Jogathon

Kindergartener Jamesy J-Dog had his first Jogathon this month. And look at this boy. I die.

This year they got a bracelet for each lap. And these headbands, which he ran in, and which I find THE CUTEST thing.  Here he is with his friend Dax.

JB hung out at the school pretty much all morning for hours to watch our three runners. I was sent south that day to cover the huge wildfires and evacuations, and I just loved the photo updates to my phone of our joggers.

Here's Andrew with the 2nd graders.

Millie loved seeing her brothers (and can you believe this outfit? Nike shoes, knee-high unicorn socks, tank top - she was ready to run, too)

An hour or so after that it was the 5th graders turn. Ben breezed through it.

And he even took Millie around for a lap.

Here's a post about a jogathon that links to a couple other previous posts, where you can see our runners when they were smaller.

Baby with her babies

JB sent me these pictures one morning of a walk he took with Millie.  Normally we put her in the stroller, but lately she wants to be the one pushing a stroller. The babies need fresh air, too!

I just die of the cuteness. That bigger baby we gave to 2 year old Maxwell when his baby brother Benjamin was about to be born. The little baby I got for 75 cents at DI.

Last month I caught her sleeping a couple times with a baby tucked in the crook of her arm, just like she used to sleep next to me or JB.

Here is nighttime:

And naptime:

Speaking of sleep, here's another picture I took during our Bear Lake trip. Just to show the pink binkie and white slip on the bed beside her.  

She never really took to a pacifier when she was a younger baby, but likes one now. And she never really had one specific night-night or blankie she loved (though the pictures above show the muslin swaddles. Those are often with her). 

But what she really loves is the feel of silk material. It was my under-things (with her hand down my shirt in public all the time), until I finally just gave her my two white slips of different lengths. She carries them around and sleeps with them and screeches for "silky" when she sees me trying to wash one (or heaven forbid, WEAR one). 

I'm buying another one.

Growing taller

When I was really young, my brother Joseph (15 months younger) and I used to argue over who was taller, measure against each other often, and ask others to help us determine the answer.  Somewhere along the line he passed me up. And now he's like 6'5. 

Max and I now like to do the same thing.

I took a picture with him at our recent Scout Court of Honor, and he is just about my height now at 13 years old. My license says 5'7 but I think I am 5'6 and some change.

Here is a picture one of the leaders sent me during a scouting activity with rappelling. 

His expression reminds me of when he was my first baby, but his legs say he's a teenager.

He seemed tall last week, when he was at an assembly with one of our US Congressmen, Chris Stewart. Max is an SBO (Student Body Officer) and the principal had him ask a question. 

Then he and the group took a picture afterward with the Congressman.

I was actually assigned that morning to cover the assembly for the news, and ask Rep Stewart his thoughts on 9/11 anniversary. The Salt Lake School District public relations team sent me these photos.

Ben is also getting tall. I think I'll be looking up at my baby boys pretty soon.

Summer treats

Millie keeps walking over to the freezer and screaming for a popsicle. I kept the freezer full all summer, and had a huge bag of sticks to donate to the school for crafts. We would give one to her, and she would stand on the grass and let it drip all over and be so happy.

This was 7-11. Slurpee heaven.

And this was a Bear Lake raspberry shake.

But alas, summer has slipped to fall, and there are no more popsicles in the freezer. I have to open it to show her, and she doesn't believe me.

Once a month Max goes with the other deacons to collect fast offerings around the Ward, and one man always gives each of them a Creamy popsicle. Millie saw it last time and screamed like a banshee for it.

Wait until she realizes I make hot chocolate after snowball fights.

Babies growing up

I blogged about these four babies here

 (Jeez, James has been tough since birth)

And now they are all in Kindergarten!

Aaron, Phineas, James and Kate.

Aaron is the oldest, he's September and Kate is August.

And I realized lately that the next sibling of each of these four kids, will also all be in kindergarten together. But we never got a picture of them all four in a row as babies. Millicent Mae, Harvey, Spencer, and Millie Grace. (Their cousin Carver may also be in the same school year, depending on what Phoenix does with September babies)

Phin and Kate now have baby siblings, who look just like them in their baby pictures above. 

There's Rachel, whom we met on our way back from Yellowstone

And Silas, seen here with us at Bear Lake

 

Bees cheese

Baby girl loves a good selfie. JB brought the camera up, and she just cheesed the cheese.

Last Friday night we had Bees tickets. It was a beautiful night at the ballpark.

Max was with his friends at the high school football game, so Ben's friend Quinn left his family for a bit and came to sit by us in Max's seat.

These two hams wanted to see themselves as soon as JB took their picture.

We were on the last row of the upper deck behind home plate. We didn't last too many innings because of young kids, but it was nice to go.

Full Trek professional pictures

Sometimes I saw the photographers, sometimes I didn't. What a sacrifice of their time and talents, to come along and document what was such a faith-boosting journey.

 

 

 

 

 

I was hesitant before this last Trek experience, thinking, "I've done this two times before, it should be someone else's turn," but it was so inspiring. I recommend it for anyone.

 

Day Trek

Back in July, Maxwell participated in our Stake Youth Day Trek. He thought it was amazing, and I heard he worked really hard.

 

JB took this picture on the night they practiced square dancing.

Our friend Ren took this pensive photo of JB on the Day Trek.

They hiked up past This is the Place Heritage State Park. It is a long day and up a very steep hill.

We just got a link to the photos taken by the stake photography committee, for the day trek and full trek. We have such talented photographers.

Max and his friends Andy (Andrew), Jack and Colin

More pensive JB (heart eyes emoji)

Our ward members on Day Trek

There are tons more. I am proud of Max and JB for such a hard day of work in the hills. It was such a great learning experience for Max. In four years, both he and Ben will be old enough for the full Trek experience.