July

July was a fun and crazy month for us! So this is a loooonnnggg post!

We loaded up all our stuff and headed across the country. It was a glorious 2 day drive and the kids did as well as could be expected. Kathy came along for the ride--which is right on track with her generous behavior.

We didn't head to our new house, though. We stopped off in Idaho Falls for our annual reunion! We had a wonderful time having adventures (including Yellowstone), but I think the kids mostly just enjoyed running around with their cousins.

This reunion included a family picture! Our darling Kennedy was the nightmare of the event. She just couldn't handle it. Which was odd because she LOVES to get her picture taken. You can't tell it in the final pictures (thank heaven for tender mercies!)

In the middle of this reunion Ron and I drove to Twin twice. Once with my dad to close on our house. Once followed by dad, Spence, Sharon, and Jess and joined by Kathy and Bob--to unload the truck. We are very grateful to mom and Kate for watching the kids (who had a fabulous time!) and to all those who helped with the truck!

5 days after officially getting to our new house, we drove down to Sandy for the Fyans Family Birthday party and back the next morning. The kids had a great time swimming and it is good for them to spend time with their extended cousins. Brooklynn kept saying "ALL these kids are my cousins??" I don't have any digital pictures of the event, but rest assure that it included a bunch of pale Blairs and a whole lot of junk food!

Ron and I had been busy unpacking and setting up accounts and all the fun stuff that moving and setting up a practice include. I decided that we were going to stop and relax and have a fun family day. We loaded up the kids and headed to Shoshone Falls and Dierke's Lake. The younger kids were impressed with the falls. Jaxson kept saying, "It is just water going over a hill." But it was hot. At the lake (which we didn't swim in) they all pointed out that the place smelled of fish. And it was hot. After an almost unbareable amount of complaining while we "enjoyed" the playground, we went to walk across the amazing Perrine Bridge and back. And it was hot. It took a while and the entire time the kids all said super fun things like, "Do we have to walk all the way across?" "Can't we just find an airconditioner?" "This is so dumb." etc. Good thing we ended with icecream. That was okay with everyone!

As a mom it is really rewarding to plan a fun adventure with your kids that they appreciate and enjoy :) I spent about 4 hours reminding them how much fun we were all having and asking them to complain to each other so that I wouldn't have to hear it.

The next day we stayed home and watched TV!

After another week at home we headed to Bear Lake with Kathy and Rob and Laura's family. We had a great time. My 3 youngest had never been to a lake or on a boat so it was really exciting for them. Thanks Rob and Laura for sharing your boat with us!! The kids played on the beach for 2 solid days...and despite all our best sunscreen efforts they had the sunburns to prove it.

In the midst of all this Brooklynn went and spent 3 days at my parents' house (thanks for the ride, Jess!) and Jaycie joined Caleb and Breanne at my parents' house for a solid week. Jaxson heads over for a week right before school starts!

We enjoyed a few days with Kathy and Bob directly followed by Lois and Val and Kate and Jess and the boys to attend the LDS Twin Falls Temple open house! The temple is such a beautiful building and anyone who gets an opportunity to tour one should definately take advantage.

Living near family is FABULOUS and we plan to take complete advantage of it and make up for the last 9 years. We are soooo grateful to have seen everyone so much in July...but wow! It has been busy!