Family Picture 2010

The only one of Zachary looking at the camera. I repeat, THE ONLY ONE.

Kaylin starts Kindergarten

Our baby girl is all grown up! I can't believe how fast time has flown. She was so excited to go to school to "learn stuff." I couldn't cry when I dropped her off the first day because she was just TOO excited about everything. I am a little scared about sending her off into "the world" but I know that she'll be a good example to her friends and hopefully learn "stuff" and have a great experience. It's just sometimes hard to let go...

My sister Michelle comes to visit!

This last week we had a lot going on, but the most exciting event was Michelle and her kids coming into town (Andrew, her husband came in on Friday). We had a very fun filled and event-packed week. Michelle doesn't like sitting around, so we were GO GO GO! This is what we did...

Monday- The Keslers arrived. We went to JC Penney that night to use our 35% discount and bought some fun stuff. The kids were WILD and so it was quite an event.

Tuesday- We went to Winco (our favorite grocery store with their awesome bulk foods). We picked up some pizzas and took them to Rancho San Rafael park and ate and played. We got to see some geese, ducks, tadpoles and other creepy crawleys. That night Phil and Michelle played raquetball. I'm excited to report that the former raquetball champion at BYU, Michelle, won one game and my non-raquetball champion husband, won the other. Way to hold your own Philly-Vanilly.

Wednesday- We went to Donner Lake. The water was FREEZING! And we forgot our cameras so no pictures :( The kids enjoyed playing on the playground and making sandcastles.

Thursday- We did a treasure hunt for the kids. We hid little clues for the kids and they searched for them around the house and yard. They were SUPER excited. We also made the most delicious carameled apples EVER! I've decided to do them again because they were just so yummy.

The crazy treasure hunters

Posing like pirates

Hot on the hunt

They found the TREASURE!!!

Friday- WILD ISLAND water park. Phil scored some free tickets from one of his former employees that works there on the weekends. We then paid for our neighbor, Keely, to come with us so that she could help out with the kids and take them on rides. It was a blast. Kaylin was tall enough to go on about half the rides and she was fearless. So were her cousins, Sydney and Gavin. We stayed for about 4 hours and were exhausted at the end. We stopped at In-and-Out to eat and then got home and got ready to go on a date with our husbands. Andrew, Michelle's husband, flew in around 7 PM so once he got home we took off. Thanks Keely for watching the kids, again! :) For our date we checked out "Hot August Nights" (car show) at the Grand Sierra Resort. It was cool to walk around and not have the kids there.

Andrew and Michelle in front of a sweet car.

Phil and me

Me and Michelle by this cool powder blue car that even had blue lights underneath it. It was cool. (side not: don't you love my purse. I got it at Penney's for $14!)

Saturday- We went to a primary water party in the morning which Gavin said "was the BEST day EVER!" The kids had fun playing with TONS of bubbles, running through a soaker hose, playing with water balloons and doing relay races. After the activity, we headed up to Kings Beach for the afternoon. It was beautiful and we enjoyed laying around in the sun and eating. At night we did smores and a BBQ and played games. It was great having them here and we were sad to see them go!

Kings Beach and Walker Kids Retreat

This summer has been awesome because we've been able to come up to the beach 3 or 4 times already! Kings Beach is our favorite because the water is warmer and more shallow. This particular time we were here for the 3rd annual Walker Kids Retreat. We met Phil's siblings at the beach and had a fun time bathing in the sun. After the beach, we headed home to our house where we played MarioKart (of course) and Just Dance (our new favorite Wii game). We had so much fun with everyone. I wish it was a longer weekend! I also wish I would've snapped some more photos!

I stole this picture from Aaron and Melissa. Melissa photoshopped the kids checking out their iPhone. How cute!

Zachary turns 3

It was Zachary's birthday on the 29th and I can't believe he is 3! This last week he decided it was time to be potty trained. I let him go "comando" outside in the backyard and he decided it was fun to pee standing and "marking his territory" in the bushes. He then took his excitement indoors and started to pee in the potty. He also was so excited to wear big boy underwear and go pee in the big potty. I'm SOOOoooo excited because everytime he pees I think of all the money I'm saving in diapers. It's the best present for mommy that he could ever give me.
Besides the potty training, Zachary is growing up a lot. He still lives in his little world called "Oblivion" but is so sweet and caring. He is full of energy and loves to play with Kaylin and likes to say "hi" to Jared. We love our little boy and are excited to start a preschool co-op at home in September.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the smile! Everyone who knows him, knows that he does not pose for pictures. This picture is worth a million bucks in my mind!

END of the trip

After two weeks in Utah and having SO much fun. We were all exhausted and ready to come back home! Thanks Fofa and Painho (or Foff and Pain-ho) for such a great reunion. Can't wait to come again next year! Love you guys!

Horses

My brother-in-law was kind enough to let us ride his horses. Kaylin loved riding with her cousin Becca. Michelle and I did ok even though Stephen put me on the more wild horse.

Hiking at the Cabin

Highlights on the hike:
1. Hiking with flipflops on. Ouch, my feet really hurt after that.
2. Kaylin learned how to "pee" in nature. Her first time EVER.
3. The walking sticks with flashlights attached to them. It was cool.