July, in a nutshell

Some might think we are lazy to not update our blog when we have done so much, but that is just it, we are too busy! Our summer started off with cub scout day camp (which I was program director for). It was crazy and insane leading up to it but really fun once it started. (sorry, no pics). Then we left for a trip to Utah to see family and go to the Stadium of Fire fireworks show. That was awesome.



Aaron and Carl had a tank battle during our own driveway fireworks show. I think Aaron won this one.

I didn't have the camera with me always but we hiked at Sundance, dipped our feet in Bridal Viel Falls, checkout out gravesites of ancestors and hiked the "Y"!

At the top

We met a rattlesnake on the way to the top too. He seemed pretty interested in finding some shade. That would have been a really nice thing to find. Can you see him?

Alex at the top of the Y

After our hike and lunch at Training Table, we headed to Provo Veterans Pool for an afternoon of swimming and sliding. No cameras were allowed but the pool was perfect for our family. We headed back to Carl and Devin's and then up the canyon for a BBQ evening. The weather was perfect and the company was even better.

Cousins

Again, not great with the camera this summer but the next day we hooked up with Annette and Bary and thier family for the afternoon. After a picnic lunch, we headed to Hollywood Connection, an indoor park that was perfect for the kids.
We didn't get too many pictures but the kids golfed, played laser tag, rode roller coasters, bumper cars, carousel, roller skate and just had fun. Our last day we stopped at temple square to go to the visitors center and walked into the tabernacle. We didn't have enough time there but were grateful for the quick tour of the conference center. We even got to walk all the day down to the bottom. That was pretty cool.



FAMILY PICTURES

While in Utah, Aaron's sister, Heather was gracious enough to take our family pictures. She is a very talented photographer in Arizona and was able to capture each of my kids personalities. Check out her website. She is amazing and we are so thrilled with the pictures. So as not to overwhelm you with all of them, I have put together a slideshow of some of our favorite pics. Thanks Heather. You are awesome and we LOVE them.

TYC

Temple Youth Celebration...
WOW...
Holy Kershnolies
Oh My Word
Wonderful

This is Justin.
I LOVE TYC!!

If you haven't heard, there was a new Vancouver Temple and Bellingham Stake is the only stake in the U.S. that is in the new temple district. Instead of a 2 hour drive, the time has been reduced to 45 minutes, depending on the border wait. All the youth (12-18) in the district got to participate in the Temple Youth Celebration. (TYC) It. was. amazing. The celebration was a great big show that the prophet would attend the day before the dedication.

TYC was a three day youth conference with practice sessions. We started practicing in February and only got together 5 or 6 times. We performed May 1st.
We were divided up into groups according to what acts we were in.

There was a childrens choir for a few of the baptized children that weren't old enough to participate in the actual thing. Brittany and Alex were chosen to participate. WOW.

The absolute most awesomest girl that I have ever met, (my new canadian best friend) was my best friend at TYC. Her name is Maggie. we have this never ending argument over which country was better. Canada, or America. Her main argument: Canada has cooler looking money, ketchup chips, and America is fat. My main argument: You guys say eh, washroom, and our flag and national anthem is much cooler. She is great.


For more pics and some video of kids, go to http://vancouvertemplecelebration.blogspot.com/
It was an awesome spiritual experience. Right before the performance, President Monson came out and I got to sit twenty feet away from him. ... I know he is a man of god. I was twenty feet away from the prophet of the lord, and Elder Utchdorf. At the beginning of the third day we had a morning side in front of the temple. The person that is in charge of every single temple in the world spoke to us, with the temple in the background. My testimony of the temple is so strong.
Thursday was a get to know you day.
Friday was a small practice day with lots of fun youth activities and playing with our counselors.
Saturday was our spiritual day, with more practice, and the real thing.
Sunday (TYC is over now) was the temple dedication.

We got to Canada by 7:00 every morning and left at 10:00 every night. Everybody got to go to the last song of the 14 and up dance. It was amazing.

TYC was such an amazing experience and I will never forget it as long as I live.

I don't know how to describe it , it was just, amazing. Amazing isn't doing it just. The prophet, the youth, the fun, the spirituality, being with 1200 other lds youth. AMAZING.

These pictures are from Sarah Weaver at Church News

My stake scene



Me escourting a real Vancouver Temple District Pioneer in my special scene!


The finale. Alex and Brittany are up front. I am in the third ring by the bottom left-hand corner. This is all 1200 youth singing the finale song around a big plastic temple. WOW.



President Monson and his Canadian pin that flashed red, white, and blue.


Amazing...

Why not much gets done somedays...

When my morning starts like this...


3 kids watching TV. (without permission to turn it on...a common occurrence here lately)

1 child being 2.

Note: I am NOT complaining. I LOVE staying at home with my kids. Sometimes I just don't get anything done!

You've Got to Admit It's Getting Better

After listening to concerts and recitals for about 7 years now, I have to admit that the quality of the performance is definitely improving. The week before Memorial Day, Justin and the combined Vista and Horizon Middle School marching bands played/competed in the Junior Ski to Sea Parade in Bellingham, Washington. They took first place in their division and yes, there was more than one middle school marching band in the parade. It was fun and we were happy that the sun made an appearance!


Here comes the band!



Yeah for Justin. I don't know anything about marching, but he was the center of the line and marched down the centerline of the road.

He had a good time in the Parade and stopped long enough for me to take a picture of him with another boy in his Deacon's Quorum.

Look, the rest of the kids are even good sports and heckled, I mean, cheered their brother on.

Darren's big day

My little baby is 2 years old! So hard to believe. He was so much fun on his birthday. Here is a glimpse of the festivities. Hope you enjoy!


A word about Barney...Aaron says he has no shoes because they are cement shoes and Barney is about to sink to his death in the lake. Graphic and cruel, yes. But my children introduced him to Barney (on demand) and he has really loved him. I can't get Darren to sing "I am a Child of God" which I sing to him daily but he will sing "I love you" after watching Barney a few times.

Pinewood Derby

I know that you are all on pins and needles awaiting the result of Alex's first pinewood derby so I won't delay any longer. We've known that this is coming for about 2 months and had time to actually build two cars. The first car was ready for the ward derby that was held about a month ago. At that time we discovered that the first car wasn't very fast, so we started over and developed the "Black Widow". Alex developed the design and color scheme and Aaron helped him cut it out and paint it. They both worked on the axles and wheels together.

(graphiting the wheels to make it as fast as possible)

Alex's car did pretty well. There were a total of 20 cars between three wards. He had seven 3-car races and took 1st four times and 2nd three times. That was well enough to qualify for the top 8 and the single elimination tourney to determine the final champion.

(Listen for Alex's "YES" after the race is over)

(The top 8 cars)

Well he was matched up against one of the cars that beat him in the opening rounds. He won the first race, but it is a best 2 out of 3, and the other car came back to beat him. We had fun. Aaron was in charge of the races and we enjoyed watching Alex do a little fist pump every time his car came in first. One year we might actually place in the top three, but not this year.

Alex's Big Month

April has been a big huge month for Alex. Alex has always been interested in sports. He loves to shoot hoops, play catch, swing bats, and run. However he has always preferred to do these activities in the comfort of his own backyard. We have tried to sign him up for teams before, but he has always said he wasn’t interested. Well, after much waffling he finally decided to play on a little league baseball team with a few of his friends. To nobody’s surprise he absolutely loves the practices and the games. He likes to be 10 to 15 minutes early to each game and usually puts on his gear as soon as he gets home from school. The league is machine-pitch and everybody bats each inning, so we haven’t seen more than two innings yet. But it is a lot of fun and Alex is thoroughly enjoying it.

He also turned 8 years old this month which in our house means that you get to start going on birthday hikes with Dad. We chose to do a 2.2 mile loop in the area east of Lake Padden in Whatcom County. We had a fun morning finding the first wildflowers that had started to bloom, searching for a geocache or two, and taking lots of pictures. He tried out his new backpack and we were happy that the rain stayed away until later in the afternoon.

Turning 8 also means that he has the opportunity to be baptized. So the Saturday following the hike, Alex was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by his dad. Grandma and Grandpa McCain and Williams both came for the event as well as Uncle Scott, Heidi, and Nicole. Aaron’s Uncle Marv and Aunt Janie were also in town and came to participate. It was a pretty special day and Alex was excited. There was a sweet spirit as he and another little girl both made these important covenants with Heavenly Father.

He has also become a cub scout and his first event is the pinewood derby. The car is almost ready and the race is Wednesday night. (We'll keep you posted.)

To close out the month Alex, Brittany, and Justin all get to participate in the Temple Youth Celebration associated with the dedication of the new Vancouver Temple. Alex and Brittany were selected to sing in a primary choir while Justin is in some of the theatrical numbers that will be performed the night before the dedication for President Monson. The practices, open house and upcoming dedication (all with the accompanying trip to Canada) has been pretty big news in our neck of the woods and we are excited about having the new temple.

We like Alex and have really enjoyed celebrating life with him this month.