Shane Harper & Bridgit Mendler

Thank you Oregon State fair for having such a fun concert for the kids attend! About a month ago I was checking out the State Fair concert schedule and one of the kids favorite Disney Channel stars was on the line up.  Added to that was the fact that the tickets were super reasonable and it looked like fun. So I talked to Mr. Moneybags (*Jase) and the kids and I had a date.

 The opening act was Shane Harper (also from the same show in Disney Channel). The kids thought he was great.  I might have too.  He was a lot of fun and the crowd loved him.....plus the girls thought he was "soooooo cute."

 And then came Bridgit Mendler.

 The kids went crazy.

 She was just as fun as her opening act and the kids sang and even danced a little.

 They met Bridigt's bass guitarist.

 And Shane Harper.

I think their first official concert was a success.  I know they had fun and I appreciated the fun atmosphere!

This boy

This boy lives for summer.  We have been trying to get excited for school around here and he just isn't having it.  Oh well, only 3 1/2 months til Christmas break.

WEB leader

At the end of last school year the 7th graders could apply to become a WEB leader.  It's the school's form of student government.  Kahau applied and made the cut.  She was and has been excited about it all summer.  This last week Kahau has had trainings and also ran the 6th grade orientation.  She loved it all and really enjoyed keeping an eye on Brays at orientation but man did it wear her out.  Her comment was, "I don't think that I'm ready to go back to school all day just yet."

Seriously, how cute are these two?

School's a-coming

6th grade orientation

Friday was the BIG day.  6th grade orientation.  Braley, when she is nervous, is a ball of emotion.....watch out.  She got ready for the day just hoping that she would know someone.  Lucky for her the second she stepped out of the van some girl came running at her and gave her a big hug.  Instantly she looked less like a deer in the headlights.

This year is going to be a lot of fun and I know that it will take (maybe) a week for her to feel comfy in her own skin walking down the hallway.  It's a big change and she's going to handle it like a rockstar.

Pretty, pretty girls

For our skit at skit night the girls were in pairs.  One girl was the face and feet of a body  and the other, the hands.  The skit was a fairy tale about 5 friends getting ready for a stake ball. The worked out, the ate graham crackers and drank water. The brushed their hair, popped their zits and did their make-up......aren't they pretty?

Swwwwwwing

We have been swimming at the same river all summer and just the other day the kids found a rope swing and right next to it a quick current to flow thru.

I guess we will be catching our last summer rays there for sure!

Busy, busy, busy

It's been nutty.

Like crazy.

Lots had to get done, like:

1. Kahau had WEB leader training

*drive home*

2. Braley got a back-to-school hair cut

3. Ansen got a back-to-school hair cut 

(between the 2 cuts we were there for almost 2 hours)

4. I had my eye brows done (hallelujah gift cards)

*drive home* 

5. Rammy had a date with the groomer

*drive home*

6. Pick up  Kahau

(she was supposed to go to a birthday party but was too tired from a whole day at school.....it's going to be a tough life when she's back into the swing of things in a few weeks!)

7. Pick up Ansen's friend of a play date

8. Check out a place in town that I bought a Groupon for to get Kahau's hair cut and highlighted

(fyi: we were so disappointed and we are trying to get out of the Groupon.  I just may have to eat the cost of it, dang it.)

*drive home*

9. Bank

10. Get Rammy from the groomer

*drive home*

11. Take Ansen's friend home

11. Hit Wal Mart for the rest of Kahau's school supplies

*drive home*

It was seriously impossible to stay still for more then 10 mins today which is fine, I just feel bad about using all that gas.

I'd like to thank

.....Maia Mitchell from Teen Beach Movie:

and Taylor Swift:

for the drama that ensued at the hair dresser today as Braley fought hard to get bangs.  NOT just any bangs but "straight across" bangs. She was for, I was against. I had dad try and convience her and we even were texting Auntie Jamie in New Zealand. She won, I lost. She kept her length so I am happy with that.

 It is cute though, right?

11 is heaven

She's 11 folks and I can't even being to tell you how excited she is about it.

She was so anxious her for birthday that she planned her own birthday party, mailed out her own invites, and arranged food all with relatively no help.

She and her friends made bracelets.

 Then of course, gifts.

 And fun photos all at Grandma and Grandpa's. Plus games and crawdad fishing.

 Once we arrived back at our house the girlies made banana boats.  

They were a hit!

 And then it was time for bed.  10 girls in the back yard.  It went surprising well if Jason and I do say so for ourselves.  (That by no means insinuates that we will have another sleepover anytime soon--we had success and so we are calling it quits while we are on top).

 Saturday breakfast was gobbled up, the girls played more games and we patted them on the heads and sent them on their way.

 

Because Jase has to travel this week, we celebrated as a family on Sunday.

11 is a big deal, and since Braley is a big deal-this year will be awesome.

Happy, happy birthday Braley!

We love you!

Enchanted Forest

While Jason was gone back packing last week the kids and I hit up the mega-tourist attraction (okay, not mega....or even close to mega) Enchanted Forest.  It has been about 4 years since we went last so we were over due for a day of enchanted fun.

 We climbed thru Alice's rabbit hole, we hiked thru the 7 Dwarf's gold mine, entered some witches nose/mouth, and ran thru Tom Sawyers Indian caves.

Pretty incredible attractions right?

 No, they did not go in the haunted house.  Mostly because I don't like them.. BUT I let them think it really wasn't scary enough for them to waste their time or their mother's money.  That's how I roll.

 We did, however, waste our money on the log ride and the roller coaster.  They were all so cute on the rides with their screaming and squealing.

 It's no Disney but it is a really "enchanting" day.

Plus it was only $40 for hours of entertainment.

I call that a win-win.

Hillbilly hot tub

I have.  No words.

*siggggggggghhhhhh*

Girls Camp

This years theme was You've got a friend in me. It was such an appropriate theme. Kahau had such a great time. I saw very little of her but when I did, she was always hanging with new and old friends and it was just awesome to see her and the other girls from our ward have the best week of their summer.

 There was swimming in the pool, swimming in the lake, canoeing, archery, crafts, certification, singing, games, evening programs and everyone's favorite---Zip-lining.

 I've said it before and I'll say it again.  These girls are awesome! (Missing 5 here bc 2 were on pack-in and 3 are graduated and "too old" for camp....whatever)

On the last day of camp the theme for next year is introduced.  I don't know if it could be any more fitting for my 2 daughters......it's a Harry Potter Theme focusing on light and darkness.  They are stoked.

Ward camp '13

This years ward camp was a little different.  We didn't have to chase our kids around every second. They didn't just disappear out of the blue.  They slept in their own tent (we were like 10 feet away). Yeah, it was a pretty sweet deal.  The weather looked as though it was going to be pretty cruddy BUT it was actually so perfect on 2 of our 3 days.

And the kids just played and played.

 As like every year, they came home worn out and exhausted.

Pretty perfect if I do say so myself.