach rode his bike and drove his tractor in a transformer costume. He got lots of laughs, smiles, and waves too! Kids are so much fun!

Jenibelle said...

So cute. so cute.
Love the scratches because that's real life. And how cool for you to have a real super hero living with you! Does he realize all the responsibility that goes with superherodom?

Jake said...

And aren't you just glad it's over?

Anonymous said...

So the last handful of pictures of Ryan on here have been interesting to say the least. In one he is shirtless in the pool. Another one he was kind enough to go sleeveless so that we didn't miss the "Gunshow", and yet another picture he has his shirt off at a lake! I don't think I've seen this much of Ryan since we lived in the same house as kids. Is it just me or does Ryan have a hard time staying fully clothed???

Yours Truly
Grant

P.S. I'm adding some spicy pictures of me REAL soon to Zaundra's blog!!!!

Brigitta said...

Faith and Ethan should be buddies. She is stinkin cute. So funny about your little super hero. Aren't little boys the best. And you are a busy girl. My kids also love to all sleep in the same room. It's some how magical and better then sleeping in their own rooms.

Margaret said...

I need to do one of these. I'm always behind with summer. So behind that I need to include the last three summers. LOL

Jill said...

Oh.my.gosh. Those pigtails are to die for!!!