My, how time FLIES, when you are having FUN!!!

Well, besides our big family trip back East, we did have a few other fun events going on this summer. We had Mike's graduation, a work party at Bear Lake June 26th, Edi went to go to camp with the Girl Scout group for 2 nights--talk about a huge step for mom to accept. We also went to at least 3 concerts to see Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband (that is a new summer tradition we started 3 years ago, if you haven't seen them perform, you are missing out, but you can check out their website and listen to a few of their songs at http://www.shupe.net
Dream Big and Superman are just a couple of my favorites.
We did the usual parades and fireworks and even got to go to see the Osmond's sing with the Tabernacle Choir, and Mike's niece Loren even got married. But the biggest highlight for me was August 7th, when I officially became a full-time mom again. There are days that we stuggle, mostly financially, or that I feel trapped at home doomed to repeat grade school homework, but I am so grateful that I am able to stay home with my kids and take care of them. I am getting used to it and enjoying each moment.
My kids keep growing up. Edi is 9 going on 25, I call her my mini-me, she wants to be like me and minds me almost perfectly, which is so nice, but she has learned to be stressed like her mom, so mom is going to work hard at learning to have fun, relaxing and enjoying life so we can all stay young at heart. Edi has been taking piano lessons for almost 3 years now. She really enjoys it and is doing good. She loves to read and writes her own stories all the time, she takes good care of her brother and that really helps me out.
Abi is 7 but act like she is 30 and the boss. She has a style all her own and beats to her own drum. She doesn't do anything she doesn't want, which has really been a struggle for almost everyone and ready to fight even Grandma B . I keep praying to be patient with her, but I seem so far from it. So, no worries about the end of the world, I am not ready to be translated. Abi is doing good in school, loves being a girl scout, especially selling cookies. She has really picked up on the reading and can answer math problems just a little faster then Edi. Abi is the typical second child when it comes to learning. She wants to be right where Edi is, so that will be good for her and good to help push Edi, if she ever slacks. Both girls were upset they couldn't play on soccer teams this year. They really enjoyed that last year and were looking forward to it again. I will have to be better next year, but with a busy summer, you can probably understand why I would even dare forget such an important item.
JJ really completes our family. He has this whole family wrapped around his finger. Amazing as it seems, Abi gets along with JJ--probably better than anyone in the family, when she wants to. He is at that age where you just can't tell him no since he is so cute when he asks with his big please & adorable smile. He really misses his sisters while they are at school, but seems to find something to fill the void. He starts by looking for friends to play with, toys, but if all else fails, he could survive with Spongebob Squarepants.
I am a little prejudice, but I think I have the best family in the world, hands down!!!