Summer is going Swell!

Warning: this got a little out of control with an overload of summer catch up. I'm just too lazy to split it all into different posts.
you have been warned...


So far our summer has FLOWN by! We just got back from spending 2 weeks in Utah....

So. Much. Fun.

I don't even know what to do now that we are all by our lonesome selves. Taryn has become a total fish in the pool this year. I had her in swimming lessons the 2 weeks before we left and then we pretty much swam everyday in my aunt's pool while staying at her house.

there are like no pools in Reno.... or as my mom would say, "right by lake Tahoe in Sparks, Nevada." For some reason saying we live in Reno scares her.

renorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenorenoreno

So I signed Taryn up for the next course of swim lessons! It's at this really fun resort just 3 minutes from our house.... basically after lessons we lounge around and enjoy the afternoon at the resort without actually paying a fortune for a membership :)
Might be a little sneaky, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

Taryn the fish and Tenley being entertained with food, as usual.

Spending the 4th on our home turf was super fab. We spent the morning watching the very homemade evergreen avenue parade. Nothing compares really. It was a bonus to see a lot of old neighborhood friends. -and I met our "replacement family." How crazy is it that the family that moved into our old place is a lot like us... tall dad, blonde mom, two kids (4 year old and a baby) but both boys. It was kind of creepy how many times I ran into this family. I felt stalkerish, and wanted to yell, "HEY YOU FAMILY... YOU ARE LIVING MY LIFE!"

Sunday before the 4th... I took a bajillion pictures of them in these dresses
L~O~V~E!






waiting for the parade to start


yelling for "candy over here!"


Taryn's favorite part.



Tenley's favorite part


My favorite part - seeing my cute primary kids! I miss them!!

Later that evening we had a BBQ with the Wilson's (totally forgot to take pictures there!) then saw some festive fireworks at the Holiday Elementary. (again... a must do) My kids were in heaven getting all the attention and being around grandma's... aunts... uncles... and cousins.

Taryn with the lovebirds



Still lovebirds.... Had our very first kiss 9 years ago on this very night!
I'm telling ya fireworks were boomin!
cheese cheese... more cheese


totally normal



My kids love a good dance party


I seriously love this Harajuku girl pose!

After all the 4th of July hoopla ended, we did a ton of hanging out in my Aunt Becky's pool. My mom is having her kitchen completely remodeled and adding on another living room area so her house was somewhat out of service. Lucky for us my Aunt Becky and Uncle Steve live 5 minutes away and they welcomed us to stay at their place! Could you ask for a better setting?

Pool - check
Kid toys - check
Yummy food and treats - check
Late night chats on their back porch - check check check!

Lisa and Tar soakin' up the sun

Amy Lou aka the pool cleaner/keeper/slave

Taryn and Becca. They played like crazy.

my other favorite picture... Tenley as an e-wok spying on Taryn and Ava in the shower

Oh! I saw Harry Potter with my sister Amy and her friends. Loved it! We got prepared by watching the first part of Deathly Hallows on my Uncles prized posession.
The big huge flat screen screen HDTV with an amazing surround sound system :)

We were pumped.

Amy defiled her forearm with a sweet death mark.

And the whole reason for this trip... to be there for my brother who went through the Temple for his own endowements.
So proud of him.
He's going to be one awesome missionary. :)

My brother and his wind blown sisters
I think we look pretty hot

What's left on the agenda for the rest of this month: THIS.... THIS... and THIS.

Hope you're enjoying summer time as well!