Summer is over...

I always can tell when summer is coming to a close.  I find my children in random places fast asleep.  This year I found Ruby on the mud room bench asleep.  It screams, "Big brothers and big sister, please go back to school so that I can go to bed at a decent time, and not have to entertain you ALL day long."

I am kind of a corny, mushy, gooey mom.  I have to admit that.  I am rarely ready to send my kids to school.  I know that I am not equipped to educate them on ALL that they need to know, so I let them go to school.  BUT if it were up to me, I would keep them home with me forever!  I am seeing how my time with them is slipping away so quickly.  I can't stand it!

Ruth, Hank, Jack, Ruby, and Rose,  thanks for another amazingly exhausting summer!  (Those are the BEST kind)

Tea Time

My dear friend invited us to tea at the Grand America.  It was so fun!  We dressed up, and headed down there.  They had an array of non-caffinated teas and hot chocolates.  Then they bring you our sandwiches and treat galore.  It was such a fun Girly thing to do with my girls.

Mia, Chaylor, Ruth, and Ruby

Miss Ruby.  They were so excited.  They seat you at a table with couches and love seats as your chairs.  So fun!

The girls!

Bear Lake 2012

We have a great tradition in the Reese family of going to Bear Lake.  We have done it almost EVERY summer of my life!  I love it, I look forward to it, I need it.  It is always a welcomed time to be with my little family and my big family with no interruptions.  Bear Lake is quiet, far away, and BEAUTIFUL.  I always want to give a shout out to my parents who take us every year!  LOVE it.

I didn't take enough pictures this year, but I want to just bullet the highlights!
*Ranger launching into a refine. (not a highlight, but needs to be mentioned)
*New Cabin, much cleaner, and bigger!
*Days on end at the beach
*Volleyball with the Martineau's!  (What does a Martin-know?)
*Boating...This year the kids loved the tube, and the skiing.
*Zach and Dane in a little quarrel.
*Bloomington Lake!
*La Beau's
*Did I mention La Beau's?
*Food
*Family

Movie time

Rose on the tube

Captain Hank

Rose and mommy

My 5 Beautiful kids

Ruth at rope swing at Bloomington

Some crazy old women trying to do a toe touch off a rope swing...

Ruby wouldn't let go

George

Hank

My Man!

Jack

Ruth

Ash

Ruby Skiing!

Climbing the coconut trees for a snow cone!

Ruth skiing

AWESOME!

August is FULL

August is a busy month for us.  We have 2 birthday's, an anniversary, and an annual trip to Bear Lake.

Hank's birthday:

This little man is celebrating his 8th birthday this month!  I can't believe it.  He is so much fun.  Some of the things that he loves right now are:
**Football,  anything football
**He loves his little sister Rose
**Hanging out with Colin (Little Colin)
**Subway sandwiches
**WII
**Backyard soccer

**Legos

**And is MOM of coarse:)

Ruth's Birthday:
This sweet girl is growing up way TOO fast for my liking.  She is 10 this year, sometimes I think 10 going on 20!  It'll be here before I know it.
She is such a BIG help to me, I couldn't be a mom of 5 kids if it weren't for Ruth!  I owe her!
Here are some of the things she loves:
**CRAFTS!  Any and EVERY
**Her little sisters Rose, and Ruby
**Babysitting
**American Girls Dolls
**Hair, Nails, and Makeup
**Hanging with Mom
**Ellie
**SOCCER!  She is a lot of fun to watch play soccer
**School

We did the ANNUAl birthday party this year and it was a BLAST as usual.  This year we had a blow up slide, bounce house, dunk tank, and a Snow cone mobil that came with a dancing penguin!  It was so great.  These kids are good kids, and they have AWESOME friends!  

Ruth insisted on an "R" for her hair

Presents with the traditional Gold fish in the middle.  Every year we get gold fish and set them free in the pool at the end of the party.  The kids have a ball catching them and taking them home as pets!  It has become a great tradition.  This year Hank, and Colin(DAD) ate one on a dare!  DISGUSTING!

The cakes

The slide

The girls

Some of the great adults in my kids lives.  These guys are one of my reasons for living!

The Snow Cone Shack on Wheels

The truck even had a sign that said Happy Birthday!

Rose went for a little skinny dipping.

The dancing penguin

Friends, and Unlimited snow cones!  It doesn't get better than this.

Rose

Johnson and Johnson should pay me for this photo!  She is YUM!

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

For years, Colin and I went to Jackson Hole with his family.  Once we got too many grandkids the Jackson trip stopped.  For the past few summers we have put it on our family trip plan.  Every year we take it off because we feel we are too crazy!  This year Colin was determined to go.  He left last Friday morning early, and came home last saturday night.  It was a whirlwind of a trip, but the kids LOVED every minute of it!

They went to the Bar J Wranglers

YUM!

Rode the tram to the top of Tetons

They went on a trail horseback riding!

They also went whitewater rafting, but I don't have those pictures yet!

They had so much fun.  What a BEAUTIFUL place.