Island Park

Last month we enjoyed another awesome trip to Shad's Lake house in Island Park.  This truly is one of our favorite places to be.  You can do as much or as little as you want.  You can't help but feel happy, relaxed, and thankful when you come here and enjoy the beauty and recreation of this place.

This year the cousins had already returned home to Oklahoma so we let Millie bring a friend along.  It was so fun to have Addison join us.  She has had a lot going on in her crazy life so it was good for her to get away with us too.  Of course Chops got to come too!  He has grown to be such a good dog :)

This was one of those vacations where we pretty much just chilled.  Grandma, Heidi, Kirk, the kids and I drove up on Monday.  For the next 3 days we didn't leave.  Just relaxed, played games, cooked, ate, made crafts, swam in the lake, hot tubbed, and recorded "cooking shows" {Millie and Addie}.
BS, Shad, and Grandpa came up Wednesday night with the boat.  For the next 3 days we went boating, rafting, went to the Play house in town {Home School Musical: The Gleek Club}, and a day trip to West Yellowstone.

We came home Sunday, the day before school started for Millie and Addie.  This trip was fabulous, and just what we needed before we started school and the big move.  It was the calm before the storm.

Big Deal

Several members of our family have had an exciting week...

Millie:
She did it!
She has wanted to for awhile but she has been too chicken.
Growing up, the rule in my family has been that you have to be 12 to get your ears pierced. As a young girl, I hated that rule. But when my sister and I had our 12th birthdays, my mom, aunt, and girl cousins made a visit to the jewelry store and got our ears pierced. Then we would celebrate all day with shopping and dining. It was a big day and a BIG DEAL. I can still remember most details from that day.
I choose not to have that same rule for my daughters, but I also know that I want it to be their own choice to have holes put in their ears. I'm really glad Millie waited until now because she has been a perfect gem at cleaning and taking good care of her ears. And she glows. She has worn her hair pulled back every day this week because she just knows that EVERYBODY will notice her new earrings! Love her. Here is a video clip of her big moment:

She was so brave! And being brave isn't Millie's forte. I was prepared for a full on scream. I think she fell to peer pressure with such a big audience. I can't tell you how happy she is with her new look :)
Here's her support crew. Grandma, Aunts, cousins, mom, sister. Quincy tried on this hat at Claire's while she was waiting.

Sambo:

Sambo started football for the Lone Peak Knights. They start 'em early here. BS and I wavered about if he was too young to start playing tackle football. But in the end, Sambo's determination and good behavior made us cave and give-in to his wanting to play. He has some buddies who played last year and he wanted to join them really bad.
He has been working hard with daily practices from 7-9 am. It's a BIG DEAL. They take football very serious. Lots of dads involved. This kid loves it. These pictures were taken at his first scrimmage game last night. Official season starts in 2 weeks. His coaches say he hits like a diesel. He's not tall, but he's tough! And, he's way cute.

Playing tight endLook at him - all tired, sweaty, and happy :)
Reminds me of BS. The kids don't know what a football stud their dad was back in the day.
A chip off the old block.

Quincy:

Quincess started pre-school Tuesday! She is going with her little buddy Hope who lives next door. We are thrilled that she is going to Newcastle, where Sambo went as a 3 year old.
Since the other kids don't start school until next week (pre-school in Draper, elementary in Highland), the whole family went to drop her off on her first day. I took some pictures in front, walked her inside to her classroom, and all of the sudden I was tearing up and had quiver lip going. I was crying! It totally caught me off-guard. How bittersweet it is to have my baby so big that she's going to school. It's a BIG DEAL! If it were up to me, I'd skip pre-school this year and keep her home all to myself. But, she is so ready and excited to be going to school!
On Monday, the older 3 kids got invited to do various activities with their friends so they were gone all day. Quincy was a lost soul. She struggled with not having them home and kept saying, "I want to play with a friend!" and "I want to go somewhere" and "Where is Millie" and "Sambo" and "Wilbur?" She even put her shoes on and jumped on her little 4 wheeler and told me she is going to Hudson's house.
So, she's ready. And she's so happy.


Pork Chop:
Chops got chopped.
Can you even believe this lick guard cone they put on him? It's like a satellite or parachute or something. As if getting neutered isn't bad enough. He has to wear this baby for 10 days. This picture does not do it justice, I have to take some video! He started running and a neighbor said, "I hope it doesn't get too windy!" Tonight our windows are open (thanks to cool breeze and 1.3 inches of rain in 15 min. today in Draper), and we heard banging from our back porch. I went out there and the banging sound was him trying to get into his dog house - his cone wouldn't fit through the opening! So so sad :( But funny.
Getting neutered was not such a big deal for us, but I'm sure it was for him.

So that's it. Our big week. What about Will you ask?
His biggest excitement this week was going to the dentist and finding out he has 3 cavities.

Pork Chop

Millie and I got out-numbered. We went out to do a little shopping and when we came home, the other 4 family members had named the pup. When the boys told us the name, we were like, "no way!" We didn't like the name they chose at all. But then Quincy walked in the room and started petting him and said, "Hi Chop!"

So it was too late. They trumped us. So our cute little puppy is named "Pork Chop", or "Chops" for short. His dad's name is "Chopper" so I guess it is a little bit appropriate. But, really?