Bear Lake 09

We made it up to Bear Lake this summer before Lucas's surgery with the Edwards Family. We always have a nice and relaxing time there. Here are a few of the highlights.
The kid's had their own little swimming pool.

Heading out to colder water.

Family Shot

Eric, Michele and Aiden Edwards

Swimming Lessons

Emma and Nathan have been taking swimming lessons this summer. Emma is in Level 1 and Nathan is in the Preschool class. Emma is doing great and is really comfortable in the water and is learning lots of new skills.
Emma practicing her front crawl stroke with her teacher, Rodney.

Emma practicing her back crawl stroke.

Nathan has been hit-or- miss as to whether he decides he is going to really be into it and participate fully or if he'll need some coaxing to get in the water and stay there the whole time. During his last lesson, he got right in and had a great time - hopefully that continues!
Nathan working on his back float with his teacher, Kaitlyn.

Watching Fireworks

We went up to airport hill and parked with the rest of the community in Choteau to watch the Fireworks. The kids sat on the top of the car to watch and then we went back to my mom and dad's and my brother, Dylan, and Lucas set off other fireworks for the kids. It ended up being a late night and I think it was midnight before the kids went to bed, but they had so much fun!

Hello long lost blog

This is just a quick hello to my long lost blog. We have been busy. Lucas had his back surgery on July 15th and it has been a week now and he is still on the road to recovery. My mom has been here to help...Praise God! I have lots to blog about from the 4th of July until now, but it will have to wait a few more days.

Slip n Slide and Making Ice Cream

We spent the afternoon of the 4th at Grandpa Conrad and Grandma Nancy's with Uncle Shane, Great-Grandpa Bill and Great-Grandma Helen. The kid's played on the slip n slide and made ice cream. mmmmmm good!

The 4th of July Parade

We watched the 4th of July parade in our hometown and cheered on Grandpa Conrad, who rode in the 1969 State Basketball Champions car and my cousin, Matt, who rode on the Choteau Smoker (boxing) float. Nathan enjoyed the big tractors and Emma enjoyed getting sprayed with water by the fire trucks and they both enjoyed all the candy!

Kid's Carnival, Craft Show and Duck Races

On July 3rd we met Great-Grandma Helen and Great-Grandpa Bill at the Kid's Carnival, Craft Show and Duck Races at the Choteau City Park and then went to lunch at John Henry's (our high school hang-out spot). We had fun catching up with old friends and teachers and the kid's had fun playing games and riding horses.



Emma and Nathan sliding together

We bought 2 ducks for the duck race, but we ended up with slow pokes!

Grampie's Birthday

On July 2nd we celebrated my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Grampie!

Lucas's Swim Team Reunion

Lucas spent many summer mornings and afternoons at swim team practice in the Choteau pool. The pool now needs to be replaced and the Choteau Lion's Club along with the Choteau community have been spending time fundraising to be able to provide the families in Choteau with a much needed new pool. We were able to attend the swim team reunion while we were "home" and Lucas swam in the alumni swim meet. He may be older and packing a few extra pounds of baby weight that he accrued each time I was pregnant, but he can still pound one out in the pool. It was so fun to watch how swift and fast he still is and for the kid's to see him swim competitively. Check out this blast from the past photo.
Lucas is the first hunk on the left kneeling in the second row from the bottom!

Here are a few fun photos from the alumni swim meet.
Pep talk from his kids/coaches

Lining up

Lucas out in front in lane 5

Daddy's Cheering section

Great-Gramma's Garden

We stopped in Augusta at Great-Gramma Nola and Great-Grampa Jerry's on our way to Choteau and then went over for another afternoon during our vacation to visit and enjoy their beautiful and peaceful yard. The weather was perfect so we just sat outside and enjoyed the scenery and the kids chased butterflies and the bunnies.

Gramma and Grampa also served as the Grand Marshalls at the Augusta Parade the weekend before and here are some pictures of them. Aren't they cute?!! My mom, my aunt, Shelly, and my brother, Dylan, are also pictured and went to cheer them on.

Swimming in Butte, MT

We left for about a week in Montana the afternoon of June 30th and went as far as Butte, MT and stayed in a hotel with a pool. This was a treat because we usually travel the 9 hours from Layton to Choteau in one day. The kid's had a blast swimming in the pool.

Syracuse Founder's Day Parade

Lucas helped with and attended the Ignite Men on Fire Conference on June 26th and 27th and so I joined some of our friends and their kids at the Syracuse Founder's Day Parade on the morning of the 27th. Here are some pics of the kids.

Sarah and Tracy's Wedding

On June 27th, Lucas and I went to Draper for the wedding of our childhood friend Sarah at Cactus and Tropicals. She came to Montana for our wedding in 2003 and it was so fun to be able to celebrate her wedding too! Congratulations to the Robinson's. Here's to wishing you both a life of happiness!!

Lucas is going under the knife on the 15th.

After seeing our family doctor and then having an MRI done on his back, Lucas was referred to a neurosurgeon. On June 22nd, the neurosurgeon confirmed that he would have to have surgery again. In efforts to get him scheduled for surgery so that he has time to recover before our little girl arrives in early September, the office squeezed him in on July 1st only later to call to say that the surgeon had a speaking engagment and that they needed to postpone the surgery until July 15th.

On July 15th, Lucas will have several discectomies done on his back. Although the recovery time is long and painful, hopefully it will eventually give him relief from back and leg pain and he'll once again be able to sleep at night and do the activities he enjoys once again including; lifting, running, biking and walking of course!

It should be an interesting month at our house with him laid up and me 8-9 months pregnant!

Please keep Lucas in your prayers and pray for a sucessful surgery and speedy recovery.

NWM Summer Kick Off Luau

Our mom's group held our Summer Kick Off Luau on June 20th. Thank goodness we reserved a pavillion because it poured the whole time, but we still had a great time with all our playgroup families.
Northern Wasatch Mommies Playgroup 2009

Mommy and Nathan

Emma and Daddy

Daddy and Patrick grillin'

Mikayla, Emma and Maddie

Emma's Kindergarten Testing at Christian Heritage

On June 18th, Emma had her Kindergarten readiness testing at Christian Heritage School where we have decided to enroll her. Joann told us it would take about 30 minutes. They returned after 10 minutes and the Joann said, "all I can say is wow!" Emma passed her readiness test with flying colors and is so excited about attending Kindergarten this fall and we are excited to be able to have her attend Christian Heritage School where we feel she will get a great Christian based education. The summer will fly because she starts school on August 19th!

CHS - Educating for Eternity! www.christianheritageschool.org
School Mission:
Christian Heritage School exists to provide a distinctly biblical, Christian education in partnership with families and local churches. Our goal is to equip and nurture students to fulfill their spiritual, academic, social, artistic and physical gifts to positively impact the world for Jesus Christ.