Pack Meeting/Court of Honor- June 25, 08

Brennen had fun as we came as a family to play games for his Pack Meeting. It was a fun family night and not really an awards night. That worked well for us because we had immediately afterwards the Court of Honor that hours of work and prep had gone into and had to leave Pack Meeting early to set up for. Greg Woomer and Josh are buddies. Josh has always been very sweet to those with special needs.
Court of Honor

Josh received his Scout and he is well on his way to Tenderfoot rank soon! Wes is the best Scoutmaster!
Dallin received his First Class rank and several Merit Badges.
He did give me a good hug!
I never dreamed how involved with scouting we as a family and I as the Mom would become. I was a Den mother and thought that was good for each of our boys. Little did I know the amount of work involved to keep Boy Scouts advancing and progressing on Duty to God. When I spoke up that Dallin wasn't advancing, within a few months I was made the Advancement Chair. :) In addition to my Sunday School teaching calling for the youth this was quite overwhelming at first. It is manageable now after over a year but when a Court of Honor is coming up there is much work to be done! Eventually we hope to teach the boys and have them do more of this (if not all) prep. I do love working with the youth and I do have 5 boys so what did I expect? I definitely want to remain involved and someday see 5 Eagles from the Gardner Family! My grandparents on both sides and my parents were very supportive and involved in Scouting and I guess I didn't notice it until I was the one doing it. I'm sure glad the importance was in my mind or I wouldn't understand what Scouts is all about. The more I learn the more I appreciate and love Scouting and want all my boys involved!

Summer Splash!

Jarom loves to swim!Here's Ben in the Mom and Tot class. I'll spare you pictures of me with him.:)
Brennen really grew and I watched him swim clear across the pool this summer!
Dallin and Josh enjoyed being in the deep end - I was able to see Josh do a real dive off the diving board.

Brookly is no longer afraid of the water like last year. She is a little fish now.

Summer brings sun and with that only water can be fun! When we can afford it we make swimming lessons part of the kids summer activities! They all are learning and growing in their abilities and it is fun to see. It makes it a special treat when friends are in lessons at the same time! What a blessing that the Rappleye's were there at the same time when Brennen had a scary asthma attack on his first day of lessons and I hadn't even thought to bring the inhaler when he hasn't needed it all summer! Kristy had hers and it really saved us, thank you so much! Now I try to remember to carry it everywhere!

We also love the Library during the summer and do the reading programs there to earn Diamondback tickets. The kids are close to finishing already! Josh is done, of course! My children are all great readers and they love to read! Maybe I do rub off on them somewhat! We are proud of Dallin volunteering there this summer. It will help him get service hours for his service learning award on his High School diploma for future scholarships, we hope! He also helps at the food bank and the Senior Center. He is also President of his Deacon's quorum and really having a great summer.

Hard to Say Goodbye

This is how we fit it all in! Very tight and stuff on laps. Brookly and Jarom are back in the cave somewhere.Brennen got to join us up front to fit.

By Saturday the dirty faces were just part of everyone!

Still cute as can be!Yes, I was also there.I love Ben's new teeth smiles!
Dirty, tired, lovin' cousin's!
Ben jumped in Wes's seat when time to go.

It was hard to see this time end. We will go every summer we can! Next summer is the family reunion in Utah so even more cousin's can join the fun! What a wonderful week together!

We're glad that families are forever!

More Camping fun!

Jordan and Brennen spent hours sawing logs for our fire.Andrew and Jarom sometimes joined in.

Cute cousins!

We love Sophie!
And Chester!

So many walks were taken I'm sure the dogs won't need walked for a week!

Ben loves his Daddy!

Camping Festivities

Yummy cobbler is tradition and the campfire for smores the next night make camping complete! A freindly game of horseshoes was often happening!
Sorry Greg, Wes still won!
Josh was the master of fire and amazed his cousins by starting the fire each morning with no matches! Hot coals and his bin of school papers was all he needed!
More horseshoes, hey, I still needed to challenge Greg myself!
The best part of camping was no schedule! We just hung out and decided day by day what we wanted to do! Games of Fish, Chess, Horseshoes, Phase 10 and Baseball were spontaneous and lots of fun! More snacks and treats than we could ever eat and being together as a family are the best part of camping!

Fishin'

The fishin' crew! Only Jarom and cousin Andrew didn't catch one and Wes took him back to Mormon Lake the next day and still no luck! This is the haul that needed cleaned! Jordan and Andrew weren't sure what to think but they were sure glad they didn't have to cut it open and clean it out!
Ben wanted to touch all of it!
Jarom fascinated.
The kids spent hours fishing and we watched in the sun! I forgot the camera back at camp and so had to rely on Lynnette to send pics of the kids as they caught their haul. Jarom was so sad he couldn't catch one. Actually, the fish tasted like dirt since they were in a little pond off of Mormon Lake and we threw some away. What a day of history for our family who hasn't caught fish to eat in 16 years of occasionally fishing. In all fairness though, some of the kids caught one last year from Freestone park in Gilbert that we threw back.

Relaxing at Camp! June18-21, 08

Dallin

The Cute Girls! Elise, Brookly and Kate!

Julie and the Doo Rag
Wes kicking back!
Jar Bear

Oh, the Camping Trip with the Family!

This little Tigger kept us up all night every night because he was still cold even in all this bundling! Cute Baby Ben!Glow sticks were a hit, thanks Aunt Julie!
Ben only wanted Wes to play ball the entire trip, whether or not he was available! Ball, Dad!

Father's Day June 15, 2008

Father's Day came sandwiched between major trips this year and I wanted to make sure that Wes knew how much we love and appreciate him. He's so much like my Dad and I know that's why it was so easy to fall in love so fast! We did meet and get married after his mission within 6 months. Our first date was Feb. 14th, we were engaged in March over Spring Break and we were married June 11, 1992. He is patient and gentle and yet firm when needed. He doesn't raise his voice and that has been a blessing for our family! Wes is such a caring Dad and the children all know and feel his love for them. They long to be with him and miss him when his overtime takes him away. I know the best thing he does to honor our marriage is to love our children. He takes me away when I need it as well. He doesn't look on time with them as babysitting and he is very generous in letting me have time out with the girls. He is very grateful when I get home and I'm impressed when the house is clean as well as children safe. It's a lot to handle! He doesn't judge what I do in a day and doesn't make me feel like I do nothing when obviously the house was negleted that day. Generally those are the funnest or busiest days with the kids and he is so understanding. He just picks up and begins to help wherever we are at with the house and towering piles of laundry. (Hey, if it's clean it's a good day)! I am incredibly blessed to have married the best father possible for our children! I pray our boys grow up to be just like their Dad!

The crew with their Daddy!
We had a crazy day with 8am church and then feeding Grandma and Grandpa as well as the missionaries with Wes for Father's Day. We made easy pot roast and potatoes so it wasn't too much work for me. Ice cream is Wes's dessert choice so again easy! The kids made cards and gave little presents. I gave Wes the tickets to see "1856" a pioneer musical with his favorite singer Joseph Paur in it.

Wes and Jarom

Ben and Wes
Josh and Wes
Brennen and Wes
Brookly and Wes

My roses

Wes gave me these beautiful roses for our Anniversary and a pretty jewelry box I'd been hinting I needed. The roses were a surprise and I love flowers! Maybe it's my connection to nature when it's too hot to be out in it!

We'll miss those red rocks!Our last day we spent in the Tlaquepaque arts and crafts village. Not Wes's favorite day since seeing and shopping is not what he enjoys. I did find the most beautiful piano music box that's on my wish list now.
He's such a good sport!
Such beauty everywhere!
We walked around and looked for a while and then ate at a little mexican restaurant there before heading back to reality!