Pageant

 We had a wonderful time performing scripture stories from the Book of Mormon in the Hill Cumorah Pageant!!  The schedule was brutal, the camping was...challenging...for mom, it was social from morning till night, the weather was mostly a huge blessing (although sometimes blisteringly hot and others pretty wet), but our testimonies were strengthened and we made memories to last a lifetime.

Road Trip

 We stopped in Little Rock on our way out to Cincinnati. #s 4 & 5 pose while we worked out energy between ordering and eating.

 Traveling was pretty different given our new dietary restrictions.  Luckily, everybody loves Fridays!  #3 could not get enough stuffed mashed potatoes.  But even he couldn't keep up with #2, who ate his meal and finished anything and everything anyone else left on their plates.

 In Cincinnati, we did a few of the things I remember from childhood.  We went to "Eyes Ice Cream," which is in reality called the Loveland Dairy Whip.  We called it eyes ice cream as kids because they tuck little candy eyes in the ice cream, making characters out of treats.

 We also went to my old neighborhood.  The boys got to play in the creek.  The water was high, so we didn't catch any crawdads.  #5 was just right at home.  He got wet about to his armpits. 

 Also, we got to see the house most of my childhood memories are in.  Plus, in the backyard still stands the playhouse my grandpa, Ferd Gebhard, built when I was about 4 years old.

 #s 1 & 2 loved mowing the lawn...on this beast!  #1 said he finally feels more enthusiasm than apprehension about the prospect of driving.  Whatever it takes...

 #1 taught Sheila and JD the game of Bang! in the evening on the back porch.  I remember that.  I remember sitting outside, parents chatting and kids laughing, running, and catching fireflies.

 Dad played some baseball with #s 4 & 5.

 All in a days work:  We started the day with Eyes Ice Cream and ended it with UDF, another childhood memory.

 After 2 nights we headed out again toward Palmyra.

 This is a movie theater so small it fits snugly in a strip mall and took us quite a while to find it.  We were surprised that it was so tiny, and that the screen jumped a bit since it wasn't digital.  How enjoyable!

 Still love this.  Every time I see it.

Yes, he's THAT good.  And he's a little bit of a show off when it comes to backing up...

End of School / Early Summer 2012

 #3 planned his 11th birthday around a trip to MOOYAH.

 #3 graduated from fifth grade!!  I cannot believe the progress this kid has made.  He has learned, grown, and matured incredibly.  He tested out of 6th grade math and is so excited to jump right into the next level!

 We had a couple of friends with us on the last day of school.  There were several other families at the park with us, too.  We are so blessed by the friendships our kids have found!! 

 Thanks to Jinny Hinckley, we have a new tradition--a shaving cream fight to celebrate the last day of school!  Here's #5 all decked out.

 #3 helped with swim lessons and got a good workout.  #4 worked on perfecting his stroke, and #5 turned into a fish this year.

 #3 excelled at art class until he decided to postpone those lessons in favor of focusing on trumpet.

 Gram came to visit and took us all to the zoo.  We got a zoo pass out of it (thanks, MOM!!!) and have been able to go several times this summer.  We've gotten to take Lee and Max, too, giving Allie a little break from the TX heat.  My older boys are so great with little ones that it's really not hard to have extras.

 Mike took #3 up to scout camp to watch the night that #2 had the calling out ceremony for the Order of the Arrow.  Possibly my favorite picture of the entire year...

This is the effect scout camp has on #2.  This is a boy who knows how to work hard and how to play hard.  However, he saves sleeping hard until he's back home.

 Walked in on #4 helping fix #5's hair for church.  Absolutely love that they are such good friends!

 #4 gets ready to shoot BB guns at Twilight Camp (he's the one in the red and blue goggles next to the camo hat).

 #2 got a new suit.  It's silver.  Yes, you read that right.  Silver.

 I found these shirts at Kohl's, and fell in love.  :)