hot, hot, hot

Hannah's 8th birthday party

Ashlyn at Hannah's party -- she got in trouble for getting Cale's shirt wet and put herself in this time out.

Swimming at Hannah's 8th birthday party

My attempt at making soccer ball cakes for Hannah's party. They weren't pretty, but I don't think that the kids cared. (Pardon the no makeup and unfixed hair)

Science center with our friends Danielle and Bethany; learning about momentum on the spinning pole.

Science Center, learning about pulleys

Ashlyn on the pulley chair

Karen with Ashlyn and Makayla. Makayla has been swimming a couple of times and seem to enjoy it.

Makayla's first MLB game. The Diamondbacks actually won this game. We had nosebleed seats.

Hannah got in trouble, and was consulting with Makayla about the situation. It was so cute because Makayla was just sitting there looking at her as Hannah was complaining to her.

Makayla using her Bumbo chair. She starts out strong and then slowly leans to the side

here is Makayla in the beautiful dress that Mark's aunt Julie made for her to be blessed in.

Notice Makayla's toe sticking out :) !

Our family with Mark's aunt Martha and uncle Richard

our family with my sister Sharon, her husband Spencer and their kids

Nanny with our girls pulling their faces

Summer is coming to an end

Time sure seem to fly. We only have 2 more weeks with Hannah and Ashlyn at our home. Then we will be taking them back to their mom's house for the school year. Hannah will be turning 8 next week and is very excited for her birthday and baptism. Mark will be baptizing her in St. George on Aug 1. It's been a good summer. It's definitely been challenging as the girls are trying to adjust to a different environment and household. They are pretty good sports about it though, and try to work things out well. Mark has done a great job at taking care of all of the girls. I know his patience wears thin, and many times when I get home in the evening, he just needs some "alone" time. He's still jogging, nearly daily, and this is a great stress reliever for him.

Makayla is growing so well. She is outgrowing some of her newborn outfits, and so it's been fun to start trying on other clothes that previously were too big for her. She is smiling so much now, and will even giggle a little here and there. The girls love to hold her and to play with her. Hannah had her giggling a little tonight too. I think they will miss each other, and it will be interesting to see how their reunions go in the future.

I'm doing fine. I'm plugging along at work, wondering how the next few months will play out. Wondering if I will continue working there, or if I'll be leaving. Wondering what kind of job I'd be able to find in another city. I enjoy the evenings with the family. When I get home, the baby usually just wants me to hold her and feed her.

baby blessing

This past Sunday, Mark blessed Makayla at church. He did a wonderful job and blessed her with many great things. I was very proud of him. Makayla was such a good girl and didn't fuss or cry. Mark's aunt Julie crocheted a beautiful blessing dress for her. We invited my sister Sharon and her family as well as Mark's aunt and uncle (Martha and Richard) to come. Mark's mother, Cynthia, was in town and was able to come. I invited my good friend Julie and her husband Dave Rickard. We also invited my co-worker and Makayla's doctor, Paul Cluff to come. Afterwards, the family went to Martha and Richard's house for lunch. It was a really good day.

This week, Mark flew to Houston for another interview. He was nervous to travel by himself, but did very well. We're hoping and praying that something will come out of all these interviews and applications that he has put in. He is looking for an apprentice lineman position. He has interviewed with the Southwest Union as well as the union headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT.