June

We have had such a great summer (so far!).  Brandan and Colt finished up summer school three weeks into June and since then we have been soaking up the benefit of being a teacher's family.

Summer is usually the slow season for deer sightings in town (and by slow I mean, only a couple of sightings a week), but one morning two bucks in velvet wandered through the yard.

Sissy loves books.  Actually two books in particular.  We take it in turns to read them to her and even Colt is in on the rotation.

This was one of Sissy's funny faces while trying to eat fish for dinner.

We did three weeks of swimming lessons in Lyman in June.  All the boys took classes and did awesome.

Sport had a great teacher and he really thrived in the water.  I only saw him fake sleep (his nervous defense mechanism) in the water once.

Sport is the kid that looks like he's dead in the water.  He spent most of his time below the surface, but his teacher was super understanding.  In fact, she was pretty impressed, and a little annoyed, with his daring.  So much so that she passed him off for the next two levels.  Next summer, he can skip a whole level and start in a more advanced class!

Colt and his swim buddy, Brendan.

Colt swimming to the side.  Colt also did really well.  After spending the first day of lessons with a "bunch of babies" (his words), Colt was moved up to the next level and passed it off with flying colors.

Dash has always been a natural in the water.  He too was moved up after his first day in lessons and he really improved.  He can almost swim the whole length of the pool!

Dash on the last day of lessons.

With the boys in lessons, Sis was forced to read to herself.  This book couldn't hold her interest.

We kept promising ourselves that when Brand finished his Masters Program we would spend our summers doing summery things, like hiking and camping.  We have some incredible camping spots within 40 miles.  The scenery is gorgeous, and I love the quiet time camping gives our family, but I'm still learning to appreciate the view while looking for a suitable place to "use the facilities", aka a log.  The boys have no idea why this is a problem.

This creek (or river, if you're a native Wyoming-ite) ran along the road on the way to our camp site.

Setting up camp.  The boys really loved helping saw firewood.

I can't even describe how dirty Sissy can get in a couple of hours of outdoor time.

Poking sticks into the fire was probably the boys favorite activity.

At home, Sport is always bare-foot.  Why should that change when camping?

It doesn't look like much in the picture, but the hill behind the kids was pretty high with a cell tower on top.  Naturally, this was our hiking destination the next day.

Tinfoil dinners

The weekend we went camping was cold.  Like 38 degrees that night.  Sissy woke up early a little chilled so she and Brandan went out by the fire and enjoyed the sunrise.

The next morning we hiked up to the top of the hill and made it to our goal, the beckoning cell tower.  Dash found a black grasshopper along the way and triumphantly carried him to the top.

Brandan and the kids at the top.  Sis recovered from her early morning by napping in the backpack during the hike.

The boys and I.

Despite any setbacks, camping was a lot of fun and Brandan and the kids are die-hards now.  The week after this camping trip, I spent most days in the hills at Girls Camp.  One night I was gone, Brandan loaded up the kids and the camping gear and headed out again.  This time they camped closer to the creek and the boys spent the entire evening swimming in the freezing water and then they all went to bed with wet underwear.  They loved it!

Brandan has taken advantage of some of his extra time by improving his carving.  This piece sold on Ebay for nearly $50.

The day after Girls Camp, we headed to Idaho to see family.  Before we left, Brandan fixed the dvd player in the van and adjusted it to work with wireless headphones.  We never heard a peep from the kids unless they were loudly/badly singing the theme song to DuckTails. 

Da-da-da-dangers right behind you, there's a stranger out to find you...

The kids getting ready for a car trip.