A night away

Mom and Colin get the condo up at Powder Mountain a couple times a year for some R&R. Their plans for quiet time quickly go out the window after they invite all of us up for the weekend. My kids and I didn't even get there until Saturday evening, and yet my kids still caused them to question their kindness in inviting us. Ally had been waiting all day to go up to the "pondo", she really thought we were going to a pond, and she would be swimming with ducks. Don't even ask me where she gets these ideas. She was thrilled when we finally were able to head on up, after football. The kids needed to cool off and headed straight for the pool first thing. They had to hurry and get started to get all the stuff in that they wanted to do. Basketball, pool, swimming, hiking, the crane, the ski lift, staying up all night, driving their mother crazy, you know the basics of a night away with all their cousins. We had a fun time. It made me very excited for fall. After the heat wave we've been having, the cool mountain air felt SO wonderful, and it made me want that kind of weather down here. But it looks like we are still in for some heat....oigh drinking lots of ice cold water.

6th & 3rd

First day of school today for the boys. They came home and said they had an awesome day. They both love their teachers and are excited for this school year. Owen is looking forward to this being his last year of elementary. I hope this year goes really slow, because I am not ready to have a kid in junior high! Ally was a bit disappointed that she didn't go to school today too. Preschool doesn't start until the 6th of September, so she had to settle with going out on the driveway and waving to her boys as they rode away on the bus. She couldn't see Davis and spent the whole day with a broken heart, because she thought he didn't wave to her. I would tell her that he did, she just didn't see him, and she would be fine for a while, but would soon bring up the subject again. By the end of the day, the kids were exhausted. Here we are again to busy times. No more busy as in swimming, camping, hotels, playing with friends & eating popsicles, but busy as in homework, reading, scouts, & football practice. Just need to get in a new groove and we will be good!

Owen is 11....impossible

Thankyou to everyone for coming to Owens game today to help celebrate his birthday. He was excited when he saw the balloons and banner and everyone. He said it made him feel good. I don't know if he was more excited for his first game or his birthday. So combine them and he couldn't be happier!! After the games today he had a birthday party with a thousand of his friends. Ok, maybe it just seemed like it, but they had a great time. Happy Birthday Owen!!

Best time of the year!!

Today was the day Owen, Davis AND Clark wait for all year long. It is right up there with birthdays and Christmas and summer vacation. It is fOoTbAlL sEaSoN!! Both of the boys teams did awesome today in their first games of the season. Owens team won 39 to 0 and Davis's team won 33 to 0. Clark is pulling double duty and coaching both teams. The boys love it, and it is Clarks life calling. If he could make a living coaching little league football, he would. They are all rubbing off on me. I had a blast today, and the other night I was upstairs relaxing watching a football game on TV. Yes, me. I know hard to believe, but true!
This year Owen is #61 (for now anyway, he is wanting his old # back and they are working on it)



And Davis is #41. He doesn't care what # he is as long as he is playing football.



And Gator is keeping herself pretty busy as well. She loves football season, because it is just a social time for her. She walks around the park with her friends and they play their little games. She likes to cheer for her boys, but she is also still tumbling and loving it.

Coming to an end

Well, I told my kids this was it. The last day of swimming for summer 2011. We went to the Roy Aquatic Center today with some friends. School for them next week, no more swimming and playing with friends all day! They are pretty sad about school starting, but I tell them they have to start school, and get through the year to have another fun summer vacation.

He got the ok!

Owen finished up his appointments today. He is "normally abnormal", and can go back to full activity 100%. Yes, he has a heart block, but it is "normal" for the type that he has. It won't effect his sports, and should never progress to anything worse. We are so relieved. And he has been going to therapy for the vestibular neuritis (the inner ear problems). The dizziness is getting better and he has a perma grin on his face with the ok to play football. Boy I tell ya, these kids cause some major stress, but I sure love them!

Sad morning

This morning, I looked outside to check on Deena, she hasn't been doing too well the last couple of weeks, and sadly she had passed away. I called for Clark and started to cry, I didn't think I would, but I did. The kids were so upset, especially Ally. Just last August we lost our other dog Scout. We've had Deena since we got married, so she was almost 13 years old. I feel bad because I didn't have a whole lot of pictures of Deena, she was too busy running around usually. But I do like these ones, even though 2 are very old. They show Deena just out playing with the kids. And that was her most favorite thing to do. Play with the kids. She was a very social dog, and didn't like to be left out of any play. It's been so sad watching her get older because she just couldn't keep up like she used to. She was a fun family pet, even though I complained about her, we will all miss her.

A first for the Stewarts!!

This may be corny, but it is a milestone in our family (mostly for Clark). For the first time in our family history we went out to eat and we all ordered water. Yes, I know such a little silly thing, but that is BIG for Clark and the boys. They like their soda. Although during football season the boys don't drink soda. But they do get lemonade. Ok enough going on about our beverages, it was just a big day for us!!

Last minute fun

We took the boys to football practice tonight, and a friend handed us some Raptor tickets for tonights game. The whole week, I go to practice unprepared and have to take the kids out to dinner after, but the one night I was on the ball and had dinner already all done in the fridge we end up not being home for dinner anyway. That is what I get for being prepared. Oh well...it was fun. Ally got tired of it real quick, but I made a great jungle gym to entertain her all evening. Moms are the best! The boys were bummed because they didn't catch a ball this game. But as we were walking back to the car, there was a ball in an abandoned parking lot in the corner. Owen was so excited! I still don't know the difference between a game ball and the many we already have at home, but even Ally thought this one was SO cool. Owen is a sweet brother and stressed the whole night about getting a ball for his sister. They don't want to admit it, but the boys do take good care of her. I best be getting to bed, Davis has a scrimmage tomorrow in Hyrum. Football season is here!!

My kind of evening

Sometimes I just need a break. I enjoy watching my kids in all their activites, but sometimes it all just needs to stop for a few minutes. I went outside last night to sit in the shade, and slowly everyone joined me in the shade. The kids can't enjoy quiet too long, and soon a nerf gun war started. So much for my quiet, but I had a few minutes of that, I would rather watch my kids laugh and play.

Free is fun!

Owen had a free pass to the Discovery Gateway. We hopped on the frontrunner and spent yesterday in Salt Lake. It was very crowded, but the kids didn't seem to mind. They had fun going from one exhibit to the next. Ally didn't want to take turns with the boys. She just wanted to stay in the store or the house all day and not do what they wanted to do. They'd rather be upstairs building things and doing the "big kid" things. It was fun hanging out, but I do not think I will be going back, at least not at full price. Another free pass would get me there.

We got in one more

I had said before that we were done going on trips for the summer, but we were able to fit in just one more weekend camping trip. We went with some friends up by Hyrum to a place called Blacksmith Fork Canyon. It was really pretty, and we had a great weekend, except for running out of water (we need a much bigger tank) in the trailer. The boys were good sports though and bathed in the freezing cold river. And they needed it! My kids were dirty!! Dirt in the ears, up the nose, in the eyebrows... everywhere. We went on lots of fun rides (with a few run ins with cattle). The boys favorite was up to Old Ephraims grave. It was a grave of a 10 foot bear. They thought that would have been so cool to see him....me not so much. Anna(one of Jasons daughters) is 14, and an aspiring hair stylist. Ally and I were her models. Dirt, wind and helmets don't do much for cute hair styles though. One thing I love about camping though is watching my kids have a great time together. And even without a tv or computer or video games. There was almost NO fighting and they used their imaginations making up games and stories and things to do. And now that I am home after a long warm shower, in my bed, I can say that I can't wait to go again