Fourth of July 2009!

Julia enjoying the sparklers

Dallin getting permission to play with fire
Ryan totally mesmerized with a sparkler

part of the gang enjoying the famous BBQ at my parents

my Fourth of July cupcake centerpiece

Dallin and Julia with cousins Eve and Grace

Uncle Brian bonding with Dallin

Instead of heading strait home from Idaho and I had asked Jared if we could go home another way and stop by my parents house for the 4th of July this year. My kids usually only see the big fireworks which are great, but I wanted them to experience the firecrackers that I did in my front yard every year as a kid. My memories as a kid for the fourth was always swimming, BBQ's with friends and family, homemade ice cream and sitting on the front lawn watching the boys get excited to have permission to play with fire lighting the firecrackers. My kids had a blast even though we were only there less than two days. When we were sitting on the lawn watching the firecrackers and little Ryan kept yelling, "WOOOOWWW! Mommy, Mommy, Wow!" It was all worth the extra 4 plus hours of driving! I love experiencing the holidays through my kids eyes!

Idaho in the summer is GREAT!

Julia and Thea at Jensen's Grove lake

Dallin, Jared and Julia testing out Grandpa's 4 wheeler
Jared and the boys doing their thing

Dallin and Grandpa Bitton having a shoot-out

All the Bitton cousins!

Dallin and Ryan riding the neighbors horse

Julia fulfilling her dream of riding a horse

My little sister Lorraine watched the kids while we went to the Rexburg Temple

Julia posing in the green fields

Dallin being his silly self

My adorable kids

Jared's younger brother Jeff had made a deal with Jared. Jeff would come down to San Diego for a week to help Jared get some new accounts for our business if Jared would go up to Idaho for a week and help him get some business accounts for his carpet cleaning business. Originally Jared was going to go up to Idaho by himself at the beginning of June, but I begged him to wait until Julia got out of school so that we could go too. Now, normally when we go up to Idaho it is winter and all we can see for miles is snow, snow and more snow. Now don't get me wrong, the snow if fun for about a day, but when his whole family wants to get together for an extended amount of time, it gets hard to accommodate everyone indoors. We haven't really taken the kids up to Idaho during the summer because it usually is impossible with Jared's crazy summer work schedule. Well, I'm so glad that we did because Idaho was absolutely beautiful! There had been a lot of rain and it made everything sooo green. We got to do so many fun outdoor activities that we don't normally get to do, like go to the lake, riding horses, go to a water park, camping and marshmallow roasts, jumping on the trampoline and just running around outside. We had such a wonderful trip visiting with everyone and just hanging out with the family. Even though we weren't really planning on a family reunion this year, it kinda turned out to be one because all of Jared's siblings got together for a number of days while were there. We even got to hang out with my little sister Lorraine who is going to BYU Idaho while we were there. I couldn't have asked for a better trip.

"Remember, streets are for cars, not children."

Sometimes I really despise HOA's! I have only gotten one other letter from the HOA and it was one asking me to take out the nice single row of flowers that I had planted in my front yard!!! This was one I got last month. So, we live in a quiet neighborhood with no through streets and small homes and TINY backyards. Now, someone is telling me that my kids can't ride their bikes in the front yard?! (Note that my kids are the only kids in the whole neighborhood that has a parent outside at all times to supervise them too) I have become the neighborhood mom supervising all the other neighbor kids, feeding them snacks and making sure that they are using clean language. I guess that because all the kids congregate in our driveway, I am the one getting the nasty letter. Well, guess what HOA Nazi, there is no law saying that kids can't ride their bikes in the street - I mean where else are they supposed to be riding them!

Dallin's Joy School Graduation

Even though Dallin still has another year of Joy School preschool, every year we do a little graduation party for the kids. Its a fun opportunity to get together with all the other families that we do Joy School with. I am so grateful that there are some amazing moms that want to do a preschool group at home too. It can be crazy on the days that we teach, but the kids love it!

Firsts and Lasts

Julia and Mrs. Courtney on the last day of school

Julia playing in her first piano recital

Julia and the rest of Katherine Shupe's piano students

The top picture is of Julia's last day of first grade with her teacher Mrs. Courtney. I can't believe that I have a daughter that is going into second grade. I have very clear memories of second grade. Julia also had her first official piano lesson and she looked so cute. I'm really mad at myself for not getting some video of it. She was the first person on the program and she didn't seem nervous at all. (She didn't get that personality trait from me) She is lucky enough to be taught by our wonderful friend Katherine Shupe. I watch Katherine's kids for a few hours every Monday afternoon while she teaches for a trade of her teaching Julia. I love having friends with amazing talents!