Fishing

One of our favorite things we did this year at Grandpa's and Grandma's was go fishing. Grandma has a friend who has a pond on her property. They were out of town so they told us to go fishing. It has been such a long time since I have been fishing and I forgot how much fun it can be (especially if you actually catch fish). Mark was in heaven and so were the kids. Mark, Gavin, and Madison caught plenty of fish. I on the other hand caught one small one but I still had fun. They also had a paddle boat that my mom and I took the kids on. There was also a dock with diving board that the kids jumped off. The water was so nasty and Mark and I still can't believe we let the kids jump in it. But when we thought about it we probably got into some nasty water when we were young too.

Riding horses

One of our favorite things to do when we visit Grandpa and Grandma is riding the horses. This year Madison learned to ride by herself. She did reallly well and even tried galloping on the horse. She could have ridden all day if we let her. This was also a big year for Dylan and Camryn because no tears were shed when we put them on the horses. Mark and I decided if we ever have a pet, a horse would be our first choice. We all love riding the horses!

Gavin's Birthday

Gavin turned nine on July 2 and got to celebrate twice this year . We had a joint party with his cousin Elijah and then he celebrated again with the Binks family. He chose to go bowling on his birthday which was a lot of fun. Grandpa didn't even win this time which is always our goal since he plays once a week in a league. After that we ate the lego cake I attempted to make. It was a lot of fun and I can't believe I have a nine year old. But I can't complain too much because he is such a good kid and brings so much happiness to our family!

Baseball

Gavin played baseball this summer and loved it! He got to catch quite a bit this season but he definitely prefers to play first base or outfield. We really enjoyed watching him play except when it was over 100 degrees outside. I don't know how he could enjoy playing in the heat like that but he did. He must really love the game.

Lightning Bugs

One of Madison's favorite activities was catching lightning bugs. She would also collect bags full of cicada shells which was quite disgusting. But today we went for a walk before general conference and she was so jumpy about the bugs and would scream at the top of her lungs because she thought there was a bug on her back. She is such a funny girl.

Splash Park

I guess it's time once again to update our blog. We had a great summer and spent a lot of time at the splash park and the pool. It was one of the few activities that kept everyone happy and entertained.

Graduation

The day finally arrived for Mark to graduate with his MBA. He has worked so hard and we are so proud of him. Mark started his day at 3:45 am to go to work, then he went straight to the library to study, came home to eat dinner with us, then went to class and didn't get home until 10 or 11 at night. Oh did I mention he is the Elders Quorum President and also a father to four kids who also like to spend time with him. So he was just a little busy. We have been so excited for this day and it was such a wonderful ceremony to celebrate all of his accomplishments. They a had a hooding ceremony for the graduate students from the school of business. It was such a fun day and we sure love the graduate! Now the fun continues as we search for jobs. But at least we have school behind us!