Jadon at 17

 Jadon turned 17 this week while he was at high adventure with the boys in our ward.  I can't think of a better place for him to spend his birthday!  He loves adventure.  It's one of the things that I like best about him.  He is always up for something fun and likes to do almost anything.  He has been trying to get up on the wake board for a few years and was able to accomplish that this year.  I was so happy for him.  He loves to play any sport.  All the littler kids in the neighborhood love him.  They are frequently playing something in our yard and when Jadon comes home, or out to play, everyone gets excited.  He was on the ultimate frisbee team at school this year and it was really fun to see him play and improve.  Next year, he's going to be one of the captains.  He's a great worker.  He is currently working at Arctic Circle.  He is always willing to help people who need his help.  He's a really good big brother.  He loves Katie, maybe a little too much.  She gets tired of him constantly trying to hug and kiss her.  He's always a big help to me.  Recently, he did something that I will never forget.  It really bothers me when I go to bed without cleaning up the kitchen and the front room.  One night I was just too tired and went to bed with it a disaster.  When I woke up at 6:30, I was depressed because I didn't want to go into that messy kitchen.  I was so surprised to find the kitchen and front room all cleaned up.  When I asked him if he did it, he said no.  Then Kyson told me that he really did do it.  I went to bed at midnight so he stayed up past midnight and did that for me.  I don't know if he'll ever know how much that meant to me.  He's such a good kid and always has been.  I feel very blessed to have him as part of my family.  He only has a year before he will be leaving on his mission and I will miss him so much but I know he will be a wonderful missionary and it will change his life.  I love you Jadon!

Jadon playing ultimate frisbee

For Jadon's birthday dinner, we went to his favorite restaurant, La Luna and then to cold stone for ice cream.  It was so much fun to spend some time with him and hear about his high adventure trip!

July 4th

Started the day with painting patriotic nails

 We had the Byers Family come over to celebrate the 4th of July with us.  We had a great time swimming, eating and then doing fireworks!!!

Gotta have a selfie!

Before the party started we went to Lani's to get snowies with ice cream in them.  Super Yummy!

Kyson loves blue raspberry.  He frequently has blue lips

Kyson

Kamry, Kierra and Kayla

Porter getting thrown in the pool

All the cousins, except Annie, who wasn't there yet

Doyle and Dale throwing Taeya in the pool



Katie and Macy having a chicken fight

Best thing about swimming is it makes little kids hungry so they always finish their food

I love the patriotic drinks

We finished our dinner with homemade ice cream,  Yummy!

Little fish

Katie has become such a good little swimmer in the month that we have had the pool.  She went from wearing arm bands when she was swimming to having no floaties of any kind and swimming all over the pool.  She can swim more than half the length of the pool underwater.  She lets Dale throw her in the pool and dares to do anything.  She spends hours and hours in the water every day.  It's so much fun to watch her love swimming so much.

She always wears her pink little goggles.  She makes sure that they are always sealed to her face before she goes under water.

Using the ladder as a diving board

Jumping in from the trampoline

She and Kierra play dolphins together.  Kierra is the momma dolphin and Katie is the baby who rides on her back.  Kierra will swim all over the place, under water, while Katie holds on to Kierra's swimming suit strap.  They do flips and handstands like that too.  It's pretty cool to watch.

Jaxon's baseball season

Jaxon on first

Jaxon had a really fun baseball season.  He played on two baseball teams and then all-stars.  Even though the baseball season is crazy and super busy, I am always sad when it is over.  I love to watch Jaxon play baseball.  He is always right where he needs to be and he knows the game so well.

pitching

up to bat

 Jaxon loves to pick runners off, especially when they are on first. He is always watching first base to see if he can get em!  Funny story....One time, during All Stars, Jaxon was watching first.  He had made one or two attempts to get the runner, and while he didn't get him, it does cause the runner to have to dive back to first.  Jax can be relentless at this.  And so he was this time.  The funny part is, one of the moms on the other team was getting frustrated with him.  She shouted out to him "Geez, stop worrying about the runner and just pitch the ball!!"  Well, Jaxon, being the rebel that he is, when he heard this, with a big smile on his face, he purposely stepped back off of the mound to look at first again.  Everyone was smiling at his open disobedience, even the players on the other team!  That is a side of him that always keeps us on our toes.  In this case, we LOVED it!!

He is also very good at running the bases.  He loves to taunt the pitcher and try and get him to throw the ball so he can steal the base. 

Pitching

This was the uniform for all stars.  They looked pretty cool with their camo and pink.

Balls in, coming down.  Jaxon always stands like this when they say that

Can't wait for next year!

Hike to twin lake

 Since we are having girl's camp at our cabin this year, I am in charge of finding a hike for the girls to go on.  So tonight we went on a hike to twin lake.  Sabrina came with us in Jaxon's place since he was at baseball practice.

Before we started the hike, we had a little dinner

                                         Kierra and Sabrina with Silver lake behind them. 

Katie before she decided she didn't like this hike

Me and Kierra with Silver lake behind us

I love Brighton!



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Katie was really excited to go on a hike but she lost her excitement pretty fast.  It was pretty steep most of the way.  She is lucky that her Dad and Jadon were willing to carry her part of the way.

We made it to twin lake!

When we got back down to Silver Lake, we saw two baby moose playing in the grass,  They got really close to us,  It was cool but a little scary.  While I really enjoyed the hike, I decided that it is too hard for the Young Women.  Now I have to find another one.