Summertime Fun

Instead of making a bunch of posts of what we have been up to, here are some of the things we have done in the last few months.

McKay graduated High School

Maddox graduated 5th grade.

Youth Conference.This year we had a combined youth conference with 3 other stakes. There were over 500 people there. It was all about sharing the gospel through social media. We had classes on how to do it. We broke into groups and each group had to make a video to share on YouTube. There was a 2 hour time where everyone was sharing things about the church on twitter, instagram, facebook, pinterest for part of an LDSShareExpo. Elder Parker came and spoke to us as well. Of course there was dancing and other fun things to do.

4th of July. We went to the Local park with the Skipper family. We had a picnic and took over one edge of the pier that was down by the water. The Night was beautiful, wonderful fireworks,and the company wasn't bad either.

 Bailey was in the Southport 4th of July Parade again this year. I went along as a Band Mom to help out. It was hot but not as hot as other years. There was a nice little breeze. They did an awesome job.

Girls Camp. I got to go as the Young Women President and I was also over the 2 year level girls. I have been with all my girls in this level, which means I have also gone on the 5 mile hike they have to go on.  I have been to Girls Camp with my girls now for 8 years. I do love going with them and making memories with them. Bailey was a 1st year YCL, and Taelyn was a 2nd year, which means I have at least another 4 years if she goes till her second year YCL.   

Bailey's 16th Birthday. She didn't really want a party so we just celebrated quietly here at home. We did go to Chic-fil-a for dinner. Her FAVORITE food. It just so happened that it was also cow appreciation day so dress like a cow get free chicken, so we did.

This little boy loves to read the Calvin and Hobbs comic books that we have. So I found this pattern on Pinterest You can find it here. I hand sewed the whole thing. The stripes were the worst part because I had to have him all sewn together so I go put them on. But he loves his new Hobbs.

My parents came to town. They came and helped me around the house and to spend sometime with the kids. One afternoon we went to the beach. It was BEAUTIFUL! The water was just right, the air was just right, everything was great. The kids had a blast and got to fly the kites that Grandma and Grandpa had brought for them. We were there for a couple of hours but the tide started to come in and kinda took our spot, so we went home. It was a fun afternoon though.

We were also able to go see the PIANO GUYS!! They came to the Raleigh area and I found some cheap tickets so we went. It was Me, Kaisey, Tim (Kaisey's Boyfriend) Bailey and Taelyn. The ticket said "rain or shine" well it rained during the concert. It wasn't a heavy rain just a heavy misty rain just to make everything wet and make us all wet. But it was a GREAT concert. 

Spring Break

For Spring Break this year drove down to Daytona Beach, Florida. It is about a 7 1/2 hour drive so not too bad. We went down to visit the college McKay is planning on going to in the fall.  

This beautiful picture is of us at lunch.

We stopped along our way down to Daytona in Jacksonville to visit a friend and her kids. It was so nice to get to know her kids and to see Elizabeth again. We were friends back when I lived in California as a kid. I think its been at least 20 years since I saw her last. 

Anyways, it was fun catching up Saturday night. Sunday was Easter. We started out the morning by making tombs. It is a crescent roll with a marshmallow dipped in butter and cinnamon, then rolled up. It is baked and when you take them out the marshmallow has melted. It represents the death of the Savior. 

 All the kids making tombs.

After breakfast, we watched General Conference. I loved the morning session. We then had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. McKay and Bailey hid all the eggs.

They had a tree stand in their back yard so McKay had to hide some up there.

After dinner that night, Elizabeth got out her Hawaiian shaved ice machine. So yummy. The kids all had fun watching and making their own.

Of course there was the talk of pokemon between the two boys.

Our kids

Elizabeth and me.

Amy, Laurie and Elizabeth 1992 We really need to get all together again.

 We drove down to Daytona Beach to visit the school. McKay doesn't get excited to much but he really enjoyed everything about the school.  He is going for Aerospace engineering.

After the tour of the school, (which took almost all day) we checked into our hotel for the night. It was right on the beach. It was beautiful. 

This is our Elevator shot. Every time we got on Maddox would start quoting the lines from a studio c sketch. (Studio C is a BYUTV comedy show. We LOVE it) 

This is the sketch

The morning we were going home. It was a great quick get away. Granted it took almost 9 hours to get home because of silly road construction on I-95 but we made it home.

Maddox

Maddox had his Blue and Gold Banquet for cub scouts. They had a Mexican Fiesta theme. They all wore mustaches and hats. Maddox didn't like it on his lip so he wore it on his finger and then as a side burn. There was a taco salad bar for dinner, Awards, Skits and a Pinata.

There was also a cake.

I made this cake. The "salsa" was strawberries and bananas cut up with a strawberry glaze. Very Yummy. (The Chips were real chips.) The maracas and sombrero were made of rice crispy treats and fondant.

Pinata fun.

We also ended up in the ER one night. McKay was chasing Maddox through the house and he sliced his heal on one of our floor vents that had a corner sticking up. It was pretty deep and wasn't real pretty. So we took him to the ER to have it looked at. No stitches thankfully, just glued it back together.

And lastly he got a new blanket. This isn't any ordinary blanket. It is a weighted blanket. This thing weighs about 8 pounds. He LOVES it. He sleeps with it every night. Kids that have sensory issues like he does, having that extra weight helps him calm down and feel comfortable. It is very soft. One of my friends at church made it for him. We bought the fabric and the weights and she did the rest. I might have to make one for myself. It is really nice.

Bailey

 Bailey has been busy with school, winter guard and having dislocated her knee. 

We will start with that. She dislocated her knee during winter guard practice one day. She was doing a turn and her knee didn't go with her. She was able to pop it back into place but it was very swollen for a while. We went to an orthopedic and he said that she needed to take it easy and wear a brace at all times because if she dislocated it again before it was healed she most likely would need surgery to fix it. She has been doing what she needs to do and is starting Physical Therapy this week. She is hoping she can take the brace off in a couple of weeks when she goes to see the doctor again.

 Then there is winter guard. It is indoor color guard. They did an awesome job. They put in a lot of work and and almost every weekend they would go to a competition. I was able to go to this one competition. They have 7 minutes to get on the floor, do the routine, and get off the floor. 

This is their routine.

Bailey also was in the Arts Alive program we have in our county for our schools every year. She is singing in the choir and shaking the shaker. 

McKay

I wanted to update with what everyone has been doing lately all in one post but there has been so much going on so I thought I would divide it into the parts. The first one is McKay.

Military Ball

Every year the JROTC has a Military Ball. McKay, being a Senior, had to bring a date this year. He asked a wonderful girl from Church. Bailey and I went as well as they have a senior presentation and I wanted to be there for it.

McKay and his buddies from School. 

The next big thing in his life. Finally he got his EAGLE SCOUT. Took forever because of paperwork, but it finally came about and he got it. We needed a picture of him for the program and such so I took him outside and took his picture. I thought it turned out pretty well.

It was a great program. We had great speakers, a video, and of course the presentation of the Eagle Award. Lots of friends and family and Ward members came out to support him.

We had a wonderful reception following. I got lots of help from wonderful volunteers with the help of food and keeping things flowing through out the night.

We had a table that had a binder of pictures of his project and funraiser. It also had awards/letters of congratulations that he received before the night. (He got letters from past Presidents, Army, NASA, The General Young Men's Presidency and others. He got a letter from the Current President a few weeks after the banquet)

McKay and his JROTC teachers.

Our lovely family. 

And of course we had cake.I got this done at work. 

I also made cupcakes.  McKay came up with the flavors for the night. These were a S'mores cupcake.

Graham Cracker crust, chocolate cake, toasted marshmallow icing, chocolate bar and graham cracker crumbs.

Maple Bacon cupcake. Maple vanilla cupcake with a maple cream cheese icing chopped bacon on top and a maple syrup drizzle. (these were the first to go, everyone said they were really good)

Chocolate Cherry cupcake. Chocolate cake with cherry pie filling in the middle. Whipped topping with a cherry on top dusted with chocolate.

And because it was an Eagle Scout Awards Banquet I had to make eagles. Made yellow cupcakes, Chocolate feathers. The head is a marshmallow rolled in white chocolate and coconut. Chocolate chop eyes and a cashew beak.