One last day.

We have one more day of summer.  ONE MORE.  I'm really not looking forward to getting up early, sticking to a schedule, homework with three kids, projects, getting out the door by 7:55 with all the kiddos....bleh.  Claira is super nervous about being in the first grade.  We found out their teachers today and Claira kept saying, "Do you think she is going to be nice or mean?"  I asked her, "You were afraid that Mrs. Wolfe would be mean and was that true?"  And she says, "Well, she wasn't mean to me!"  She's really nervous about getting lost and being at school all day and being the youngest in her class and not being able to add eighty plus eighty.  She's so cute.  I'm going to take her to her class tomorrow so she can rest assured that she won't get lost and that she'll be just fine.  I have to remember with her that she's little.  She's only five and starting the first grade!  (I know...her birthday is in two weeks but still...she's still FIVE and that's little!)  I'm going to miss my big kids while they are at school all day long but it'll be good for me to spend time with just Maren and Gentry.  They need some good one on one time with mom too.  We are going to be 5th, 3rd, and 1st this year.  My kids are growing up and sometimes it feels like all the time is just slipping through my fingers and I'm not doing enough with it. I've got to rededicate my time and make sure that I'm making the most of each day.  Because just like that....summer is over.  And pretty soon, it'll be Christmas!  And after that, Pacen is done with elementary school.  That kills me!  He is the sweetest little guy.  But really...the last year at Walnut Heights!??!!?   I'm crying already.  I just love my kids and I'm glad that we got so much time together this summer.  I'm so lucky to be a mom to these kids for reals.  They're amazing and I can't wait to see what they do this year.  But I'm tired and have to stop typing.  The exhaustion is already taking over me.  One more day to "sleep in".....

The newest member of our family.

It's not a baby...it's a MOTORHOME!  Yes folks, we are the proud owners of this '98 Itsaca Spirit!

Than has wanted a motorhome for FOREVER.  Like once or twice a year he'll get an itch about one....see one for sale on the side of the road and then start researching craigslist for one for us to get and then it just sort of disappears.  But luckily for us, this one fell right into our laps and so we jumped on it!  

He came home from church last Sunday and was like, "Get in the car!  You have to see something!"  He proceeds to tell me that he was driving home from church and then he saw this wonderful motorhome like an answer from heaven.  He had already looked inside the windows and called the owner.  I'm surprised he didn't buy it on the spot!  

So, we go and have a look inside.  It was very well taken care of.  This guy really loved this thing.  He said when he was stressed at work, he'd go and just sit in the motorhome for a few hours to unwind.  He waxed it and gave it every tune up imaginable.  It's old but it'll be perfect for us.  

 And the kids already love it.  I am nervous about Maren in it but it'll be just fine.  Claira came in after seeing it for the first time and was like, "Mom, that is awesome!"  We are taking it out on our first trip next week and I really cannot wait.  Still a few more things to buy to get it ready but we're almost there.  

 It's funny because everyone is like, "You're crazy!  But can we borrow it???"  You know you want one too!  

 Here is the inside.  I really can't wait to take this thing camping!  Here's what Than said.  "You want a cabin in tahoe?  Got one!  You want a cabin on the beach?  Got that too!  I love his enthusiasm. 

 RV selfie! 

 Oh the games that will be played here.  Let the games begin! 

 We'll see what our opinion is after our first roadie.  :)

Dang.

This weekend was a doozy.  Thursday night was the Duck Derby.   Than and I were in charge of it for this year.  It was our season and special swim job this year.  It's the Swim Team fundraiser and we had to sell the ducks and help get the prizes ready for it. And, unfortunately, Than was out of town for it.  He was on the 50 miler so it's not like he was on vacation but it still added stress to me.  I don't have any pics of the event, but it went really well but I was just super tired from chasing my kids and trying to be on top of the fundraiser too.  

Friday was workout and tutoring for Pacen with Mrs. Ghysels.  Then about 11:30 I get a call from a park ranger that Than is ready to be picked up.  WHAT?!?!?  I was supposed to get him at five and we would be meeting each other!  So we get in the car as fast as we can between swimming and the tutoring and everything and off we went.  

Here is where we found him at 4:20 in the afternoon.  

The crazy part is that he had been sitting there for THIRTEEN hours!  Yes...13 hours!  There was a little confusion on the trail and they had heard from other hikers that Hetch Hetchy was closed due to fire and since that was where everyone was being picked up they needed to check it out.  So they headed out early and they got in at 3:30 in the morning.  Just Than and Michael Hilton.  Michael headed back to get the info to the boys and Than just waited and waited and waited.  He was fed lunch by a nice chinese family that he was speaking chinese with, hiked around the lake a bit, and watched the wildlife and napped for the rest of the time.  Poor baby!  I'm glad we got him and rushed home.  Well, rushed to chipotle first, and then rushed home.    

On the way home, the sun was in Maren's eyes and it was hilarious because she'd sit up in her seat and then go back but then the sun would be there and she'd sit up, get tired and then sit back.  Over and over it went until Pacen put his arm up to guard the sun from her, and then I did for a while.  She is hilarious and particular but nothing is going to get in the way of her and her shows! 

 Typical Claira drawing.   Believe it or not it was destroyed by Maren.  I put it on the fridge but it was too close to the bottom and maren got ahold of it and tore off all the sticker.  Stinker!

 Saturday was the big conference swim meet.  It's a pretty big deal out in these parts.  

The coaches dress up.  Multiple times though out the meet.  There is a theme...different every year.  This year it was WHO (Walnut Heights Otters) will rock you!  It's fun but exhausting. 

 Gentry owns every girl on the team. 

  A lot of swimming is just sitting on hot concrete hanging out, just waiting for your swim time.  We were trying to make the time fly by playing games.  And it worked! 

 This is our neighbor, Maddie, who did really well this year!  

 And yes, our sweet little THREE year old Gentry pie swam in her first conference meet.  She was the only three year old on the lineup!  

 Getting her pep talk. 

 Getting those goggles set.  

 Take your mark.....

 Go!  

 And she swam right for the lane line and pretty much didn't let go the whole time!  She'd hop off, swim a few strokes, then hop back on.  

 Sometimes it looked like she was swimming backwards. 

 But finally, when she saw maddie and Than waiting for her, she swam right to them and it was over.  And she was so proud.  

 Camry swam a really great meet.  

 She's very intense in sports.  I have no idea where she gets that from. :)  She didn't beat her time but she did great on her freestyle.  

 Pacen had one of his best meets to date.  He beat his time on his freestyle by 1.14 seconds.  That put him in 32nd place out of like 80 boys or something.  Not bad for his down year. 

 Claira loves swimming.  She hasn't gotten very intense about it but she does love to go to practice and she loves the coaches and the social part of it but we have to work on that stroke. :)  

 Don't forget those goggles!

 And she's off!

 If she used her arms, she'd be in much better position.  But she's five and she's doing it and that's amazing.  I couldn't do that when I was five. 

 Oh and this race still gets me fired up.  Here is Camry swimming her butterfly race.  She swam it beautifully.  Best time yet!  19.20!  6th place overall!  

 But she was dq'ed.  Apparently she flutter kicked right at the end and they caught her.  

 I swear she's never done that.  EVER!  So, she didn't get to swim in the finals race and I was bummed for her.  Had she swam that fast again she would have had 4th place in her age group.  Way to swim, Cam! 

This was Pacen's fly.  On his qualifying race he knocked 2.23 seconds off of his best time!  That is huge!  He was super pumped when he got out of the pool.

 It was so great that he qualified for finals!  He was ranked 15!  Then on his finals race he beat his best time by another half a second.  I was so happy for him! He got 14th overall.  What a stud!  He had been working hard for that.  

 By the end of the meet....after the kids did their relays....this is how we all felt.  Let's go home! 

 Another swim season in the books.  I'm proud of my kids.  Swimming is not for sissy's.  It's tough and the workouts are long.  I will say that I hope we can work on their strokes before next season.  They really do a great job without any specific training but that extra training would help them a lot next year.  We'll see if we can fit it in the schedule. 

Sunday was a day of rest for sure!  Here is a little gaming action.  These kids missed their daddy! 

 We did have two new cute little families over for dinner.  It's nice to get to know new people in the ward.  Here is Gentry and me.  She's making my hair pretty and on this one she said, "Now you look like Kristin!"  We love you, Kristin.  And No, your bangs do not look like this. :)

 I wish our scripture study looked like this more often, but alas, this is real life after all.  But it did look like this on Sunday and I'll take it! 

 And in other exciting news.....Gentry is no longer afraid of car washes!  She has cried and screamed up until today!  Way to go, Gentry pie! 

 Altough she was a little nervous from time to time....

 And maren.  As soon as she sees the phone she cries and screams like crazy so we have to keep it hidden.  What a pain in the rear end!