This summer has been going by so fast and has been so crazy that I haven't haven't even thought about keeping up on our blog. We haven't necessarily done anything exciting, but we have been so busy. I can't believe that school starts in three weeks! The kids took swimming lessons again of course. Gavin loved it this year and did really well. He will hold his breath and go under water and stay there for a long time, which is a huge improvement from last year. Last year, he wouldn't even put his face under.
Mackenzie has gone through 4 sessions of swimming lessons, and still has not passed level 2. The poor thing loves the water, but HATES swimming. She just wants to stay where she can touch. She can swim and she will as long as she is where she can touch, but as soon as she gets to where she can't touch, she panicks and WILL NOT let go of her teacher. She just clings to them. She really doesn't like swimming lessons, and never has, but I keep making her go because I want her to know how to swim for safety reasons. I took them a lot at the beginning of the summer, hoping I could help her get over her fear, but it didn't help any. She is so funny. So, next year, her and Gavin will both be in level 2.
She would swim short distances, but her teachers had to force her to do it. 
The other day, Avery made her way into her and Mackenzie's room and started plying with some toys. She stayed in there and played for over 2 hours all by herself. She had never done that before, and she hasn't done it again but it ws so nice! Mackenzie and Gavin were gone, so I pretty much had a couple hours to myself! 
After the opening ceramony, they start with a survivors walk. The little boy in front just finished fighting his bttle with Leukemia. He was one of the Grand Marshalls.
Then all of the teams start walking, All of the firemen wore their gear for the first couple of laps. They were all dying of heat!
Here's a picture of most of our team.
The kids came on the first lap with us. They had a lot of fun. We all stayed all night. It started at 6:00 p.m friday, and ended at 12:00 noon on Saturday. We ended up leaving about 2 hours early because Avery was exhusted and very onry! The way it works, is after everyone walks as a team, you have to have at least one team member on the track at all times. All night long. There was also lots of fun things to do. They had all kinds of carnival-type games for the kids. Every team does their own fundrising so there was lots of stuff to buy, lost of auctions, and lots of food!! And all of the proceeds, go to the American Cancer Society. It's a great thing. This is one place that I don't even hesitate to spend money. I wasn't there to hear what the final count was, but last time I did the relay, they made over seventy thousand dollars. That's pretty good for such a small community!
They had this HOPE sign up in the sky, and the luminary bags all the way around the track, to light the way, each one had the name of someone who has or has had cancer, and lots of names of people who have died of cancer. They also had a band playing most of the time. In the morning, they had a magician come. The kids loved that! I hope to be involved in this event every year. It's great to see so many people come together and share their own experiences. 
trying to catch the baby fish in the pond
making picture frames
Braden took the kids out for a ride around the pond
So tired! None of the babies-or the moms got much sleep
my three munchkins
The kids wearing their shirts and showing off their picture frames
Avery, all ready to go home! What a dirty baby!! 
It looks like she's having so much fun doesn't it??
Mackenzie and Hannah waiting for the parde to start.
Dallas drove the fire truck and Gavin rode with him to throw candy.
That afternoon we went to the park for a picnic. Then the kids just played and waited for the fireworks.
Avery did pretty well until about 9:00. Then she got really tired and onry. She fell asleep about 10 minutes before the fireworks started. I thought they would wake her up but they didn't so she missed them.
