The Bits: June 1st Through June 24

Bits between all the big stuff we did in June and before Washington!

No lazy days of summer here!  To start the summer off, Ben and Josh attended a week-long soccer camp put on by Ben's old United coach, Glen.  It's the first of many soccer camps for the three older boys this summer.  Good thing they love it!

Zac has recently been working so hard to do just what he's asked, when he's asked.  The first day of break, he was tasked with cleaning and organizing, and when I came home from dropping off the brothers at soccer camp, he was already on it--shelves looking good and even being dusted.  He is looking for the freedom that being trusted and dependable brings, and he's sure earning it!  I especially loved how he kept commenting on how much he loved having his room organized and neat.  I hope it lasts...for a few days at least!

It was such a productive day of start-of-summer de-cluttering!  Under beds: clean.  Shelves: organized.  Trash and recycling: trashed and recycled.  Unwanted items: donated.  So much builds up over the busy school year, it's nice to have some time to get everything back in order.  I am assistant organizer for all the boys, so I was completely exhausted by the end of the day.  Tommy kindly said he would read to me from "The Puppy Place: Goldie" instead of having me read to him. 

This isn't really a Bit...it's HUGE!  On June 2nd, my sister delivered this beauty to the world.  Our niece, the sweet and lovely Isla Colleen Lewis was born at 11:36am, weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce and measuring a tiny 18 inches long.  Luke is over the moon about having a birthday-twin cousin.  I am blessed by the most precious honor of being her namesake.  The boys are all doting over her pictures.  We love her so much already!  Congratulations Leah, Jason and Kai!

At the end of the month, before we left for the Dunes, it was time to return Andi to her family, who finally moved into their house.  We won't miss the extra fur shed, nor will we miss the way she likes to scratch things up with her claws (screen door, basement lintel, bath towel), but we will miss her sweet spunkiness and Ruby will definitely miss having a doggy pal around!

Zac left the Dunes early with Adam to spend a week at Rampart's summer soccer camp, and since then has been going to the Rampart soccer summer conditioning and team scrimmages to get ready for high school soccer tryouts in August.  He's having a great time, getting stronger and has really enjoyed getting to know the guys on the team.

Zac and I took a Trek prep hike up The Incline with the kids from our ward.  It was super tough, majorly sweaty, but fun!

The wildflowers along Barr Trail sure are abundant and beautiful right now.  Thank you, rain!

A stormy summer sunset.

We have finally had some hot days, perfect for water fights!

Zac, Ben and Josh have all found some summer lawn mowing work to fund their summer adventures and stock up their savings.  So nice!  Grateful for nice neighbors who let these boys work hard to earn big!

My little cowboy riding his trusty steed into the sunset.

The grass in the open space is so tall right now!  It's been fun to run the trails and have it tickle my hands instead of stab my ankles.

Zac participated in the stake Trek prep hike along the Santa Fe Trail.  Ten miles, no problem!

Ben arrived home safe and sound from Scout Camp!  Hooray!  He showered, unpacked and then missed camp life so much that he took some time to chill in his very own hammock, purchased with some of the money he's earned mowing lawns.

Surprise date day with my boys!  Twelve thumbs up!

Unfortunately, the only place to hang the hammocks is the front lawn, since we have no big, strong trees in the backyard.  Although we live in a safe place, without the fence around him on a residential street, I was nervous to have him out there alone.  Dad had to be out there with him.  Adam didn't take much convincing!  Such a good dad!  Ben is currently lobbying to mount his hammock in his room.  Hmmmm....

So excited!  This is our family Trek flag, waiting for our 'kids' to add their colorful hands!  We don't know who they are yet, but I am looking forward to meeting them.

One little, two little, three little hammocks all full of my adorable boys!  It's their new favorite thing, but it makes it hard for me to sleep knowing they're out in the front yard and not safely tucked in their beds.

Discovered in our hanging planter.  So pretty!  Best be careful when watering now....

Father's Day 2015

Adam is one fantastic Dad, so we were so happy to celebrate him on this special day! 

One of my favorite things about Adam is that he loves to spend time with his boys.  He doesn't see  quality time with them as something on a to-do list, he really just wants to be with them, to get to know them better at every stage they are in, to partake in the things they enjoy and to introduce them to new adventures and endeavors.  He has a good sense of work/life balance and prioritizes his family, which often means having to work hard and sacrifice time with us, but any time opportunities arise to give of his time to us, he is all in.

We love you, Adam! 

Adam's special day included: homemade cinnamon rolls topped with divine whipped cream cream cheese frosting, chorizo scrambled eggs, green smoothie and berries for breakfast; a giant REI bag full of goodies: a camping hammock, straps and bug net from our crew, and a new camping stool and flint and steel from my mom and dad; relaxing in his new hammock along with Ben (who has used some of his lawn mowing money to buy his own); attending a nice service at church; playing the M&M's question game with all the boys; more relaxing in hammocks and reading books with the family on the front lawn; taking a lovely walk around the 'hood on a hot afternoon; lagustino fettucini alfredo with roasted brussels sprouts and beets for dinner and angel food cake topped with berries and fresh whipped cream for dessert.

Adam is notorious for his silent, light-footed walking.  He is SO quiet!  He is always startling all of us with his sudden appearance when we never heard him coming.  It happens all the time.  So, as a special Father's Day gift, Ben made him a bell-on-a-string, like you'd give a cat, so we know when he's coming.  Ha!

Adam wore a tie to church that Zac made him for Father's Day several years ago when he was in junior primary.  Super tacky and so funny!  That's one dedicated dad!

Taking a walk...or scoot...around the block.  This is what I find on my phone when I ask Adam to hold it for me.

So glad I get to have this guy as my partner in this crazy adventure!

Father's Day is exhausting.

Scout Camps 2015

This past week Luke and Josh spent a few days at our stake Cub Scout Day Camp at Cathedral Pines, and Ben was gone for the week at Boy Scout Camp at the San Isabel Scout Ranch.  My boys really love scouting and it's these kinds of events that really solidify their enjoyment in the scouting program. 

It was Luke's first scout experience and he loved it!  Luke's favorite activities of the camp were building a flower box, learning how to reverence the American flag, using stilts and puddle jumpers, climbing the climbing wall, eating (3!) roasted grasshoppers, and beating another Wolf in a leg wrestling match.  Josh's favorite activities at camp included learning all about what makes airplanes fly, shooting the BB guns, firing arrows at the archery range, climbing the climbing wall, playing several games of stick-pull and the awesome Webelos-only hike along the Seven Bridges Trail.  All throughout, the boys were taught about faith, testimony and strength of character while participating in fun, educational activities.  It's pretty awesome. 

Because Adam would be helping out for two of the three days of camp, I only went up for a couple of hours on the first day to make sure we had enough drivers to get our boys home.  As part of his calling as Cub Scout Unit Commissioner for our ward and the ward that meets on the same activity night as ours, Adam was thrilled to participate in two of the days at camp, one where he helped lead groups of boys in pioneer games all day, and the other as one of the leaders on the Webelos hike.  He had such a fun time hiking with Josh!  I have to say, once a Boy Scout, always a Boy Scout.  He is loving getting back into scouting!

Ben had an absolute BLAST at San Isabel Scout Ranch.  He completed five merit badges: Wilderness Survival (his favorite!), Pioneering, Astronomy, Forestry and Search and Rescue.  He also participated in the Order of the Arrow ordeal.  He built an amazing para-cord hammock that he slept in on his night under the stars during the Wilderness Survival merit badge, participated in the camp's polar bear swim in the frigid snow melt lake, and took a pre-dawn walk to watch the sunrise at the top of the nearby peak. 

He didn't love the food, the best food served up by the camp was the pizza they ordered one night as a treat from Little Caesars, but I am happy to hear there WAS food.  Two years ago, when Zac attended this same camp the kitchen ran out of food and had some very hungry campers.  But Ben's very favorite meal was the fish feast they had after their afternoon of fishing.  He caught three fish and learned how to clean and gut them and cook them over a campfire (with a little jalapeno stuffed inside and some 'camp dog' seasoning on the outside). 

Ben is an outdoors boy at heart and loves any time he's allowed to explore the wilderness and learn new skills, so it's no surprise that he loved his time at scout camp!  He came home very tired, but incredibly happy.

Ready to go to camp!

Learning about air pressure.

Grasshoppers...YUM!

Josh was chosen to call the opening flag ceremony on the second day of camp and Luke got to put his flag folding lessons from the day before to the test.

Stick pull!

Levi Savage vs. Briargate Cubs.

Leg wrestle.

That pretty much sums up Cub Scout Day Camp right there!

Webelos Hike

Off he goes, bright and early Monday morning.  We will miss you, Benny!

Troop 509.

Ben's hammock.

They had a few stormy afternoons, but they sure made for beautiful sunsets!

Jack and Ben.  Just watched the sunrise.

Polar bear swim!

You have to say the Scout Oath and Scout Law before you can get back out.

Morning flag ceremony.

Knot tying.

Fire building.

Skit night.