Summer boating

This was our exciting first boating season and we had a ton of fun taking out boat out.  We went with different friends and family and sometimes just by ourselves and we always had a blast.

Harry Potter Party

Brielle came up with the great idea for a project.  She planned and prepared a fun Harry Potter Party.  She made all the kids wands and scarves all by herself.  She made decorations and planned the games and activities.  She also planned and prepared the food.  It was a lot of fun and on the actual party day it all worked out perfectly!

Mom and Makenna in Utah

This summer Makenna attended her first EFY in Provo at BYU.  She LOVED it!  She had a great time.  She roomed with her friend Evie Biggs who had moved to Utah about a year ago.  When EFY was over I flew to Utah to pick her up.  I stayed with my cousin Ginger and hung out for a couple days with her before it was time to pick up Makenna.  Then Makenna had a couple days to shop and go to temple square and soak all of the Utah experience in.  It was wonderful!

Leaving EFY- Makenna with Evie and Evies cousin

Makenna and I walking up to Bridal Veil Falls

Makenna had this cold stone gift card in her wallet for like 6 years and finally in Utah we were close enough to a Cold Stone to use it.  

In front of the Salt Lake Temple

On top of the Conference center

Walking around BYU campus just for the fun of it.

Temple Square statue

Girls Camp

This year I got to go to Girls Camp too!  I was called to be a camp cook along with Sis Griffiths in our ward.  We had a lot of fun.  I mostly was in the kitchen but got lots of visiting and watching all the fun things the girls were doing. I loved going and Makenna said she had a great time too.  My only complaint was the sleep- which didnt much exist except for the one night where I snuck away and drove home for one good nights sleep (it was only 45 minutes away).

On the last day of camp we went boating.  Kevin came with our boat and Bro Neddo and Bro Owen brought theirs too and we split the girls up.  I think that was the highlight for a lot of them.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

So in the past couple of months our house has been experiencing a bit of a Harry Potter obsession.  They read it and watch it and listen to it and talk about it and analyze it.  It all started when we listened to the audio of the first book on tape on our Spring Break road trip.  That ignited the spark.  Kevin and I decided that now would be the time to visit Universal Studios The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  So as soon as school was out we loaded up into the van equipped with our Harry Potter audio books and made the 18 hour drive to Orlando. 
The experience did not disappoint.  The girls described walking into diagon alley as walking into a dream.  Everyone got into it and loved playing with their wands and casting spells.  Everything was really well done.
We stayed on property at Cabana Bay beach resort.  That worked out fantastically and gave us great access to the parks and the water park, which we visited almost daily.  We spend five days there and it was magical!

Heres a few of the favorite pics and a link to the slideshow on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-DjW82TQiI

End of School celebrations and awards

May is the month where school comes to an end and the end-of-year celebrations are never ending.  Makenna was honored with the Principals award for her excellent grades.

Makenna and her friend Ashley

Brielle got a number of awards for being awesome in her class.

And Emmitt had a great end of year celebration in his class with awards and a slideshow and a last chance to celebrate all they learned in First Grade

Baseball

Emmitt played a great season of baseball this Spring.  His team the Indians made it to the finals and just barely lost the championship in a very close game.  Emmitt worked hard all season and really was a great player.  I hope he had fun too ;)